I noticed when I posted yesterday that my view counter had finally passed the 10000 mark. For that, I thank you!
I know it won't seem like much to some, especially those of you with many hundreds of readers. Still, its a big deal for me. I remember the days when the blog first started out, before I had any followers. I had to turn off the 'track my own views' option, as I realised I was the only one visiting! I'm really pleased with the number of readers I have now (although I have apparently lost someone in the night!) - for me its just the right amount, and I can remember everyone's particular journey and style as soon as I see your name!
I never expected to get many, if any, readers. I had started and aborted a couple of other blogs before this one (although they weren't actually about anything in particular), so anticipated that this would be no different. After all, I was just another voice in the cybersphere bemoaning my lot and stating loudly to anyone who would hear that 'this time it would be different, this time I WOULD lose weight!'
Add onto that the fact that I was a male blogger, and not from the US, and I immediately had two major differences from what seems like 90% of the other weight-loss blogs out there! I wasn't sure how relatable my own journey would be, or how many people would want to read it as a result.
Well, I can say that I'm really very fond of you all, and thank you very much for all the support you've given me. I realised the other day, that although I follow several blogs that have already reached goal, and many more that are still striving for it, I don't think I've actually witnessed anyone reaching goal yet. As a thank you for your readership, I want to promise you now that one day, I WILL REACH GOAL. I want to reward your support with a success story, that some of you will have read from beginning to end. There's still a way to go, but I'm ever so close now, and I am going to do it. We're ALL going to do it.
Just got back in from my run, so its time to knuckle down and answer the questions posed to me by Jodi over at AndInMyCorner!
The rules are I have to post 11 random facts about myself, then answer the questions specifically posed by Jodi. I'm also supposed to invent some questions of my own for other bloggers, but as I don't know who has already been tagged previously by this, I shall leave it open - if any readers have yet to answer 11 questions...answer these ones!
So, without further ado...
11 Random Facts About Headspace
1) I was born in London, then moved abroad and lived in Germany, Belgium and New Zealand before returning to London for medical school, 17 years after I left!
2) I once won a chocolate-eating competition at a factory in Switzerland
3) I once made a sandwich for Vanessa Redgrave
4) I own an acre of moon
5) I collect swords
6) I performed in three different shows at the same time during the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival
7) Depending on where I met the friend, my nicknames include Lord, Duke, PartyBoy, Bubba, Feng or Liebchen!
8) I was awarded a prize from the Royal Society of Chemistry at the age of 14, beating out all my same-aged peers in the country
9) I have scars in my left eyebrow, on my left thumb, on my left shoulder and on my...right shin
10) I am allergic to penicillin
11) I am barred from a Chinese buffet restaurant in the city of York
And now...
Questions I Was Asked To Answer
1) Why did you start blogging?Because I know I'm not the best self-motivator, as evidenced by the fact that I gained so much weight, and that my previous attempts to lose it had failed. I wanted to be more open/public about my weight loss attempt, but didn't feel up to telling family or friends, hence an (initially) anonymous blog!
2) If you could do anything without getting caught, what would you do? Tough one! Probably something involving a lot of money, although I'd temper my guilt by doing good with some of it. Actually...scrap that. I'd go all Fox Mulder, and break into either the Vatican Archives or Area 51, and find out...nothing much at all I expect, but still! The truth is out there!
3) What is your favourite part of the day and why? Not sure, probably that time before bed when I'm done for the day, and I'm just killing time, watching movies or reading blogs etc, before turning in. Its a terrible time also, as I should be either doing something productive or sleeping, but I never do, so I must love it!
4) What moment would you like to re-live? Again, a tough one - do I just get to relive the moment (in which case I choose a nice one), or live it over again, and be able to change it? (In that case, I chose...oh gosh, so many terrible decisions!)
5) What is your favourite comfort food? I was about to write doner kebab, as that's been my bane in the last few months (new place opened 5 mins from me). However, its not really true. You know what? There's a reason I refuse to buy it anymore, because my best comfort food is probably...bread and butter! Thick-cut bread, with a thick slathering of butter. Sigh...
