sedentary lifestyle

PSHD- Why Skiing is awesome and we should all quit our day jobs

~ eaton24 ~ Leave a comment

For the past week I have been suffering from severe PSHD- Post Skiing Holiday Depression. I genuinely think this is a real condition. Having spent a week throwing myself down mountains in Andorra, I come home, return to work and get ill. Back to life. Back to the reality of a sedentary lifestyle.

While I was away I must confess I didn’t adhere to my 2 fasting days.. or even one. The idea of a full day of non-stop exercise on just 500 calories seemed like it may have been more foolish than sensible. It would certainly have been a shock to the system. The weighing scales welcomed me home with a 3llb reduction anyway (in spite of an insane accumulative consumption of goats cheese, pizza and schnapps during the 6-day trip).

Having lost a little weight though, I proceeded to put this straight back on after about 2 days back into the routine of having a desk job. After 6 days of relentless physical activity I was restless, endorphin/adrenaline deficient and had so much energy, making concentrating on emails and press releases somewhat tricky.

My body was craving the gym.. something I never NEVER thought I would say. So I obeyed and found that my fitness levels are probably now better than they have ever been (certainly a lot better than before the holiday). I didn’t manage to keep hold of the triceps, which had made a fleeting appearance as a result of excessive ski-pole action, but my legs, particularly knees are noticeably stronger and my stamina has improved. However, sitting at a desk all day means I have to work myself into a sweaty crimson mess at least 3-4 times per week in order to have the slightest chance at retaining any of that. The sedentary life we lead is a bit shit really isn’t it? I basically spend 8-9 hours (if not more) just sitting. Wow that’s depressing.

End note: If there are no more entries in this blog, it’s because I’ve quit my job and have moved to Andorra. Please direct any fan-mail to Soldeu, Granvalaria. Thanks.

The dreaded weight-loss plateau and learning what muscles look like

~ eaton24 ~ Leave a comment

I’ve reached the weight-loss plateau. For about the last 6 weeks I have maintained exactly the same weight. Feeling like I have followed the 5:2 regime pretty diligently, I should be just a couple of fasting weeks away from 2 stone total weight loss. Needless to say, the little self-destructive voices in my head are getting rampant.

Here’s my tripartite plateau breaking plan (try saying that one quickly…)

Focus on exercise

A study conducted by University of Cambridge researchers has suggested that inactivity is actually more fatal that obesity. I found this piece on BBC Breakfast yesterday morning pretty enlightening. We all tend to fixate on the aesthetics, of being ‘fat’ as the indicator of bad health when we should perhaps be equally worried about our sedentary lifestyles. I sit at a desk for at least 8 hours five days a week as I’m sure is very common. While the 5:2 aims to combat bad diet habits and the diet related issues we develop in later life, it is really up to the individual how much they choose to support the diet with exercise. I’d like to retract my advice in an earlier blog that one shouldn’t go to the gym on a fasting day. At first I did find this tough, but having practiced during the Christmas break I actually found it’s a great way to distract you from hunger. Exercising in a fasted state also seems to achieve the greatest results in terms of weight loss.

Focus on the positive achievements

Although my weight loss has slowed down considerably since first starting the 5:2, I have noticed some favourable changes other than what the scales say. I think I may be developing what people refer to as ‘muscles’? Or at least, these have only now become visible. It’s quite a novelty. My stomach, while still carrying the joyful extra tyre and the remains of quite sizeable ‘love handles’,  is also beginning to display the slightest hint of what people call ‘abs’. Considering I avoid the weights section of my gym, as this is the grunting, 90% steroid- people’s territory, I’m not sure where these so called ‘muscles’ have come from. But I’m pleased that they have finally made an appearance.

Focus on the end goal

I’d like to look like Beyoncé. Yea. Okay so that isn’t going to happen. But I do know what my ideal weight is. Once I reach that goal I can change my fasts to the 6:1 maintaining method, giving me a bit more freedom to choose what I eat and when. According to Weight Loss Plateau: Tips on How to Break It, the weight loss plateau is a very common occurrence on the journey to reaching the ideal weight and weight loss becomes harder, the leaner we become. So persistence is crucial. Mentally visualising ourselves having achieved the weight loss goal is the key and I find that looking at old photos of myself at my ideal weight, helps me gain great motivation. Keeping hold of those size 10 skinny jeans and trying them out every now and again as a mental reminder of the end goal is also a good way to implement a bit of ‘tough love’ motivation. The most important thing is not to loose faith.