Then 3 months later (3 weeks ago), I get a call from my good friend Paul. He’s just caught up with this blog (he’s about 3 months behind). He assumes the liver damage blogging is current and phones me up. Oh, did I mention he’s a GP? He’s Dr Paul.

I bring him up to speed and he has a thouroughly different attitude to my GP. Thing is he’s a mate, he’s looking out for me, and I can hear in his voice genuine concern about my moderately fatty liver.

I’d assumed from my doctor’s attitude that there wasn’t really anything to worry about. Dr Paul however ensured that I wasn’t left with this misconception. Dr Paul made it very clear to me that this is a situation which needs FIXING not leaving. That it needs more than just ‘being healthy’ for a while. It needs reversing!

So I need to do more than just be good. If I want to have a chance of reversing this and have a reasonable life expectancy, then I need to get fit, stay fit, and have an excellent diet for at least 5 years. I guess inside I already knew that really. My GP’s attitude gave me an easy reason to hide from an uncomfortable truth.

The best friends are the ones who help you face things rather than enable the hiding. Thanks Paul

So Paul and I decided between us that a rowing-machine had the best chance of actually getting used. So that very night I ordered one. It’s remarkably easy to take action when the action is browsing the internet and typing a credit card number! But as Anthony Robbins says “never leave the site of setting a goal without taking an action”. Mind you he says cabbages have energy measured in hertz. He’s either gullible or mad, but he still says some useful things too! A few days later the rowing machine arrived and so my wife names her and we now have “The good ship Polyanthus” moored up in the garden room.

Since then I have re-discovered the pleasure of exercise. I used to love working out in the gym when I was in my late teens (with Paul as it happens), but that was high-weight low-rep muscle building exercise with competition between mates being an important factor. Now I’m loving aerobic exercise!

Dr Paul gave me the great mental image of blood pumping through my heart and liver and ‘clearing away’ all the accumulated fatty deposits. So heart rate and pumping blood  and breathing deeply are important.

I’ve used the rowing machine 8 times in the last 3 weeks. Building it up steadily with a target of being able to do a 30 minute workout. The machine has a ‘heart’ program where you set the target heart-rate and workout duration, and it varies the ‘load’ to keep your heart-rate around what you’ve set.

I’ll be adding a “ships log” to the blog and a graph to show my workouts. To summarise, I’ve done about 11.5 miles, and burned about 600kCals. In a 30 minute work out I’m hitting about 2.3 miles, 194 kCals and loving every minute of it.

So more news no habits, exercise and eating coming to you regularly. And a big thanks to my mate Paul.

This is my Day 30 post, which means (by my measure) I’ve “established” Habit 0 (Blog every day). However I’ve got an evil case of Conjunctivitis, aggravated by staring at a PC screen for 12 hours yesterday (including 4 hours from 23:00 through until 03:00). I really can’t use the computer much right now, so this is going to be a very brief blog.

My wife took my measurements and updated Body Stats page. There are some inconsistencies in the way she takes measurements, so some numbers are up on last week. What matters is that I know my clothes feel more comfortable each week. I know I’m in the right direction. Hopefully the measurement technique will be more consistent from now on and show that.

Doing well on the Habits, but haven’t updated Habits stats for 2 days. I can’t use the screen much more now so will have to wait. I haven’t let myself down yet, so still happy with progress.

Finally, had phone chat with my Doctor on Monday to discuss blood test results more. Tests raised some questions, and I need further tests! This was unexpected and knocked me back. I won’t go into details until I’ve had other tests. Either way though, I think it’s good that I’ve already started this journey toward health!

Habit updates and more info as soon as I’m able.

I only had chance to do the weight measurements this morning (will do the size one’s tomorrow morning).

Good steady progress, but to be honest I’m expecting this ‘easy’ early weight loss to slow down soon and I’m a little suprised that I lost 0.9kg this week. I’m guessing the walking habit as a lot to do with that, and I think more physical ‘activity’ habits need to be in the pipe-line.

The process of focusing on positive Habits rather than the fundamentally negative of ‘eating less’ is working fantastically for me. My wife starting to change her eating habits having seen “the effort your putting in and how well you’re doing” makes me proud of myself too. And it increases my accountability more by making me feel responsible for setting a great example for her.

Best of all I had a great weekend with the family at the seaside. I enjoyed the whole thing without feeling guilt-ridden for eating fish & chips (I left the least healthy bits to one side and left plenty of chips), and without feeling guilt-ridden for not wanting to spend long on my feet on the beach with the kid (I paced myself and enjoyed sharing a 2 hour long walk with them).