6) What would your perfect holiday look like? I like mountains, and pine forests, and waterfalls (no beach holidays for me, thanks). So a cabin somewhere, with all those things nearby, good company if they like it too, a good book if not. Bliss.
7) Regular cell phone or smart phone? Well, technically its a smart phone, but i have doubts over its credentials at times...I'm thinking it lied on its CV to get the job as my phone...
8) Best feature? In me - sense of humour, probably (smoothly avoids picking a physical feature there...)
9) Where do you see yourself 1 year from now? Still at medical school!
10) What song describes your life? Spotlight, by The Waifs
11) Why is it that? Struggled to answer this one, as I'm not big on music. However, I chose the song above (and embedded below), by a fairly unknown (in the UK at least) Australian band. I first heard it when I was travelling overseas. I think technically its a song about finding someone else, but on first hearing I took it to mean finding yourself. That's sort of what I was trying to do on my travels, and in a way I'm still doing, so it gets my vote. Hope you guys like it as much as I do!
Anyway, that's me all done folks, hope you enjoyed finding out a little more about me!
The last time I did a Fading Away post was back in May, when I was almost at the 50lbs down point. You can see the original post here.
As I've now passed the 75lbs lost point, I thought it was time to do another Fading Away post, to really try and appreciate the visible difference between then and now, rather than just the numbers on the scale.
As before, these are Monday's weigh-in photos, with the pictures from Day 1 superimposed on top.
It was actually difficult to put these two together, as all the landmarks (armpit, nipple, chin etc) have moved in the last few months! Clearly the belly bulge is smaller, which is great. Once again I am amazed by just how much weight I was carrying underneath the belly, above the groin area! Nice to see that the chin has receded a lot too!
I didn't include the front view the last time round, as there wasn't much of a visible difference then. I think there is now though! I still have those bulging love-handles/muffin-top things on my flanks, but the curve has certainly reduced, and I'm carrying a lot less weight under the armpits too. Hooray!
Anyhow, that was all I wanted to do for today! I will probably do the same again when we get to 100lbs dropped - won't THAT be the day!
Not a weight-loss post I know (I will make one today, I promise), but I just wanted to let everyone know...
I PASSED MY EXAMS!
Can't describe the relief I feel at the moment. I've mentioned before that I was doing two years in one, so my objective for this year was always just to pass. Back in the day I would have wanted to be top of the class, but as I've detailed at length in my Confessions posts, I was never willing to work harder when the work itself got harder.
Well, I finally found a bit of working mojo with these last exams, as for the first time I tasted potential failure. I'm so pleased that the work paid off - I'm really hoping that positive reinforcement will encourage me to work harder from now on! I certainly intend to - I have found the limits of the lazy me, now I'm curious about how well I can do if I'm actually applying myself...
Actually, might have to approach work the same way I've approached this weight-loss, as that's worked wonders so far!
Anyhow, I'd better pack, going on my holiday tomorrow, woo hoo!!
I wasn't sure how to start this post, as the songs I listen to on my runs aren't necessarily songs I would listen to otherwise (I'm more of a blues/soul man at heart). I know some people like to hear solid pounding beats when they run, but others need something bouncier and more fun. I tend to use a combination of the two, with cheesy pop songs followed by 'harder' tunes to drive me on.
To come up with this list, I simply opened my 'Jogging' playlist on my iPod, and saw which 10 songs had the most plays. Here they are, in ascending order!
10) Chariots Of Fire (Vangelis)
I don't use this one as much as I used to - when I was still living at home, I had a nice straight flat stretch right at the end, and I would play this song as I sprinted for the finish line. It made it in to number 10!
9) Gold (Spandau Ballet)
Another song with an Olympic connection! This one used to help get me up the hill when I was running back home!
8) Bat Out Of Hell (Meatloaf)
Besides being a classic, banging tune, the beauty of this track is that it's nearly 10 minutes long. I used to play it when I was tempted to give up the run early - I would tell myself "don't quit until this song is over," and I'd bag another mile or more before the end came!
