Times, they are a changin'

Well, here I go.

I'm 33 years old, nearly 34 and I have been going to gyms on and off for most of my adult life. At the same time, I have watched as my weight has gradually stacked up, so insidiously, that as of yesterday, I am 108.5kg.

I take no pride in that, it's actually shocking to think that as a little 'whipper snapper' there was nothing to me, and I had the name Stringbean and Skinnymalinks! Maybe all the working out has had the opposite affect???

I think not. I have had to face a dawning realisation that ultimately, my health/weight is largely down to what crap I put in my mouth.

Wow, that's deep.

It's all to easy to go for the quick option, eat a macca's, or a KFC or such like. Even Subway, advertised at the healthy option, is really highly processed junk.

There really is no substitute for a good, home cooked meal. And last night, Helen and I experienced our first real home cooked Aussie roast. Our friends from church, who, incidentally had their first child 5 weeks ago, had the two of us round for dinner and did a beautiful roast pork dinner. The problem being that, along with this lovely pork was:

• Carrots mmmmm, Helen's absolute favourite
• Peas. Helen's #2 veg!
• Cauliflower
• Stringbeans (what a coincidence)
• Broccolli

Peter and Maureen - you will be pleased to read that Helen actually ate carrot! I kid you not...

And mum... I ate the lot! And I enjoyed it. I kid you not. (Well, maybe not the cauliflower, but give me time...). I am trying really hard with the whole veggie lark. It's all about tatse and consistancy. And I am getting there, I really am.

I guess linked into this frenzied vegetable eating and the graphic descriptions of my weight, is the news that Helen and I resigned our respective gyms at the end of last month, and joined a new place together. The idea being that we will encourage each other to go more regulalry. It seems like a good gym, much larger than my last place, with a huge pool and nice hot sauna too.

As well as this (sorry, I'm going to waffle here) my work has just this week lauched a 'Biggest Loser' competition. For those outside of Australia, The Biggest Loser is a competition that runs here on TV every year where fat people compete (rather funnily) to win huge amounts of money by losing the biggest amount of weight. Apparrently, the chap who won this year went from 142kg down to 73kg in 16 weeks. Surely this is not healthy. Insane in fact. I am no doctor, but I'm pretty sure there are a number of serious side effects to such rapid weight loss.

Anyhow, I digress. I have joined in the shenanigans at work for this competition. It actually seems like a great idea, beacuse it will be making me accountable to my work buddies, who see me everyday, but are not afriad to give me some stick about what I am eating. So yesterday was the launch day, with the group weigh in. I tipped the scales at 108.5kg. That is 17stone. That is the fattest I have ever been.

Someone has been eating all the pies.

Yes , it was me.

Anyhow, watch this space. My goals are as follows.

1. To improve my health. I have lower back problems, high blood pressure and chronic heartburn "get the rennie" ;o)
2. To improve my eating habits.
3. To lose weight. I am aiming for 10-15kg loss before next summer.

Ok, it's late, and I have to be up at 5am for my 10km run in the morning

hehe just kidding!!!

Chris