Back on track and things are starting to get weird.
Let’s do the weird first. These reports are actually inspiring people?! After Hot and lekkerlevenmetminder, geldnerd also got on board. As I commented on Geldnerd’s post, this is feeling pretty strange to me. I usually do NOT inspire people. What I usually get are strange looks when trying to explain things to people (like why it is no coincidence the biggest derivative exchanges are in protestant countries …). The last time I inspired some people was in the early 2000’s when I got two co-workers to buy Berkshire Hathaway shares. That didn’t feel weird because, well investing is kind of my thing. Health isn’t. Hell, I am the opposite of a good health/sport example. My blog is financial freedom SLOTH for crying out loud! I am lazy! I do not like sports. I don’t even like moving in general. And my approach isn’t even sane (hence why I do not go into details). So for me to inspire other people to live healthier?! We are living in strange days indeed …
And now for the back on track part.
Fase 1: Swimming
Still going strong. I only skipped 1 mainly because I have had an insane busy last two weeks. I had to drop off the Girlfriend in Gent at 15h on Sunday which meant I couldn’t go at my normal 12:30 time. I could, and should have gone at 09:00 am in the morning (have done it a few times in the past). But I have been sleeping less (the heat mainly) so I woke up at 08:00, then thought fuck it and went back to sleeping. Also not helping in the sleeping department is too much screen time in bed. So I am going on a smartphone ban while in bed. I developed a bad habit there and should stop. After all, health is more than just your weight and general fitness level.
But all in all a good swimming month. The rest actually felt great as I was flying through the water after having skipped one session. The rest did my body some good.
Fase 2: a very strict diet
Here is the back on track part people. An almost laser focus.
| Date: | weight | neck | chest | belly | arm |
| 24-10-2017 | 114 kg | 43 cm | 124 cm | 124 cm | 39 cm |
| 15-5-2018 | 104 kg | 42 cm | 115 cm | 114,5 cm | 38 cm |
| 17-6-2018 | 104 kg | 42 cm | 118 cm | 115 cm | 38 cm |
| 15-7-2018 | 101 kg | 41 cm | 118 cm | 115 cm | 38 cm |
101 kg! Or very close to the half way mark of losing 15kg!
Actually, those numbers are from 15/07 (I have been so busy I didn’t even get to do this post for the last 5 days, also I am lazy) and have reached the 100 kg mark in the last days. Woot woot and big congratulations to myselfI
I did come to the conclusion I still do not have a good relationship with the snacks. I still view chips and chocolate as a ‘reward’ for being a good little sloth. And while I now have it under control and only very, very, occasionally indulge I need to continue to work on it. Not on indulging less but on changing my attitude towards it.
I have done it for coca cola where I was a real coke addict (at least three cans a day, every day). I stopped (cold Turkey style) and a hard time doing it. I even instituted a coca cola ban in the house. When we bought a few for visitors I got the girlfriend to hide them out of fear of a relapse.
Now we have had a few cans in the refrigerator for a week and zero temptation.
What changed is that at first it was a rational decision and only a rational decision. I knew the coca cola was bad for me (little side notes: Berkshire Hathaway owns a lot of KO shares so the rest of you should definitely not follow my example and stop buying their products, think of my dividends!!) so I made the effort to stop! But every other part of me except my rational part still wanted coca cola. And then, somehow, I made a switch. It was as I finally, fundamentally, one every level of my being now understand that Coca cola was bad for me (again: you all keep buying their products! They have a wide range of healthy drinks too!!). So I think I can finally say: ‘Hello, I am financialfreedom sloth and I am a recovered Coke addict!’
So I need to achieve a similar switch for those unhealthy snack. I also did it for carbs, almost effortless but those snacks … If I am honest, I think it is because a big part of me doesn’t want to. I want to keep those rewards you know. I mean, I am doing good, no? And If I am slim and fit (well getting there), shouldn’t I get to have some M&M’s or Lays chips on occasion? But on the other hand, I usually am an all or nothing guy. It would remain a big weak point and a risk of relapse. It is this internal struggling that, I think, is holding me back from making the switch. It really is a difficult point for me. Honestly, I do not know how or when I will resolve this. Or how buying a bag of M&M’s can lead to some deep soul searching … Fuck, this stuff isn’t easy.
