Get With The Programme

I think that we can all agree that the year 2016 was a giant own goal we will all be glad to see the back of. I wouldn't want to try to trump people with the misery we all faced, but this year was very difficult for me, it included the loss of my father and the break-up of a long term relationship. Between personal and world events I began to opt out of it all for a while, losing sight of the things that keep me happy. Not particularly handling my grief so well, I began to neglect my self. My diet, my exercise, my sleep to name a few, resulting in the embarrassing photo below as I ballooned to 80kg.  It took a while and even though I am still working through some stuff I kinda got my act together about 90 days ago and tried to seize back control of the one thing that is genuinely my own and my responsibility. My health!

I embarked upon a diet and exercise programme. It is the first time I have tried anything like this; but one character trait to my advantage is that I am generally a well disciplined person, for some obvious and some less obvious reasons my discipline had faltered. It was a great relief to get back to work, not only did the process improve my body, more importantly it allowed me an outlet to take all the "shitty" things that were wrong and focus on putting something right. Basically that's what this blog post is about. Things can only be in the trough for so long before they begin the ascent to a peak, sometimes however you need to take the initiative. Give it and yourself a good kick up the arse! If you are lucky someone else will do it for you but failing that take my advice: wake up tomorrow look in the mirror and ask yourself quietly and privately "what part of your life can you slap back into functionality?" Nothing got beyond your reach, you just grew tired. It's ok. That  happens on a daily basis to everyone in your life. Some chat about it openly, others, like me, let it sit and brew. It grows like some kind of malign elephant in the room, people around you know something is not flowing right but you just don't talk about it. Eventually the time comes when you realise the room where the elephant sits is in your fucking house and it isn't welcome anymore. So you do what you can. Each has a talent or a gift, if anything mine is my tenacity. When I have a clear purpose or intention it is impossible to take me away from it. For the past 90+ days I have eaten 3 meals a day, 2 snacks, drunk 3 litres of water. Prepped food, washed tupperware, plates, saucepans countless times. Dragged my arse out of bed at 6am been in the gym by 7am completed hundreds if not thousands of reps, push ups, pull ups, burpees "Arnold Curls"(the most painfully exquisite exercise ever). Over the past 12+ weeks I have shaved off 8Kg bringing myself down to a much healthier and happier existence. The 8 kilos is great but above that I took the reigns again, got back a bit control. Tightened up, sharpened up but more rewarding than that I brightened up. I am ready for the next challenge. I feel good and won't stop. Getting myself back in shape has stirred me to further development. I feel the past 90+ days have brought me to a point which would be a good starting point to begin a greater development. 

If people are interested I would like to write about the actual programme I followed. What I learned along the way, what was hard, what was easy, what were the bits folks don't talk about. If you're interested leave a comment.

Merry Fitness!