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The Battle Of My Life.......


theblether

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Fascinating responses gentleman, thanks very much and I will return to give each answer the respect they all deserve.

I must say so, the input so far has been quite superb. wai.gif

Are you going to reply too mate.. and i really sincerely hope you make a change. I will send you something in private.

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That I am robblok, and thanks for the pm. I've been caught up in company today and I apologize for not answering as promised, I will do so tomorrow after training, and I'll give an update as to the new training schedule too.

I do value everything that's been said and I will respond to all. wai.gif

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I'm really encouraging the swimming for you tb....you need to do aerobic exercise for 45 mins three times a week constantly....in order to burn off energy.

It will improve every area of your fitness as well.

In addition to other things obviously....but its such an easy ask for you in CM....

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I'm heading out to training in a few minutes, and I've got that mixture of trepidation and excitement going on at the same time. I always dread the first 10 minutes but once I get past that I get into it.

I was down at the 700 Year Stadium last week having a look at the pool, swimming is certainly on the agenda however I think I'll be using it for cool down and muscle relaxation rather than the exercise element.

I've enquired in a few places about renting a cycle but I've been told by everyone that I'm too big for their bikes, it's just another one of the casual humiliations of being my weight. I agree though that a real cycle is far better than cycling in the gym, it's a far better work out and just as importantly, ( probably more so ), just not so goddammed boring.

I know a local man who is a dedicated cyclist, I've asked him to refer me to a decent local shop in CM, and I can see myself taking the plunge and buying a mountain bike next week. I'll be back later today with an update.

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If I may add a suggestion.

Muay Thai is far too extreme a style of exercise for someone of your age. You will be risking injury.

You should walk 5Km or as much as you can manage every morning, then increase it to same distance but uphill.

Flat training, around the moat each day, hill training channel 7 mast to Wat Palaat and back.

Stop drinking alcohol. Avoid all sugary fizzy drinks.

Eat little rice, someone suggested in another thread, only ever eat half the portion of rice you are served.

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Just curious, do you have a plan for Scotland too ? I mean you have to go on of course and its good not to have the scales as your guide. Still i would step on them once in a while to make sure you haven't upped your food intake and are indeed improving on your stamina but not your weight.

The scales are not the best tool there is but if you can take a centimeter and put it around your belly and measure it and take some other points. Those things together will be real valuable. Just don't get too obsessed about it. But certainly don't discard them as a tool.

Its quite easy to start eating more and get out of the caloric deficit without you knowing it, just check it once in a while.

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I left this morning with every intention of going to training, I met Rob8891 for a bit of breakfast ( boiled eggs only ) and a wee blether before heading down. I'd already been to the WC a couple of times this morning and noticed that things were traveling too fast. While at breakfast I cramped up and had to beat a hasty retreat to my room. Morning training is cancelled, hopefully I'll make it there this afternoon. On the bright side I'm starting this post Songkran training period fully excavated. smile.png

One of the problems that I brought upon myself over the period since the gastric band was fitted ( and failed as I pointed out ) was that I became quite touchy and introverted when the issue of my weight came up. Everyone thought the gastric band would be a miracle cure, and the look of disappointment on people's faces when they could see no progress was hard to take. I detested one aspect of my weekly visit to my parents house, and that was the feeling of being judged, and that in turn would start off a spiral of sniping between myself and my mother in particular. I couldn't bring myself to tell my mother the truth, as to how much I was suffering as a result of the gastric band. My friends and work colleagues would see it on a daily basis though.

What's supposed to happen when you have a gastric band is that you hydrate before your meals, then eat your meal, which then takes a long while to process through the band and into your stomach. If you could imagine the feeling off your food being stuck in your gullet, just above your solar plexus, then that wouldn't be far wrong. On the days that I felt I had things just right that feeling wasn't a problem, on far too many days though things went against me. The band would create a barrier of mucus and saliva that was hard to penetrate, I would go to take a drink in the morning and none of it would go down, on some ridiculous days this would last till the early evening. I was chronically dehydrated.

To make things even worse, I would suffer reflux just about all day some days. I would find myself disappearing outside or into the WC about 12 or 15 times a day. It was just an unbelievable form of torture, which too often would continue through the night. So as well as being chronically exhausted I was chronically tired. Tiredness, stress and dehydration are weight loss inhibitors. I was on the worst type of magic roundabout, a complete spiral of discontent. It really was torturous and all consuming.

