GYM REVIEW DAY!

Today was the day I was NOT looking forward to as it means the end of my cheap gym sessions.  Yes! I've had my review!  Everything is good news, BP is down to 138/91 from 149/99, my resting heartbeat is down from 77 to 67 bpm (and that was after climbing a flight of stairs to get to the gym) my body fat is down from 55 to 44% and my BMI is down just over 5 points.  I've also lost over 16 kilos in weight, even my lung function had greatly improved though there was little change in the 'grip' test.  Needless to say Paul my instructor was extremely pleased at the results in such a short time (but not as pleased as me of course!).  All I have to do now is decide whether to pay £31.00 a month for unlimited sessions or £4.50 a time on a casual basis.  I'll probably take the first option then if I can't get enough sessions in to make it worth while I can go to casual visits.  Really looking forward to see what the next 18 weeks bring!

Target hit!!

Well I've done it! I've reached my 10% weight loss goal plus 1lb making 33lbs lost to date in 15 weeks ...... looking forward to the next 15 weeks to see if I can hit my new 10% target of 28 lbs. Hoping to be down to about 18st 7lbs or close to by the time I go to Bristol in September.  Got a couple of extra cheap weeks at the gym because Paul(my exercise guru) is on a fortnights hols, so it's going to be 3 or 4 weeks before I can have my re-assessment. The new job is going well, not had too many problems so far.  Surprised myself with how quickly I've picked up the routes considering I do not know Newcastle at all!

another milestone reached with another on the horizon!

Went to Weight Watchers tonight, lost 3 pounds this week, which has taken me 2 pounds past the 2 stones lost marker and left me 2 pounds short of my next goal, which is 10 per cent lost off my initial weigh in total.

It's started!

After twelve weeks my body has got used to me dieting and is starting to reject it! I'll have to give up for a week and then start again on even lower points, happens every time but usually sooner than this. The receptionist at the local medical centre is useless! I took my second Weight Watchers referral letter round last Tuesday week and she's lost it!
Almost time to start driving service buses again, last day at the training school today then depot familiarisation tomorrow. Had a refresher course on the Wayfarer ticket machine yesterday, so many different fares up here it's overwhelming! Still, it will be great to get back behind the wheel and on the road again.

Good and Bad!

The good news is I have finally started for Arriva (30th May), the bad? well after losing only 2lbs last Monday (23rd) this week I put 1lb ON! Last night I went into Newcastle to have a few pints with some friends from Park & Fly as a farewell gesture, we had a great time although most couldn't make it. We are now waiting to arrange another so the 'missers' can make it. Had some lovely comments left on my leaving card and I know most are genuinely sorry to see me go.

Y VIVA ARRIVA!

Well I finally got the phone call I've been waiting for this morning. I start officially for Arriva North East the day after I finish at the airport. Just as well, as Arriva pay is weekly but a fortnight in arrears, which sounds a bit awkward to me but still, it will be very strange going back to weekly pay for the first time since about 1988.
I've arranged an exit interview with the HR dept for Thursday afternoon which should prove interesting. Not that I think they will take much notice of what I say but to see how far they go to defend the management.
I am still going to the gym when ever I can and the Weight Watchers meetings, hope to hit the 28lb loss target tonight, if I don't then it should be pretty close to it, last week was 23lbs so it will probably be around 26 or 27 tonight knowing my luck, still ANY loss is better than a gain.

Bye-bye Park & Fly!

We all now know that I have passed my medical for Arriva North East, I have also printed off, signed and handed in my resignation letter to Park & Fly. I leave at the end of the month, hopefully I can have a week off and then start for Arriva around the 6th June. My current boss Peter 'Cone-head' Guthrie was so shocked to hear the news he almost choked! They are so glad to get rid of me they said I only need to work one weeks notice not the usual four, but just to be a thorn in their side I said I would stay until my last shift this month which is nights on the 29th. I am not best pleased with Peter's lack of professionalism in immediately going in and telling everybody I had handed in my notice before he had it in writing and also making a comment about 'shall we hold a minutes silence?' Still I have an answer for him 'at least Arriva have managed to do in two weeks something he and Eric Wrightson(Land-side Ops Manager) could not do in two years!.... the answer..... GET ME OUT OF THE AIRPORT!'

Things are looking good!

Following a successful interview at Arriva North-East last week I received a phone call on Tuesday asking me to go for a driving assessment at their Jesmond depot on Weds 27th at 13:30h. I duly arrived ten minutes early and waited while the Driving Instructor spoke to some people who had just finished their session. He was very surprised to see me as he thought his next one was at 15:00h. Anyway I did a short test, scoring 9/10, I lost a point over an ambiguous question which I believe according to the Highway Code I answered correctly. I will be interested to see what answer my policeman son gives me to the same question when I see him. Anyway I passed that, we then went out for a drive on one of the most rattly buses I have ever been on. Eventually I took over and drove for 40 minutes or so completing various basic manoeuvres that would be done on service. Needless to say apart from the fact I was a bit rusty having not driven a vehicle that size in normal traffic for a few years all went smoothly. What really made my day was when the instructor made an error that he had 'pulled' me up about not ten minutes earlier, he tried to hide it but I'm not stupid! Now all I have to do is wait for an appointment to see their company doctor and should then be starting a new job around June..... GREAT!

Update on yesterdays post

Had a great work out at the gym yesterday and today. I have changed the order in which I do the exercises and also the amount of effort needed for each. Boy has it made a difference! I came home yesterday and today feeling hungry and exhausted. It's not that I've changed things that much! I have increased the resistance level on both the incline and upright cycles from 5 to 6, doing slightly less distance but working harder. I've also increased the speed from 5 to 5.8 on the treadmill again resulting in a lot more effort needed but walking further as well, I'm already on maximum resistance on the rower so that will stay about the same until I'm capable of increasing the number of strokes a minute or allowed to row for longer. On the weight front, I stepped onto our scales when I got home and on the figure produced I have lost 7lbs this week, making a total of 18 so far

Confused and concerned

I had a telephone consultation on Wednesday with my doctor about the results of my latest blood test. Apparently the results were similar to the ones from July 2010 and she wants me to have a scan on my liver to ensure it is not enlarged. All the symptoms point to the cause as being obese for so many years, exercise and a balanced diet are supposed to be the best 'cure' for a 'fatty liver'. Great! that's exactly what I'm doing now! isn't it? The problem is the last test was taken BEFORE I started my Weight & Exercise Program, I'm due to have more blood taken on the 3rd of May. So do I wait for those results to come back or do I act on what I've been told now? She also mentioned my blood pressure was up... that's strange because the last one I had done it was down five points. I think I need to sort the cycle of tests and results into the correct order before panicking too much. On the weight and exercise front the news is good, I've lost eleven pounds in total in five weeks and broke the 10k barrier again yesterday at the gym, the time for each exercise also seemed to pass quicker, I came away 'glowing' like the embers of a bonfire in the wind (that was a bit poetic wasn't it?) Next session is in just under an hour and another one tomorrow, putting three in this week because I only have time for one visit next week as I'm on nights and going to Bristol on Friday