7) Eye Of The Tiger (Survivor)
Made famous by a Rocky film (Rocky III is the one, I think), this is a good all-purpose song, that helps me find the right rhythm when I'm running. I may even indulge in a little Rocky role-play when the streets are empty, too!
6) I Need A Hero (Bonnie Tyler)
OK, here's one I'd be quite embarrassed to be caught listening to, but as a running song, it really gets you pumped up! Not saying I'm a hero, by any means, but when you're all sweaty and tired and breathless, and this song comes on...well, you'll almost believe you ARE!
5) Don't Stop Me Now (Queen)
An example of a 'bouncier' tune, not one to make you feel all bad-ass and get the testosterone flowing, but it does give your energy a boost, and makes you feel lighter on your feet. It also helps makes running fun, which is a huge bonus!
4) Hot Stuff (Donna Summer)
I don't know if this song ever made it to America, or if people will only know it from a scene in 'The Full Monty', but its another tune I find makes me bop my head, pick up my pace, and run with a smile on my face!
3) Gonna Fly Now (Bill Conti)
I'm sure this one features on many people's running playlists, and for good reason - try going for a run with this playing, and you'll see what I mean! My second Rocky-associated tune!
2) Till I Collapse (Eminem)
This is one of the few songs on my list that actually gets me fired up. Most I play just to help the time pass, but this one I play when I'm flagging, or making excuses, or sore. Sometimes I just have to play this song on repeat, and its effect never changes - as soon as those drumbeats kick in, I'm flying!
1) Footloose (Kenny Loggins)
This probably only made it to number one by virtue of the fact that its often the first song I play (and then just have it on shuffle from thereon out). That said, there has to be a reason I usually play this first - its fun, bouncy, and the rhythm seems to synch perfectly with the pace I run at!
So there you have it! Some are old, some are cheesy, and some are just theme-tunes rather than songs. Some I would never listen to outside of my running gear, but as they've so far helped me to lose 56lbs and counting, they'll always have a place on my iPod. If I ever hear them playing on the radio, all I can think about is going for a run!
Many thanks to Jess, author of Project: Get Thin, for graciously gifting this blog with its first award! I've seen them pop up elsewhere from time to time, but never thought I'd get one myself!
Many thanks to Jess - and now I have to tell you 7 things about me!
1) By the time I was 25, I had lived in four countries - the UK, Germany, Belgium and New Zealand.
2) I once made a sandwich for Vanessa Redgrave.
3) I own an acre of Moon.
4) I performed in three different shows at the same time in the 2006 Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
5) Many of my friends call me 'Lord', due to the drunken purchase of a new title by deed poll...
6) I collect swords.
7) I have a scar in my left eyebrow, that people sometimes mistake for an intentionally shaved gash, much to my chagrin.
And last but not least, 15 other blogs I am now passing this award on to! They're not all weight-loss blogs, but they're all worth checking out!
Further to all the pictures in yesterday's 3-month weight-in, I have been playing with the photos today, comparing them and trying to find different ways of seeing the difference.
Thought I would share the image below, which is my very first picture, taken at the start of my weight-loss, superimposed onto yesterday's photo, nearly 50lbs down.
It's not the clearest photo in the world, but you can see just how far the tummy has shrunk in the past 13 weeks! I was also surprised how much narrower I was around the butt and upper thighs - I focussed so much on watching the belly disappear, I didn't even really notice that change! Just goes to show that weight really does build up EVERYWHERE!
Anyway, that's all - still saving up all the photos every week, and will run them together into a time-lapse video once I finish losing all the weight!
One of the things about blogging from the UK is that most of the hits on this blog come during our night. Its always nice to wake up to the odd comment or two, but this morning was especially nice, as IdleToIdol has now bagged over 1000 views!
When I started this blog, I never thought I'd get that many hits (if any). To my mind, the blog's primary function would come into effect AFTER I had reached my target weight, as a way to show my friends and family - or at least those who noticed my weight loss - exactly what I had gone through. Exactly how I had done it.
