So far so good
Pretty much every year for the last ten years or so, at some point during the year I have said something like ‘this year I really am going to get in shape’ and every year it hasn’t happened. I’ve been close: I got into running one year and got to the point where I was doing 20km runs on weekends. Didn’t stick though. Got into cycling to work and lost a bunch of weight, but climate always gets in the way and I don’t continue.
This year though is going to be different. In the last post I set out the initial goals, and this is basically an update and a quick post about my new obsession Brazilian jiu-jitsu.
First the good news:
- I managed to stick to my two absolute rules: walk 10,000 steps a day and don’t buy any snacks. Three months in, still going strong.
- My weight is now 88.5kg (down from a peak of 95kg in January. Better still, this seems fairly stable.
- My employer ordered me to go to the doctor to see about my cholesterol after it was flagged in my last health check. I didn’t bother and got a curt postcard at the beginning of the month. Went in and they said that as I don’t have any other risk factors we can wait and see if the exercise helps before putting me on drugs. Yay.
- I found a new hobby that will hopefully provide me with some decent exercise each week and motivate me to do other training: Brazilian jiu-jitsu (BJJ). More below.
- I’m pretty much sticking to my intermittent fasting schedule, and not eating much past 17:00 or so (I do have a raw carrot when I get home, but hopefully that isn’t messing with it too much). It’s amazing how much less food I am eating than I was before, and how little that bothers me.
Unfortunately there is also some bad news:
- I cracked a rib in my third BJJ training session, so was off for a month. Cracked ribs don’t really have any effective treatment, you just leave them alone and they get better. Unfortunately I wasn’t allowed to put any strain on it, so the only exercise I could do for a month was walking. My bodyweight exercise habit and kettlebell habit have taken a big hit and I haven’t managed to get them started again.
- Hayfever kicked in badly on Wednesday last week and was bad enough yesterday morning that I thought about not going to training. Made myself go in the end and enjoyed the class. This could be a negative factor if I let it stop me walking/running/cycling.
Overall I am pretty happy with how things are going and optimistic about making my goal of under 80kg by the end of August.
Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu
I’ve always enjoyed martial arts and there is a dojo on my way to work. Turns out they have 16 classes a week, some of which are at times I can attend.
I didn’t know much about BJJ when I started, but really like the school, the instructor, and the classes. I read a few books on the subject and now I know a bit more, none of which translates into skill on the mat.
Brazilian jiu-jitsu is basically a mix of jiu-jitsu, wrestling, and judo. It’s an incredible workout. We have 90-minute classes and spend about ten minutes warming up, 50 minutes practicing a technique or two, and 30 minutes sparring. At the end of each class I feel like I’m going to throw up. If I keep this up my fitness is going to be much improved.
The best thing is that because I enjoy it I am more motivated to do other training in order to get better at BJJ, rather than for its own sake. I’d like to be in the middleweight class, for example, which is 82.3kg in a gi.
So somewhat mixed but mostly positive. Going forward I want to continue with my absolute rules, restart the bodyweight and kettlebell exercises, and do some more running/cycling. And of course continue going to BJJ class.
How about you? Any progress on your health goals?
Oh boy, I resemble this post.
I used to be big into cycling, but ended up off the bike for many years with kids, a new job etc. Fast forward several years and I weighed double my wife’s weight, even though I’m not that much taller than she is (!).
I played baseball all through school and was on the track team, so was rather shocked to realize I was now tired after walking up a flight of stairs. So last November, I decided to get back into cycling, and started tracking my diet. The great thing about cycling in Japan especially – the indoor trainer market has exploded, with lots of reasonably-priced options and more important, a ton of highly motivating and engaging apps that keeps you getting back on the bike.
I now have a Wahoo Kickr and use Zwift, SufferFest and TrainerRoad. I’m focusing more on exercise and less on dieting, it’s infinitely more sustainable – enjoyable, even. SufferFest and TrainerRoad are great for fun and/or structured workouts, while Zwift racing is a blast. After coming in dead last the first few races, I’m now competitive in my category, even won a big race the other day. I use MyFitnessPal to track meals and such, and have a Fitbit to remind me to move around throughout the day.
I’m on the bike almost every day, and have lost 13kg since last November (!) Still a few more to go before I’m back down to my ‘fighting weight’ (last seen in 2008) but it hasn’t been a chore at all; main thing has just been making the time each day for an hour or so on the bike (not having to commute makes that a lot easier).
Heh, I thought I was a masochist, but you seem to be giving me a run for my money…
SufferFest??? 😉
Yeah, it’s a bit corny, and there’s this whole ‘Sufferlandrians’ working out so they don’t become ‘Couchlandrians’ and stuff. You kinda gotta get into it, but the Facebook community is excellent, and the cycling videos are top-notch.