You may recall the shock of me finding out that apparently despite .....
a.) alternating between doing 45 minutes on the exercise bike and swimming for 70 lengths between Monday and Friday
b.) taking 2 lots of blood pressure control tablets
c.) and taking a nightly Statin and ......
d.) a daily high dosage tablet of Fish Oil, one with Garlic and another with Glucosamine
e.) eating mainly salads and fruit with white meat or fish (bar weekends)
e.) and being only 47.......
........I am an unhealthy lardy lump with blood so laden down with cholesterol that you could tar a road with it. According to the nurse when i went to my 'well man' check I'm lucky my heart can pump it around my body and that frankly even a Jumbo Jet engine might struggle to push the blood through my veins.
Well - 6 months on and some weight has been shed. But a shit luck would have it, its all gone from the wrong places. Arms and legs are nicely toned. Not much of a double chin in existence. When I swim, I have to remove the wedding ring lest it drops off in the water, showing that even my fingers have lost weight, But despite all this, what has been lost from the tummy? Thats right. just about Sweet Fuck All. I now burn around 700-800 calsories a day in exercise. Heck, even a round of golf burns 550 odd calories according to my pedometer. But do I look slim? What do you reckon? Further proof that there is no God. I mean why would he/she design a body so that despite the best efforts and reasonable exercise, not one fucking piece of tummy fat disappears. Oh, I've lost it off the actual waist...I mean all my trousers and jeans can be removed without actually undoing the buttons. And I'm at the last belt notch........but of course the tummy overhangs the waist doesn't it. Short of doing 3 hours exercise a day and eating rabbit food like some crazed American fitness psycho body fascist its hard to see what can be done.
Life is inherently unfair on a number of fronts but it does seem inevitable that as you age, the pounds stay on firmer and longer until of course some form of vile intestinal disease takes hold, or some sort of terminal illness takes over. Even then I suspect such people are walking around with stick thin arms, legs, slender buttocks and refined necklines but with a bloody great in built comfort pillow of fat billowing around the midriff. Perhaps the next life will offer the opportunity to reverse this and actually reward us for eating and drinking with superslim fit bodies.
Anyway - its the time of the year when the fairweather cyclist can come out of his hiding place, can cover the exercise bike with a sheet and take to the road. Starting last night.
And boy was it tough. I live in a rual area with loads of fantastic cycling routes through bridlepaths, across country parks and farms. I live within minutes of the Southdowns Way and these routres take you to fantastic parts of the countryside that you could ONLY see if walking or on a bike. hence there is virtually nothing in the way of flat routes. You're either cycling uphill or downhill. Thats about it. And so, on my first real outing of the year I got barely halfway along the first path when i decided my legs had failed to work. Now being the determined type who competes with himself regularly I did of course carry on. But the difference between a punishing 45 minute exercise bike ride, including an alleged uphill program, and a real cycle ride on real terrain, with the weight of a real bike and your own real weight to drag around is like the difference between walking to the front door and climbing a tower block with a fridge on your back. I did 8.5 miles in the end, which many would scoff at, but in my view this 8.5 miles across hill and dale equates to 20 miles on flat smooth roads. I'd prove it if there were any 20 mile smooth flat road routes anywhere near here.
Despite this , it was bloody good fun and I defy anyone not to shout '"wheeee" when going down a track at 20mph dodging the rocks and deep puddles. A quick and simple reversion to childhood and good exercise. Just what the doctor ordered...although the nurse will still moan like fuck next time I go in.
Later, GJ
6 comments:
Hey well done on what you've been doing. Stick at it. The stomach (in men) and the arse/thighs (in women) are the hardest places to lose weight. It will happen though if you persevere.
8.5 miles on that bike you've got is very impressive.. Knowing most of Halfords owns they're heavy, poorly geared, weirdly angled and yours looks small for a bloke. Unless your legs are the length of a four year old - I hope you put that seat up when you rode it :-)
If you enjoyed riding look at getting a good bike with just front suspension if you're using it off road. It makes all the difference! Maybe something like a like a Specialized Hardrock which is a good starter.
When I bought the bike I was a bit ignorant, however, I am 5' 5" - a bit bigger than a 4 year old but still vertically challenged. The bike was about £550 but is remarkably light. The good thing is I can turn off the rear suspension so it's can be hardtail when required. Some of the tracks round here are a bit.....bumpy to say the least so having the rear does have some benefits! Will stick with it though...especially the 'wheeee'bits. GJ
Hey, well its good to see you're getting back on the bike, and you are right the trails round there are lovely.
When you have got some better legs perhaps I could pop over and show you some..? The country park would be a good place to start. :)
Hey strings, no problem. it would be good to go out sometime. You'd be more than welcome to stay over.......you can help me tweak a few bits on the bike and the old one you flogged me...now converted to a road bike (of sorts)
Where abouts are you? I think you're a fair bit further north than me (Suffolk!)
A bit further South! Hampshire, very near Portsmouth....
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