Bye Bye Fat Kid!

Ups and Downs

2011-07-25T12:35:00.000-07:00

Week two... Hmmm...

After such an amazingly successful first week, I wasn't ruling out the possibility of being 6st at the end of week two, I was wrong, but maybe not by as much as I thought!

Week two has seen a slightly less satisfying result of a three pound loss. This bummed me out a bit, though I then took my measurements, to find that I had actually lost nearly 4.5" overall, including an inch in the gut, which is always good news!

Whilst the numbers haven't shone for me this week, I feel quite different! Suddenly the buttons on my work shirt don't hold on for dear life when I am sitting at my desk, and I don't have trouble breathing when I tie my shoe laces. Those might sound like small things, but they have definitely contributed to a better attitude overall, and I am not nearly as reserved when it comes to wearing a shirt that otherwise I wouldn't have.

This week, there has been a couple of changes, namely the addition of 'drugs'. Whilst not steroids, or heroin, I have begun taking caplets that fall under the name of 'PAGG'. If I've not said it before, I'll say it now, this diet is scientific! Not only does it break a lot of the normal 'diet rules', it also focuses on using some of the tools available on the wholefood market to assist in rapid fat loss. Let's get this straight, I am not taking fat blockers or diet pills, I am taking some nutrients/extracts that are designed to do different (but similar things), which aren't readily available in common foods. This means that at the moment, I am taking up to five caps with every meal, which is a cocktail (or 'stack') which contains Anti-Lipoic Acid (ALA), Green Tea Extract, and Garlic Extract. In the evenings, I treat myself to a P... Policosonal, the final, and more elusive of the stack's components.

So, has the miracle stack made me drop a hundred pounds in four days? Not really, but it has certainly helped me in convincing the calories I am consuming choose to be focused on muscle, rather than fat. This has meant that whilst my body weight hasn't dramatically decreased, I had a very noticeable difference in my work trousers. This is a pretty good result, though I am coming to find that the stack is a bit pricey, as it is due to cost me about £20 per month, though if the benefit is maintained, then I have no problem with this.

Here is what breakfast looked like on day 7 of the first week, odd to see some pills there, though at least there's some variation in taste/colour/size (Only joking!):

Another change for me in week two was adding a bit more flavor to my meals, as I am sure there's no way I could keep this up for weeks without some fun thrown in. This has meant that with my morning spinach, I have added a couple different kinds of simple vinaigrettes. With meats, I am more inclined to add some seasoning, and olive oil. Instead of simply frying eggs, I have added paprika to add a bit of a more meaty flavour, almost makes it taste a bit like bacon! I have varied my choice of beans as well, as I have come to find beans to be the weakest part of this whole thing. They're boring, and there are seemingly only a few different takes on beans that are tasty, and conducive to this diet. Over the weeks, I hope to share some enjoyable recipes for not only people attempting this diet, but also for people who are just looking to change things up a bit in their normal diet.

Now, the fun stuff... and perhaps the most bizarre part of this diet is the cheat day. Every week, I am allowed one day (which needs to be the same day each week) where I am actually urged to bust the wheels off this show, and go crazy! Last week I told you about my McDonalds quest, when I could only manage to turn this:

...into this:

Now if you know me, you know that this just doesn't happen! Whilst I didn't coin the term 'side-burg', I may have pioneered the use of it. I had a habit of eating until I was going to nearly be sick, and then regretting it immediately thereafter! This got me thinking, until dinner that was... when this beauty crossed my lips:

And my god was it good. It went down easily as well! I didn't partake in any consumption of alcohol, which again is an oddity! I thought I'd be dying to have a Schneider-Weisse or two, but not at all!

Tim warns you that you will put on weight after cheat day, and indeed I did! I didn't get back down to my low weight until Thursday, and then by Saturday morning I had lost another three pounds. This time around, I put on nearly six pounds on my cheat day (which was reasonably well behaved), and I am still sitting 6-7lbs above Saturday's weigh-in, though I am hoping it disappears quicker. I have read that this sudden influx of calories shocks the body into working a treat for the week after, though I have also been told to do certain things to ensure that I absorb the least amount of calories as possible from these meals, and I have not yet implemented those changes.

This week, I am strongly hoping for another good loss, as I would really like to get back into running, though I am not at a reasonable enough weight to run comfortably, and safely. I would also like to get to grips (pardon the pun) with the 4HB's favorite exercise, which will be discussed when I finally manage to get the required equipment. Stay tuned for that one!

In any case, I am now officially two weeks in, and feeling great about the whole thing! I am not only losing weight, but I am saving money, and getting healthier one day at a time. I would however like to get my bodyfat percentage tested properly, which is amazingly more difficult than you'd think!

One last thing, just to share something that I thought was a little evil... as I am unbelievably addicted to pasta, and haven't had any for two weeks (as opposed to once every 2-3 nights), as I was headed to the 'Bean aisle', I passed this lovely stack of drool-worthy pastaness, perfectly stocked, as if to say 'Come on fat kid, just do it!':

In any case, thanks again for keeping tuned in to this blog, and I look forward to hearing from more people that have managed to stumble across this page, whether it be through one of Tim's avenues, or through my own.

To all the other 4HB'ers out there, keep going, and share your results! For everyone else, let me know what you think!

To finish it off, here are some of the meals from Week 2. If any of them look interesting, let me know and I'll put some recipes up!

Cheers!

The Four Hour Body

2011-07-16T09:44:00.000-07:00

Wow... it's been more than a year. Unfortunate!

But as always, I am back for more, and this time I think I've found something with the perfect balance of structure and freedom to keep me committed to it.

After reading another one of Tim Ferriss's books (The Four Hour Work Week), I decided to give him a shot in crafting a new body for me as well as a few lifestyle tweaks. The new book is called "The Four Hour Body". The principles are simple, and promise that with some substantial changes (though not time consuming), some amazing changes can be seen in body composition in short periods of time. The other book was great, and has improved some parts of my life, so why not give this a shot? What's to lose? £7.49 for the cost of the book? At least I can say I've tried it, and at the very least, Tim's writing style is incredibly fun and easy to read.

Having started reading the book last week, I started the first major change in the book on Monday morning, the 'Slow Carb Diet'. The diet calls for a bit of craziness, and to the 'diet sensible' people in this world, there are a number of things that are easily disagreed. What does this mean? Well... it's more fun to rub it in people's faces if it works! I like anything that proves the majority wrong, and this is definitely one of those things.

So, without spoiling the fundamentals of the book, this diet consists of a few rules, but the biggest of which is to avoid white carbs, and consume more protein at breakfast. One of the bigger bonuses is that every week, you're allowed, and insisted to take a cheat day, on which you can throw the towel in, and partake in some calorie overload. Today is the first of those cheat days for me, and so far, I am surprised at the results. I have been hankering for a Big Mac meal all week oddly enough, and whereas normally I would have a Large Big Mac meal with Coke/Fanta, and disgustingly a 'Side-Burg' which could range from a cheeseburger to a full quarter-pounder with cheese. Holy shit, no wonder I'm the size of a £125,000 Edinburgh Flat!

So would I be delighted with my Big Mac and regular fries?

... of course I was! Are you head-dead? That being said, I got halfway through the burger, and got a cold rush through my cheeks (a sign I've had too much starch), and my stomach was putting on a hold on my account. I got through half of a normal meal, and threw in the towel. Why? Not because I've been eating less, and my stomach is smaller, but my guess is because I've learned in one week that food is fuel, not fun. It can be fun, and will be for the rest of my life, but I've been a horse with blinders on. You don't need to eat the whole burger to enjoy it, it just makes you miserable, and fat.

I'm currently on day six of this diet, and though I initially believed the change of diet would be impossible, it has been a lot easier than I had thought. I have found myself beginning to enjoy the food that I am eating, and I am getting better at stomaching 300-400 calories at breakfast within literally minutes of opening my eyes. Whatever doubts I had can be quelled for now though, as this morning I weighed myself, to find that I have lost 1 stone (14lbs). I don't care who you are, you cannot argue with that kind of result in a week. I doubt my results will be as impressive next week, but I've got lots of time to see results from this.

I have yet to change my exercise habits, and in fact, I am likely seeing less exercise than I am used to. I have another 10K run scheduled for the beginning of October, and I'd like to better my time from last year, though I haven't done any reasonable running since last October, when I was averaging about 5k. I would like to substantially lower my weight before I get back into the running, as my knees have had issues with the abuse they take on a daily basis.

My initial goal is to hit 13st 13lbs (195lbs), and see what I look like from there. Why would I choose that as my magic number? Because it's the lightest I will have ever been in my adult life. I don't want to use weight as my only key measurement, so I am working on getting an accurate body fat measurement taken. I have yet to find someone locally who can offer DEXA scanning for less than £150, so there's a bit of hesitation. I am looking at other options (as discussed in the book) of Bod Pod, or Bodymetrix systems.

In addition to my efforts, my girlfriend Alicia is also changing her diet, though we're keeping seperate to see what happens. She has also had a very successful week, losing a total of seven pounds. Well done pretty lady!

In any case... this week has been incredibly successful, and I look forward to seeing more of it.

