Joejag - Just Another Geek

June 2020 Health Report

Jun 21, 2020

Half a year ago, I let you all know that I am suffering from liver disease and doing what I can to reverse it.

I’ve been trying out different habits, exercises, and eating patterns and posting on how I’m progressing every six weeks.

Goal update

Weight at start: 105kg / 47.5% fat
Eight weeks ago: 90kg / 32.4% fat
Current weight: 88kg / 27.8% fat
Goal weight: 74kg (according to BMI) or 20% body fat.

graph of weight progress over the last six weeks

Habits report

Habit Measure Kept to it?
I am a healthier living person Aim to lose 3kg every six weeks 2kg loss
I am a keen exerciser I have 30 minutes of exercise every day 6 weeks out of 6
I’m an occasional drinker Have at most one night a week with alcohol consumption 5 weeks out of 6

Thoughts on the last six weeks

Six weeks of walking. Since the 3rd May I’ve walked at least 10,000 steps every day. It’s been a great excuse to discover all the nooks and crannies of the many local parks.

However, after a month of keeping this up, I hadn’t lost a gram. It was at this point I fell back on calorie counting to give me momentum, and it has been paying off well. It’s so easy to fool yourself into thinking you aren’t eating that much, or one cheat night won’t make that much of a difference, but in truth, it all adds up.

If you look at the chart above you’ll notice when I start calorie counting around the 1st June, the trend line starts heading where I want right after.

The thing is, is that it has to be this way. If you try to start too many good habits at the same time, then you burn yourself out and end up munching through a whole load of sweets and crisps. You need to pace yourself and only change one habit at a time. I spent five weeks trying to gain the walking habit, and you can tell when you make things a habit because you are doing them without thinking. Like your morning coffee, you are programmed to acquire it without any conscious thought. This is where you want your good habits to be. Now my body starts a mini-panic if I don’t start having a walk at lunchtime or in the evening.

Another lovely fact about walking is that running 5k and walking 5k requires the same amount of calorie burn. You don’t have to don lycra to burn calories, it just takes a bit longer when you walk, but you’ve achieved the same amount. Cool eh?

Next six weeks

Steps are guaranteed now unless I injure myself. The next six weeks will be controlling my calorie intake and using the calorie deficit from exercise to see more significant weight loss. I’m quite excited about this now as it’s becoming easy again.

Lockdown and injuries have scuppered my progress in 2020, but I’m feeling on top on things for the first time since January.

Good things in this period

tesco was my cultural highlight

Best Tweets

See you, looking slimmer, around 26th July 2020.