Slow Down, Fatty

Since coming back from holiday a couple of months ago, I’ve resumed normal life. I’m no...

craiga — Fri, 30 Dec 2011 14:37:03 +1100

Since coming back from holiday a couple of months ago, I’ve resumed normal life. I’m no longer “dieting,” counting calories or going out of my way to exercise every single day. I am being mindful of what I eat, but I’m certainly not letting it get in the way of doing what I want to do. I’m keeping active, with 30km of cycling each work day, twice-weekly visits to the gym and the occasional jog, but it’s no longer a defining part of my life.

I never quite reached the 90 kilogram mark, but right now I’m reasonably happy with myself. I’d still like to be thinner (as I think most people would), but I’m no longer this guy:

For a start, I’m horribly unhealthy. Doctors have told me I’m in the high-risk category for diabetes, heart disease and cancer. I can’t climb two stories of stairs, walk up the hill near work, or maintain the same walking pace as many of my friends without getting short of breath. I’d love to be able to play sports at a level that wouldn’t completely embarrass me. Being able to run without feeling the entire front of my body bouncing around would be liberating. After years of shopping in big guys shops, being able to buy band t-shirts or clothes at regular stores would mean the world to me.

Finally, there’s also the vain reason that I look like crap. I hate seeing reflections of myself clothed, I cringe when I’m tagged in photos on Facebook and I loathe having to look in the bathroom mirror — much of the time I’ll avoid looking at myself at all.

In other words, it’s time for me to officially end Slow Down, Fatty. It’s been a great help being able to write down these thoughts that float around in my head. I’m happy to answer any questions you might have about my experience or offer you advice, but I won’t be posting here in the same way again. Feel free to follow my real-life blog at blog.craiga.id.au, where might occasionally post about my now far more active lifestyle.

when will you update your blog?

Thu, 22 Dec 2011 15:23:47 +1100

…eventually.

There’s not much to report at the moment, although I did do a 10km run in just over an hour last week. Turns out that it’s quite difficult when you don’t do any training.

Photo

craiga — Sun, 27 Nov 2011 19:35:53 +1100

I was promised a rainpocalypse, but now I’ve got to waste a perfect 26º cycling evening...

craiga — Tue, 08 Nov 2011 18:00:52 +1100

I was promised a rainpocalypse, but now I’ve got to waste a perfect 26º cycling evening getting the train home.

I just signed up for another 10km run.

craiga — Mon, 07 Nov 2011 16:12:25 +1100

I just signed up for another 10km run.:

I’m feeling fine after running almost 6km yesterday (even though it was my first run in six weeks or so), so this 10km in five weeks shouldn’t be a problem … though it will be getting pretty hot by then.

Feeling shitty so I'm going for a jog.

craiga — Sun, 06 Nov 2011 19:01:47 +1100

Who is this person and what have you done with Craig Anderson?

So, I’m back from my three-week holiday in Vietnam. We had...

craiga — Fri, 04 Nov 2011 14:20:00 +1100

So, I’m back from my three-week holiday in Vietnam. We had a fantastic time, making our way from Hanoi in the north all the way down the main train line to Saigon in the south.

I indulged in far too much food and drink and refused to feel guilty for any of it, and amazingly came home only one kilogram heavier. We were doing a lot of walking and went on one 50 kilometre bike ride from Hoi An to My Son, but overall I felt like I was being pretty lazy (and loving it).

We took lots of photos, and I’m shocked by the way I look in them — I look like a regular guy at a healthy weight! This is the first time in my adult life I’ve thought this, and it’s mind-blowing.

Hey, it's been awhile... hope that's because you're out having an amazing life, not because you're in a carbs induced couch coma! Kx

Tue, 25 Oct 2011 22:16:59 +1100

Right now I’m sitting in a wicker chair, enjoying a beer, looking over a tropical bay of Whale Island in Vietnam. Now, I haven’t been particularly good with my diet — Ca Phe Sua (Vietnamese coffee served with condensed milk) is pretty amazing — but I’ve also been enjoying mountain biking, hiking, and swimming with my shirt off *gasp*. so yes, I’m doing well. Thanks for your concern.

I’m slowly getting settled into my new job, and am loving...

craiga — Wed, 21 Sep 2011 15:43:18 +1000

I’m slowly getting settled into my new job, and am loving my new commute. It takes me about an hour each way, and I get to take in some nice scenery along St. Kilda Beach and Elwood Canal.