Thanks Tim for writing a fantastic book, and if anyone is interested, the link is above. You can get some free insight into the 'Four Hour Body', visit Tim's blog over at The Four Hour Blog

Stay tuned for more, but for some insight into what I've been eating, check out the photos below:

Breakfast, Day 1:

Dinner, Day 2:

Dinner, Day 3:

Lunch, Day 4:

Finally... a painful sigh of relief!

2010-05-25T09:27:00.000-07:00

The day came, and it has now gone... and I have done something only a few can say they've done. I have run a half marathon... almost! I managed ten miles on the trot without stopping or walking. That is a new PB (<-- Check the runner speak!) for me, as my previous best was 8.29 miles. I must say though, any other run I've done pales in comparison to what this run felt like, the pain and general malaise that feel upon me after the ninth mile.

I think the only reason I made it that far is because I am stubborn. I was so convinced that I could finish the entire thing without stopping for a walk, but I finally got to the point where I was having trouble seeing, my heart was beating irregularly, I couldn't feel my feet or ankles, my stomach was behind my ears, and for no reason whatsoever, my body switched on 'bathroom' mode. I've never felt like that, and I never want to feel it again, I believe this is what real runners refer to as 'The Wall', and boy is it ever a wall! I was convinced that I was going to faint, and that I would be lucky if I didn't vomit before that point but alas, my body took mercy, and let me continue... slowly, and slightly surely.

I managed to walk at a snail's pace of an 18 minute mile for 1.2 miles, and finally found some energy that was gone previously. I started jogging like Rainman running for a bus, and battled to keep my eyes open knowing that there was only a couple of miles to go.

Let me tell you something, a mile is reallllllllllly long! I haven't ever seen a mile as long as each mile between 10 and 13. I hobbled back to a walking pace, almost unable to keep my legs in the air until I could finally see the finish line in all its glory nearly a mile away. I managed to put together a slow 12:30 minute mile pace back together trying to negotiate the plastic boarding leading to the end of what would be the toughest three hours of my life. With a last ditch effort and a helping hand from the few remaining stragglers near the finish I managed a sprint Donovan Baily would have been proud of to get my sorry Fat Kid arse across the finish. It took me a total of two hours, fifty-one minutes, and thirteen seconds to get from the middle of Edinburgh to the outskirts of a different county... something I never thought I could ever achieve, nor something I ever thought I would do.

To say I am relieved would be an understatement. I piled quite a bit of pressure onto myself with this feat, and as I have come to realise in the past few days I have actually done quite well to accomplish such a thing in less than six months. I will always wish that I managed to run the entire thing, or that I didn't feel like quitting after 10 miles, or that I had run in a few of my 'break periods' between the beginning of the year and now, but the truth of the matter is that I am really proud of this achievement, and would even go as far as to say that it's one of my greatest, if not the greatest acheivement in my short life.

The truth remains though that this self-inflicted mess was voluntary, and every sore joint and bout of sickness has paled in comparison to what hundreds of thousands of people deal with each year in Cancer treatment. The people who go through chemo don't do it by choice or to prove anything to themselves or anyone else. Those people are the heroes, and the class acts. No one gets to train for a series of chemo treatments, and Nike sure as hell doesn't sponsor the hospital gowns and patients don't choose to shave their heads for aerodynamics. That's something they have to deal with on a daily basis, and they have no real choice... the best case scenario is... they beat Cancer and live. It's to those people who I dedicate the run to, and to my Mum who had her own struggle and beat the big C. Three years cancer free... way to go Mum!

All in all, this was an amazing day. I have been in severe pain and misery since the finish with chaffing that would make the hardest of men squeamish, a blood blister on my toe that I got about a pint of fluid from when I drained it last night, neon nipples that are no longer my friends, and that doesn't include the muscle stiffness and joint pain that have taken over my over-aged body.

Would I do it again? If you'd have asked me that 48 hours ago, the answer would have been a stern 'NO!', but this running thing is kind of like a bug, once you catch it you can't shake it. I've done something great for myself, and for Maggie's, and look, I even got a wicked cool new t-shirt to show my appreciation!

With two races under my belt now, I think I will do some more training, and get myself down to a more reasonable weight, and potentially look at doing the same event next year, or who knows... we might even break out the full marathon!

This is by no means the end of my 'journey', and it's from here that I will be looking to build upon, and take forward some life lessons learned, and also some experiences that I will never forget. This will be something that I will look back on for many a year to come, and I can thank every person who has read his blog for their interest, support, and for those of you who are my favourites... the money you've donated to a damned fine charity!

I'm off to Egypt in a couple of weeks, and when I come back, it's time to map out the next step in putting truth into the saying 'Bye Bye Fat Kid'.

Thanks again to every one of you, and I look forward to seeing you for Round 2! TO leave you, here's a quick shot that Alicia took of me crossing the line. A massive and special thank you to the love of my life for being as wonderful and as supportive as she has been for this whole charade. If anyone has believed in me the whole time, it's been her. Thank you.

"Harder, better, faster, stronger"

2010-03-13T00:49:00.000-08:00

Hello again!

Pardon my absence, as I have been away doing some odd and wonderful things, although this has come with some trouble as well!

I never announced it, but I decided to take a break from running over the course of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, as they were held in my home city of Vancouver. It troubled me that I wasn't there, and because of this, I ended up switching on to Vancouver time for nearly the entire two weeks. This brought many a smile, and sometimes a tear as I witnessed one of the best Games that has ever been held, and the performace of a lifetime from an amazing team of Canadian athletes.

My break started with a bit more cause than that though, I had somehow managed to tweak a muscle in my groin during my last week of training, which by the way was an absolute gem of a week! That week saw me hit a milestone of four runs (as promised), with my big run being a 4 mile belter to equal my longest distance yet. Perhaps it was too much too soon though, and I ended up on my arse for the following week, and then fell into the world of the Olympic Games. This too meant that I would find some new Canadian friends to share the moments with, and it would ultimately mean a trip to the Peartree in Edinburgh for potentially the most memorable night of my life, as the Canadian men brought home 'Hockey Gold' to close the games. I was in a see of 40-50 Canadians as we watched 'Sid the Kid' slide home the winning goal in overtime... the things that dreams are made of!

All throughout the games, I got an overwhelming feeling of appreciation for what the athletes go through. How hard they must train to stay at the top, or perhaps, how hard they train to overtake their competitors. This was the first time I had seen, and appreciated the work that goes into becoming an athlete. It's a bit scary to think that these people dedicate their lives to being able to prove their athletic worths on the World's stage, yet there are so many of us that would consider watching them to be a form of sport and/or exercise. We are such an unhealthy society if you think about it. We weren't built to sit at a keyboard all day! The body is engineered to travel, and yet, we just don't do that!

I ended up at a running 'seminar' of sorts about a fortnight ago, sitting in a room full of runners, some of them mental, and some of them similar to myself. The seminar was meant to be a lift for runners of the Edinburgh Marathon, but instead was kind of off-putting. I was surrounded by people who ran when they weren't working, people who ran on average more than 100 miles per week... you know the people who are extremely lean, and the kind that you see leading marathons on TV. There was some good advice given at the seminar, but there were so many questions about so many technical things... which ironically I would normally love! I was surrounded by runners who weren't talking about running, but instead what they eat before a marathon, whether or not to use 'race flats' in a marathon, how to best use the 'Fartquad' method, how and when to use 'gels'... all of these things have nothing to do with the running, yet the whole reason we're on our feet at that start line is to run! Hearing people brag about their 18 mile average runs, and hearing someone pipe off numbers for training in a Rain-man like fashion couldn't have made me feel smaller if they'd have tried! Here I was, unbelievably proud of my four mile achievements, being belittled by a guy next to me asking how smart it would be to sprint the beginning, and then finish the race with a slow pace... so that he could be on TV. Lesson learned - The best way to learn about running is to do it, and the
best way to inspire yourself to run, is to prove to yourself that you can accomplish more than you thought. This added about a week to my break, which I really should apologise for, as I am coming to find that people really are reading this, and they are interested in what I am doing!

The break was well needed, but I don't think it was well deserved. Over the course of the last three to four weeks, I have found four pounds that I had originally lost, and I hadn't run, which meant I would be starting from scratch when I did decide to get the shoes on. This was something that really hurts, both physically and emotionally, as your confidence really takes a hit when your hard work goes to waste like that.

My first run back was pathetic, and even made me tear up a little when I got back. I managed a measly 3/4 of a mile before my shins seemingly exploded, and my lungs were finished... 0.75 miles from a previous 4 mile run... how devastating! I walked home, and my confidence was shot to death... I was finished. I even thought about giving up altogether! That was... until I decided to go out and do it again in a couple of night's time.

My second run this week was a reasonable 2.56 mile run that had me panting, and had given me a slight pain in my right knee. I didn't care though, I was back on form, knowing that my improvement was genuine, and was as I had expected, and what I needed. AS if this wasn't enough, the television gods seemed to be listening and that night, one of my favourite comedians, Eddie Izzard was on telly running something like 43 marathons in six weeks, or in other words running around the UK in six weeks. If you've ever seen Eddie Izzard, you would know that he's not a marathon runner by any means, in fact previous to this effort, he had five weeks of training with a trainer, and that was really it. He just made his legs move, and his body did the rest.

