Passed a Milestone

In the post Christmas, getting back to work, in a new job, I almost missed my 21st anniversary of coming to live and work in Scotland.
That's almost half my life spent over here.

Of course, I don't actually recall the exact date I arrived here. I know I started work on the 11th Jan 1993 (because it snowed, my new suit got soaked, we were sent home early, and some snow lay until April) so I suspect it was the 7th or 8th.

My original plan was to have a small outing. Work have a long service award for 21 years so it would have all tied in nicely.

However, having changed jobs just 35 days short of the milestone, and with the pressures of the new job I really didn't do too much. Just a drink after badminton. With some of the people I spent most of those 21 years with.

2013 Review

At the start of last year I started an active campaign to reduce my weight.

I thought that by aggressively exercising and by being more careful in what I ate, I could drop 35kg by the end of 2014. I weighed in at just a smidgen under 120kg. I set my target weight myself as something that I thought would be suitable, sensible and achievable. Even if I succeeded I would still be technically overweight.

The plan was to continue with my badminton on Mondays and Thursdays,  go to the gym after work on Wednesday.  Tuesdays would be a local cycle at lunchtime since I work from home that day. Friday was my spice day. If I was in the office i would go to the gym but if I was working from home then i would go on a lunchtime cycle. At the weekends we were supposed to go out and exercise instead of going for Chinese food.

To keep me motivated I decided to post updates here, plus I planned to thrive on feedback from those people around me.

So, at the start of 2014, how did I do?

I didn't hit my target weight, so, from a pass/fail point of view, its a fail.

But...

• I lost 19kg by Christmas. I actually lost more than this in gross but had put some back on over the summer holidays and got it back off, so the 19kg represents the net loss over the year. Slipped a little over the holiday but I am only human, and I like mince pies.

• Reduced my neck measurement by 1.5 inches and my trouser size by over 3 inches. That 3 inches is a real pain as I'm between trouser sizes which means I have to keep pulling my jeans back up. But it also means I've thrown out a lot of clothes.

• I really kicked up my levels of exercise.

• Logged over 140 hours of exercise in 176 workouts, covering 1856km - that's 1000 miles. This doesn't count the badminton twice most weeks.

• Completed 75 lunchtime cycles. Though this was improved by my being on gardening leave.

• I have increased my fitness level. Not on paper (according to the gym my fitness score has decreased despite my weight loss due to my changing hip to waist ratio ) but in a visible annoying the opposition on the badminton court by being able to get to those shots now.

• I have reduced the junk i regularly eat, but not eliminated it. That would be a step too far.

• I have gone out on my bike on days when I wouldn't naturally have wanted to go out, in gale force winds and icy rain.

• Plucked up the courage to post my actual weight after only 6 months.
• I have pushed myself to go faster or further out of pure geekiness since I log all this on MapMyRun and here.

Not a bad list and I am pleased with what I have done. Most pleased with the compliments I've been getting about my reduced size.

There were a lot of reasons for this campaign.  The most obvious are the health ones. I was too big and it was only going to get worse.

However, the main reason why 2013 was the year to get lean was work related. I had not been happy at work for a long time but it was never the right time to leave as there were always changes afoot which would make things better. Incidents at the end of 2012 convinced me that things would never improve while certain factions were still in place.

So, my plan was to get myself into interview trim during 2013. Then, once I had celebrated my 21 years service, I would actively start looking for a new job. That decision was probably my main motivating factor. An incident in February confirmed for me that I needed to get away and cemented my resolve.

I came in early on this one though. I was approached by one of my customers and offered a position, doing all the things I wanted to do where I was but was being prevented.

I accepted the new job.  And so far have been quite happy.

This year I need to find a new motivation otherwise I suspect I will slip back into bad habits.

Plus the new job has more travel, more hotel meals and less time for exercise.

In fact exercise has already suffered - only 3 workouts in December versus over 20 in November. 

What will 2014 look like?

So far I have managed to reverse the Christmas bulge and resume the decline of my mass.

