Feeling Dirty but Eating Clean

Time for change

Firstly I have to apologise. My social media presence has been pretty much non existent since before Christmas. The reason for this is because the festive season took it’s toll on my mind, body and health.

If you have been following my journey you will know that I was on a steady weight-loss path since May last year (2020). I had lost 2 stone by October but something didn’t quite feel right.

I wrote in a previous blog about admitting acceptance that 90% of my health issues were weight related and my weight gain was my own doing and excepting that was key. Now one of these particular health issues came in the form of chest pains.

I kept quiet about my chest pains for about 2 years until Christmas 2020. Throughout December they got worse and worse and as the pain progressed so did my drinking and eating. I quickly learnt that I am a simple (and stupid) creature...pain strikes, I get scared, then to ‘cope’ I excessively eat and drink...and we all know what that achieves!

The next thing you know I’m laying in a hospital bed covered in sticky pads hooked up to an ECG machine.

GREAT, JUST FOOKING GREAT!

Whilst laying there hooked up to The Matrix I learnt a few things:

Firstly, I now suffer from GERD (Gastroesophageal reflux disease). It’s a fun little illness to add to my collection...basically your stomach pumps gas into your chest and it bloody hurts!

Secondly, I have a very slow heart rate for my size and height. My average heart rate should have been around 70BPM, mine was 39BPM. I have recently found and and been diagnosed with Bradycardia, a heart condition that if monitored (fingers crossed) shouldn’t cause me any major problems, but will make is slightly harder to lose weight.

So after learning this I felt at an all time low, walking around feeling pretty sorry for myself. I’d worked so hard in 2020 to start my weight loss journey but shit just keeps happening to hinder me.

Then while at my lowest my darling wife suggested that I should try her fitness regime...a 100 day workout schedule. WHAT!!! 100 DAYS!!! You gotta be joking right!?....but she wasn’t joking

A few days after she suggested her ‘stupid idea’...I had a GERD attack and it was a bad one.

Then the lightbulb finally went on in my head...I don’t want this crap anymore. I’m still blaming life for giving me a shitty hand, when in truth it’s all down to me. It’s time to change. So I did!

I decided that if I was going to get better I needed to change my lifestyle, not just 1 or 2 things but....EVERYTHING!!!

So I did!

I started off with the big one...FOOD. Now during 2020’s fitness plan I didn’t really focus on my diet. I dabbled with a bit of Keto, but that was about it. This time round I’m going ‘Hardcore’ and Clean Eating! So if it’s not Meat, Veg, Fruit or Eggs I don’t consume it! So that means no gluten, no dairy, no processed food, no soft drinks and no alcohol.

Secondly it’s not the most riveting thing in the world but it works for me and that’s....CALORIE COUNTING. Everything I consume gets logged and counted. I’m working on a -1500 calorie deficit everyday (I know that sounds like a lot, but I’m a big guy I can take it)

Thirdly some help...SUPPLEMENTS. These help boost my Protein intake which aids my Macros (Carbs, Proteins and Fats). I eat so that my Proteins and Fats always outweighs my Carbs, because at this point in my weight loss Carbs are the devil. Also I take BCAA’s (Branch Chain Amino Acids) & EAA’s (Essential Amino Acids). These help the proteins in my system work better and more efficiently plus aid with recovery on part 4.

And fourthly...WORKING OUT. So I finally took up my wife’s offer and started the 100 workouts plan. A workout everyday! It mixes between Cardio, Strength Training, Flexibility and Recovery....I thought I would hate it (and if my wife asks, I do!) but I’m really enjoying it. It’s hard and challenging but I like to see how far I can push my body. Cause if we don’t push ourselves we will never realise our full potential.

I also started running again, just short distances to start with but I have signed up to run 50K in May...so that will be fun!

So I’m writing this 40 workouts/days into program and I’m now below the weight I was in October last year after all the running. 30lbs down and virtually no GERD pain...I also found out in the process that I’m gluten intolerant, and that was the cause of most my pains. But still a long way to go!

Now I know I try to make my blog posts slightly humorous, but this one was just an unload off my chest that needed to be released so I can start again. Next one will be funny I promise...I’ll try anyway.

I’ll be tracking my progress from here on in and be more regular with my Facebook posts. I promise!

But I’ll leave you with this: Just remember every champion was once a contender that didn’t give up.

See you soon!