I also hoped that by blogging my weigh-ins, I would be more inclined to stick with it when times got tough. Even if I only got one hit a week, that one reader would be the person I had to impress. Part of the reason my previous weight-loss attempts failed was that there was no accountability - only I knew about my attempt, but as it was my own attitude and habits that had made me overweight in the first place, the excuses soon mounted, and the attempt collapsed.
Blogging has certainly helped to keep my objective firmly in sight, and ensures that every day, I think about my weight-loss. Every time I eat, I think about my diet. Every time I collapse into a chair, I think about exercising. Keeping me on track has been the main personal benefit of writing this blog - but would it have been enough without readers?
I don't think so. To know that someone else can see what I have done is a massive incentive to continue. From the casual visitor via Google (who's presence is usual a result of my search-engine-friendly "What Does 100 Pounds Look Like?" post!) to those who regularly pop in, it is the knowledge that someone else is following my progress that gives me that extra kick when I feel its getting tough. I feel that if I were to give up, I would be letting down my readers, so for that, I thank you.
But its not just about me, and my posts. It's not just your comments on my blog that help inspire me, but also everything you write on your own. As I have said before, almost nobody in the 'real world' knows about this weight-loss attempt, so it is my fellow bloggers who are my support group in this. To read about your own journeys, to hear about your ups and downs, and to compare methods, tips and diets, has made me feel part of something bigger. I'm not just lonely, overweight Headspace, vainly trying to shift his weight. I'm part of a dynamic, proactive community of people, from all over the world, all with the same goal: to improve our lifestyles. To regain our health and confidence. To take control of our lives. That's a morale booster, if ever there was one!
And all this is not to mention those of my readers who aren't actually trying to lose weight themselves, but drop by anyway! For you guys to put up with what has now been three months of constant chatter about pounds, and diets, and exercises - well, I can only say thank you to you too!
Anyhow, I've waffled on for long enough, but since I don't always remember/have time to reply to every comment, I wanted people to know that every single one is read, read again, and appreciated (and let's be honest, they usual lead to a smile or two!). We've got a lot more time together before I reach my target weight, so I'm sure I'll say it again before the end, but until then, one more time...
Before I post my results for last week, I wanted to take a quick moment to once again join the Friend Making Monday movement, this time inspired by Jodi over at And In My Corner...
1) How often do you read? I read every day! At the moment I OUGHT to be reading my textbooks and revising for my exam, but I always have to have something else on the go!
2) What's the last book you read and loved?The last book I read (and I loved it) was 'A Time of Gifts', by Patrick Leigh Fermor. The book is the author's account of a journey he took back in the 1930's, when he was just 18, travelling on foot all the way across Europe, from Holland down to Constantinople. There are two books in the series (he sadly never finished the third and final volume), and this first ends with him crossing the Danube into Hungary. Its a magnificent tale for many reasons - he's a fantastic writer, and each page is full of interesting geographical detail, eye-opening historical facts, and heart-warming tales of the people and places he came across on the way. I can't recommend it enough.
3) What book(s) are you currently reading? Well, I'm now onto the second volume of the aforementioned series, 'Between the Woods and the Water'. I also treated myself to a Lonely Planet guide to Eastern Europe (inspired by the books), and I'm now reading through that too, planning holidays to places I've never been; holidays that I probably won't be able to take for years!
4) Share a few of your favorite authors. Leo Tolstoy, John Irving, JRR Tolkien, Ken Follett, Donna Tarrt, Pat O'Shea, William Golding, Patrick O'Brian, Umberto Eco.
5) What's next on your list of must-reads? Well, after my exams, I intend to dig out my 'Complete Shakespeare', and finally get around to reading the plays I have never seen, read or performed!
That's all for now. I'll post up the results from last week later today!
Just a quick post today, as I haven't blogged since my weigh-in on Monday.
As most people will be aware, today was the Royal Wedding between Prince William and Kate Middleton. Being a Londoner, I naturally headed off this morning to try and get a good place to watch the proceedings.
Well, what a nightmare!
