Day 10 : "A new commitment"

Well, I've managed to make it into double figures!  I think I'm more impressed with the fact that I've managed to make it to the gym 10 days in a row, than the dieting part.  It's weird how I've always managed to say that I don't have time to go to the gym regularly... but actually, I was just making excuses to myself.  I've made time.  I may not be seeing much of my wife in the evening - especially by the time I've blogged as well - but hey ho, something's got to give.

Although my original mantra was "to exercise everyday", I've decided to amend that.  I'm going to go to the gym every day.  I've been thinking it for a few days, but didn't want to commit - as once I post it on here, I feel I have to do it.  But I'm posting it, so that's it.  I'm committed.  Or maybe I should be committed.  To the asylum.

But if I can turn round in mid-December and say I've actually been to the gym for 56 days in a row, I'll be happier than a dog with two peckers.


This process is quite up and down.  I think I've kind of nailed the food thing now - I'm not really craving bad food or, touch wood, alcohol - but the gym was hard again tonight.  My shoulder and stomach workouts were fine, but the 30 minutes on the cross trainer were hard... especially the first 10, when I thought I might cry and have to stop.  But I battled through it.

I have to keep telling myself it's worth the struggle though.  Just 10 days in, I'm really noticing a difference.  My chin has definitely shrunk... it feels a lot tighter when I shave in the morning, and I can feel more of a jaw line, rather than blubber.  And the bulge of my stomach starts a lot lower down... rather than starting just under my moobs, it's more just around the lower abdomen area now (it looks more like what my wife referred to as her remaining 'baby belly' in the few weeks after she'd given birth.)  And, quite excitingly, there's actually a hint of rib showing above it.  Either that, or I've got a hernia on the way.

I'm actually having to use all my willpower for something else right now.  A part of me really wants to jump on the scales to see if I've lost more weight since Sunday (well, maybe not 'jump' - that could still cause some serious damage to said scales).  But I won't let myself.  I want to build up to a once-a-week weigh-in and, hopefully, surprise myself.  I'm actually finding myself looking forward to Sunday.


So, my daily diet update, in case you're vaguely interested (even I'm bored writing about fruit and fish every day, so God knows how you must feel, if you've even read this far...)

- Breakfast:  None.  Bad I know, most important meal of the day and all that, but I rushed out of the door this morning forgetting to pick up any fruit of the fruit bowl, and then when I got to Bournemouth went into an assessment centre so never got round to it.  Must try harder.
- Lunch:  A tuna salad.  From one of those sandwich/salad bars where you have to pick what you want - I have to admit, it did take a bit of willpower not to point at the coronation chicken or even the tuna mayonnaise.  I could have even told myself that it was a mistake, that maybe I have a wonky finger like my Granddad.  But I resisted.
- Dinner:  About to have a mackerel salad and a banana.  Life on the edge rocks!!