Fase three: fitness
Haven’t started yet. I told you in my last update I didn’t want to!
I actually need to correct that. I went to the local gym to get information and when I was there I realized that what I really do not want to is have to go to the Gym three times a week. See what I wrote there: ‘have to go’. That is not a good way to look at it. That is not the way I view my swimming. Sure, part of me feels like I have to go swimming but I also want to go swimming. I do not want to go to the Gym. So I am not going.
But I also realized I want to do fitness. What I really want to do is train on the Kettler fitness bench that is standing on my parent’s attic. That was always my final goal, the Gym part was to bridge the gap between wanting to exercise now and having our attic finished (two, three years?).
I think I can squeeze the Kettler bench in our utility room once that is finished (October?) and while waiting for that I am going to start with push ups and sit ups. Getting to a hundred will probably take me till October anyway …
Coming up in August are some nice Techno parties, so the health focus might be a little less the coming month. But not going to lie people, looking forward to it with the new slimmer body …
Nice progress Sloth!. Did you ever try kettlebells? Very easy to use, low priced and little space required. Workouts can be found on Youtube. Good luck!
I even have a kettlebell standing right next to my weigts! One slow step at a time Chris, I am a sloth after all!
Had to reread a couple of posts for a better understanding, but you are making some great progress healthwise!
Installing a cheat day or cheat afternoon once a week could be a solution for your snacking problem 😉
Keep going the same direction, you’re being a good sloth! 🙂
That’s what I am doing now, considering the snack evening as my cheat evening. An in itself this is fine, still making good progress. But I know myself. As long as i do not make the switch I run the risk of ‘falling of the wagon’ en gaining all the weight back. Just me being worried, and actually also wanting a good, healthy relation with food, sigh …
almost through the magical barrier of 100kg! Keep on the good work!
Actually I smashed through it on thursday, clocking in at 99 kg but the numbers are from 15/07. Want to keep the numbers on the 15th of every month for tracking sake. Also, I think I lucked out on thursday, I can fluctuate more than 1 kg day from day depending on how much water I retain in my system. This diet has me drinking a lot of water (at least 4 liter a day so it plays a big role). We’ll see where i stand next month.
Great progress, especially for a sloth…! Keep it on. And when things feel like a must, it won’t work Indeed. Getting it to be a want, that should work
It definitely works! Becomes easy even, once you reach that point…
Hey Sloth, nice weight loss! It’s only going to get harder from now, the first couple of kg are relatively easy, the rest goes slower, especially if you do a heavy restriction on calories (body goes in conservation mode!). Best thing to do is easy your veggies, beans, whole grains and fruit. they are low calories and high in nutrients & fibre. Good thing is you don’t have to watch calories but just eat as much as you want, no hunger and still weight loss. Double win!
Good luck with the swimming, I started again too, but different goal 😉
Fun reading/watching: https://nutritionfacts.org/video/diet-or-exercise-whats-more-important-for-weight-loss/
O it will go slower in the future but once I am below 97 kg I don’t mind. Also, the swimming helps to prevent the body to go in conservation mode ..
Great progress!!
I’m also a bit lazy in the fitness department, which is why I chose to focus on food + daily exercise. The daily exercise being a 30-minute walk. That’s becoming a habit I seem to be able to maintain. It’s only 30 minutes, not even a full Netflix-show, it doesn’t really put my body under extreme duress, I’m not sweaty afterwards, it doesn’t cost me any money. The food is a bit harder, but that’s also more about learning to make the right choices than it is about limiting myself. Shedding quite a few pounds in just 28 days helps with that 😉
Habits are great! Hard to get into but once exercising is a habit it becomes automatic! As you coudl read, still strugling with the food stuff here too ..