2017 gut and distance

[jimmycool]

Some more on this. Some of my weight data from last year. The first way of plotting, suggests the data is connected by straight lines. If I had obsessed about day to day trends, I'd have freaked! eg over 2-3 days, my weight often swung by over 1kg.

 

line.jpg

 

 

But plot the same data as a longer term trend (below), and all looked good. A gradual downward trend. No need to panic, no need to castigate myself, just kept on with the good work and let it run.

 

trend.jpg

 

Hope this helps?

It's all about the trend.

[Fat Boab]

It's all about the trend.

 

I thought it was the....bass?

[Johan_Kleynhans]

I need to read this thread daily as it motivates me a lot. Thanks as I am in the same boat.

 

What I promised myself a year ago when I started cycling again.

 

My cycling and health is a journey for the rest of my life and not a: I have to achieve this today. (I did that when I was still cycling competatively and I can promise you I did 18 to 20 hours a week on the bike and still had a full day job. There was no time for social life and also no time for recovery. I was obsessed.)

 

I promised myself that I am going to do it to enjoy it from now on.

 

I promised myself that it must become a long term lifestyle and not a short term goal.

 

My goal is to be healthy first and foremost and what I stuffed up over the last 14 years is not going to be fixed overnight.

 

That is why I can laugh at myself at what I said elsewhere on the forum. I am already breaking my own rule. LOL

 

Sit down and write a long term (achievable) goal which will be balanced. This goal must be focused on a healthy body and healthy mind. Then plot the journey to achieve it.

 

Training is part of it. Eating is part of it. Social is part of it. Your spirit is part of it.

 

Make time for all of it.

 

I had to make peace with myself a long time ago as I was on a destruction path of note. I sometimes raced so hard (as an amateur) against the Pro's that I never recovered. We trained/raced 7 days a week of which (track season we raced Friday evening on track at Pilditch, raced on the road Saturday afternoon. Did a recovery ride of 4 hours Sunday morning and raced at Hector Norris on Sunday afternoon.) We then trained Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday evenings. Road season was even worse as the miles then increased a lot.

 

I trained at night winter and summer no wonder it eventually broke me just about. When I look back some of the wins was very nice and I will remember some of them for the rest of my life. Did I enjoy all the hours I spent on the bike away from family and friends. NOPE!

 

I was totally out of balance.

 

Johan

[eccc whippet]

we understand the weight is going to fluctuate.

 

the punishment was for being a pig and eating the whole packet of biltong and the piece of chocolate and the chicken nuggets and drinking the coke zero...1 hour on the trainer done and dusted...i dont know what is worse running or an indoor trainer...when you start counting with the seconds on the timer you know you flippen bored....at least it gave me a lot of time to think.

[ChrisF]

As useful as it is to weigh every day and review, one has to be careful of being unreasonable on oneself - remember balance?

 

.....

 

When I started out on my journey my dietitian asked me to NOT weigh myself daily ....

 

You WILL fluctuate.  It is NATURAL.

 

 

But when you work so hard, and see an increase on the scale it messes up your whole day ....  it becomes a self destructive roller coaster !!

 

 

 

You KNOW what you have to do in terms of eating and exercise .....  DO IT

 

then weigh yourself once a week, or even better just once a month ... your belt will give you the good news long before it is time for the scale

 

 

I now only weigh myself to keep a record, sometimes even go 5 or 6 weeks without a scale.  (my belt tells me quick enough what is happening !)

 

 

 

MY moto - eat right, exercise in moderation ... and the rest is just a bonus.  The fact that I have lost more than 20kg is just a BONUS, certainly not the goal.  Thus small fluctuations dont wear me down.

 

I still find that after a "hard" ride my recovery is slow (my hard ride is hardly a warm-up for the typical rider on this forum).  But it took me 25 years to pick up the weight, it took me 18 years loose muscle tone .... not "punishment", no unrealistic expectations, no podium dreams, just a constant moderate exercise routine.  My Garmin/Polar stats tells the story of a VERY clear improvement over the last 11 months !!!  Each time that I push my stats further - without hurting my knees - is a "victory" for me.

[eccc whippet]

Amashova is almost here...so it is time to head out into the hills...what a pleasure compared to the indoor trainer

 

Weather indicated rain...rain and more rain...at 11 pm last night i walked out side and checked...still no rain...set the alarm for 4 am and went to bed.

 

was a bit chilly this morning...but once out on the road...a little effort soon sorted out the chill. 