When I walked in to the Samitivej hospital to get my band drained I really was at my wits end, I'd caused serious emotional turmoil for my parents and family and I can add a lot of my friends to that list too. The staff at the Samitivej were excellent, kind and courteous. They remembered me from previous visits and put me at ease. Before I went I made an announcement to all my friends and family about my intentions and I was touched by the level of support given to me by people all over the World. On the gurney that day I don't think anyone realized how important this procedure was to me.

After I left the hospital the first thing I did was drink a one litre bottle of water, and it all went down with no reflux, you have no idea what that meant to me.. The gastric band is still in situ but it's empty, there is some minor restriction as to what I can eat and the speed I can eat at but that's perfect for me. It's a constant reminder to control myself. On Thursday the 31st of January 2013 I had my first unbroken sleep for years.

I think you can imagine what that meant to me.

Many Thaivisa members actually know me, and many know me well. I'm not the shuffling sad sack sam type, I love to burst into song and show off my latest dance moves. When I state with a straight face that I'm looking forward to re-building my confidence once I lose weight it's met with hilarity. The hotel staff here know me well and they love to see me crawl back through the door after training and show off my latest Muay Thai moves. If you ever see a massive guy dripping sweat from his bright red brow dancing about the hotel reception shouting Dek Kwa!! It's me. The other hotel guests that don't know me must think I'm a nutter but the Thai contingent just collapse into giggles.

Everybody knows I'm here to train and everyone is supportive, I was highly amused yesterday when one of the girls from the restaurant said that they will be up to check my room every day to ensure I'm not smuggling coca cola and sweeties in. I met one young lady in the lift today who gave me a big smile and said "good to see you going training". When she saw me re-appear 20 minutes later I got a look of disapproval and an admonishment " You be careful, we all watch you ".......oh well, no chance of skiving then biggrin.png

So here I am waiting for the cramps to pass and looking forward to getting back on the mat. After years of disturbed sleep and reflux problems I really have nothing to complain about, I'm enjoying this chance.

I'm going to go on now and address the earlier posts. wai.gif

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http://stronglifts.com/stronglifts-5x5-beginner-strength-training-program/

This might be good for you after you get the movements going it is not real long and might be compatible with your other things.

I have done a version of this program and got good results even though i was reasonably strong already. But dieting for long did make me loose some strength

That's an excellent link robblok, I'll use that as the basis of my weight training and conditioning, while taking into account what you said about rebuilding muscle memory.

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You would be surprised to hear - you are what you eat. I should know.

I've just turned 49. At 46 I had two heart-attacks - I was 81kg at the time. At 5'11", I have never ever been overweight (according to the American Heart Foundation scales). Now I am only 77kg.

I have never smoked but occasionally binged on alcohol when younger. Now I drink very moderately about 2-3 times per week. My cholesterol was "normal". But I have the worst family history my cardiologist has ever seen in his career (no male on either side of both sides of my very large Irish / Catholic good-breeders family has ever lived past 60 & all except 2 died of heart attacks - 1 in WW2 & the other from Melanoma - after he had survived 2 heart attacks as well). My problem? Stress. As a lawyer that was inevitable. I was the youngest, fittest patient in the coronary care unit.

When I left hospital my views on food changed. I have dropped my Cholesterol now down to just 1.8!! And I assure you that is not a typo. The weight has come off and stayed off. I meticulously look at any processed ingredients to check the Fat Content. Always go the "Low fat". And you must trim fat off meat before you cook it - not after!!

Now - one other thing - after a few months your taste buds actually get used to the food. You become repulsed by fatty food & they almost make you sick.

So now I am down even further in weight - not deliberately, but because of my training and, for 3 days per week only, my strict cardio diet. Yep - on 3 days per week I follow a diet that is easy to prepare and is used to pre-prepare heart surgery candidates who are too fat for surgery. It is a soup which can be cooked in bulk & frozen - so you can defrost it easily.

The Heart Foundation Weight Loss Recipe - 3 days per week

500gm fat trimmed beef, chopped

3 tomatoes

5 cups water

4 chicken stock cubes

2 cans sliced green beans (better fresh if you can)

2 large cans crushed tomatoes

2 cans Beef Soup or Consomme - Low fat remember!

Chilli to taste (not compulsory!) + Pepper to taste!

