Days 26 to 32 – 4th February to 10th February 2012

Hello everybody! 

Another week has passed and I’ve finally got myself a pedometer!  I have been very impressed with the Omron pedometer that I bought from Argos for 14.99 GBP.  There are more details of its results in the Exercise section, but I can tell you that I’ve put it through some fairly rigorous testing and it’s pretty damn accurate in terms of steps, distance covered and calories burned.  I have to confess I was initially skeptical about the effectiveness of these devices, but I am a convert.  If you would like to have a nosey, here is a link.

http://www.argos.co.uk/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Search?storeId=10001&catalogId=1500002951&langId=-1&searchTerms=9279430

I’ve also been sent a link by Eugene for the Sheraton Fitness website. It has some very useful fitness tips for travellers and it is worth checking out. Here’s the link.

               

http://sheratonfitness.com/#tips

More good news on the weight loss front, although this may be tested at the next Tuesday weigh in. I’m going on a date with Clare this Saturday and I fully intend to have a glass of vino of three!   

I’m also using various types of nuts when a few slow release carbs are required (pre-exercise, etc). They are very effective. More details in the Food section.

WEIGHTS & MEASURES

Another week of weight loss I’m pleased to say. This time I equaled the biggest drop in a single week (1.2kg)

As I've said before, I'm also weighing myself using the Wii Fit. This is both to corroborate the weigh in at the gym, and for another method of recording the history of my weight change. Both methods are aligned so far. (And the Mii is getting less round!)


FOOD
1.       A review of anything new I’ve tried that is ‘in scope’.
Scarlett and I made Susan’s excellent Sweet Potato & Lentil soup. If this sort of stuff is allowed in this dietary regime then bring it on!  Add lots of chilli for extra oomph. If you’re in a household with various tolerances to spiciness then you might have to add it to the bowl and not the pot. After the success of that soup I’ll be choosing another one in the nearish future. If anyone would like to know the recipe then hopefully Susan won’t mind if I share it here.

2.       Passing on recommendations from others. (Do’s and Don’ts)
Nuts !!  As I’ve posted before, I’ve had these recommended to me by various folk, including trainer Jimmy. I finally checked them out in some detail and have concluded that Almonds and Brazil nuts are the best option for delivering ‘good carbs’ when you need them quickly. They’re also great for a snack if you need something to keep you going. If you know of any other nut types that are worth considering, please let me know !

3.       Stories of me straying from the true path (and seeking forgiveness!)
Had a few whisk(e)ys on my birthday, but that was it. I stayed off the really bad stuff, like Guinness, despite some well meaning encouragement from certain folk who shall remain nameless (Gordon). As I said earlier I will be having a glass of vino or two this weekend. Having already done this at the Burn’s supper to no adverse effect, I’m not expecting too much damage to the plan. We shall see!  

4.       Questions that I haven’t been able to get an answer to (yet).
Nothing this week as I’ve now found a resource that is very good when it comes to facts on nutrition. Check it out here. Comprehensive.

http://nutritiondata.self.com/

EXERCISE
Got rid of my back injury (or so I thought) by doing the light exercises for the affected muscles, as recommended by trainer/physio Jimmy.  However, I must have returned to the full programme too soon, because it’s back (if you pardon the pun!). Need to ease off again.

One thing that hasn’t been affected is my running, which I have ramped up from the initial suggested programme. I’ve now gone from  4x4 minute runs at 8kph (with 4x1 minute walking intervals  at  5kph) to 5x5 minute runs at 8kph (with 5x1 minute walking intervals at 5kph). It’s quite tiring but I feel I still have more in me.  I don’t want to spend too much more time actually running so the next change will probably be upping the pace. Not sure when that will be yet though.,

So, the pedometer. It’s very good and very accurate. Its only deficiencies are that its mechanism seems to struggle with counting stairs and its calorie counter doesn’t factor in gradients (or other > 0% resistance). However, I can live with that. My numbers have been quite high this week (average 12500/day) as it has included my gym running. I suspect these might drop over the weekend though when I’m not going to the gym. We shall see. On the next blog post I’ll have a full week of stats to look at, so we can see where/when there is room for improvement!  

Bye !