My Belt
Doesn’t tell the whole story because it didn’t know what was going on just above itself. But it is a very good indicator.
It was a present to me when I was at my plumpest. I had to put another hole in it in order to use it. At that time I was over 15 stones (I am 5-11 tall with a light bone structure so that was an awful lot of unwanted fat to carry around) and my sole exercise consisted of walking to the car and back. To the bar and back (200 meters each way). To the pub and back (300 meters each way). I also played at doing around 20 minutes of Yoga a couple of times a week in order to salve my conscience and feel a little better.
From the front view (and probably the back I suppose) I just looked generally big and a bit flabby. But on seeing a side view photograph of myself where the belt seemed like some sort of barrier stopping all that flab above from sinking lower, coupled with a longer walk over a slight hill (to another pub of course) leaving me very breathless, I decided I really had to do something about it!
Firstly, I started walking a lot to address the fitness issue and also concentrated on the gut. I bought a book on abdominal exercises and worked at it. Had abs of steel under all that flab for a while. I was less breathy walking over he hill and my profile improved a little but the belt was unimpressed – no change.
I decided to bite the bullet and to start running (something I had always said I would never do except when chasing a ball – woof woof!). I think I managed about 20 meters the first time out. Could hardly walk afterwards and couldn’t try to run again for a week. But I persevered and got up to about a 15 min run in a month or so (2 times a week, maybe 3 some weeks). But it was not until I had been running for 20-40 mins 3 times a week interspersed with the odd sprints session for several months that the belt went in ONE notch. Oh, and I had cut out cheese and most red meat and as much fatty stuff as possible without becoming obsessive.
To cut a long story short, I was doing exercises that I had done before like weights, I had tried a gym. I looked again at Yoga, Pilates and Stretching. All of these things are very good and I did look and feel a lot better and happier. But the belt stayed the same.
Early 2008 I got RSI in my wrist (too much computer stuff, using the mouse caused the problem in my case). It was extremely painful. I couldn’t shake hands, turn a key in a lock, even put my hand in my pocket (as if I would anyway!). Weights were out and so were bodyweight resistance exercises like press-ups for example.
I remembered some exercises that I had been given a long time ago from someone (a physio possibly, I really don’t remember) associated with my PE Teacher at school, who had noticed that I twisted when doing a handstand and thought that my spine was a bit out and that I should see the doctor. I did, but the doctor then did not seem to comprehend, he seemed more concerned that I was wasting his time because I didn’t have a cold or flu or something and I wasn’t bleeding (in case you think I am against the medical profession, not true, my daughter is a doctor!). So back to the PE Teacher who introduced me to this person I cannot remember, with my parents blessing.
He gave me an exercise routine, which seemed to do the trick. I have had no other treatment for my spine and I don’t appear to have any problems now so I guess it worked. Many of these exercises seemed more concerned with general muscle fitness, rather than just for my spine area. So, I thought I would use some of these exercises again (I should be able to do most of them even with RSI). So I did. Within a month my belt had gone in another notch and yet another to where it is now within a further 2 months. And another 2 months on and it is nearly to the last notch (it is on some days!) – I can assure you I am not wasting away, merely changing shape for the better!
Oh, and by the way - during this time my jeans size decreased significantly, my suits no longer fitted, and I had to replace the shorts I bought the year before because they ended up round my ankles.
So no weights, no gym, nothing but these exercises (plus some walking and running). The running, plus possibly some other stuff I was doing was responsible for the first notch. But the rest only happened after I started the exercises!
Oh, and by the way, if you think that I am going to give up my time socialising and drinking beer in the pub, or having meals in the restaurant - forget it!
So, you see, I am prepared to include more activity into my life. What I am not prepared to do is exclude anything that I really enjoy.
I hope you don’t think I am taking myself too seriously, I’m not. But I do take the business of playing seriously.