1 kg carrots

1 bunch celery - chopped

1 sweet potato (large)

1 bunch spring onions

1 pkt dry vegetable soup

No salt!

Combine all ingredients. Boil the crap out of it for 10 minutes and then simmer, stirring frequently until veges cooked. Job Done!

For variety, I add Italian Pesto & combine with some Pasta Spirals as a Minestrone.

If you stick to this 3 nights per week you will keep up the energy levels & keep a sure downwards trajectory in your weight loss.

For me, apart from staying alive for the sake of it, I now have one further motivation. I now finally have a fmily - my Thai GF and I now have a 2 month-old daughter.

I wish you luck my friend - life isn't a test run - we only get one shot at it!

Very good advice Bangkokfanatic.....I mentioned in the OP that I wondered if I was doing the right thing by getting the gastric band fitted. I was intrigued by the diet advice given to me prior to the operation, it was fundamentally a liquid diet maxing out at 800 calories per day for three weeks.

The surgeon explained that setting aside the rapid weight loss, this diet would blow out all of the fatty tissue surrounding my liver, which aided an improvement in liver function. After the three week period my stomach capacity had shrunk, I didn't have the same food cravings. One part of me dearly wishes that I had adapted that diet a little further and not bothered with the OP, but as I mentioned before the cycle of continuous failure came in to my mind and basically tipped me on to the operating table.

I do remember though that feeling of retraining my food expectations and portion size, that's a good reminder you've given me there and I will take in on board.

Good luck with your ongoing medical issues and many congratulations on the birth of your daughter, those wee creatures bring a lot of magic into your life. wub.png

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Well, I only know two metrics about you: Your weight, and your TV post count (6337, until you answer this.)

It leads to the natural question... How much time do you spend online each day? Part of the problem might be lack of an active lifestyle.

I expect that TV is not the only online forum in which you participate. BTW, I spend much too much time on my fat butt surfing the internet each day, so I'm not just randomly slinging arrows.

My challenge to you is, set up a "price" you will pay for each online post. I will suggest something like 5 minutes outdoors walking for each post you want to make. Rain or shine. An hour of walking earns you 12 posts, whether on TV, FB or anywhere else. Oh, and you have to pay the price before making the post -- no advance credit given.

Even a moderate level of physical activity is worlds better than sitting at the desk, or in bed, or wherever.

There's no doubt that my life in Scotland is sedentary, that's partly why I had to get out of the place to do this training. I get an unbelievable amount of interruptions through the course of my day. I'll be addressing what I intend to do about it later in the topic but the concept you explain is sound and good advice, thanks very much. wai.gif

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Just an extra remark, i would go lowish carb in this case so try to skip the rice and stuff as much as possible and if you take carbs take them in small amounts. You said it yourself your still in the clear but high range. That could mean you are insulin sensitive and loose weight easier if you have dont take to much carbs.

So go more for meat and chicken and veggies less for rice.

I've abandoned rice from my diet here altogether, I've no need for it. I'm starting to sharpen up with my food choices too, chicken being a foundation food for me. I've read on TV before the Thai tendency to sabotage food with msg and sugar, so I'm starting to make the food establishments I frequent aware that I don't want to eat said additives.

The cafe in my hotel are happy to oblige and they have started to create a couple of diet soups for me, the owner of another restaurant I use also has a battle with weight so his staff are happy to oblige too. Being careful with my food selection is at the top of my agenda as I've experienced the effect of well intentioned wrong choices in the past, not good.

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My advice is to try and look at it from a different angle. Forget about trying to lose weight, let loseing weight be a side affect of your change in lifestyle and not the ultimate goal.

Take up low impact sports and exercise, getting an injury when losing large amounts of weight, could be a major set back and could dent confidence. Start off with swimming and cycling. Cycle a real bike and not the stationary ones, they get boring and you can get off them when you feel like it. On a real bike, you have to cycle up that hill and you have to keep cycling until you return home. Also take up walking, walking for an hour or two each evening.

With food, find good foods that you like, eat fresh vegetables and fruits. Limit your food to 5 or 10% meat/fish etc each meal and have the bulk as vegetable and salad.