However, it has become far too easy for me to justify overeating—a big breakfast from one of the great cafés in the neighbourhood when I get to work, a piece of cake with lunch, a beer with my dinner, and so on.

I need to get back on track. Last week was a write-off (“I’m on holiday” and “I’ll be getting heaps of exercise when I go back to work” were my most-used phrases during my short holiday) and despite maintaining a pretty steady weight for much of the week, I ended up binging my way back to up to 95kg toward the end.

I need to remember that nearly there is not good enough. I’m not finished until my weight is below—and stays below—90 kilograms.

Regardless of how many kilojoules I burnt or how much headwind I was riding into, riding Jolene...

craiga — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 18:54:36 +1000

Regardless of how many kilojoules I burnt or how much headwind I was riding into, riding Jolene today was fun.

Just tried running for the first time since hurting my knee, and didn’t make it to the end of...

craiga — Sun, 11 Sep 2011 10:40:15 +1000

Just tried running for the first time since hurting my knee, and didn’t make it to the end of the street before realising it was a bad idea. It’s not painful, but it feels like it would be if I kept going.

On the upside, I haven’t put on much weight since I stopped running and got myself back up to my recommended kilojoule intake.

365 days, 57.8 kilograms.

craiga — Sat, 10 Sep 2011 19:20:00 +1000

365 days, 57.8 kilograms.

Jolene’s new rack.

craiga — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:56:45 +1000

Jolene’s new rack.

The knee’s still hurting meaning I won’t be running tonight, but my plan to taper out of...

craiga — Wed, 07 Sep 2011 14:42:24 +1000

The knee’s still hurting meaning I won’t be running tonight, but my plan to taper out of my diet is going well.

For the past three days I’ve been gradually eating more and more, trying to hit the target ShapeUp Club recommends to lose 1.3 kilograms per week. My weight started going up in small amounts (~100 grams each day), but it started heading back down last night. Hopefully this means my metabolism is relaxing, letting me burn my energy stores more easily, and I’ll be able to lose the remaining two or three kilograms quickly and easily when my knee comes good.

But even better than that, I’m allowing myself little treats here and there which is doing wonders for my mental health—yesterday I had a beer in the middle of the week and didn’t feel the slightest bit guilty!

My knee’s still giving me trouble—it made it difficult to get comfortable and sleep last...

craiga — Mon, 05 Sep 2011 10:57:28 +1000

My knee’s still giving me trouble—it made it difficult to get comfortable and sleep last night. Thankfully I’ve got movie dates tonight and tomorrow night, which will act as enforced breaks from exercise. Hopefully it’ll be right for a run on Wednesday.

Tapering

craiga — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 21:59:13 +1000

Over the past year I’ve been dieting pretty aggressively, eating less than most sources would recommend. Unfortunately, this has meant that when I try to go back to a maintenance or normal level of eating, my weight shoots back up pretty sharply.

Now that I’m only three kilograms from my target weight, I’m going to try eating more—that is, eating around what ShapeUp Club tells me to—in the hope that when I do go back to maintenance my weight will stay pretty stable.

Excuse the background and the doofus smile. I bought the suit...

craiga — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 18:40:43 +1000

Excuse the background and the doofus smile.

I bought the suit these pants belong to in 1999 when I was graduating and looking for a job. At my heaviest, they didn’t fit me. The suit jacket is equally comical, but more difficult to illustrate in a photo.

Positive: Did a 12km run this morning, despite a case of CBF. Negative: A blister I’ve been...

craiga — Sun, 04 Sep 2011 13:52:16 +1000

Positive: Did a 12km run this morning, despite a case of CBF.

Negative: A blister I’ve been developing on my left foot gave me a lot of trouble during my run. As a result I’ve done something to my left knee, and now it’s quite painful to walk around. Damn.

I’ve pretty much rationalised taking a day off the diet to myself. I’m so close it...

craiga — Fri, 02 Sep 2011 11:47:00 +1000

I’ve pretty much rationalised taking a day off the diet to myself.

I’m so close it doesn’t really matter.

It’s not a day off the diet, I’m “tapering out of it”.

It’ll be a good jolt to my metabolism.

I’ve got a week off coming up — I’ll be spending most of that exercising anyway.

Kelly/my sister’s mother in law told me I don’t need to lose any more weight.

Aww, but it’s Lisa’s last day!

So close it’s driving me crazy.

craiga — Thu, 01 Sep 2011 13:46:06 +1000

So close it’s driving me crazy.