In the first program, he ran ten marathons in eleven days... a whopping 260 miles in just over a week. This wasn't what I was going for, but what it did do was show me that the unbelievable is still possible. He also said something that will stick with me for awhile, "When you're racing no one, you're always number one". When you've got nothing to lose, you can only win! The only thing I needed to really concentrate on was the simple movement my legs are supposed to make in order to make me run, and the rest will follow. This gave me a new-found level of confidence that would mean I would soon be back on track, and even better, I would be achieving something I never thought possible.

"When you're racing no one, you're always number one"
- Eddie Izzard

That brings us pretty much to today, only today I am buzzing, as I have accomplished the unthinkable. I went for a run last night as a sort of stress release. I had a crappy day at work, which pretty much summed up my week, and I wanted to go into the weekend with a good feeling to lift me. I went for a run, thinking about the fact that Eddie had done something so amazing because he believed he could, and because there was no other choice. I decided to go for a run thinking the same. I had originally aimed for three miles when I went out, and I also changed my route mid-run to keep things interesting. I felt good! My legs were a bit shaky, and my knee was starting to moan again, but my lungs were finally back in shape and keeping with me. I ran, and when I got a stitch, I kept running. When my knee started to give up, I kept running, when the hills were too big, I kept running.

I kept running for a total of 8.12 miles, for 1 hour and 27 minutes solid, just me, some sore niggles, and the road. I proved to myself last night that anything is possible, even the most unexpected. It has given me such a lift, but it has also come at a bit of a price. When I got back home, I was light-headed, dizzy, and I could taste blood in the back of my throat. My knee was tight, and sore, and my legs were a bit like jelly. I jumped into a freezing shower for about a half hour, hoping that would improve things, which it did. That being said, I am sitting on my sofa at the moment with a knee that is incredibly unhappy. It's having troubles bearing weight, and it is incredibly sore, and feeling inflamed... I don't care though, because look what I did!

I need to remind myself that there are still ten weeks of training ahead before the big day, but that this is an amazing show of confidence to myself. I now know without a shadow of a doubt that come race day, I will be at that damned finish line, even if it kills me.

At this point, I want people to start giving me some help. The troublesome part about this blog is that until my break, I knew of about three people that were reading it, and now I have come to find that there are a number of people taking the time to read this. My challenge to you this week is to say something! Even if it's just a hello, I want to know who is watching, and I want to know that there is some interest in this, otherwise it's a pointless effort.

I mean, just look at this... this was from a good pal of mine from back home from a couple of weeks ago, this is good stuff!

EVAN!

No more laziness, no more time to waste! WTF is going on with taking 2 weeks off when you are just getting back to bye bye fat kid! I don't want to see your blog offline for another 2 years so get your ASS outside and RUN! Get to the gym and get fuckin pumped! I don't care if you don't like the gym. GET YOUR ASS IN IT. diet your ass off and get this weight loss in the bag. NO MORE EXCUSES!! NO MORE LAZINESS!!!!!!!

Love Binga

Thank you to those of you who have done something to spur me on, whether it be nice comment, a helpful comment, a needed kick in the ass, or maybe even just a leg rub (Thanks Alicia). You guys are the ones helping me through this, and I'd really like to see more of it if possible! I want to cross that finish line thinking about all the people I am taking with me on my back.

Oh, and I also want you to start coughing up some money! I had an incredibly kind donation from Tina, but unfortunately so far, it's been the only one! Please spare whatever you can, it's easy, secure, and for a good cause in Maggies.

No recipe today I'm afraid, I need to go and ice this knee! Look for one mid-week!

Thanks for sticking with me everyone! I look forward to your comments!

Confessions of a lazy bum!

2010-02-07T07:54:00.000-08:00

Good afternoon! It's been eight days since my last confession.

I have had a bit of a week to forget, which makes it two weeks in a row. This isn't the start that I had envisioned when I first started this challenge. That being said, I've had a mix of emotions this week, as I have seen the worst, and the best of my running and dedication to 'the cause'.

I started the week with good intentions, to eat smart, and to get a few good runs in. My run last Saturday left a lot to be desired, after all I had a ten minute break in the middle of my run, and still struggled with 2.65 miles. That knocked me quite a bit, and for some reason, also did some damage to my hip. With the sore hip, I decided I would take a couple of days off to rest it, which turned into seven. At this point, I'll accept anything you're going to throw at me, just try not to hurt the legs in the process please.

So... two weeks, with very little results. The beauty of this blog (or so I like to think) is that I am a real person, with real issues. I am not a perfect guy, or someone without any faults, nor do I claim to be, and I think the last couple of weeks has shown that. I don't want to paint a glowing picture around what I and millions of other people are dealing with. It's an everyday struggle for even the best people to focus on themselves long enough to make life better for themselves.

Life is tough enough with work, and 'extra-curricular' activities, or perhaps school for some of you. It's incredibly tough turning your life upside down, and implementing some major changes to the core of your lifestyle, and I am experiencing that now. It's so much easier to say ' I'll do it tomorrow' than to be accountable for what it is you're doing, and therefore get something accompolished. I never thought that this would be easy, but I thought I'd be stronger at this point. Disappointing to say the least.

Yesterday was another day of triumph though, and a great way to close out a forgettable week. Yesterday, I managed a whopping 4.1 miles, or by my calculations, 6.5kms. That is nearly 1/3 of the distance I will need to cover on May 23rd which is incredibly motivating. I say this every week, but I look back across the years of my life, and I don't think there is any time that I ever thought I'd run for over forty minutes without stopping for a break. That alone proves to me that the human body is pretty incredible, and is able to adapt so quickly to any challenge thrown its way! I am proud of myself for yesterday's effort, but disappointed with the rest of the week as I had some issues with my diet as well. I managed to get one good meal into my diet this week that I can share with you, which I will do a few paragraphs down.

Now, I'd like to make mention of a few people have had a great impact on me in the last couple of weeks especially. These people are people that I owe a thank you to for their support, no matter what form it comes in:

- The Facebook Group - This has provided a number of comments that have offered some motivation, and verbal support. Besides that, it is great to see that there are currently 112 people who care enough about what I am doing to join the group. Whether you post or not, knowing that you're catching the headlines I post is good to see!

- My lovely girlfriend Alicia - She has been putting up with my change of schedule, my interest in eating healthy, and offers the odd massage to a strained leg muscle. She's there everytime I hit a new high, and it's great to see, and even better to have such support so close to home.

- Jacqui Rouse, Meredith MacRitchie, and Tracey Wilkie - These ladies have provided me with some great nutritional information which I can implement over the coming weeks, and improve my diet properly without depriving my body of what it needs, or feeding it too much of what it doesn't need. Thanks for the tips, an keep them coming!

- Tina Haining - Tina is the first person to donate to my cause, and has done so by laying down an incredible donation of £200! This is astonishing, and I can't thank her enough for her donation. This is not to say that any other donations need to match that amount. I never expected to see a donation of even a quarter of that sum, so please do what you can to help, quite literally if it only means £1.

- To whoever else is watching, and keeping tabs, keep it up! I love having people see this, and hopefully there are some people who can benefit from it as well. I would love to no end knowing that I've helped someone get off their arse and get it moving. If you're that person, get in touch, and I'll do what I can to help! I had a message from someone on Facebook this week to commend me for what I've done. It was a message from someone I've never met before, so it's great to see that this might start growing arms and legs soon.

Again, a great big 'thank you' to all of you who come back to read these messages, and thanks even more to those who choose to leave a message.

Without further ado, let's do something a bit different, let's set some goals! That way, I can be held accountable for what I haven't done. I think it's only fair that if you guys help me, I need to help you by giving you some results.

I am proposing that for every aspect of a goal that I fail to complete, I will need to chip into the donation fund. Please see below for the goals, and also the associated penalties that will affect me:

Goal 1: I will run four times this week, between Monday and Sunday. Even if it's only a mile, I am getting my arse outside and getting my legs moving. For every run I miss of the four, I will donate £10 to Maggie's.

Goal 2: My next big run will again be 4 miles, which will likely be on Saturday. I am only aiming for 4 miles, because with the added running I know my body will be quite upset with me on Saturday, and to avoid injury I want to match my distance. For every 10th (0.1m) of a mile missed on the big day, I will pay £1 to Maggie's.

This should make me a bit more diligent, and should mean that this time next week, I am happy to post as opposed to being scared to post.

Also, I would like a bit of feedback if possible, I'd like to know what it is that you guys like to see, and what you'd like to see more of. Do I post enough? Would you like to see more recipes? Let me know what you think by either dropping a comment off here, or by jumping onto the Facebook group to leave a message.

And now... onto the recipe:
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Roasted Red Peppers Stuffed with Mediterranean Couscous

I wanted to try doing something a bit different this week. Taking into account what some people had told me, and by using a recipe that I have cooked before, I wanted to give you something that is easy, and relatively quick to make that is healthy for you. Again, to those nutrition experts amongst you, tear this one apart! Couscous is a surprisingly good vehicle for flavour, and has some good nutrition behind it. It's a good source of Calcium, and is fairly high in protein which will appeal to any vegetarians out there! It contains no cholesterol, very little fat (no saturates), and has a reasonable calorie count. I love couscous for its ability to pick up flavour, and its ease of cooking. That means that this meal is quick, cheap, easy to make, healthy, and tasty. What more could you ask for out of a meal?

