This weeks weigh in and progress with my hip

Weighed in my regular class and much to my annoyance was up 0.5lb despite a good week foodwise so made the decision to scrap the pescatarian lifestyle and going back to eating poultry and have the odd steak as a treat but one thing I will do is stick to the same principles of the Slimming World way as it works for me, I may be up 5.5lb in 2 weeks but I know doing Slimming World works for me and if it ain't broke don't fix and if I ever decide to change (2 hopes of that, no hope and bob hope) I will decide plus I like the comoraderie of being in a Slimming World class and I made plenty of friends through this.

Last Friday I was in Cappagh Hospital regarding my hip and the good news is, I'm now deemed an urgent case but it will be May 2015 when I go under the knife as Cappagh doesn't have enough money to carry out 4 surgeries a day and there is a long list of people waiting for joint replacement surgery, the photo shows the x-ray of my hip, on the right side you'll see a U shape, this is the cartilage and on the left side you'll see just a solid pic of bones rubbing together, this means the cartilage has completely gone which is why I struggle with pain, it will get worse before I get better and at the meantime I aim to carry on with my lifestyle and lose as much weight as possible with Slimming World, seek intensive pain management and also see a counsellor regarding on dealing not only pain but learn to cope socially again because recently i'm struggling to socialise because of the pain, some will say since I've gone teetotal I've not been the same but that ain't true.

Gutted my regular Bokwa class has been cancelled as I found out last night so need to find a different one that suits me but aim to be at the gym a couple of days this week

Have an A1 week everyone

The Week So Far and false advertising

After the disappointment of the cake and sugar induced 5lb gain it was time to really knuckle down and stop fucking around as I've worked so hard to lose 8st only to be a complete pig at the wedding fair, I am human after all but if I am gonna beat food addiction I need to get my self discipline back so what I have done is I went back to basics and limit my carb intake this week(I did have a baked potato, beans and scotch bonnet cheese and salad for dinner today), even did a pescatarian and carb free version of lasagne using courgette (zucchini for you Americans) as the layer and made the red sauce using cod, haddock and salmon as the fish mixed up with chopped tomatoes, peppers, mushrooms, onions and a clove of garlic and used fat free fromage frais and 3 mini babybel lights for the topping and it was absolutely delicious, into my 4th week meat free and i'm now craving a juicy steak but I need to stay strong in order to 1. Prolong my hip and 2. Stick to the principles of being a pescatarian. At a wedding tomorrow and will make smart choices and a good thing I don't drink alcohol these days

Tomorrow is a huge day regarding my hip as I'm in Cappagh Hospital again and I should get a better idea on how much longer I have to wait to get a new hip, if its the pre-op appointment I will have a new hip before xmas but being realistic I doubt it will be the pre-op, I could also be told I may have fibromyalgia too and i'm already prepared for life with this as I've been talking to sufferers about dealing with this bastard condition and also been looking up the internet. I will post a blog tomorrow with the outcome. Did do an awesome Bokwa session last night and I really enjoy it, not only i'm getting a workout in but I'm meeting new people too.

The main topic of this blog is FALSE ADVERTISING, on my way to Bokwa last night and got on the 15 bus from Clare Hall to Hawkins St in the city centre and I see an advert by McDonald's saying 'SERIOUS MAN FOOD' in promoting 3 limited edition burgers which would be on average 800-1000 calories of artery clogging madness but serious man food they can fuck right off with that bullshit as 1. I wouldn't feed this shit to my dad's dog or any dog and 2. Everything is so processed its unreal. Now you can see why obesity rates in the UK and Ireland are at an all time high and its gonna get worse unless we take the Bull by its horns and take control of what we put in our bodies, even for a food addict like me I wasn't attracted to eat McDonald's as I actually worked in UK head office when I was 17 and see the way it's cooked that put me off and I hardly ate that shit since. Burger King did a similar TV commercial 8 years ago where a man walked out on a date with a girl eating a salad at a restaurant to go into a Burger King to get a whopper then screamed 'I AM MAN' and that sends a message that it's ok to go into a burger joint instead of eating properly and these companies are actually commiting corporate genocide as heart and weight related deaths have sky rocketed in the past 20 years and I could have been another statistic if I didn't take control of my health.

On a positive note, I am very grateful for the support i'm getting through this blog and even the criticism because it will help me become a better person, I set up this blog to give an honest account on my struggles and I will continue to do it the way I want it to be.