The cycle path was 'passable with extreme care' earlier this week after the new year floods. Still haven't managed a long cycle but then we haven't been well. Plus its been holidays.

The resolve is still there mostly because now I curious to see how far I can get to my initial target.

And my toes are submerged...

And I'm lyin' warm on the soft sandy beaches

And my toes are submerged in the water
And it feels good.
Children playing building castles on the shoreline
Like a painting that we loved and lord
It feels so fine.
Hothouse Flowers – Don't Go

After the battering Troon and most of Scotland took with the New Year storms I was a bit apprehensive heading out on the bike this morning for the first of this year's cycles.
Christmas has been 'enjoyed' and there has been little to no exercise since the middle of December.

And way too many mince pies.

First thing - I found the bike and all the gear. Of course, by the time I was actually ready to go out, it just started to rain. Better go anyway I thought, otherwise I'll never get out. Glad I did, as the rain stopped after a few minutes.

But it was cold. After a few moments my fingers were stinging (fingerless cycle gloves) and I was trying to hold the handlebars with only the palms of my hands, curling my fingers under to keep them warm.

The rain stopping didn't seem to make much difference anyway as it was already so wet. I have no mudguards. The carrier on the back keeps the spray from the rear wheels of me but the spray from the front is lifted straight up. The faster I go the higher it is lifted and the more likely that I ride right into my own spray. Muddy water in mouth and on face.

Troon was on the news, along with most of Ayrshire, as the storm surge, coupled with high tides, driven by winds, hit the shore. There was even a lovely video of the water flowing down South Beach Esplanade, with a some debris rushing with the current. If you look carefully you can just make out the specially marked surface of the cycle path.

For the most part there was little obvious storm damage. There was a reasonable amount of mulch type debris, which was quite slippery, but the real mess didn't start until I got down onto the beach.
The prom was covered in seaweed, sand, rubbish, trees, all sorts. The clean-up had already begun and there was piles awaiting removal as well. But the water had receded.

I continued on.

When I got around to North Beach there was a blockage - gravel, sea weed and sand had been washed up the steps and blocked the cycle path, but was still passable.

I continued on.

I could see water ahead of me but didn't realise just how much. The entire shore was still under water. A lot of water. At least 7 inches of water because both my feet went under as I tried to roll along the cycle path to the exit from the car park. (I could have gone back I guess ad stayed dry). I would have taken a photo but by now I could no longer my fingers (at least the stinging had stopped) and I didn't want to risk my phone with all that sea water.

After rowing to the road and resuming my cycle I got home, washed the bike and then me, and headed down in the car to get the picture.
This is looking back, south, into Troon from North Beach. I would normally be cycling north towards this point. The sea is to the right of the image, but all the water is storm flooding. To the right of centre, you can make out 3 blue cycle path signs. Its not a Father Ted "those are close, that one is far away" type thing, the poles are different sizes. The 2 small ones are a gate that the cycle path passes between. I had turned off the path to the left of centre with the water almost up to my crankshaft.

December Update

Its been a mixed December.

There has been some exercise, some dining out, some taking care and some letting go. All reflected in my weight. Well not all as I don't record weights if I don't like them. In a sense of honesty, I never write down a weight that isn't displayed, but I don't write down all weights that are displayed.

The month started out well. Despite the new job having an adverse impact on exercise, I have managed to not gain any weight and continued a downward trend.

Although "adverse impact" is a bit of an understatement. Work and travel, Christmas shopping, terrible weather, and then holidays themselves has meant the worst month for exercise this year. December has only a quarter as many workouts, distance, or duration as most of the other months except January.

At least the 2 lunchtime cycles I managed were consistent times, both in the 28.5 minutes for the 7 miles, with a wind. The only other workout was the Stephens Day walk with Fiona and her mum.

Having said that am pleased with December (apart from the weigh ins I have see but not written down). Next year needs to see me continue with this trend, but also to get back some routine for exercise.