Stay away from processed food. Something that says "Low Fat" is very high in sugar, they replace one with the other. Vary your food, eat smaller meals, but maybe have more meals each day. Don't eat after 6 pm. Drinks lots and lots and lots of water 6, 7 litres a day or more if you can manage it. Add an electrolyte to your water, 1 a day to replace lost salts and minerals. Dehydration is something that is not usually looked at, but this will leave you feeling tired and lethargic, without realising it.

Change your lifestyle to something that you like doing, as a result in this change the weight will fall off and your blood pressure will reduce.

As you mentioned re the low fat foods being high in sugar, it's another example of food sabotage that catches out the unwary.

I can handle that level of water intake as you suggest, I'm very aware of re-hydrating here in Thailand as I've suffered the effects of chronic dehydration for years. I was taught this little bon mot by my Doctor.....

If you don't breathe for three minutes you die......

If you don't drink for three days you die......

If you don't eat for three weeks you die........

Okay let's not get overfussed about the time schedule here, it's the concept behind it......he went on to say.......

Your body is conditioned to recognize the effects of feast and famine, if you don't hydrate your body goes into famine mode and holds on to it's fatty reserves, this is why hydration is so important to dieting.

I also agree with your idea of taking on the weight loss as being a side effect of a new lifestyle, I'm needing to change my lifestyle in Scotland and I'll address that in a moment. wai.gif

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If I may add a suggestion.

Muay Thai is far too extreme a style of exercise for someone of your age. You will be risking injury.

You should walk 5Km or as much as you can manage every morning, then increase it to same distance but uphill.

Flat training, around the moat each day, hill training channel 7 mast to Wat Palaat and back.

Stop drinking alcohol. Avoid all sugary fizzy drinks.

Eat little rice, someone suggested in another thread, only ever eat half the portion of rice you are served.

As I mentioned I've removed rice from my diet altogether.......I was out pacing around the moat last week, I reckon it works out to be about 6.6kms all round. There's a rule of thumb that walking 10kms a day brings rapid weight loss results. I just wish the moat was more conducive to walking, I'm sick of getting blasted with acrid black smoke. That other walk you mentioned may be more enjoyable and interesting, I would be delighted to join you on that when it suits you.

Coca cola was a weakness years ago, not now. The only time I drink now is for hangover recovery and to be honest with you I'm sick of drinking, I'm not getting the same enjoyment from it that I used to and I will abandon it for the forseeable future.

Re the Muay Thai.......I regard it as a full body aerobics exercise, I spend most of my time on technique and movement. It might sound daft but even just the repetitive nature of lifting my knees correctly gives me a work out. There is no way though that I will enter a ring, I am half daft but not stupid, I'm far too old to take a full blown kick to the head......oh no, no thanks.

The key though for me is enjoyment, I enjoy the Muay Thai, I enjoy the music banging away in the background while I " shadow box ", and I thoroughly enjoy the pad work. Enjoyment is the key to me going back as boredom is the enemy.

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Aside from regular exercise, What may have helped me lose weight, was eliminating All wheat from my diet. Bread most specifically. SImple carbohydrates tend to turn to fat more readily than complex carbs. Such as vegetables and some fruits. Legumes are an all around great source of complex carbs and protein I also eliminated potatoes, noodles, and about 90% of my prior rice consumption. I hope you monitor your blood pressure closely as it sounds quite high. Best of luck in your endeavor.

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Just curious, do you have a plan for Scotland too ? I mean you have to go on of course and its good not to have the scales as your guide. Still i would step on them once in a while to make sure you haven't upped your food intake and are indeed improving on your stamina but not your weight.

The scales are not the best tool there is but if you can take a centimeter and put it around your belly and measure it and take some other points. Those things together will be real valuable. Just don't get too obsessed about it. But certainly don't discard them as a tool.

Its quite easy to start eating more and get out of the caloric deficit without you knowing it, just check it once in a while.

I brought a shirt with me that would require me to lose 7 inches from my girth just to button it.......that shirt is my holy grail.

Rob8891 then pointed out that's there no point just buttoning it, you need to be able to sit down in it as well. Thanks Rob annoyed.gif

All my weight is gathered around my stomach, I think it's known as apple shaped, rather than pear shaped. So my girth should reduce quite quickly. I'm not a great believer in scales as they can play tricks on you and seriously demotivate you, losing inches is the primary goal and once I can get that shirt buttoned I'll be over the moon, once I can sit down in it even better, okay Rob? rolleyes.gif

Scotland presents another series of challenges, I'm a single guy and I rarely cook, ( though I can cook ). Here in Thailand healthy food ( taking into account the sabotage issues ) is around every corner. That's not the case in Scotland, my food management is going to have to improve dramatically in Scotland. I'm hoping to be on a month on, month off pattern between Scotland and Thailand for a good while after this trip, I do need to manage my business but I'm in no rush to be the richest corpse in the graveyard so I must make the time to concentrate on my health.