2 Red Peppers

1 cup of dried couscous

2 cups of boiling water

1/4 small red onion

1 Small Red Chili

1 clove of garlic

Spices: Cumin, Salt and Pepper

1tsp of tomato purée

1 small handful of sultanas/raisins

1 small handful of toasted pine nuts

3oz of crumbled greek goat's cheese

To kicki this meail off, preheat your oven to a blistering 220 degrees. We'll need to roast the peppers first, before we stuff them to ensure that they're sweet, soft, and slightly smokey. While the oven is preheating, cut the tops off your peppers, and carefully use your knife to seperate the seedy core from the four points it uses to hold onto the outer shell. Once it's detached, remove it, and shake out any leftover seeds that might be hidden in the bottom. This is easiest by turning the pepper upside down onto your hand, and tapping briskly. Set both of the peppers and their tops onto a clean baking tray, no oil is necessary. Take the cheese out of the fridge as well so that it is nearly at room temperature when you need to start using it.

Next, start chopping your chili, your garlic, and your onion. It helps to do this all at the same time because when you're cutting each of them, the oils and therefore the flavour of each item will transfer to the blade of the knife. This means that as you're mincing them, the flavours from all three components will join together, and form one hell of a flavour base for the couscous. Once those guys are nice and small, do the same to the pine nuts and sultanas. To toast the pine nuts, simply get a pan on the stove over a medium heat, and let the nuts brown. You'll smell them when they're ready, but be careful not to burn them.) When you're done mincing these little gems, move them all to one side, and move on.

At this point, hopefully the oven should be close to temperature. Get your peppers in the oven, and give them a ten minute head start before moving on to the next step.

Next we'll get the couscous ready. Get a small pot on the stove with nothing more than thin air in it. Pour in the cous cous, the salt, and the pepper. With the cumin, either use your knife or your hands to break it up, and start the flavour moving as you toss it into the pot. At this point, it's a flavour free-for-all. Toss everything you've got into the pot, and get the kettle on to boil your water. The beauty of couscous is that it just needs some boiling water for a few minutes to cook. No sirring, no waiting, no mess!

While the water is boiling, use your hands and mix up the contents of the pot to ensure that a little bit of flavour goes everywhere. When the ettle is boiled, pour enough water over the couscous to cover it, with about a cm or two to spare. Cover the pot, and let it sit for five minutes. Check again, and if cooked, let it rest.

At this point, open the oven and sniff your peppers if you can't already smell them. Feel the sides, they should be fairly soft to the touch, and if you tried, you should be able to squeeze one side into the other, but don't do this, as it will bugger up the end result... and we all hate ruining the presentation! If the peppers are done, pull them out, and start the next step. If they're not quite soft enough then pop them back in for another five minutes or so until you're happy with them. When they're done roasting, trn the oven down to 180 degrees.

Now we can start stuffing the peppers! I like to layer the couscous and the cheese. Take a Tablespoon and start putting in the couscous, and then a bit of cheese crumbld up as fine, and evenly as possible. Create three or four layers for the best results, and then top it all off with a bit of extra cheese on top.

Pop these puppies back in the oven and get them roasting! Set the table, and in about 6-7 minutes, pull them out and plate them up!

Pardon my presentation as it doesn't exactly make them look amazing, but believe me, these are tasty, and healthy, and really easy to make!

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Remember, if you decide to make any of my recipes, or have recipes you'd like to share, drop me a line, and let me know!

As always, thanks for dropping by and I'll see you again mid-week with an update on how things are going. Here's a Week 3 Onion-skin... as requested by some!

It's been a rough week!

2010-01-30T13:58:00.000-08:00

Hello again! This week has been a bit of a tough one! Since my three mile run last weekend, I just haven't been feeling the same! I have felt short of breath, and tired most of the time. I think that I need to make some more changes to my diet to include some natural sugars, as at the moment, I have cut out all fizzy juice, and no longer take any milk or sugar in my coffee. I have some dried cerial with my breakfast every morning, but besides that, most of what I am consuming are carbs... mostly pasta.

I've been told that carbs are great for running energy, but the flip side is that starchy carbs don't seem to be a great way to lose weight. Perhaps if anyone has some more information about either of these statements, please let me know, as I would love to find the energy, and and lose weight at the same time!

SO what have I accomplished this week? Not much if I am honest! I had a decent run on Tuesday (2.04 miles), and then another run today (2.65) miles, and have lost one more pound. I am hoping to get measurements up by the end of the weekend to see where I stand this week. I'd also like to get another run in tomorrow to ensure I make my initial goal of three per week.

In addition to the running related accomplishments and issues, I have had a fairly busy week at work including a trip to London for the day on Wednesday which kind of did me in for running on Thursday. Perhaps that is what has slowed me down for the end of the week? WHo knows, but hopefully it won't be affecting me this coming week, and I can get more than one blog post done, and up for you guys!

I was also able to get in touch with Maggie's again in regards to sponsorship this week, and got some great information back from them. It's because of this that I have added a JustGiving widget to my blog, and to my Facebook page. This means that I am officially running in aid of Maggie's! I have set myself a goal of raising £1000 for Maggie's, and would greatly appreciate anyone who can afford a small donation! If you'd like to donate, you can click on the 'donate' button on the JustGiving widget on the right hand side of the page, or visit my JustGiving page.
Beyond Maggie's, I'd also like to add a recipe to the blog, as it's been quite some time since I've done that, so without further ado, I present my latest healthy creation...

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Spiced Turkey Burgers with Pesto Mayo, Home-style Chips and a Carrot and Cucumber Salad

I've been fighting the fight for turkey for quite some time now, and again, I fly the turkey flag with this recipe. Turkey is a great meat, and a great source of vitamins. In fact, only a five ounce serving of turkey meat contains your daily recommended intake of folic acid, and includes good amounts of Vitamin B, B1, B6, Potassium, and Zinc. Studies show it has effect on reducing cholesterol, blood pressure, and helps the prevention of cancer, and heart disease! It really is a magical bit of meat! That being said, ensure tha minced turkey that you're buying is in fact minced turkey breast, and doesn't include any dark meat or skin, as that's where the fat, cholesterol, and sodium lies. This recipe boasts a healthy alternative to a commonly enjoyed North American treat, hamburgers!

1 package of minced turkey breast (250g)
1 small red onion
2 cloves of garlic
Spices: Cumin, Corriander Seed, Mustard Seed, Smoked Paprika, Salt and Pepper
3oz bread crumbs
1 large egg
2 healthy rolls/buns
1oz light mayonnaise
2oz Low-Fat Basil Pesto
1 Gem Lettuce
1-2 Large Carrots
1/2 a Cucomber
1Tbsp Fresh Corriander
1Tsp Apple Vinegar
3Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
3-4 Maris Piper Potatoes

First we'll need to create our burger patties. To do this, finely dice half of the red onion, and the garlic. Add them both to a pan on medium heat in some of the oil until they're soft, which should take about five minutes on low-medium heat. Allow the mixture to cool on a sheet of paper towel to eliminate as much of the oil as possible.

While the micture is cooling, we can get our spices mixed. Get a pestal and mortar or if you don't have one, you can use a cup and a rolling pin, or use the side of your chef's knife to crack the spices together in a plastic bag. Add 1/2tsp of each of the spices to the mixture, and grind them until you've got nothing more than a powder, taste, and season accordingly. Note the mixture will be quite potent, so don't taste too much of it.

With your spices ground, and the onions and garlic cool, add both to the minced turkey, and use your hands to combine all the ingredients into one big party! When you're happy with the mixture, add the breadcrumbs and the egg. Again, use your hands to squish everything together, ensuring that the egg and the breadcrumbs are distributed evenly through the micture.

Shape the mixture in your hands into burger patties, trying not to make them too thick, as they'll have trouble cooking. When you've shaped all the required patties, place them on a plate and cover them with cling film. Fire them into the fridge to set for a half hour.

To prepare the carrot and cucumber salad, take a potato peeler, and use it to peel both the carrot(s) and the cucumber. Slice the cucumber in half lengthwise, and use a small spoon to remove the watery seeds from the center of the cucumber. Continue to use the peeler to peel thin sheets of both carrot and cucumber into a mixing bowl.

Next, for the vinegraitte, combine the apple vinegar, and double the amount in oil. Season with salt and pepper, and taste. Finely dice the fresh corriander, and add half to the dressing, and leave the remainder to top the salad when it's on the plate.

Pre-heat the oven to 180 degrees celsius.

By this point, the burgers should be set. Pull them out, and let them relax at room temperature for thirty minutes prior to cooking if possible. This ensures that the centre of the burger is already warm enough to start cooking, ensuring a uniform cooking heat across the entire burger.

While the patties are warming up, simply add the pesto to the mayonnaise in a bowl in order to ready it for the buns. Slice the gem lettuce, as well as the rest of the onion for garnishing the burger. Next, slice the rolls, and get them ready to go in the oven. Pop the chips in the oven in a pan with a small bit of oil, salt, and pepper, and some rosemary if you've got it. Allow them 20-30 minutes to go crisp and golden, flipping them every 10-15 minutes.

Once all of the prep work is done, get your pan ready to go with a thin film of oil, and a low-medium heat again. When the oil is up to temperature, get the patties in the pan, and move them around to ensure they don't stick to the bottom. Allow 5-6 minutes to cook on each side, or until golden brown, and not burning.

When you've cooked both sides of the burger, pop it into the oven with the buns as well. This toasts the buns, and finishes the burgers.