Most places were jam-packed, and those that weren't were rapidly cordoned of by the police. I found myself moving up from Westminster Abbey where the ceremony was held, trying to get a place near to Buckingham Palace, but the route I more or less had to take led me right past the Palace, and round the back of it! I had more of less given up and tried to get home, but was forced to follow the barriers, which fortunately led me to within photo distance of the Palace. Better yet, when the barriers finally went down before the balcony appearance, I was in prime position, and rushed across the square to get a good spot for some photos.
As such, I've been on my feet for hours, have walked about 7.5 miles (it all counts as exercise, you know!), and I've had a fun time doing it. I won't bore you with the literally hundreds of photos I took, but here's a quick selection that in years to come will be my proof that I was there!
When I decided I was going to lose 100 lbs, I tried to Google something to compare it to. Some image of something (or a lot of somethings) that weighed 100 lbs, so I could grasp in my head exactly what I was aiming for.
But the pickings were pretty slim. The best I could find were the two images below (with their sources linked beneath):
The thing is, I can't imagine holding that in my hand (whatever 'that' is), so it doesn't really help. It sure looks like a lot though!
So I decided to try and gather together 100 lbs of regular everyday stuff, so I would have at least a vague notion of what I was attempting to accomplish. And being a student, the heaviest, most numerous thing I have is, of course, textbooks!
Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you, 100 lbs of books!
It really doesn't seem so much stacked up like that, but believe me, this load was backbreaking. It was almost too much for me, and was definitely too much for my scales - they tried to tell me I weighed 35lbs WITH books! I ended up weighing them in shifts, and what you have above is 99.6 lbs, as close to 100 as I could get.
Try grabbing a few big books off the shelf now, and compare that weight to how many are above. I should have put something in to compare sizes, but most of those are big old hardback anatomy textbooks, and hefty even on their own. I can't believe I could even have that much weight to spare! Its horrifying.
Can't wait to drop it all though! I mean, I go for runs and can jog upstairs and am in no way incapacitated by my weight, so imagine what I'll be able to do when I'm not carrying that around too! I'll be a Hercules!
All the pics above can be enlarged with a click (and my one gives you an insight into the reading matter of a procrastinating med student!). Hopefully its useful to anyone else aiming for close to 100lbs!
Before I chime in with my results for week 4, I'm taking a moment to answer some questions that were posed over at All The Weigh as part of Friend Making Monday!
FMM: Giving the Boys A Chance
1. Who is your pick for the Final Four?
Oh dear, my first hurdle! I'm from the UK, so had to turn to Google to even find out what the Final Four meant! I never really used to watch sport at all (not even UK ones), but that has been changing recently, and I can't even begin to explain why. Perhaps its part of me focussing more on fitness and exercise, who knows! I watched the SuperBowl when that one a few months ago, and that was the first time I'd actually watched any US sports.
But, as the question needs an answer...are there teams from the West Coast of the US? I've only visited once, and only saw California, Oregon and Washington, so anyone from there gets my vote!
2. What is your favorite workout/fitness activity?
Even though I can't/don't do it at the moment, rowing would have to be my answer. My step-dad used to have a rowing machine when I lived at home, and I would spend 45 minutes on there, singing along to a CD, loving every minute of it. Whenever I can afford a gym membership or move into a larger place, maybe I'll take it up again!
3. Do you have a favorite healthy snack? Something that REALLY hits the
spot?
I'm not snacking at the moment, or trying not to at least! I guess the closest I have to healthy snack would be these small sugar-free jellies I found in a local supermarket. They're not healthy per se, but they don't pack any calories and they taste sweet, so I use them to trick my brain into thinking I've had a naughty treat!
4. What is your dream car?
I've never been a car fanatic, and as I live in London on a student budget I don't need and can't afford one right now anyway! But if money were no object...it'd have to be a Bentley. A lovely old-fashioned one. Or maybe an Aston Martin!
5. Have you set any goals for yourself this month? What are they?
If I'm to stay on track for my target weight by my target date, I need to try and lose about 12lbs a month, so I guess that's my general target. But I went for my first run on Friday, and I'm kind of itching for another one, so perhaps something running related - lets say to run at least twice a week for the next month (keeping it realistic), and to try and up my distance to three miles a session by the end!
So there we go! Week 4 results coming very soon...