I could see me pottering about the kitchen and making a big pot of soup as bangkokfanatic describes, then freezing it, so I reckon I'll need to regard food management with utmost seriousness or I'll end up coming back to Thailand trying to recover from where I left off, and that can't be a good thing.

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Aside from regular exercise, What may have helped me lose weight, was eliminating All wheat from my diet. Bread most specifically. SImple carbohydrates tend to turn to fat more readily than complex carbs. Such as vegetables and some fruits. Legumes are an all around great source of complex carbs and protein I also eliminated potatoes, noodles, and about 90% of my prior rice consumption. I hope you monitor your blood pressure closely as it sounds quite high. Best of luck in your endeavor.

Thanks very much and I take on board your advice. wai.gif

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There's fruit, salad and lots of fresh fish in Scotland mate. Its all in the supermarket....the one just past the chip shop! laugh.png

Edit: I know what you're like don't forget. In Glasgow you'll roll around doing business all day not eating anything then gorge yourself at tea time.

Bad news that is....have some smoked mackerel and salad.....boiled eggs....fruit....throughout the day.

Edited by smokie36
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Food management,

If your in Scotland get a freezer, buy frozen veggies (pies corn maize), get a table grill or halogen grill. Then buy some minced beef and make your own burgers... premake a few in a weight that you like. Boil some frozen veggies and eat the grill the burger (no sauce) anyway that is a meal that is easy to make (i know because i make it)

Get some good cottage cheese.. some musli maybe some protein powder and flax seed oil.. mix ad some fruit and you got an other lighter meal.

In the morning a bowl of Scottish oats (60 grams and 200ml of milk) and maybe some fried or boiled eggs.

Those are all easy meals and allow you to stock up and prepare them fast in between your work.

The battle is largely won in the kitchen.

You can find more meals like that.

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There's fruit, salad and lots of fresh fish in Scotland mate. Its all in the supermarket....the one just past the chip shop! laugh.png

Edit: I know what you're like don't forget. In Glasgow you'll roll around doing business all day not eating anything then gorge yourself at tea time.

Bad news that is....have some smoked mackerel and salad.....boiled eggs....fruit....throughout the day.

A supermarket you say? With fruit, salad and fresh fish........witchcraft!! it must be witchcraft!!.

But you're right sad.png

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Food management,

If your in Scotland get a freezer, buy frozen veggies (pies corn maize), get a table grill or halogen grill. Then buy some minced beef and make your own burgers... premake a few in a weight that you like. Boil some frozen veggies and eat the grill the burger (no sauce) anyway that is a meal that is easy to make (i know because i make it)

Get some good cottage cheese.. some musli maybe some protein powder and flax seed oil.. mix ad some fruit and you got an other lighter meal.

In the morning a bowl of Scottish oats (60 grams and 200ml of milk) and maybe some fried or boiled eggs.

Those are all easy meals and allow you to stock up and prepare them fast in between your work.

The battle is largely won in the kitchen.

You can find more meals like that.

The battle is won mainly in the kitchen...........absolutely correct.

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when I flukily manage to hit the pads without keeling over like a drunken baby elephant.

Such imagery!

Quote of the year thus far ... cheesy.gif

Warmly appreciating how you have shared the journey ... wai.gif

.

Unfortunately it's more accurate than you care to imagine sad.png

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The best laid plans of mice and men.............

I went out the door on Tuesday morning all full of enthusiasm about upping my training, as I sat with Rob8891 having my breakfast ( a couple of boiled eggs ) I suddenly felt cramps and I spent the next two days camped out in my WC. Luckily Rob had the wits to ask the Doctor that owns this hotel to nip in and see me and the antibiotics plus electrolytes prescribed brought about a miracle cure.

So back to training I go tomorrow, I'll take it easy for the next couple of days ( you can never really tell how debilitated you are after such sharp illnesses ) then I hope to step up again on Monday.

It's a little trip up on a long road, that's all.

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