At this point, you should be able to begin plating the salad, and the chips, and get the crisped buns out of the oven, and onto the plate, dressed with the pesto mayo, and the veg garnishes. When the plate is ready, remove the burgers from the oven, and check the centers are done cooking. If they are fully cooked, sit them atop the freshly toasted bun, and present to your loved ones.

Enjoy, and let me know what you think!
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Thanks for staying tuned, and I will be back in touch shortly!

Week 1 in Review

2010-01-23T00:36:00.000-08:00

Well, I've reached the end of my first official week of training for the Half Marathon in May, and I am pleasantly surprised, and proud of my results thus far!

I have run three times this week, and here are the results with one of last week's runs to compare:

As you can see, I have hit the three mile mark! I am unbelievably chuffed with this! Never in my life would I have thought that three miles would be possible, let alone running for thirty minutes solid! Ask anyonein my highschool, and they'll know of my allergy to running on the annual Milk Run. We were asked to run a mile or a mile and a half, and I would shit it long before the finish line. Take that, and our weekly run which might as well havebeen a trot down the block and back, and some how I could never do it.

In the words of a boy from Illinois, "Boy I'll tell you what" (extra emphasis on the w in 'what')... this is so good for someone's confidence, and for their esteem! Not to mention, it'saddictive! I want nothing more than to see my 'score' next week. What a rush!

So the runs have been good, but what about everything else? Let's start with my visit to te doctor to get the results of my blood test.

On Wednesday, I visited the doctor again who had some reasonable news about my blood. She told me that I have high blood pressure (149/89 for you medical geeks) and high cholesterol (6.1 Overall, 4.4 LDL - again for the geeks). This isn't great, but what is great is that I don't suffer from any of the other bits and bobs that I have worried about (cancer, diabetes, AIDS, Hep, etc). This means I have some work to do, but at least the issues I have are issues that I can fight. This will mean that there will be an impact on my food choices, but also the fact that I am exercising regularly now should take the sting off those numbers. I have a follow-up appointment on 4-5 months to see where my numbers are at, which happens to coincide with a certain Half Marathon that I'll be running in.

So medical results aren't great, but far from terrible... what about my diet?

We kicked off the week with Spiced Turkey Burgers with Pesto Mayonnaise, a carrot and cucumber salad, and home-style chips... the recipe is to follow. This set the tone as it was both tasty, and nutricious! From there, I broke down slightly and opted for a cmall takeaway order from a Chinese restaurant, and a 'bake yourself' pizza from Asda (The equivilent of Save-On Foods) loaded with veg and chicken. We then had some spaghetti with leeks and white wine (potentially another recipe to add down the road), and for lunches, I've been taking it easy with a 'Pasta Snack' that weighs in at around 200 calories and a bag of Snack a Jacks Rice Cakes (209cals), and a piece of fruit. I've been veraging about one cup of coffee per day (just recently with no milk or sugar), and 1.5L-3L of water daily. All in all, there are improvements to be made, but with the calories I am burning from running, as long as what is going into me is good stuff, I should be alright! This leads me onto my next point... weight.

My weight has changed over the last two weeks... to the good! I have lost half a stone (which for the overseas crowd is 7lbs) in two weeks. This brings me down to 16 stone, which is 224lbs), this is two stone or 28lbs heavier than my lightest weight which I achieved nearly two and a half years ago. All things considered, I could not be happier with the loss! I feel a definite improvement in the waistline of my work trousers, and instead of creeping down the dreaded belt hole ladder, I am climbing back up it, ready to attack that last hole with a vengeance!

So... I think it's time to start the old photo system again... it's good for me, and hopefully it's good for you guys to see a difference, and for some of you to make the decision to get fit with me, whether it be by Wii Fit, or running, or who knows... maybe even by washing your goldfish!

As always, keep the comments coming! It's really helpful to know people are watching! It makes me accountable, which is something I need at the moment. Also, please feel free to add any tips, tricks, recipes, or ideas my way!

Without further ado, I present a shattered Fat Kid after his first ever three mile run, wearing a currently unflattering compression top from More Mile (review to come)

And in the words of a very famous Mr. Clarkson "And on that bombshell, see you next week!"

And away we go...

2010-01-17T05:53:00.000-08:00

Wow... two posts in one week... maybe this means we're back on track!

In the coming weeks I will be getting the measurements and scales back on track as well as the progress images. In addition to this, I will be posting some information about the runs I will be doing, how I will be doing my training, and what I'll be eating to get to the start line. I welcome all advice and suggestions that you guys may have, so please feel free to drop a comment or an email in the coming weeks!

It's almost official now, as I have committed myself to a half marathon on May 23rd, 2010. The run in question is The Scottish Half Marathon. I am partnered by Richard who will no doubt finish in front, but I look forward to the support of having someone training along side. He has ambitions of running a full marathon in October, and has told me again that I should do the same, but let's cross this bridge first, shall we?

This week also included a visit to the doctor to get all of my facts in order before I get to crazy. I haven't been to the doctor in ages, and it's been even longer since someone has taken blood and tested for things, so as prescribed by every workout routine... I have gone to check with my GP before things get too far along. That being said, I don't foresee any issues, except for my asthma, but I'll do my best to fight that one.

I went for a run on Tuesday night in a -3 chill that got the best of my lungs and my head. I made it to the 1 mile mark, and stopped, feeling fire in my lungs. The good news is that it wasn't my muscles or joints that stopped me, which have been the biggest issue in the past. I managed to continue on with a light jog up to the 1.6 mile mark, but had to quit, and get some water in me... slightly disappointing, but more importantly, it's a start.

I went for another run at the gym yesterday, on a treadmill, which is the first time I have used my Nike+, or my new shoes on a treadmill. I had better results, getting near 1.5 miles before I stopped, and mixed it up with some sprinting and fast walking. At this point, I can't stress enough the value of having a pair of running shoes that are suited to your weight, your arches and your running style... my shoes have been my biggest boost in confidence, because for once, it's not my feet or legs or hips, or back that are causing me to rest... it's my tired lungs.

At this point also, I couldn't be happier with myself for quitting smoking 586 days ago... because I know I am running and living better without it! More importantly, it shows me that I am well and truly able to accomplish something that might seem a bit too difficult at first glance.

In addition to bettering myself, I want to do my bit for helping a group that have helped someone very close to me. I would like to run this half marathon in support of Maggie's Cancer Centre who have helped my Mum in her fight against Cancer in 2007. They provided support for people, and didn't ask for a paycheck at the end of it all. The service they offer to Cancer sufferers, and their families is top notch, and priceless, though unfortunately it does demand an overhead cost. I have not been able to get an official link with maggie's as of yet, as I am awaiting a response from their team, but when I do make an arrangement, I will post details on here, as well as the Facebook group in order to get them a little extra exposure to those who may not know about them, or for those of you who might be across the Atlantic in my native Canada, to have a look at, and contribute if possible. More details of course to come...

Stick around, and see you soon!

So long, I even forgot my password!

2010-01-12T10:08:00.000-08:00

Wow... here we go again!

I dropped the ball big-style two years ago with a punishing finish to what should have been my biggest triumph. I got the job of my dreams, the girl of my dreams, and what I thought was the life of my dreams, but yet... I slipped.

For that, I owe you an apology, and more importantly, I owe myself an apology. At the end of the day, the only person who benefits from what I do is me, and I have let myself down in a big way.

Recently, I have been getting into a form of exercise called running. Perhaps you've heard of it, you've maybe even attempted it! For those of you that know me best though, you know I am allergic to it! So how did it start, and what am I doing just now?

On a recent trip to Canada to visit friends and family, and introduce my darling girlfriend Alicia to everyone, we made a short-break down to Oregon, namely Portland, and the surrounding area. It was here that I visited a Nike outlet, and came across the most comfortable pair of shoes I had ever worn, so I bought them, and then I bought Nike+, and then I bought an armband for my Nano, my new best pal.

I brought it all back to the UK, and went for my first run, and found that it had done something that no other thing in this world could do... it made running fun! I was partially hooked, and ran a couple of times a week, or once weekly, saving every run I did, tracking all sorts of valuable information.I will write about this in the future, I have decided! In any case though, back to the issue at hand, running.

I have only run a measly 11 miles with my Nike+ kit, but an odd seed was also recently planted in my mind... the dreaded 'm' word... yes, none other than the pinnacle of all running accomplishments, the 'marathon'. I have a friend and co-worker named Richard who has decided that he is going to run a full marathon, and says that I should try to do the same! 'The boy must be joking!' I thought to myself, but he wasn't! It was at this point that something in my mind, next to the crisp obsession and the sofa memories, switched on, and said 'Hey! I can do that!'. I almost pooped in my drawers, but I definitely caught a case of verbal diarrhea and spat out a 'Maybe'.

It is now, January 12th at 18:22 that I am committing to this. I will run a half marathon! This is my promise to myself, and if you guys want to join along for the ride, I'll do my best to entertain you with information, results, and hopefully some witty banter along the way! If you're interested in backing me again, I would be very grateful, and I look forward to providing us all with a little bit more to enjoy in life.

Thanks for your time, and your patience, and I look forward to bringing you more details about the training, and the results, and who knows, a few more of my recipes might sneak their way back onto this page as well, but for now... only commitment.

In the beginning...