I guess the suprising thing is that the most enjoyable part isn’t seeing a number getting small on the scales, it’s feeling like I’m taking control of this facet of my life. That I’m gaining momentum with it, getting steadily better at being a healthy person.

The “Tone Up Wheel” arrived last week, and I think that needs to be the basis of my next habit.

A day working from home coughing a lot.

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits).

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

Blueberries, bananas, apples and oranges, fruit salads etc.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

Half forgot twice today, but remembered mid way through both meals. I blame it on feeling ill, but at least I did remember each time.

Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather).

Just sat in front of the computer working all day. Realised after the children went to bed that I hadn’t done the 30 minutes walking, so thought I’d tackle the steps option instead. Wow, 500 steps is more than I thought! Did 260 earlier, another 130 just, going to do the last 117 before I ‘publish’ this blog… right, just did it. That’s 507 in total and I’m nobbled. Note to self: next time I’m doing the 500 steps, don’t do it just before bed!!!!

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station
Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest option

Another day of coughing, another trip to the Doctor, a different set of antibiotics.

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits).

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

Blueberries, bananas, apples and oranges. Didn’t really make me feel better, but now I’m feeling good that I didn’t have any doughnuts.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

Have to say that my appetite wasn’t particularly good today anyway, but what practiced this habit again today regardless.

Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather).

Walked total of 34.46 minutes today (doctors->pharmacy->home and a small round the block tonight to make up the necessary time).

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station
Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest option

Regular day working in London.

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits).

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station

Zipped straight through the station like a man on a mission. A mission to disavow the existance of retail food outlets, and it worked.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

This is really becoming a habit now. I find myself doing it before I remember to remember (if you know what I mean)

Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest option

Oranges as a mid-afternoon snack rather than blueberry muffin.

Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather).

Walked total of 00:38:52 today (station->client and part of client->station).

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

Some of the blood test results came back yesterday, and apparently my cholesterol level is 6.2. Some googling leads me to believe that is at the top end of ‘Slightly Elevated’. Not a major worry in it’s own right, but coupled with my weight, it’s something else I should be addressing, so it’s on the body feedback list too. I suspect most everything I’m doing will help this anyway, but putting in the body stats helps keep it as a focus.

It’s been interesting to read that in the UK the recommendation is that a level of 5 or lower is healthy, whereas most of the rest of europe think that 4 or lower is healthy. I prefer to err on the side of caution, so I’ll aim for the 4 I think.

Thanks everyone for reading, and stick with me, with your help it’s working well and I’m confident I can maintain the momentum.

A Sunday feeling quite ill. Sinus and Bronchial grief. In fact I spent most of the day feeling rough in bed. Despite that I uploaded this morning’s Body Statistic measurement. How’s that for commitment to the cause. See the next post for more info on body stats progress.

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits & Body Stats).

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

To be honest, I didn’t fancy much. But I did have fruit in deference to anything else.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

Breakfast, lunch & dinner. All filling meals due to the magic of eating steadily and chewing well.

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station
Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest options
Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather).

A Saturday with the family relaxing. Everyone’s got coughs or colds! We did manage to make it out to Polesdon Lacey though, so we all got some fresh air and I managed my first day for Habit 5 (30 minutes walking every day).

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits).

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

Oranges, Bananas and even crushed pinapple with custard for pudding at dinner time.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

I’ve been doing this for two weeks now. So why am I still surprised it works so well? (maybe it’s because I’ve got decades behind me of thinking a different way). I just so happy it does work though.

Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest options

Wanted to snack tonight. Not because of being hungry or anything, just because it was late and I wasn’t tired. Chose the Clementine path to happiness though (although this is combined with Habit 2).

Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather).

Done the first day. A walk through the grounds at Polesdon Lacey with Debs and the boys this afternoon.

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station

I’m happy with the progress I’m making so far on this journey. The emphasis on Habits is working well. Getting feedback from tracking my habits, and body statistics progress, is definitely helping too. As is the accountability of knowing that friends and family are reading this blog (along with some random visitors – hello).

However I realise that I’m in the honeymoon period right now. The time when it’s relatively easy to lose the last few kg’s I gained. I know that building up my fitness level is what’s going to keep this initial momentum going. I have been chatting with friends recently about their exercise patterns. I’m inspired by friends and family who play sports, and/or have a running machine or rowing machine at home and use it.

I think I need to build up some basic fitness before I’ll be comfortable in any kind of social sports environment. I used to love playing Table Tennis and loved it, and I discovered recently that there is a big league system operating all around where I live. That’ll have to be for later in the year, but I’m really looking forward to it.