 

what a pleasure climbing those hills up through Drummond...inchanga towards PMB...those 30 min morning and evening session certainly made it easier....got comfortable at 80 cadence and off i went...no PRs today...even though i thought i had done better on one of the long climbs...i certainly didnt suffer today like i normally do...i reckon i am ready for a sub 4 hours at 102 kg ...but will continue with the plan to loose as much weight as possible for the next week.

 

wife has decided to can the starvation diet and join me on the weighlesss plan...she has done well...lost over 4 kg in 10 day...it is gona make it easier for me with her on the same eating plan.

 

tried something different this morning...had a hand full of oats and yogurt before my ride...instead of just a racefood far bar...had the far bar when we turned to head back to Durban.

[eccc whippet]

102.5 kg ...not bad considering the long weekend had many challenges...birthday parties...family breakfast etc

 

Managed to get in 2 rides on the Amashova route...with a few hills.

 

For the first time on this route I ran out of legs...normally I am broken and out of breathe at the top of the hills...hr at around 195 bpm.

 

breathing and hr was ok...just the legs couldn't keep the pace...got to 90 km and the cramping started...at least I managed to break the 70 km mark and complete a 100 km ride yesterday...I am pretty chuffed with the result.

 

you know you need to put more effort into training when you tell the recovery vehicle to go ahead and leave you to make your way back at your pace...its not the first time...unfortunately I am one those people who would rather walk home than give up and get into the recovery vehicle.

[Fat Boab]

102.5 kg ...not bad considering the long weekend had many challenges...birthday parties...family breakfast etc

Back to 'work' today then.

 

Managed to get in 2 rides on the Amashova route...with a few hills.

 

For the first time on this route I ran out of legs...normally I am broken and out of breathe at the top of the hills...hr at around 195 bpm.

 

breathing and hr was ok...just the legs couldn't keep the pace...got to 90 km and the cramping started...at least I managed to break the 70 km mark and complete a 100 km ride yesterday...I am pretty chuffed with the result.

 

Just a thought: if you've stepped up from 70 to 90km, in a very short time, that's a bit extreme (nearly 30% increase). Perhaps step it up in smaller increments over longer time?

 

Legs, cramp - Sounds like the limitation of the trainer....TITS is the solution!

 

you know you need to put more effort (or time) into training when you tell the recovery vehicle to go ahead and leave you to make your way back at your pace...its not the first time...unfortunately I am one those people who would rather walk home than give up and get into the recovery vehicle.

Are you sure you're riding with the correct group ie at a pace to match your capabilities?

[eccc whippet]

yip back to work...with a packed lunch.

 

i was riding in a faster group...got lots of PRs...combined with the increase in distance certainly would explain the craps at 90 km.

 

I will be stepping up the training this week and doing longer rides on the weekend.

 

 

 

[eccc whippet]

Getting more involved with food prep...lunch is packed and ready.

 

Down to 2 slices of bread...no more toast with butter in the afternoon.

 

garden is full of small tomatoes...lettuce...bananas...strawberries and a few other fruit and veg

 

Making yogurt and using strawberries from the garden to spice it up.

 

 

 

 

Decided to take a break from the trainer today...legs feel like they need a rest today.

 

Had to make another hole in my belt.

 

The part of my fat gut where my legs hit...is shrinking...slowly but there is progress...I noticed it while on the drops yesterday.

 

Took the rattlin red rocket off the wall...charged the battery...replaced the chain and gave it a wash...I need to get use to the saddle (something I need to replace at some stage in the future)

[eccc whippet]

Just a reminder of why I am doing this...it has been a long difficult journey.

 

Before....When I started riding up and down the promenade... around 132 kg ...then as I lost weight and started riding at shongweni polo pony ...around 128 kg

 

 

 

Progress.....Still got a long way to go...a recent pic cruising the promenade with pinkie ...around 103 kg

 

 

 

it might still take a while before we will get to see after pics.

 

P

[Dogs]

This is a reflection of my year...

[FirstV8]

ISETECH , well done keep it going . The goal always seems to far ahead but "bit by bit " ( Not bite ) you will get there . Im on the same journey .  

[Shell Belle]

You're looking great.  Just keep going, have faith and enjoy the process.

[Johan_Kleynhans]

Awesome.

 

Looking back at the pictures motivates me.

 

Somebody should start an old Ballies thread. 50 plus??.

 

Perhaps we can show a photo of what we looked like in our heyday. Where the turning point was and the progress.

 

The before photos, the turning point photos and the after photos.LOL

 

This motivates me a lot as I am not alone in this fight.

[ChrisF]

Well done !!