Fitness. So this section will gradually be filled up by my amazing fitness stories + a weekly weight record from my local Boots. Probably more of the latter to be honest.....
Incidentally, someone asked me the other day why I was weighing myself in Boots, as surely it would make me weigh more. It took me a minute or two before I realised....
Anyhow, I'll keep a diary of my shrinking weight, my consistent steps AND the odd random comment right here so this is probably the best place to start if you're just dipping into the blog now and again.
Thursday 19th March
Got a flyer at DX this morning so managed to get out on the walk to Bath by 8.50am, real result as it meant I could catch the 11.07am train back. Weighed in a pound heavier which I'm gutted about. It's the food that is costing me at the moment as my step numbers have never been better.
The rest of the day was poor eating-wise and just one to write off & to get back on to the straight & narrow tomorrow.
Steps - 20,082 Distance - 10.7 miles
Thursday 12th March
Second training walk to Bath this morning along to Saltford then down to Bird In Hand and along railway path to the station. A couple of minutes slower than last week. Weighed in 2 pounds lighter which was a little disappointing but still a loss.
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In the evening, went to "The Red Lion", a play starring Joe Sims, David Lloyd & Thomas McGee at the Old Vic. Parked in St Philips and walked, so ended up with a serious number of steps today.
Steps - 23,095 Distance - 12.9 miles
Thursday 5th March
Weigh-in day and after 35 weeks, the first week where I've stayed the same. Smashed the record for the number of steps, so it's clear that the issue is with the eating.
Going to plan a few things out later today but for now, walked to Coles Printers to pick up some programmes (in the rain!)
Steps - 11,035 Distance - 6.1 miles
Thursday 27th February
Early finish at DX allowed me to head out for the Bird In Hand walk and back home by 11am. Weighed in two pounds lighter, so back where I was two weeks ago.
Pleased with that really. 30 losses in 34 weeks are good figures, hopefully it can continue.
Steps - 16,402 Distance - 9.4 miles
Thursday 20th February
Has been a bad week eating-wise so off out really early to try to lose a cheeky pound or two before the weigh-in. Was back from the Saltford stroll by 11am, then weighed in, unfortunately two pounds higher.
The rest of the day was good steps-wise but dreadful, eating-wise so I'm already a couple of pounds up this week, I guess.
Steps - 16,599 Distance - 9.7 miles
Thursday 13th February
Went for a stroll on the Willsbridge Mill route today. Very wet and muddy through the woods obviously, but that's still an enjoyable walk. Weighed in two pounds lighter again which is pleasing.
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Picked Ryan up from the station later, so had a five figure total again.
Steps - 12,432 Distance - 6.5 miles
Wednesday 5th February
Back from DX early so straight out on a new walk, 7.25 miles long. Started on the cycle path & walked pretty much to Pomphrey Hill then back along the dramway alongside the ring road & home.
Weighed in at lunch time... two pounds lighter. Decent result, loads of steps but the eating has been quite up & down.
Steps - 17,881 Distance - 9.7 miles
Wednesday 29th January
Early walk to the Bird In Hand today to confirm the weight loss, two pounds off this week. Pleased with that, and delighted that after 2-3 weeks of low step numbers, I feel well enough to bring in some big numbers now - 112,000 in the last 11 days.
Steps - 16,736 Distance - 9.9 miles
Wednesday 22nd January
Early back from DX this morning so straight back out to do Warmley Tea Rooms & back before weighing in.
Another three pounds off is brilliant, would have liked to have lost four so that I'd reached the four stone mark but that would have been churlish. Happy to be 55 pounds lighter than July, that's for sure.
Steps - 11,464 Distance - 6.0 miles
Wednesday 15th January
Weighed in this morning after a week that's been hard to predict and have lost a pound! That's the 25th loss in 28 weeks and although small, I'll take it. Weather's been rubbish, I've felt rubbish and life is, at times, well, rubbish!
Other than that, had to inch over the line again by a few steps!
Steps - 5,008 Distance - 2.5 miles
Wednesday 8th January
Third quiet day in a row, and I think flu is on the way. Feeling very run down right now and no energy to do anything, let alone walking.
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As it was Wednesday, and the challenge finishes on a Wednesday, I weighed in today to align the days - this means there are 25 weeks left from today. I lost a pound in the last nine days.
Steps - 5,550 Distance - 2.8 miles
Tuesday 31st December
The final day of the year and the halfway stage of the challenge. Firstly, went for a speed walk on the Griffin/Tea Rooms walk, 3.2 miles in 50 minutes then off to weigh in.
