Fitness Blues

I'm worried about my fitness. While the main reason for my recent weight loss has been my undertaking a re-haul of the 1/2 acre garden I have, I do not see any great increase in cardiovascular fitness. This weekend we grabbed our cameras and headed for the Orongorongas. A protected native forrest area that we love to walk though ...Native orchids flower there and our native Tui birds and bell Birds were out on mass beside the carpark feeding off the native flax bushes in flower and full of nectar there.

Now while we did eat a hastily made up picnic (as in not so healthy but it aint the 3rd Jan yet) prior to walking, by we had walked 10 minutes or so of gentle hill I was already tired and panting. McDinzie was happily bouncing around like a mountain goat and she's definately not a slim girl...the difference between us was very apparrent.

I think part of the problem was the fact that we've done little in the way of exercise this past week ...The weather turned on us in cruel but accurate timing meaning our first weeks holiday weather was pretty much rain every day.. And of course Christmas and visitors added to the problem of lack of exercise... So my poor old body was not ready for an exercise start...

I set the alarm this morning. Not for the usual 5:45 work day alarm but for a more friendly 7am alarm... At least this morning I was up at 7 (ish) instead of the 9:30-10 ish the past week.. I dragged poor mcdinzie out of bed as well and we walked the dogs which is always a good start to the day ... But that is by far not enough to build up my cardiovascular endurance....Longer faster hillier walks are needed at the least ...

So in the next day or so I must work on my overall exercise plan and goals and get serious with it....Weight training, Cardio, and stretching all need to be worked on ...

Fat Man Thinner and the 12 month Plan

I'm already losing weight. Over the past couple of Months I've lost 6kg. I'm too scared at the moment to stand on the scales incase I've gone up at all over the Xmas break. There is a good chance (high probability). I have having eaten large breakfasts and the usual Xmas fare....

My goal is a big one. To lose 50kg in 12 months ... "Aim for the stars" they say so that is the goal. It won't be a disaster if I only lose half of that. 25kg is not insignificant ... But 50 is better :O)

Along the way I want to change not only my diet but my partney McDinzie's diet as well.. It is her choice as to whether she loses weight this year but I am hoping we will at least both be eating a much improved and healthier diet as habit by the year 2008 is out.

Also along the way as the two things really do go together I want to get fit. I want both of us to get fit. Fit enough to do the day-long tramps in the forrests of New Zealand we used to do a few years back ... There is a lot I would like to do if I could get myself back on track here ..My fitness at this point in time is shockingly low .. If I can improve significantly then I will do more tramping and maybe go back to the Karate I loved doing so much in my teens and 20s.. Surely there must be classes for the old sods that is more than the exercise Tai Chi advertised everywhere these days ...

Add to that I really must get serious and look for a new Job ...I'm being taken for a mug where I work currently... .It's time to move on. Not for anything though. I intend to be selective and go for the right job for me... I want to do this before next June..


Goals for 2008

1. Lose 50kg
2. Walk the 2 hardest walks McDinzie and I achieved when we were fitter.
3. Join a Karate Club
4. Walk the Hump Ridge track next Xmas 08 (this is a 3 day walk)
5. New job

In new Zeland we have a public holiday on the 1st and 2nd of January. Knowing this my year will start on the 3rd Jan. I may as well accept that now.

I refuse to fall into the traps of these 'fad' diets .. I have and will continue to read up on lastest findings from research looking for anything that may assist me along the way ...but I do intent to do nothing more than good old boring calorie count and exercise to get the weight down .... At this point I need to think about how I record my progress ...

Here's to a successful 2008 for everyone ....