Calories, Cardio & Colitis

A little dubious about committing my best laid plans in black and white but health and fitness has begun to occupy my thoughts more and more recently and hopefully I will wean some longevity from sharing them with you.

I’ve been trying to lower my calorie intake and increase my activity levels since 1^st April* having wagered my Twitter account password/access on losing a stone in weight.  I say ‘trying’, as there has been no particular strategy in place despite best intentions; I’ve not been particularly mindful about setting achievable targets or confronting purpose or motivation - I’m not a 'miserable fatty' and the heart disease/diabetes still feels too distant to be of concern.  (Lest I forget my grandfather only had six years on me when he carked!)

Carping aside; four weeks into my T’wager I’d put on 2lb.

Last week I weighed myself for the first time in several weeks having been 70% good (for 80% of the time) since June 15^th and am pretty chuffed to have lost a miraculous 10lb - including those extra two.  I’ve been on and off myfitnesspal for years so can see I’ve lost a total of 27lb since my first entry as Chubby McChubbison in 2011.  The majority of this I can accredit to seven weeks pre UC diagnosis where food was the enemy.  Every cloud!  My major obstacle is how to maintain momentum and prevent boredom / slipping back into the old routine.

My superficial motivations are primarily several upcoming social occasions where clothes would fit better… blah blah.  However, two MUCH more significant benefits to me are in health and mind.  I spend too many hours caught up in my own negative analysis, often of situations that are entirely out of my control.  It’s a subconscious deflection of the real matters requiring critique!  I need to at the very least apply the expectations I have of others to myself and to do this I need to transform ‘trying’ into ‘succeeding’  with meaningful targets, motivation and strategy.  I admit I have a shorter than average interest threshold with a distinctly all-or-northing personality trait that has me jumping from one extreme notion to another, often excelling in short bursts before boredom (hard work) sets in.  So this will be my biggest challenge.  I’m already proud of myself for sticking with yoga over the last four months and seeing steady improvement.

My target is to return to ‘Three Peaks/Ski’ fitness of 2009.  It was a stupidly proactive & happy year for me and I was in significantly better shape... barely recogniable even!

My motivation (knowing myself as I do) needs to come from more of an immediate threat than the vain fate of ill-fitting clothes or the likelihood I’ll be a warfarin addict by 55yrs.  My bubble of stair-conquering agility has not yet been compromised enough to shame me into change… however my colitis diagnosis last year is definitely a factor I should be considering much more than I do.

The fact I am well and generally symptom free means I’ve sloped into a default nonchalant-demeanour.  The advice 12 months ago was to lose weight, ditch the alcohol/caffeine and cut down on spicy/sugary foods.  Easy to forget when the going is good!  A long term prognosis can be hugely influenced by my overriding state of health and wellbeing of mind.

Whilst neither are the cause of UC, both stress and food can be triggers, and the more stability I am able to gain in the early stages, the lower my risk of subsequent complications.  In October I am due to come off my Asacol completely which I’ve had mixed feelings about given the drug keeps symptoms at bay.  I’ve been secretly stockpiling tablets for the last few weeks in my kitchen cupboard as a failsafe, in case I don’t get my A into G and need to cushion the cold-turkey landing.  The main downside to Asocol is that it takes its toll on the Liver; whilst I’m still taking it, I go for six-monthly liver function tests.  The key to maintaining control off the medication is to reduce inflammation triggers in stress and food.  I’m finding (since hitting ‘The Zone’ this week) that my attitude has shifted significantly more towards wanting to embrace the prevention option rather than rely on my secret failsafe stash.  The downside to allowing flare-ups to re occur is that prolonged damage to the colon wall makes bowel complications more prevalent in later life - sticking with the meds helps to reduce - so the stats tell me.  So I’m either doing this, or not! (England's Lewis Moody is a well known advocate of ditching the meds and shaping up).

My strategy feels very clear and concise whilst external influences (temptations) aren’t in the equation.  Calorie counting and daily exercise is my fundamental game plan; no alcohol for the next few weeks and to continue with the yoga.  Tomorrow I will begin the nhs podcast ‘Couch to 5k’ which is a 9 week running program my friend Leyla recommended.

I expect they’ll be another blog to follow - either pictures of my new gym attire two sizes smaller or a string of excuses why it was never even possible in the first place!  (Extreme thinking is not part of my new healthy mind strategy).  At the very least I want my Twitter back… 

*puberty