Lost two pounds this week which I'm chuffed about. I finish the first six months fifty pounds lighter than when I started which I'd have taken any day. Rest of the day was spent eating what I wanted, ready for the new push to start tomorrow.
Steps - 8,528 Distance - 4.4 miles
Monday 23rd December
Another shocker on the scales this morning as have put on three pounds this week. Strange as eating has been about usual, steps have been down a bit but surprised I hadn't lost a pound.
Onwards and upwards though and lots of walking around shops did the trick today in terms of steps.
Steps - 8,596 Distance - 4.0 miles
Monday 16th December
Nailed the walk to the Bird In Hand as early as I could on a work day, finishing by 11am. Weighed in at lunchtime two pounds lighter, pleased with that I must say.
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Added a few thousand more steps later in the day so ended with a good number. Halfway point is in a fortnight, with five pounds left to lose.
Steps - 17,338 Distance - 9.2 miles
Sunday 8th December
Great day today in every way. Out to the Bird In Hand this morning, still love that walk even though I've done it 40+ times now. Weighed in at Boots before lunch having lost five pounds, a big turn around from last week's debacle.
Now hit the 3.5 stone mark at last and with three weeks till halfway, need to lose seven pounds.
Covered Bristol City Women this afternoon so walked across from Aviva adding another 3k steps on this afternoon.
Steps - 17,485 Distance - 8.9 miles
Monday 2nd December
Eating too much cost me big time this week. A decent number of steps was good, but sadly the diet wheels well and truly fell off, putting on four pounds this week.
Steps - 6,590 Distance - 3.1 miles
Monday 25th November
After a mixed week, did the walk to the Bird In Hand early before the weigh-in and it paid off. Have lost three pounds this week, delighted with that.
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Went to Keynsham under-18's tonight which added a few too so a great total today. Happy with that.
Steps - 17,423 Distance - 9.0 miles
Sunday 17th November
Weighed in this morning as going to be busy tomorrow. Been a good week eating wise and with a little determination thrown in, managed to lose those two pounds from last week's gain plus another two pounds on top.
Steps - 13,769 Distance - 7.8 miles
Monday 11th November
The day was always going to come where I weighed in heavier and today was that day. Disappointed to come in two pounds heavier but from where I've come, I'm happy overall. Just need to make sure it's only a blip.
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Did a leisurely dash to Bitton station & back and ate a lot of rubbish today, just to get it out of my system. Plenty of other steps too so a good total in the end.
Steps - 9,391 Distance - 4.4 miles
Monday 4th November
Weighed in late this morning after trying to make the grade by going on a 7.6 mile walk after morning DX. It worked though as came off the scales two pounds lighter. That's the three stone smashed now.
Steps - 17,566 Distance - 9.4 miles
Monday 28th October
First job today was to weigh in at Boots and it showed a one pound weight loss again. Food was the downfall this week and have felt under the weather for most of it as well. Good number of steps but only one dash all week.
Quiet day other than that but reached the steps target comfortably.
Steps - 6,701 Distance - 3.1 miles
Monday 21st October
This morning's weigh-in saw me lose another two pounds and dip below the magic 20-stone mark. Chuffed with that, especially as we consumed a Domino's & a McDonalds over the weekend, albeit mine were smaller than usual servings.
Did the dash this morning and knocked another chunk off the time, finishing in 27 minutes 33 seconds.
Steps - 7,884 Distance - 4.2 miles
Monday 14th October
Weighed in this morning and have lost another pound, that's the 14th successive loss. Definitely hitting a plateau though so hopefully the reboot to the walks will help.
Steps - 7,005 Distance - 3.7 miles
Monday 7th October
No walking miles today but comfortably over the target thanks to a bit of shopping. Weighed in a pound lighter this morning which was better than I'd thought. The week where I plateau is not far away!
Steps - 6,404 Distance - 3.0 miles
Monday 30th September
A day with no boots on mileage at all again but the extra DX work means I'm clocking up the steps far quicker than previously.
Weighed in another pound lighter, making it twelve successive losses. Chuffed with that.
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Steps - 5,714 Distance - 2.7 miles
Monday 16th September
Just about squeezed another pound off this week, but it was very close indeed. Thought I would have to strip down to my pants like boxers do at weigh-ins... thankfully for everyone, it was just about unnecessary!
Didn't do a lot more apart from two trips to the post office so sneaked over the 5k again today. Think this will be a quiet week in terms of total numbers.
Steps - 5,533 Distance - 2.6 miles
Monday 9th September
After a strange week where the diet's been all over the place and I've spent much of the week feeling sad, delighted to find out I'd lost three pounds this week.
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Chuffed with that and did a short walk later on, just up to Victoria Road & down onto the cycle path & back.
