goals not gaols
Properly strong!
Made pizzas tonight. Only concession was to go with 50/50 wholemeal/white flour for the bases. Otherwise, it was full-on pizza heaven.
We’ll not mention the beer and wine, but hey, I’ve lost 5lbs in the last ten days.
I haven’t even started exercising yet.
On the right track.
More medical appointments next week.
NHS has been great so far. Met some truly great people, really committed to helping me not die. Nice.
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Interesting aside: losing 5lbs is very noticeable. I feel significantly thinner. This, I guess, is because the easy fat is the surface fat. Anyway, I’m on the way to being an international sex symbol.
I’ve just received an email from a very sympathetic citizen of somewhere foreign, offering me all kinds of very interesting romantic services. She (I assume she is a she) must have heard of my efforts at self-improvement. The internet is a wunnerful thing.
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You wait 'til it’s 25lb !
Honestly, 5lb is a good start though. Congratulations. They reckon you shouldn’t go faster than a couple of pounds a week, except in the first week when you can lose a bit more.
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My own health drive has been very reliant on friend who has been doing this for almost 30 years (and holds numerous professional qualifications), and he was at pains to make me understand that after an extended period in a calorie deficit, “cheat” meals are both psychologically and physically necessary. As he put it, we’re not meant to starve ourselves. Refeeding is as much a part of dieting as, well, dieting.
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Vaping: reduce the nicotine in the juice down to zero and then start leaving the vape somewhere inconvenient to get to. It’s how I stopped.
Weight: Mounjaro. It’s bloody expensive but it’s helped me shed 6 stone so far. The other dietary advice of mostly protein and lower carbs is also great advice. Green leafy veg is your friend.
Exercise: the tricky one. As it’s effort. But find what works for you. For me it’s a rowing machine sat in my home office and an alarm that goes off at 9.30 am weekdays which I don’t shut off until I’m strapped in and ready to go. Been on a weeks holiday and I’m dreading it tomorrow but I’ll bloody do it.
I personally like the rower as it won’t bugger my knees as much as walking / running and going to the gym means dealing with people. It’s also pretty much a full body workout, legs, core and arms where as static bikes are less balanced.
I’d also suggest supplementing with glutamine, arginine, carnotine and a good multi vitamin. I’m trying lions mane at the moment as a friend has had good results. Variable for me at present but I’m early days at the moment. Obviously chat to your quack about things before you take the advice of some rando off tinternet
Overall good luck and just find what works for you.
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+1 for rowing machine
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Thing about a rowing machine is you can zone out while you are on it without much riskof damaging oneself. Most other gym kit seems to need a minimal amount of awareness. Given some of the people you can meet in the gym, minimal can be quite a reach.
OK people. I have lost 7lbs in the last 3 weeks. I have done this by thinking about what I am eating. I haven’t started my (inevitable) exercise routine yet.
In summary, I’ve mostly stopped eating crap.
The evidence is indisputable - I’m on the next notch of my belt.
I’ve said it already, but overnight oats have changed my life (said nobody else, ever),
Seeing the doctor in the morning.
Back to work on Friday.
My kids have been great about all of this. Their concern about me not dying has really encouraged me not go through with my previous plan to fritter away their inheritance on limited edition commerorative coins and unfussy hookers.
it’s a whole new world of win.
Went to see the dentist today. My teeth are in great shape, which is a relief.
I remain aware that I have been lucky here, and that I have been generally complacent. I am now awake again and keen to redress.
Have thrown out a lot of useless shit from the house and am thinking carefully about what is really important in terms of possessions, clutter and the consequences of carelessly obsessive behaviours. Why have 4 pairs of speakers when you only have room for one pair? Obvious solution is to sell the lot and use the proceeds to buy the one pair you really want. That’s just one example of years of what can only really be described as selfish and lazy thinking.
A lot of things will be changing for the better, and all because I went to Specsavers. It’s absolutely true. Whodathunkit.
I’ll keep you posted on developments.
Really grateful for all the support you’ve given.
Cheers!
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Big smile on my way 
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Just to add that I know that there are others here with their own challenges to overcome. I wish you all the best with those, and in spite of the fact that I have literally nothing to offer you in terms of useful advice, I can at least empathise.
So that’s nice, isn’t it…
Erm, yeah.
May all those mysterious and impenetrable journeys lead somewhere good.
Shit, I really worry that I should be better at stuff like this.
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A couple of medical appointments later…
There is still some concern about ‘end organ damage’. I have a slot to see an eye specialist early next week. Apparently, they are also keen to check my kidneys and stomach (via a scan of some sort - I should pay more attention or take notes…). My potassium levels are a little low, but not by much. When your GP says ‘eat more bananas’ it doesn’t feel too serious.
My GP has been a bit of a legend. He is impressed by my weight loss and generally pleased by my response to the BP tablets.
I still feel great - better than I have for many years. The next few weeks will feature a number of hospital appointments. With luck, the news will all be good, but I’m ready to deal with whatever transpires
My future has kale in it. Of this, I am sure.
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Let us know if you find any recipes that make the Kale Experience less like eating plastic sheeting. Possibly not deep fried in batter.
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I found a ‘DASH Diet’ recipe for a salad based on kale, chickpeas, grated carrot and tinned tuna. The kale is in bite-size pieces and coated (not generously, but it’s enough) with a DASH-suitable honey mustard dressing.
It’s totally edible. I add tomatoes, cucumber and other assorted salady shit, just to bulk it up a bit.
I suspect kale is on a very short list of foods that could not be saved by being deep fried in batter. Not even the addition of bacon will fix it.
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The apparent consumption of kale is virtue signalling at its most blatant. Have a banana.
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My vegan friends swear by dehydrated kale chips, season torn kale with the spices of your choice and a bit of olive oil, then dehydrate until crispy.
This allows the kale to be reduced to an easily disposed of powder with minimal effort.
Kale fried carefully to crispy is a nice starter before the main kale.
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I’ve already had two bananas today. How many bananas does it take to cancel out kale-related virtue signalling?
Curse my inadequate education. I am not prepared for this.