2007-10-23T13:26:00.000-07:00

Well, I might as well call it that! The last four weeks have gone to shame. I've spent all of those weeks making decisions I would eventally regret! This last week wasn't too bad, but I still don't feel like I am committed enough to getting this done!

I blame it on work, when in fact, I should be placing the blame on my own shoulders! Work stands in the way of the normal means of watching what I eat, and exercising, but that doesn't mean that there isn't a way to get around that, and still do this the healthy way!

A huge bonus to my new co-workers is that they are all fairly health-savvy. Two of them regularly go to the gym, and invited me to go with them this past week. I happily obliged, and went for the first time in years, to try and wreck myself! I can honestly say, I loved it!

With the exception of my poor hip, everything felt great! The workout was just over an hour I guess, with ten minutes on a stationary bike, and another ten on a cross trainer (five minutes forward, two minutes backward, another three minutes forward). That was easily the closest I have been to death in awhile... but of course it felt great when I was finished! I hit the weights too, skipping over a resistance machine that I didn't see to begin with.

I have no real fitness, or weight information to fill you in on! I've lsot track of where I am in the program, as I never really stuck to the original plan anyway. I'd say I'm out of the running for America's next Muscle Mang... Bummer! Well, when I first joined Arnel's group, I was thinking of just having the guidelines, and hopefully a common goal amongst men to boost me far enough ahead to actually get this thing done. Now that I am six or seven weeks into it, I feel as though, even though i haven't really talked to anyone, I've made a bit of family... and for those of you who pay attention to this blog, it means the world to me, and ultimately, I think it's going to be you guys that push me to getting to where I want to be. I always thought that in the beginning, but I had more confidence in the fact that I would just do it by myself, with your motivation as an extra boost. While this was true in the beginning, it has certainly changed! I look forward to the weeks to come though, as I am still not going to quit. I've taken a pretty lengthly pause, but I am going to let it slide, and get back to work. that has to be the most over-used cliche on this blog, but it's true. The longer I stick to this mentality, the more successful I will be in getting back to work.

I don't know why I am teasing myself so badly, as I currently weigh 196lbs, and have for the last month. This is the lowest weight I've ever weighed in my memory, and that was a few years ago. One more pound, and I'm at the lowest I've been in my teenage/adult life... why can't I just stop fucking around, and make it happen?

I've had a go at making some food before hand, and trying to stretch it, and it seems to work better than trying to prepare some restaurant-class meal every night after a 10 hour day at work, and a two or three hour visit with my Mum in the hospital... I guess thus is life!

This weekend, I hope to get some good stuff done, some portioning of snacks, and I want to make some protein flapjacks that are healthy, but good for an on-the-go kind of snack. I've also been trying to recreate some of the sandwich toppings at a local sandwich shop that I enjoy, to save money, and control nutrition.

While I am not going to be wearing a stomach rippled with abs by the end of these sixteen weeks, I will not be out of the game. I am in this, to win it... for myself.

Thanks again to all who keep checking in! I love reading your responses, and it must take some good energy to write something for someone who won't write back! Cheers guys and gals! I appreciate it, like you don't even know!

Now, for photos from week six, or seven?!

Damn Me All to the Heckness!

2007-10-06T14:48:00.000-07:00

Alright, I am sorry!

It's been far too long since my update, and I've missed a Week 4 update altogether. I could sit and make excuses all day, but I won't... instead I'll state that I'll simply have to try harder to keep on track with personal progress, as well as my blog.

I am nearing the end of week four, and I am feeling ashamed as I've yet to really do some tough physical work! I've been walking loads, in fact to my calculation 24.9kms in the last seven days. That being said, I've faulterd on my diet a bit as I have had a bit of an unpredictable week!

I got the job I was dying to get! I recieved a call last Friday informing me that they were offering me the position, and I jumped at the opportunity to start on Monday! I've now worked for Icelantic (www.icelantic.com) for a full work week, and I am quickly realising why it might be hard for other people to deal with a diet and fitness on a full work schedule! This brings me to my original point, my nutritional habits have slipped unfortunately... I'm aiming at convenience, rather than health! Don't get me wrong, I am not filling my body with saturated fats, but I had three small packets of crisps this week, which is not approved on this diet, and I've also dipped into the convenience of prepackaged chicken wraps... which are wrapped in white flour wraps. I know I am being ridiculously anal, but I have the kind of mentality that if something's worth doing, it's worth doing right! That's me, all or nothing! Haha.

I've also been missing out on proper scheduling with my meals, which has buggered me a bit. I am going to start cooking and portioning in advance to try and avoid these issues, and stay on track, as I have no real progress to show after another two weeks. the trouble is though, that while I have started this job, I have kept my obligation to my weekend job, as well as nightly visits to my Mum who has been in hospital for nearly two months. That seems to leave me with about two or three hours on weekdays, and nearly the same on weekends to deal with everything else in my life. With that in place, I suppose now is the true time to shine! I didn't realise how easy I had it before I started working through the week. Naughty naughty!

With all the issues aside, let's look at progress, which really isn't much of anything!

I haven't lost anymore weight, as I guess I've not really been keeping up with the diet, and I seem to be at a plateau of sorts with my walking heart-rate, and thus progress.

I have been on anti-inflamatories for about two weeks now I guess, and I seem to be fixed in terms of my hip, but with efforts of jogging, shinsplints have reared their ugly head... but with enough stretching, and hopefully muscle building... that should pass, and I should be running full-force soon. I am looking forward to it, so that I can start seeing more losses! I am loving my new 34 inch waist. It's an interesting thing, that. When you're a 36, or 38 you have trouble finding trousers, but 34s are everywhere... if only you could fit in them! Now that I am a 34, you wouldn't believe how many 36" trousers I am finding! Silly trouser demons!

Even though there hasn't been much progress, there should still be progress pictures, so without further ado, Week 3 photos, with an onion skin! First though, I'll subject you to another wicked recipe, this in fact might be my favorite dish yet, as it's something I love in 'the real world'.

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Sensible Caesar Salad with Turkey Breast

So you're craving 'real world' food, but your calorie budget won't allow for the hankering you've got! Maybe you've gotten to the point where you want to reward yourself with an off-limits meal, but don't have to ability to give in, and go get a burger... there comes this option, the low-fat Caesar salad!

Hold up! A Caesar Salad that we're allowed to eat, that actually tastes like a Caesar salad? Haha! Yeah right! No really, it's delicious! Try it for yourself, and you will not be disappointed! Add an optional turkey breast, however you like it... for a little protein!

1 Large Head of Romaine Lettuce
1 Small Red Onion/Shallot
1/3 Cup Low-Fat Greek Yogurt
2 Tbsp Fresh Lemon Juice
1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1 Tsp White Wine Vinegar
1 Tsp Dijon Mustard
1 Tsp Worcestershire Sauce
¼ Tsp Ground Black Pepper
2 Cloves Fresh Garlic Minced

Preparing the Salad:

Wash your head of lettuce thoroughly under a cold tap, and place it on your cutting board. Cut straight down the middle of the head making sure you don't cut through the base, to keep it still in one piece. Turn the head 90° wither way, and cut it the same way, essentially to divide the head up into quadrants.

Now, whilst you have the head firmly gripped, start slicing it lengthwise now, from the top to the base, about 1.5" apart. Once you reach the core of the head, you'll be left with almost perfect lettuce leaves, ready for dressing duty. That'll have to wait though, as your shallot needs prepping first.

Take your shallot and slice off either end, and then half it with your knife from the top, down. This leaves you with two halves skin, still intact. Cutting the onion in half will make peeling the skin off a whole lot easier! Once your halves are peeled, you can simply make thin slices with your chef's knife to produce transluscent slices to sit atop your salad! The salad's base is ready, it's now time to work on the dressing!

Preparing the dressing:

The dressing is ridiculously easy to make! All you have to do is add all the ingredients! Start with your yogurt as the base, and then add you lemon juice, white wine vinegar, olive oil, worcestershire sauce, Dijon, and then finally your minced garlic, and a good seasoning of freshly cracked black pepper! When combining these ingredients, use a whisk! It improves the ability to introduce air into the mixture to help it stay fluffy, as well as emulsifying the oil with the rest of the mix!

Assembly:

Simple! Toss your romaine, and onions in the dressing, and plate it! You can then stack your turkey/chicken if you chose to include it with the meal... and give it a light bath of freshly grated parmesan cheese for a delightful meal! Bon Appetit!

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Week 3 Photo Updates:

And The Award For Best Supporting Role...

2007-09-25T13:06:00.000-07:00

I have been doing this thing for 15 days officially, and it has felt like it's been a lot longer, but not in part due to the dozens of people helping me through this! From family, to Facebook, to Arnel's Six Pack Attack group, people from all edges of the world have been offering up bits of support!

It's honestly astonishing to me how people who don't even know me could be so nice, let alone how the people I know, but haven't talked to in ages could care less about my goals, or my interests. This, my friends is a true indication that there are in fact some pretty decent people in this world.

I want to thank everyone watching, and aiding... and adding comments, or tips! Because of my journey, there have been a few people to embark on weightloss journies of their own! That's fantastic! After all, the more, the merrier!

Specifically, 'sickofthegut', 'mejustme', 'abdominator', 'mannyrsx', and 'swimsean', thanks for taking time out of blogging your own stuff, to pop by mine and bring some of the 'Brothers in Arms' effect to my side of the water!