Our house is just way to cramped with accumulated ’stuff’ that we need to get rid of, so there’s simply no room for exercise machines. So as a step 1 I’ve just ordered a “Tone Up Wheel” from BornForSports.com (less than £10 delivered). It won’t take up much room in the house, and I think at my stage it will give me much of the benefit of say a rowing machine, but with an emphasis on stomach and buttocks (which is where I really need help). Cheap, storable, and easy enough to start using that there’s very little excuse for not doing it. Well all sounds good to me – I’ll report more here once it’s arrived. You can bet there’ll be an exercise Habit close behind it.

Cycling is something I’ve enjoyed in the recent past too, despite feeling uncomfortable with how I must look perched on a bike. That’s something else I’m going to build up to…

For now I’m going to make do with walking. It’s worked for me in the past, and so I’ll do it again. As it’s the way we do things here at JustBigBoned.com, I’m going to do it in the form of a habit (designed to help me succeed) – so here goes…

I commit to doing Habit 5: Walk a minimum of 30 minutes a day (or 500 steps in bad weather)

I’m beginning to realise that time keeping affects diet, health and habits. I should be doing more walking than I am. But because I’m often late, I don’t have time to walk to the station and end up driving (or catching a taxi from the office after I leave late). Also when I’m in control of time I can plan for eating healthy food, but when I’m in a rush it’s just the vague justification I need to eat something unnecessary. There’s something to this, and I need to boil it down to some positive habits – more on that as I figure it out.

Suffice to say that going to bed late has a serious knock on affect throughout the rest of the next day, and it’s probably something I need to address soon!

Either way, I’m feeling positive generally as I can honestly say I haven’t put a foot wrong in 18 days. Even I’m impressed with that. I know it’s not about being perfect, more about building habits. Having this blog and the record of the Habits feedback, and the supportive messages I’ve received have all really helped. It’s such a simple and effective system for me that I’m genuinely surprised it’s working so well.

Goodnight all, and if you’re reading this on Friday, think of me.

Started today with a “Fasting Blood Test” at my local surgery. This was arranged during my last trip to my Doctor regarding my cough. She asked me about my weight and whether I wanted to try an appetite suppressant. There’s no way I want to mess with stuff like that. I mentioned this blog and how I’m trying to approach it. She suggested that we check my cholesterol level, thyroid function, and some other general bits and bobs.

I’m not good with needles, so it was pretty stressful for me. Couple that with not having eaten for 14 hours and I was shaking like a leaf. Once out of the Doctors, I caught myself in the midst of a massive Doughnut desire again. Two for two on trips to the doctors, and looking back I suspect that I’ve virtually always complimented a trip to the Doctors with a Doughnut chaser! Crazy that I never even realised before. Not this time – went home and had cereal and toast and then off to work.

Apparently I should get the results by Monday, so I’ll blog anything pertinent that shows up.

I’m starting to realise that my sleep pattern is the next thing I need to work on. I need to figure out how that works, but I’ll be blogging more on that tomorrow.

Summary today though – I did well with all the habits I could.

Habit 0: Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day

This (and updated Habits).

Habit 1: Take a different walk through the train station

Absolutely.

Habit 3: Pause before eating. Take your time and enjoy

Did this well today.

Habit 4: Always choose one of the top 2 healthiest option

Cereal for breakfast rather than Doughnut. Skinny Cappuccino with sweetener in the afternoon.

No opportunity for the following though:

Habit 2: When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want

Professional judgment is: I’m better working from home if I can, both from a spreading the contagion point of view, and apparently it’ll likely clear up quicker if I take it easy.

But this was an opportunity to break another bad habit. I realised as I left the pharmacy having picked up my antibiotics, that almost without fail, my normal course of action would be to buy a doughnut (well it’s 3 for a pound, so 3 doughnuts) on the way home. Yep, when I’m poorly I clearly deserve a sweet sticky ball of sugar and fat. So here’s my approach for breaking that habit…

Habit 2 : When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want.

I figure I am feeling rough, so I deserve to feel I’m getting a treat. But it might as well be one with a degree of in-built damage limitation. I find it hard to believe that I can gorge myself on oranges, apples and bananas enough to have anywhere near the impact that 3 doughnuts would have on my health.

I’ll chat about feedback in more detail soon, but I need to start it now. I need to see how I’m doing. I need to get feedback. So I’m going to start a score table for my Habits. I’m going to score my habits based on the number of time’s I’ve actioned them vs opportinities I’ve had vs target actions (target always being 30 for me). So here we go:

Habit 0 (3/3/30) : Blog on JustBigBoned.com every day
Habit 1 (0/0/30) : Take a different walk through the train station.
Habit 2 (1/1/30): When I’m feeling poorly I deserve as much fruit to eat as I want.

There we go – I’m doing ok so far I think (patting self on back). It’s not much – but it’s progress.