In this modern world it is so easy to start piling on the pounds. Gone are the days of hunting, foraging and collecting water. We are living in the times of calorie counting and online shopping, where fizzy drinks flow as easily as the tap water in our homes. For many of us we are lucky to have such a vast range of food and drinks available (usually within minutes or even seconds of our own homes). But with all good things there has to be limits, and when everything looks & tastes so good, it's getting harder and harder to control our urges and diets.
I spent some years training as a weight lifter, following several fitness plans, all the latest diets and yes, even those magic pills with their crazy "fat burning" claims. I spent money in to the thousands on protein shakes, ZMA, BCAA's, Glutamine, Vitamins, and everything else that's sold in a tub and comes with a free shaker. I would buy product after product, each one would come with it's own little scoop and a statement it could never live up to!
After years of "trial and error" I eventually created a small list of what works and what doesn't, and believe me it is a very small list! I went on to have great success with my workout routines, diet and most importantly - results! I had become the gym "go to guy" which is not what I had in mind when I started out. My initial reasons to join a gym were: to get in shape, get a six-pack, and attract a "fit" partner. But within a year of going to the gym I started to realise that the only thing I attracted is guys, usually with a ton of questions or compliments about my workout. Same situation with the motorbike - "If I buy a motorbike I will be surrounded by chicks" (please forgive the slight sexism) - I'm proud to announce I currently have a 96% male audience. Thanks Guys!!!!
All joking aside lets jump back to the weight loss. So for all my followers out there you have probably noticed that my diet looks very unhealthy, and filled with fatty foods. Quite often I can be seen frying up one of my famous full English breakfasts, then washing it down with a bottle of cola. That really is my full time diet, I consume between 3 and 4 greasy fry ups every day. If it's not a "fry up" then it's a pizza or a trip to the chip shop.
When it comes to beverages, Coca-Cola and Irn-Bru have been my "drinks of choice" for as far back as I can remember. I don't drink water at home or at work, the only water I drink comes from streams and rivers whilst out on the trail.
It was Thursday the 1st of August, the first time I had jumped on a set of scales in sixteen months. It was only now that I began to realise my immediate reality, I was the heaviest weight I have ever been - a whopping 87 kg. This puts me in the category of (very) obese (because of my height). I have been on the same diet for over 9 years without gaining weight, still very fit with no health issues!
So this raised some questions: What has changed and why am I now gaining weight? Looking back over the last couple of years, these are the answers I arrived at - I started working nights almost 5 years ago and this took away my evening time. In the evening I would normally go to the gym, exercise or just take a walk. So this was the first major factor in gaining a bit of weight (although it was barely noticeable). The second conclusion I arrived at was my change in work activity. Over the last year and half my job went from working in an active warehouse (running around for almost 10 hours a night) to a supervisory desk job. At this point I knew I was gaining weight but the icing on the cake was when I moved home in 2018! I moved in to an apartment that is generally for old & retired people (and affordable). I am not allowed to make any noise after 9pm or before 9am. So here I am trapped between my working hours, a desk job, my home, and a sleep pattern that has ruined my social life!!!! This was the perfect combination of negative factors to start gaining weight.
I have been gaining approximately 0.9 kg every month for the last 16 months, adding a total of 9.4 kg. But over the last few weeks I have started seeing my first glimpse of minor health issues, so I needed to do something about it. After weighing myself on the 1st of August 2019, I knew it was time for action and I started writing a diet plan (just like I would have done when I was back in the gym). I handed in a holiday form for 2 weeks off work, and shortly began planning my five week weight loss program.
I will start my weight loss journey on Monday 12th August, and it will finish on Tuesday 17th September (the day I go back to work). I plan to carry out extra physical exercise between the 1st and 16th of September, as I will have time off work. This will be the perfect opportunity to change my sleep pattern and enjoy a couple weeks of daylight (and hopefully a motorcycle tour).
So everything sounds perfect, but how can I be so sure that this is going to work. Well, this isn't the first time I have done something like this, in fact I have even helped other people to lose weight. So I guess all I can say is "the proof is in the pudding". Below are 3 pictures taken back in 2011 when I was doing a similar diet to strip body fat. I created a "day by day" body transformation slideshow and the results were obvious! I followed this same diet again in 2012 before taking on the UK's longest walk.
So, It is now Saturday the 17th of August, I am 5 days in to my journey and everything is going to plan. I am making a daily vlog of my food & exercise program, and I'm planning to lose up to two stone. Once my journey is complete, I will post my video diary at the bottom of this vlog, but for now this is my diet & exercise program (It's been written from a "day time" perspective, as most people don't work night-time).
DIET & EXERCISE:
Drinks:
Plain Water, Black Coffee and Tea (NO milk & sugar).
Breakfast:
Breakfast is the same everyday: one shot of strong black coffee (NO milk & NO sugar). If you really can't stand black coffee, you can take a caffeine tablet.
Lunch Time:
At lunch you will take one multi-vitamin tablet with your meal. The meal will consist of any of the following foods in any quantity, and in any combination:
Lettuce, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Peas, Green Beans, Cress, Carrots, Onion, Rocket, Asparagus, Sprouts, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Peppers, Spinach, Herbs and Chillis.
You may also have one meat of choice: I recommend Chicken or Ham! The portion size should be one eighth of your entire meal (and should not be fried in oil).
(if you work in a very physically demanding job, you may add a slice of whole grain bread and/or increase the amount of meat)
Tea Time / Afternoon Meal:
For your afternoon meal you can have as many of the following foods as you like, in any quantity, and in any combination:
Lettuce, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Peas, Green Beans, Cress, Carrots, Onion, Rocket, Asparagus, Sprouts, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Peppers, Spinach, Herbs and Chillis.
You may also have one meat of choice: I recommend Chicken or Ham! The portion size should be one eighth of your entire meal (and should not be fried in oil). This meal should be eaten at least one hour before exercise).
Late Evening Meal:
Your last meal will consist of any of the following in any quantity and combination:
Lettuce, Broccoli, Tomatoes, Mushrooms, Cucumber, Cauliflower, Peas, Green Beans, Cress, Carrots, Onion, Rocket, Asparagus, Sprouts, Fennel, Garlic, Kale, Peppers, Spinach, Herbs and Chillis.
Exercise:
(Preferably) after your afternoon meal you will complete one full hour of exercise (jogging or running). The time the exercise takes place is not too important, as long as you complete one hour of exercise.
Optional Exercise:
The last part of the day will consist of 3 sets of a "single group" muscle workout. Each day you will change the muscle group: For example Monday you will do 3 sets of crunches, Tuesday you will do 3 sets of push-ups. This should take no more than 10 minutes.
(Please note: muscle workouts can build muscle thereby giving the effect you are not losing weight, mainly because you gain muscle weight).
Snacks and Cheat Meals:
For me I have chosen 4 snacks for when I really need to eat something. My cheat snacks are: gherkins, pickled onions, hot dogs and salt & vinegar rice cakes. Every snack and cheat meal will add more calories, so try to avoid them altogether. The cheat snacks I've chosen are very low calorie, low sugar and low fat. They are solely there as a morale booster when you really need them. Even cherry tomatoes make a great quick snack!
So, the 5 weeks is finally up! It has been challenging at times, and I even had few slip ups. But now I am happy to announce that I achieved my 2 stone weight loss goal. Here is the full video diary:
Comments