Thanks to all that have helped me, and continue to help!

In other news, I heard back about the job today! I am headed in on Friday to see them again, and it's apparently down to two of us! Exciting business! Hopefully it'll work out in my favor!

Also, another recipe:

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Baked Salmon Spinach and Pepper Salad

My first approach at a salad featuring Salmon... as it's supposed to be my new best friend, though I am still getting accustomed to its flavor!

Overall, I am happy with the way it looks, and the way the salmon tastes, but it can be better, so... I've adjusted the recipe to accomodate for the issues I discovered, and it should yield a pretty tasty salad.

On with the show...

7oz Washed Spinach

1x Salmon Filet

3Tbsp Light Mayo

1/2 Tsp Fresh Lemon Juice

1/4 Tsp Paprika

1/4 Tsp Cinnamon

1/4 Tsp Salt

1/4 Tsp Black Pepper

1/8 Tsp Dried Basil

1 Small Red Pepper

1 Small Yellow Pepper

2 Small Green Peppers

1oz Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Drawing a Bath for the Salmon:

You're going to want to mix your ingrediants for the substance that you'll be backing your salmon in. Start by grabbing a small bowl, and putting your mayo in it. Then add your lemon juice, paprika, cinnamon, pepper, salt, and basil... stir with a spoon or whisk, until you can see the color change to a pink tone from the paprika. That's it! That was easy!

Preparing the Salmon:

First, remove the skin from your filet, if not done already. You can do this by setting the filet flesh side down on your board, and pulling the sharpest knife you have under the skin moving back towards you, all the while holding your palm on the skin, to force a good connection between the knife and the flesh. Don't use a sawing motion, do it in smooth strokes.

Once you've got the filet skinned, you're going to want to take out a piece of tin foil sized large enough to wrap the filet a few times. Lay this flat and rest your salmon on it. Once you have your salmon placed in the middle of the sheet closest to you, spread your mayo mixture on the opposite side of the filet, make it the same size as your filet, and then place your filet there. Cover the top and sides of the newly placed filet, and wrap it up as though you would a burrito.

Place your Foil wrapped salmon on your grill, and close the top. It can sit there for about ten minutes, maybe fifteen, depending on its size.

Preparing the Peppers:

After washing your peppers, cut them down the middle (from the top of the pepper), and use your thumb to pull the core out through the top of the pepper. Smack each half on your palm a few times firmly to remove any of the stubborn seeds hiding inside.

Once your peppers are clean and halved, all that remains in knife work is to cut them in a julienne fashion. Place each half with the cut side down, and draw your knife down from the top, to the bottom to create slices approximately 1/4"-3/8" in width.

Start a pan over low-medium heat with your olive oil in it. Dump the peppers into the pan, and season them with pepper and salt. let them spit away, and soften while stirring them occasionally, as you would with glazing onions. Once they're soft, move them to a plate with paper towl on it, to let some of the oil drain into the towel, and for it to cool. If it goes into your salad bowl still hot, it will cook the spinach underneath, and you'll get a slimey salad.

Finishing the Meal:

Well, you've got your plate, so grab a good handful of spinach leaves and place them in the bottom of the dish, mounding them. Once your peppers are cooled, they too can be plated. Place them around the spinach leaves, and head for the salmon. I cut my filet in half (it was skinny), and crossed it on top of the leaves.

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Hopefully you'll enjoy this meal, it's my least favorite out of the dishes I've made so far, but I guess when you're experimenting with cooking, you're bound to mess some up a bit!

Cheers, and thanks again for all the support!

Oh, The Drama!

2007-09-24T08:07:00.000-07:00

It has been six days since my last confession...

Things are looking up! this week yielded some ups and downs... starting of course with the way I started the week, outlined in my previous post. Apparently on my night of 'fun'... I ended up smoking twice, and I must have gotten into a fight with a wall or something, because I caused some soft tissue damage to my left shoulder, leaving me unable to do the only exercise I was able to do, besides walking. I also got diagnosed with some kind of nasty inflamation to my hip, which means I need to go see a physiotherapist, and take Dicloflex tablets three times a day, every day for five weeks... hoping it will yield some decent results!

So after such a punishing start to my week, I had found four of the seven pounds I had lost, leaving my confidence a little more damaged! I was distressed in finding this out, and felt that the best way to come back from such a rouch start was to make it a great finish.

That being said, it's now the first day of week three, and I have dropped the four pounds I gained last week, and an additional pound. I've also noticed that since the start of this, I have lost a couple of trouser sizes, leaving me fitting a 34 right now, down from 38 at the beginning of September. I couldn't be happier about this, as I am starting to see the last notch in my belts, leaving me with the issue of having to get a smaller belt or two! It's a tough life!

I also had an interview on Friday that could change my career life as I know it, which I was looking forward to for quite some time... not only because of the impact that the job would have on my life, but also the fact that I would be able to try on, and hopefully fit in a suit I bought when I first arrived in Edinburgh, and wouldn't fit in, without sucking in my keg, and bringing a violet shade to my face. I am excited to announce that I was able to fit into the suit, and wear it all day with no discomfort... in fact, I found myself with a brand new confidence, strutting through the streets in Edinburgh dressed to the nines.

I won't hear back about the job for a wee while, but while I wait, I can sit back and enjoy the suit! I've taken a little bit of a new approach with my onion-skinned image idea... I figured there's not too much you can see when it's blurred, so I defined the line. The old stomach is the red line, and the new stomach is the blue line. I am actually surprised at how much mass I've missed, as I've only lost eight pounds or so!

I have been reading everyone else's blogs, and there's some stiff competition, and despite my situation, I am still going to be in this thing for the long haul! If this is what can be done in only two weeks, I'm completely taken back by the possibility of getting down to my goal weight of 180... much before my original (July) goal of Feb/08. Now I think I'll be hoping for 175 by Christmas. Wish me luck!

I don't have too much else to add for right now, so I'll leave with the latest images from my Week 2/3 progress.

Here's the newest onion-skinned shot... it looks as though I am losing some! :) Yay!

A Rough Start to Week 2!

2007-09-18T07:53:00.000-07:00

I am now on day nine of my programme, and I am experiencing a bit of tough times. I broke my willpower, and had one too many drinks last night at a work-related/birthday shindig. It's a shame, because I've done so well in the opening days, and I've now given myself a nasty set back by doing this. I have also gone to bed extremely late the last two nights, so I've buggered up my sleeping patterns, as well as my eating routine. I've been good and kept up with my eating habits, but I've missed meals, and am feeling the ill feelings of doing this. I've lost no further weight over the weekend, so I'm still sitting at my 198lbs.

Alright, so I've vented my frustration. Now I can move on, learn from what I've done, and continue to shred the poundage, and build muscle! For that, I am glad.

I would also like to take this opportunity to thank the people who are helping me through this by staying tuned to the blog, and the Facebook group. I now owe you guys an apology for the shitty behavior on my part! I look forward to getting back on track, and making things work better!

Alright, and now onto more tasty things! Here's another offering from my new menu...

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Soya Glazed Salmon Filet with Mixed Veg in a Garlic Basil Red Wine Reduction

From the point of view of someone who doesn't really fancy fish, and even less-so fishy fish, like salmon, I decided to come up with a way to make it taste a little more desirable. I figured that a nice glaze would probably give it the sweetness it's lacking, and the natural sugars in organic honey are pretty easy to deal with in terms of nutritional 'no-no's. This then, is the red-meat man's guide to making tasty salmon. Grab the ingredients listed below, and enjoy your dinner!

1 Salmon Filet
4-6 Broccoli Florettes
3-4 Medium Carrots
2oz Chinese Soya Sauce
9oz Red Wine
1 1/4 Tbsp Organic Honey
1/4 Tsp Salt
1/8 Tsp Black Pepper
6 Garlic Cloves
4-5 Fresh Basil Leaves

Prior to cooking, you should have your red wine, garlic and basil reducing... it takes a fair while to reduce, you want it almost syrupy in texture... a bit like a gravy. To infuse more basil flavour in the wine, make sure you bruise the leaves with the back of your knife a bit prior to placing them in the pan with the wine. It will also help to sweeten the mixture with a bit of your honey.

First, take your Salmon filet, remove the skin, as well as any bones that may still be hiding away inside the meat. You then marinate the filet in a mixture of soya sauce, organic honey, red wine, and garlic for about fifteen minutes, obviously, the longer the better though.

Then, while you're waiting for your salmon to marinate, prepare your veg! Cut them, and start them in your steamer, or boil them... whichever you prefer. Season them with salt and pepper, and have a clove or two of garlic in the water to flavour them a bit more.

Once they're off and away, move back to your salmon. You're going to want a fairly hot pan for the fish to go into, make sure the fish is covered with the glaze, and place it 'skin' side down in the hot pan. As it cooks, baste it with the remaining marinade, and pepper it. After a couple of minutes (depending on the size of your filet) you want to flip the fish, and start the other side. Make sure you glaze the newly cooked side as well, as it will help to keep some of the moisture in the fish. Another couple of minutes, and you're done.

Plate the salmon filet with a few julienne slices of fresh basil, and stack your veg to its side, dressing it with your red wine reduction.

