Getting fit 2.0

Nearly a year and a half ago I got all bloggy and sanctimonious about getting fit. I made a set of proclamations, set goals, and looked all organized and great–on paper. And then…it all fizzled.

In truth, though my head meant well, my heart was broken. I’d lost my mother 8.5 months before and my brother passed away a month later. Two losses, two funerals, two people who were closest to me gone nearly a month apart. My head and heart weren’t aligned, and I was nowhere near ready to commit to anything.

Now it’s been a little over two years since their loss. My weight has ballooned. My levels of fitness have dropped to new lows. And I won’t lie, the first half of this year was personally and professionally difficult and challenging. Sometimes you have to hit rock bottom before your head and heart are able to reconnect with one another, before you’re able to discover the fortitude to do what you must to overcome your challenges.

Where are things at today?

And so, a couple of weeks ago, I started going for daily walks again. There was no rhyme or reason. No particular agenda. Just a desire to venture out again. I’d learned to love going for walks during the pandemic, and kept them up for quite a while after. As we’d moved in the Spring and are fortunate enough to live in a place with plenty of nice places to walk, I ventured out and began exploring.

I also decided it might be time to tackle my weight. Walking alone wasn’t going to get me to where I needed. Far from it. I’ve found through experimentation in the past that the most reliable way to get on top of my weight is to focus on diet.

And so, while out on my walks I began listening to The Fast 800 book by Dr. Michael Moseley who unfortunately passed away after getting lost on a walk earlier this year. I’ve read his book several times over the last 5 years, and listening to it on my walks, in his voice, replanted the seeds of how and why I should focus on tackling my weight again.

Embarking on something as disruptive as Fast 800 is challenging. And while it would likely work for anyone who made the attempt, it’s my strong belief that your head and heart will need to be aligned in order for it to have any chance of taking hold.

The most recent nudge

A few weeks ago, we lost our last cat. With nearly 18 good, well-lived years, diabetes and failing kidneys finally caught up with her. I too have diabetes and her passing was in some ways a wake-up call. The finality of her condition, and the feelings it aroused, helped me understand that for the first time in a very long time, my head and my heart were finally in relative sync with one another.

I finally felt ready to take on the challenge of doing something about my own weight issues, and poor levels of fitness. And let's face it…heading into a long English winter you almost feel compelled to find some distraction other than work to focus on or risk going mad. The timing was good. I felt aligned. And I was ready.

What happened next?

I started my walks. Enjoyable walks around my neighborhood. I even discovered a beautiful forest nearby and go for hikes on the muddy trails there. And I started the Fast 800 diet…about a week and a half ago. I’ve had fits and starts with it. Some good days and some not so good days. It can be like that in the beginning as your mind and body adjust. I take each day at a time and each Monday is my benchmark.

About a week and a half into the diet, I’ve dropped 6kg, or 4.5% of my body weight. I have a long way to go. I’ve committed to a target of 2kg a week, which under normal circumstances is a daunting and challenging target. On Fast 800 it's not unusual to lose more than that in a week (as can be seen by how much I’ve lost in 1.5 weeks).

To be clear, some things I’m hoping to achieve with this new challenge are:

To lose 30kg (at 2kg a week, it's a potential 15 week process)

To increase my general health and levels of fitness (walking and eventually gym)

To increase my VO2 max - this is a proven factor of health and longevity

To change my diet and relationship with food

These are solid goals, and good ones. I’m not in a hurry. But neither do I want to drag the process out over years. I’d like to get to a level of weight, health, and fitness that I can focus on maintaining. I want to feel better. And I want to improve my prospects for the future by getting myself in the best state possible.

I plan to write about my experiences here (amongst the other things I write about). I keep a tracker, so I’ll drop occasional stats into my posts. Encouragement is of course always welcome. And should you have any questions about the journey I’m on, please don’t hesitate to reach out to me. I’d be happy to answer questions the best I can. And so, wish me luck this week. I have a 2kg target. Next week I’ll let you know how I did.

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