Thursday 14 August 2014

So, I lost some weight, kinda.

I did. It's true. Around... Well, I don't actually know. between one stone and two. More importantly, I have lost fat and gained muscle – the weight loss is definitely fat. I have more core strength, more muscle through my shoulders, back and chest, and my body shape has changed a little bit.

If I'd quit beer, it would have changed a hell of a lot more, I suspect.

It's come about because of working with the coach in the US, who has put me on a schedule to inspire my body to burn more fat while exercising. It's also made me a faster runner, and in much better condition all round.

She also put me on to a book which might be a game changer for me - Grain Brain, which is by an American neurologist arguing that grains, carbs, gluten and sugar are what's killing our brain and its ability to function, and are as such responsible for the rise in many maladies and a factor in an incredible amount of things from depression to diabetes and more obvious ones. It's a fascinating  book but one that's taking me a while to read. I had flu recently (came on after a big weekend where I saw Pearl Jam, celebrated my 40th birthday, and watched the World Cup Final (on TV, obv). Oh, and received my decree absolute the same week. No wonder I got ill) and concentration has really been an issue for a month.

Anyway, while observing my own diet, I do eat quite healthily - lots of vegetables, good quality meat (mostly venison, which lives wild on nearby estates) - but what has alarmed me is not the amount of alcohol I consume, but the amount of sugar I was not recognising that is in the booze. I have never, ever craved alcohol; though recently, I noticed I have been craving sugar. When I stayed off beer for October, looking back I can see now that this was the month I rediscovered chocolate. If I don't have a drink of an evening now, I'll find chocolate or ice cream or something similar.

I'm a fuckin' addict.

But on the plus side, sugar consumption is a hell of a lot easier to handle than alcoholism. And with handling that, will come dramatic weight loss. Let's find out, shall we?