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Sorry for an abbreviated version of the recipe, but I'm in a bit of a rush I'm afraid, so I'll have to end it at this. Enjoy the meal!

Week 1 Wrap Up

2007-09-16T02:05:00.000-07:00

Today marks the final day in the first week of my program, and I am pleased to say that I am happy with my progress! I am surprised at what walking, and a healthy diet can do for you, because I haven't been able to put much effort into the HIIT, or Resistance training. Anyone therefore, who says that they can't exercise, and they're too big, or whatever. Cut the stuff, and get going on this thing, because I can tell you that with each passing day, my confidence is receiving a spark, and I am feeling great physically, and mentally!

This is my birthday dinner, a Cobb salad, made for me by my sister. I feel odd saying this, but I now look forward to meals like this! Another benefit to being me is that I am not a huge fan of sweets, especially chocolate. This made turning down a piece of my birthday cake really easy, as it was a toffee cake drenched in chocolate, and dressed with cubes of toffee. Ugly stuff!

I am really happy to see that I am affecting more people than just myself with this journey! I can't describe the feeling of offering motivation for other people around me! I started this thing with the inspiration given to me by someone else, and never thought I could be the same inspiration for others, especially when I haven't even finished my first week! I look forward to seeing everyone else's results, as it will provide me with even more drive!

On my way home from the hospital last night from visiting my Mum for my birthday dinner, I got the worst craving I've had in some time. Since I started this thing, it's been fairly easy to turn down the foods that I know are bad for my progress... but it hit me out of nowhere. I wanted a Meat Lovers pizza from Pizza Hut. The craving hit me so hard I could taste it, which helped because I at least got to taste the food without sacrificing the calories, and absorbing the metric tonnes of saturated fat lining every piece of that pizza. It's interesting however, that instead I had the salad pictured to the right, and enjoyed every bite of it! Healthy food can be tasty food too!

So onto my progress! I have decided that I am going to incorporate two new things in my blog to help me follow my accomplishments. I find that being able to see the results, and see the numbers is a good constant reminder that I am doing well, and accomplishing what I need to be in order to complete my goal.

The first of these new features will be an onion-skinned image of the weeks prior to show what has been accomplished in visual weight loss, and definition. For those of you who are not familiar with the term 'onion-skin', it describes an image that is superimposed onto another image as a transparent layer, so as to see the progression through various frames... in other words, you will see what I looked like last week, and this week on the same image.

The second feature will be located on the right hand side of the screen where my 'Current Status' is situated. Every week when I take my measurements, and weigh myself, I will be posting the difference between my starting values in brackets.

This then, is my first onion-skinned image! You can see that the main image is of my body entering the second week, You can also see a faint line next to my chest that represents the same body last week. If this is what has happened in one week, I can't wait to see what happens in the following fifteen!

I think I am measuring a bit inconsisently, as I believe the changes to be more than what they are, but there is a noticeable difference, which is all I really care about at this point!

I have a doctor's appointment on Tuesday morning to find out about my hip, so until then... I am keeping it easy, with solid walks, and a good diet. Hopefully I get good news and find out that it's something that can be easily remedied, in which case HIIT, and Resistance, here I come!

In closing for today, I'd like to share the newest set of images from the end of week one. Enjoy! I can't wait to see other people posting their progress too!

Happy Birthday Me!

2007-09-15T08:28:00.000-07:00

Heya guys! Today is my 22nd birthday, so I've apparently given myself a good gift! I seem to have broken the 200lb mark this morning, as I jumped on this funny UK scale and had it tell me that I weigh 90kgs, which according to Google means that I am 198.416036 lbs. That, I like! That being said, I just finished an eight hour day at work, as well as a half hour walk in a heavy suit, which means I am probably at my lowest possible weight, which is alright for me, because I still beat that 200 mark!

So with my second post, I thought I would add another picture. I've been asked a fair bit about the food I am eating on this 'diet' (I'll get to that later). What I figured I would do was take a picture of every dinner that I have, so as to show you guys that eating healthy can be fun as well. It doesn't just have to be barebone ingredients on a plate! Without further ado then, I present my first dish.
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Garlic Mustard Turkey Breast over a Broccoli Risotto

This, my latest conception is an effort to include a very lean protein, a decent fibrous starchy carb, as well as a complex carb (the broccoli). In order to make this dish... you need the following:

1 Turkey Breast
1oz GOOD Dijon Mustard (get a good peppery one!) 1-2 Cloves Garlic
1 Shallot
1/4 tsp Cracked Black Pepper
1 Tsp Extra Virgin Olive Oil
1/2 Cup Brown/Basmati Rice
1 1/2 Cups Water
1 Small Head Broccoli
1/4 Cup Chicken Stock
1/4 Tsp Paprika
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Cup White Wine (Cheap... it's just for cooking!)

Preparing the Turkey Breast:

Place the turkey breast in a non-metal bowl with the dijon, the cracked pepper, a diced shallot, and the diced garlic cloves. Cover said bowl with cling film, and tuck it away in the fridge. Give it some time to make love with the marinade (it's more private in the back of the fridge, and with the light off... so door closed!

Also, it would be wise at this point, or shortly after to turn on the grill, and get it preheated. A George Foreman style grill is an asset, as you don't need to worry about the temp, just get it going!

Preparing the Risotto:

Next up you're going to want start a small saucepan over medium heat with the olive oil coating the bottom. Add your rice granules, and stir well to cover them with the oil bath. Try not to leave it too long! It will burn the rice, and murder your pot! Let it relax until the rice is glistening, and happy... and you can smell a bit of a toasted smell (sort of like popcorn, yet less evident because of the oil as opposed to butter being used). Once this happens, add your water, but be careful the pot is not too hot, as oil and water really don't mix, especially at high heats! Stir the rice, and make sure it doesn't stick together too much. Cover the saucepan, and turn the heat up a bit.

*Tip* Place a layer or two of paper towel between the pan and the lid, as it helps remove the harmful effect of the steam turning your rice mushy.

Once the rice is starting to cook, start preparing your broccoli. Make sure it's washed, and you remove the stem. You want to each florette in half in an effort to make each piece about 3/4 of an inch in size. Once the water is starting to evaporate and be absorbed by the rice, place the chicken stock in the pan, as well as the broccoli florettes. You may then add the paprika. At this point, season with salt and pepper to taste.

Let the rice reduce further, and once you're starting to see it go creamy, and bubble like it's running out of liquid, add half of the wine to your pan. Wait for the wine to heat up, and start stirring.

*Tip* When making a risotto, ensure that you are paying good attention to it. You want to be stirring it constantly, for two reasons... it will help the wine/stock find air, and pan which will help it evaporate, and it will also keep the rice from sticking, which should be the definiteion of a risotto... creamy, not clumped!

Once the mixture reduces even further, and is looking a bit thirsty, add the last of the wine, and keep stirring. Ideally, you should add the stock/wine slowly, while stirring to ensure it heats slowly, and doesn't shock the starch in the mixture. Once you've added the last of the wine, put your turkey breast on your preheated grill and watch it sizzle. If your grill has no lid, then cook the bottom until 1/3 of the breast appears to be cooked, and then flip it. If you want the diamond score marks, make sure when you flip it the second time that you align the breast properly with the grill. In between flips, make sure you're back on the risotto, cuddling it with your spoon to ensure maximum creaminess!

By the time your turkey breast is finishes cooking on the grill, your risotto should be done, and be ready to be plated. Place it on your plate, and cut your turkey breast into 3/8" strips. Once the turkey is ready, plate half of the breast 45° adjacent to the other half, as pictured. Finish with a fine graiting of parmesan for a true risotto taste, and a small basil leaf sprig.
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So now that I've finished with my pretend cooking show, I would like to offer a thanks to all of the people dropping by and posting comments, as well as all the wonderful people supporting me via Facebook. It's friends like you guys that make me accountable for every action I take, and I look forward to rewarding you, as well as myself with the body I've always wanted.

I also look forward to seeing some familiar faces dropping the pounds with me, as some have expressed their interest in joining me in a journey of their own! Good luck guys!

Thanks also to all those who wished me a happy birthday!

Cheers!

Evan

Bananas in Big Pajamas

2007-09-13T12:54:00.000-07:00

So I am a big dude... if you didn't know, now you do! I am 5'10", and I currently weigh 205lbs. I am on Day Four of a sixteen week program that is designed to kill people, or produce some of the most amazing results you've seen in fat-body turn-around!

I have started this blog, because I feel it is key to motivating me by holding myself accountable. I hope, that because of the Blog, I can use your (my friends) help to motivate me. I want you to look at the photos that I am going to post and think what I think you think. A less wordy version of the prior statement: I look like shite, I know that, now you really know that. There's no hiding anymore!

Ultimately the goal is to be champion of the Six-Pack Abs Challenge (www.iwantsixpackabs.com/6packattack). Personally though, I want to accomplish the goal I've had for way too many years now... I want to see my willy again! All joking aside, I am disgusted with the way I look, and with the aid of this blog, and your comments, and the mutual motivation, I think I will come through these sixteen weeks looking like something that will impress me, and hopefully help some people realise that results are obtainable with the right diet, and enough exercise intensity.

It will be through this blog that I will publish my weekly, and sometimes daily results, complete with updated pictures.

If anyone has any questions, let me know, and I'll do my best to answer them!

For now, on with the pictures. :(

Day 1/112: