Twiggy's got STONES to loose.....

Twiggy69

Greetings fellow Boardsies!

As you may have gathered from my username, to date, I have never taken my weight too seriously. But I am attending too many funerals & hear of too many friends having "stints" fitted, so I have decided to give a healthy lifestyle a serious go.

Vital stats are - I am a 45 year old male, tipping the scales @ a mere 121kg/ 19st 4 lbs, that's the heaviest I've ever been.

I got my son to measure me yesterday - the readings are:

Shoulders - 134cm
Chest - 119cm
Gut (around navel) 119cm
Waist (Belt) 109cm
Thigh 65cm
Calf 43cm

Now I have been a fairly heavy smoker since age 18, but I have successfully kicked the habit 7 months ago. Above anything else in my life, I'm THRILLED about that!

As regards the drink, I was a very heavy drinker, drinking anywhere between 10-30 units daily for several years. I have also modified that in the last year, only drink maybe Sat night, but even then, I could put away 20 - 30 units between Guinness & Carlsberg. I have recently got in on a system of Pints of Water "chasers", order a pint of water with EVERY PINT of alcohol. It significantly has reduced the alcohol intake and I feel I am re-hydrating through the evening.

This week-end, I managed to avoid alcohol altogether, and feel none the worse for it. Plays Hell with the Social life though!!!

I have been interested in Patrick Halford's GL Plan, and am nearly half-way through his Bible. I think it's the way to go for me, and especially with the Summer upon us, it's going to be a lot easier to break bad eating habits than the cold wet winter nights. I have also booked in for a professional allergy test - they test up to 950 possibilities, so it's worth a shot.

I have taken up walking since the start of the year (thanks to my Boxer pup) & would get an hours walk in a few times a week. In more recent times I purchased a heavy duty cross trainer. I also purchased a multigym ( which I haven't started on just yet, until I get a bit fitter) Other tools in my fitness arsenal are:A Polar Heart Rate Monitor, an Airwalker 2000, Lateral Thigh Trainer, Ab toner, 60cm Gym ball & a humble skipping rope!

ONE IMPORTANT STAT IS THAT MY RESTING HEART RATE IS CIRCA 100 BPM,

When I'm lying down, that can drop to hi 60's, but washing the car to-day, it ran between 120-140.

To-night I read the Cross -Trainer manual which gave the Maximum Heart Rate for a Male as 220 - age = 175 in my case. It recommended for strenghtening the heart, that I exercise at 70/80% of that, (122 - 140) but that's the rate I am at just doing the activities of daily living.

I did two 10 minute sessions on the cross trainer to-night, set on manual & brought my heart rate up to max 155, otherwise, I would have felt I was wasting my time. I was perspiring after the second 10 minute session but not excessively so. Actually, I might just post this item up as a seperate thread.

Any tips or advice regarding diet or exercise will be much appreciated!

Well here goes, I'VE NOTHING TO LOOSE BUT POUNDS AND INCHES!

cardio,shoot me

Congratioulations on getting started!! You seem very commited and all the work will pay off as the u shed the pounds! Good luck

Twiggy69

Thanks, cardio shoot me. All went well yesterday, meusli for brekkie, salad for lunch, omelette for dinner.

Back on X-trainer, upped it to 22 mins plus vigorous walk back from O2 (The Point) to Mulligans, Poolbeg St! Thirst is an awful thing!!! HAHA

Went to Eric Clapton concert, had 3 pints of the black stuff & 3 pints of water - very pleased with both, I enjoyed every note of the concert (sober), the man's a living legend & I didn't overdo it with the booze after the show.

One happy camper!:):):)

Oryx

I also want to say congratulations. Youve made some serious changes to your lifestyle, which is no small thing to do. You certainly have willpower by the bucketload which Id say will stand to you in your training.

I cant advise you much, I have no idea on the heartrate thing, maybe ask your doc whats safest to work to as a max? Anyway, keep up the good work. If you find your motivation slipping, come back here and post, feedback is good for morale.

celestial

Hey OP

Nice one on the plan and you look v determined which is great. One thing - I don't rem if you said on the other thread if you had been with your doctor or not. If not then you need to get checked out with him first before starting into the exercise (walking the dog doesn't count). This would apply to anyone over 35 who hasn't had any proper exercise in some time.

Good luck!

Twiggy69

Hi Oryx & Celestial, thank you both for the support. Funny thing, you both mentioned visiting my GP. Sadly, his is one of the funerals I attended recently, a young man, sad loss.

This week has been very different with lots of physical work around the house, painting, moving furniture etc. Long days of physical work. I still hop on the cross-trainer and am up to 3 x 10 min sessions through the day. I am hoping to build it up to 6 x 10 min sessions in about a week. I am planning to spread these sessions over the course of the day, thereby keeping my metabolic rate up over a longer time. I can really feel it burn in the calves & upper arms. The heart rate is fine, just bringing it up to 155.

Now where did I leave that damned paint roller???