For the record, and to deter anyone ever looking at it, my blog would be about my ongoing “journey” from where I am now - an overweight, lazy, smoking and unfit imbecile, to where I want to be by Aug 30, 2023.
It would involve tales of derring do as I once again forge into the clasps of the sumo shaped reps at my local Slimming World club, taking piccies and descriptions of meals I’ve made and places I’ve visited and been, while increasing my exercise regime (such as it is, which currently stands at circa 0% anything strenuous whatsoever…)
My goal (dream on) is to become a non smoker, lose around 5 stone and get healthier fitter and stronger than ever before (albeit not quite to the level of the Six Million Dollar Man).
My measure and hence targets would include cycling from home to Southport, take part in some wild swimming challenge (in Salford Quays, probably) and complete a half marathon. All before I hit the magic 60.
So, not really likely to be of much interest to anyone.
Realistic? Think reporting in every day on a blog might help.
Mr Motivator (as in being motivational to others, not the guy himself - yet!) yeah I would read that. Plus if you check in with yourself every day, you become accountable and don’t want to let yourself down (as well as your readers.
In the unlikely even that anyone on here ever had the time or inclination to look, I’ll naturally check with Azz if it’s OK to provide a link since promoting other sites remains, I believe, against the site’s rules.
Somehow, I doubt that he’ll consider the competition a major threat.
I think that you’re doing yourself a disservice @Dextrous63.
That’s something which I can say with some authority after fairly recently deciding upon a similar plan whereby I lost weight and increased my activity, although this darned forum has led me into bad ways again these pest few days & having Zaphod Junior at home on summer hol’s from scool isn’t helping either.
Cue the violins now please.
I stopped smoking over 10 years ago now and while I know that everybody is different, I’m pretty sure that what I did you too can do.
In the past 2 months I’ve lost over a stone in weight and there’s more to go and I can tell you for an incentive that it makes you feel better in many ways, just like my stopping smoking did years ago.
It’s not just the encouragement but also that feeling so much better that you can tell others about that suggests that yes, it is likely to help someone.
Now I do not wish to upset any of our female readers here, but most of what you read about self-improvement with health and diet is female-orientated if you can even find such a thing for people in our age group.
So if it is what you want to do and provided that you’re doing these health improvements primarily for your own benefit then do it, post a blog which sounds already realistic enough to me and even if it gives just one person the boost or support that they need then you’ve done an admirable and selfless thing.
@Zaphod. Thank you for your kind words of encouragement. I stopped smoking around 14 years ago but foolishly started up again 5 years ago. I shan’t bore you with the reasons (ie, excuses) why. I also lost about 3 stone with slimming world but stopped going and stopped following the plan; naturally my weight returned to it’s current status and my quip on another thread somewhere about “I’m really lucky, I can eat what I like and not put on any weight” holds true.
Anyway, that aside, my previous post was thrown out there to determine whether my goals over the next two years did sound implausible or not. Thank you for suggesting they may not be as absurd as they might seem on first inspection…
With regard to your weight loss, well done. Without wishing to sound patronising, I have noticed that, of late, your posts do seem to come across as a bit calmer than I’ve seen you before (with explicable exceptions at times). You might not realise it, and maybe I’m totally wrong but (to sadly emulate our most religious member on here), I sense it. Which is a plus. I wish you continued success with your ongoing endeavours.
In Morty’s post subsequent to your own, I’m heartened that she managed to keep her blog going for 2-3 years, since this would also be the approx time frame for mine to continue until I hit 60 in 2023.
Irrespective of whether anyone else ever reads it, it will be for my own benefit and my writing style will be, as always, mostly to entertain myself rather than to satisfy an audience. If anyone else does enjoy it, or it helps motivate someone else, then that would be a bonus. If someone wishes to extract the urine, then I’m sure I’ll have some satisfaction modding them out.
Would you feel comfortable doing it on here? I mean…along similar lines to @OldGreyFox walking blog and his Trig explorations? You could title it with your name and make it a thread like Azz showed us with the photo album profile. Just a wee thought
Week from hell here, one thing after another, most of you know whats been going on. It all feels very surreal, I don’t ever want another week like this one thank you please.
Am entirely happy to do it on here. But as discussed with Zaphod in an earlier part of the thread, I wouldn’t want to fall foul with anyone by having to mod it myself or create extra work for the mods should someone decide to breach the agreed protocols.
Haven’t seen the walking blog by foxy, nor Azz’s instructions on how to set it up/where it might live. If you could find the relevant links, I’d appreciate it.
writing a blog is an excellent idea. I often write essays on here just to get things off my chest, somehow it makes me feel better. With a blog you could really let rip put all your emotions down. bash the keyboard etc. I would definately read it, I like to follow what my friends are up and after all, you do feel like a friend.
Do it Dexy, I think it will help you greatly. Give me blog address when you set it up.
sent for him an adjustable angle back rest for the bed as he hasn’t been to bed all week coz he can’t lay down, he tried to prop himself up but slid down and we had holy hell trying to get him out of bed, he screamed in agony the poor bloke. Anyway, sorry back on topic
Typical!! A dose of liquid paraffin would see that right. But he’d have to be pretty sharpish when the, er, “moment” came unto pass, which would lead to another dose of Oramorph to recover from,…ad infinitum!!!
@Dextrous63
I did a blog on here called ‘Bobs Bits’ Dex, it went on for quite a few years and is still knocking about somewhere in the bowels of the forum. Azz has actually brought it over here…
I might reinstate it, although I might have gone a bit boring these days…
You don’t need to mod it yourself Dex, but you might have to suck up some of the comments, but they are all good people on here, and I mean good! You always have a reply to criticism so it shouldn’t bother you. It takes time to attract some followers, but most people will read it and not comment, so carry on regardless. I certainly got a lot out of it. Go for it, your description sounds like a good positive thing to post and I for one would follow your progress…
If you’re interested…
@OldGreyFox Thanks Foxy. Are my fitness goals realistically achievable in your extensive knowledge and experience of such matters? I’ve never taken to running/jogging, but for me being able to do a half marathon would be a pinnacle of success. Realistically, I wouldn’t really be looking at starting running for at least a year, and would be focussing on clearing my lungs of tar, getting my weight down and doing relatively low impact activities such as walking, swimming and cycling to start with.
You gotta bear in mind that today I walked to the chemist instead of driving, then to the Post office, then home. About 1.25 miles in total and my legs are mildly aching now. That’s the furthest I’ve moved for months. That’s the starting point we’re looking at.
@Dextrous63 The most important thing to remember when entering into any physical challenge, especially running a half marathon, is continuity. Set realistic goals and stick to them. Start off walking, perhaps one mile every other day. there will be days when it’s raining or stormy and you won’t want to leave the house, but this will test your determination to complete the challenge…It might be raining on the day of your marathon…
It won’t be easy, but it is very achievable and by embarking on a blog will be a further incentive to carry on. And remember one thing…You don’t fail because you can’t do something…You fail when you stop trying…
