My ex partner Deb once said to me that cigarettes were the great love of my life and while that may have been close to the mark (though not quite true), I certainly missed them when they were gone.
I still do, seven years on. Smoking cessation left a cavernous hole in my life that has never been filled and probably never will.
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| The world's biggest hole in Russia |
Yet, it's an achievement and I will never return.
However, there have been two side effects of my feat of endurance.
1) A long term stomach illness. I won't bore you with it, but suffice to say nicotine is a metaboliser and digestive aid and at one time, I thought nothing of eating whole KFC Family Feasts. The cigarettes helped to get rid afterwards.
And I continued to eat like a monster after I quit.
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| I could quite happily eat that now... |
2) Weight gain. I resent the NHS for this. In a leaflet I read, the small print said 'you may experience some mild weight gain'. Well, in one year, I put on 56lbs (4 stone in the local parlance). I think I then lost two stones naturally, but, for one reason or another, the last two stones have proved a nightmare to shift.
I have been a member of Southwell Leisure Centre gym since October 2010. I was referred there on the brilliant GP Referral Scheme for a multiplicity of middle-aged-man illnesses including the afore mentioned overweight, high blood pressure, stomach pain, anxiety attacks, stress and clinical depression following a disastrous spell of employment in a local charity (scary places, scary people).
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| A typical manager in the Voluntary and Charity Sector |
While I can do without the weights (anyone who reads my stuff knows how I feel about the lunkheads who lift heavy weights), I love cardio and particularly distance running.
In November 2012, I ran the Worksop Half Marathon. This was a major achievement.
The only places I used to run to were situated at the end of the road, and they sold fags, beer, drugs, curry, kebabs and Lucky 15s.
You would think that I would be happy with all this, the sense of endorphin-related well being more than compensating for the visceral, decadent pleasures I have foregone.
You would think the treatment would have worked.
I had a measurement session with one of the gang down at the leisure centre the other day and I came out feeling as if I had been slapped around the head by a big wet fish.
In three and a half years, I have lost 1lb and 4ozs.
Brilliant huh.
I clearly cannot do this on my own, so I am going to enlist the help of my readers, friends, "followers" (ridiculous nomenclature) and people I know to get me through this.
The Scores On The Doors:
According to my weighing print out:
I am 14st 12lb (94.7kg)
37% Fat
There are other statistics on there which are too embarrassing to list (and probably too boring). Everything is too much or too little.
Here is what I have done:
I've eliminated any bread bar pitta.
No takeaways or pre-prepared meals.
No chips.
Deffo no chocolate (see last week's blog post - that hurts typing it)
No carbonated drink.
I would like to give up booze but I have a long standing social engagement and enjoy the occasional night out, so I shall suck that and see.
I am allowed one treat night a week. Probably Saturday.
I am going to exercise six days a week. Luckily, I live near the leisure centre so that's not an issue.
My goal?
12 stone 8 lb by September 1st.
Can I do it? Watch this space.
If anyone wants to help/cheerlead/discuss or better still, join in, then I shall be tracking this on Facebook. Happy to link there, if we are not already.
Thanks and wish me luck.
Wiz.
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Also:
Big Cat Nap and Cecilia Spark
http://adventuresofceciliaspark.blogspot.co.uk/2014/05/big-fundraiser-for-born-frees-big-cat.html
All profits from EVERY book you buy from children's author Ngaire Elder, author of "The Adventures of Cecilia Spark" goes to Born Free's Big Cat Nap throughout June. Check the website for details.
It's a fantastic cause so #getonboard.