Steps - 5,888 Distance - 2.8 miles
Monday 26th August
Off to Boots where the shouty magical weight machine told me I had lost one pound. Having done 67,000+ steps this week, a little frustrated but there's where good exercise + food management works better than doing just one of them. And at least it's an eighth successive loss.
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In the evening, went to an under-23's game at Southampton where I didn't get enough steps so on returning home, had to walk around the block to get the total over 5,000 for the day!!
Steps - 6,007 Distance - 3.0 miles
Monday 19th August
Day started off really well with a four pound weight loss in Boots. Considering I was 15k steps down this week, it must have been the careful food watching I did.
Followed that up with a quick stroll to Cadbury Heath & back, then more walking at the Southampton u23 game tonight. Almost 10k steps clocked up.
Steps - 9,681 Distance - 4.8 miles
Monday 12th August
After last night's long walk, I'd hoped that I had rescued a bad week and so it proved, coming in with a one pound weight loss.
From where I was in midweek, I'm pleased with that! Struggled with the steps tonight, creeping over the magic 5k mark around 10.30pm.
Steps - 5,294 Distance - 2.6 miles
Monday 5th August
So today marks the 10% milestone, the day I should have lost around 11-12 pounds. Clearly I've been ahead of that after three cracking weeks to start. Lost two pounds this week too...
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Tonight's walk was a good 'un, just the usual one down to the station, along to Willsbridge Mill then back up via the old golf course.
Steps - 10,344 Distance - 5.3 miles
Monday 29th July
After a decidedly average week in terms of diet, but a solidly consistent week again on steps, was delighted therefore to chip another two pounds off my weight this week.
In the evening, did the usual walk to the station and back home via Willsbridge Mill and the old golf course.
Steps - 9,356 Distance - 4.1 miles
Monday 22nd July
Great start to the day with another four pound loss recorded at Boots. In my wildest dreams, I didn't expect to lose 17 pounds in three weeks but I'll take it. The combination of good eating and walking is paying dividends right now.
Last night's walk was the Willsbridge Mill one backwards. This is fast becoming my favourite walk now as it combines urban and country with a varying terrain. Will go through the 200k steps sometime tomorrow and the 100 mile milestone too.
Steps - 7,824 Distance - 3.4 miles
Monday 15th July
Truth was, I had no need to worry as the magical shouty scales in Boots showed I'd lost four pounds. That's almost a stone in a fortnight, which I'm obviously delighted with.
The steps were to and from Cadbury Heath, the easiest way of clocking them up with two shorter walks. This might be the plan for the next few days to have a "rest" week where I do much fewer steps, but at least 5k a day.
Steps - 5,398 Distance - 2.8 miles
Monday 8th July
Legs felt surprisingly good this morning, not so the feet. Managed to get to Boots where I weighed in 9 pounds lighter, a great start to the challenge.
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Stats are elsewhere on here but suffice to say, I'll be doing well to get anywhere near that this week. Today's walk was a gentle one to AVR and back, stopping for a deserved Mint Magnum.
Steps - 6,430 Distance - 3.3 miles
Sunday 7th July
Set off at 6.20pm to do the usual walk but felt the need to really push myself tonight. Kicked on and walked almost to Saltford then back through the fields to Keynsham, and home.
Clocked up 22.8k steps on the night and over 25k overall. That's a fraction over 13 miles and though my feet know it, feel really good inside.
Steps - 25,168 Distance - 13.1 miles
Tuesday 2nd July
To get the challenge off to a good start yesterday, I completed a walk that I have done several times before, a circuit route to and from my house. It's quite pretty, half of it is country lanes and whichever way you walk it, there's a flipping big hill. It's 3.8 miles (5.9km) long and yesterday, it took just under 7,000 steps to do it. I can see it will be a regular route, an enjoyable one that involves a lake, great views and inquisitive horses. Here's the iPhone stats from yesterday.
Steps - 5,465 Distance - 2.9 miles
Monday 1st July
This morning, I went to weigh in at my local Boots. They have discreetly placed the machine in the far corner of the store but then go and ruin the discretion by setting the volume on "High" so that everyone in the neighbourhood knows someone is weighing in. It will cost me 70p a week to be publicly humiliated like this so at least I'll lose 36 pounds this year that way! For an extra 30p, I can go for a real assault on my self esteem by also getting my BMI, my body fat % and my body fat mass measured too. Hurrah!
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So there it is. As of right now, I weigh 144.6kg or 22 stone 10 pounds. My target will be to get down to 92.6kg which is 14 stone 8 pounds. Here goes....for reasons of accuracy, I'll be weighing in every Monday.
Steps - 10,061 Distance - 5.2 miles