Thursday 11 April 2019

Success, and some learning.

So I went zero carb back in... September, was it? It went very well. To some this is absolute mentalism, but I needed to make big changes and I wanted to give it a go. So far, so good.

Let me explain why I thought the changes were needed. All of my adult life I have been a heavy drinker. Never been an issue, never craved it as such when I don't have it, but I'm either drinking or I'm not. It's never one or two, it's drinking until I am drunk or what's the point. It's not for pleasure, generally, it's to reach a point.

September 2017, I quit drinking alcohol on my doctor's advice. Nothing too bad, but I had gout, and it appeared to be a major factor for most sufferers. Doctor said quit drinking, so I did. From there, I came to learn just how addicted I was. Not to the booze, but to the sugar within. Jesus fucking Christ, did I learn. There were times when I would be eating upwards of six chocolate bars a day, there was at least one day with nine... My body was peak and trough, over and over; I was falling asleep at my desk in those sugar lulls, and getting a shit-ton of work done in the highs.

Diabetes has always been a massive fear of mine, partly because I am so needlephobic and partly because, well, if you live the way I have then a Type 2 diagnosis is only one person's fault. I couldn't live with knowing that, understanding it, and then doing it anyway.

This combines with looking into Ironman, and learning that on the bike I would have to, in theory, put away four carb sachets per hour. That could be upwards of 30 sachets in 112 miles – fuck that shit. Never mind your gut, what about your teeth? There has to be a better way, I thought. So I start talking to a coach I know and he mentions zero carb, we discussed it, and I thought, I'll give it a month.

One month turned to two, to three… People were coming up to me saying 'Shit, how much weight have you lost?' My own sister walked past me twice without recognising me. No shit. In reality, at that point I had only lost maybe a stone and a half (20lbs, US Fat Fans) but so much of it was water that it had a really dramatic effect. I had plenty of energy, was sleeping fine, and was enjoying my food.

Christmas Day came, and Fern's dad came round with a ginger cheesecake. That man can cook.

I ate the cheesecake. Whole thing.

And form there, I really learned about the addiction to sugar. For the next five or six weeks, I learned everything I think I need to know about how my body and brain responds to the stimulus of sweet. In short... As strong as I am mentally, I have to avoid it. It's almost as though the body calibrates in the morning, one taste of sweet and that's it for me. Next thing you know I am eating a tub of ice cream. Whole fucking tub. Using the microwave to help it along.

Now, back on the wagon, I try to make sure I have what I need in advance. I cook some meat the night before, take it to work in a tub, graze on it all day. Forget mealtimes, I eat until I am not hungry, then I stop.

I've rambled, apologies if I lost focus there. It's quite a journey so far. I've lost about 35-40lbs I think, but I'm not sure. I'm just over 16 stone now, 222lbs, and while I am probably carrying more muscle than ever before in my life, I feel pretty good. I recently started training again, just a little - a few three-mile runs this week, seeing how it goes. And so far, so good. Next week I will add in some swims, some gym work.

I might have to get some fashionable accessories made with all this spare skin though. I'm thinking belt, slippers, wallet… Orders will be taken soon, so start thinking. Seriously, I look like I'm melting.

2 comments:

Z said...

I eat very little carbohydrate - rarely have anything sweet, a slice of home-made bread for breakfast and maybe a couple of oat cakes at lunchtime. Main meals often don't contain carbohydrates at all. I'm fat as butter nowadays though.

badgerdaddy said...

But... everyone loves butter!