Have an A1 weekend everyone

This week's weigh in

Weighed in my regular class yesterday with a carefree attitude not worrying if I had a tiny gain or a loss and then came crashing down with a huge shock with a 5lb gain YES I gained 5lb, was upset but I didn't actually show it but when I thought about it, after the weekend I thoroughly deserve the gain, was at a wedding fair at the Royal Dublin Showgrounds the Sunday just gone and it was a food addicts worst nightmare as there was cake stalls offering samples ranging from chocolate biscuit cake, red velvet cake, brownies etc and I nibbled and nibbled, even Energie Fitness Clubs offered gluten free banana cake with a generous dollop of quark, not only that the majority of stalls had sweets and chocolates there and thinking that over, it's easy to consume 5000 calories during the event itself and that's on top of my main meals during the day. It's a harsh reality and in future wedding fairs I have to learn to say no to cake and be more prepared.

Back to basics this week right up to Friday evening where I'll be going to the evening part of my cousin's wedding and will be back in the gym this week too.

Have an A1 week everyone

The week so far and the power of documovies

Left the GAA club on Monday with determination to back up the 2.5lb loss and all things are going well so far, also did a Bokwa session with Jenny on Wednesday and that went well too, had a setback regarding my hip late Thursday evening but I carried on as normal instead of feeling down as I have done recently, changing the way I eat is helping too and i'm not taking as much meds too and this is exactly what I want, goes to show you can fight osteoarthritis in every day foods and not become a pharmaceutical junkie. Only 6 days until the appointment in Cappagh regarding my hip which will give me more info of when I get a replacement.

The main topic on this blog DOCUMOVIES

Me and Jenny watched one last night on recommendation from my friend Tanya who also a Slimming World consultant called Hungry for Change and this is a serious eye opener, the book i'm currently reading on treating arthritis drug free and this documovie highlighted the dangers of sugar and MSG'S(monosodium glutamine otherwise known as SALT) in every day food and liking both those to taking cocaine or heroin but sugar and MSG'S are more lethal and is legal while cocaine and heroin is illegal along with cigarettes and alcohol are age restricted, you can call it fucked up or call this corporate genocide as companies like McDonald's, Kraft, Coca Cola and other bigwig bully boys preying on normal people who then become food addicts, this movie also had Joe Cross who starred and directed the Documovie Fat, Sick and Nearly Dead who went to the extreme of going on a juicing diet, to me it's ok if youre going on a stictly vegan diet but I couldn't do that because I need a complete balance of healthy protein, clean carbs and healthy fats found in almonds and cashews to maintain a healthy lifestyle plus I love my fish and dairy products to do a stictly vegan diet, will I ever go back to eating meat? Never say never but will avoid beef and pork if I do go back to being a carnivore.

I'll end the blog on a positive note, off to a wedding fair in Dublin tomorrow and off for another celebratory meal courtesy of Jenny's workmates in Crabby Jo's in Howth(seafood restaurant)

Have an A1 weekend everyone

This week's weigh in, Katie Hopkins and treating osteoarthritis the drug free way

Back to a regular routine of weighing in on a Monday afternoon and my hard work paid off with a 2.5lb loss and on this part of the journey it's a monster loss and I'm now 3lb from getting my 8.5st award back and once I get that back I can really focus on the challenge I set myself of trying to get my 10st award by Xmas, learning to appreciate the pescatarian lifestyle getting in plenty of seafood in and I'm not even missing meat and I was a total carnivore before, will mention more near the end of the blog.

The past few days trending on Twitter and been plastered in the scum newspaper was this stuck up snobby no good bitch Katie Hopkins spouting her vile views on obesity and has been working with car crash TV channel TLC to pile on 4st just to prove that obese/overweight people are nothing but lazy bums, who the fuck this vile cunt think she is? Obesity shouldn't be laughed at or used for entertainment purposes especially when there is good people struggling to combat food addiction and obesity, a lot of this has huge psychological effects too as some do not have the courage to overcome such a bastard condition, I think Miss Hopkins should actually watch shows like Obese: a year to save my life and see the struggles and pain these people go through, I have my struggles too and this is why I called Miss Hopkins a narrow minded stuck up cunt on Twitter and I don't regret a single thing, I apologise for the use of the c word if it offends but at the same time her narrow minded views offend me and certain words are appropriate for scum like her.

10 days from now I'll be in Cappagh Hospital for my 2nd appointment regarding my badly damaged hip and I've been doing a lot of homework on how to treat OA without the need for medication which is why I became a pescatarian, recently purchased a book in the shop my fiance works in called 'Treating Arthritis the Drug-Free Way' which was written by an Osteoarthritis sufferer all her life and I was shocked that the everyday Western diet was causing this, pork(an absolute killer with arthritis),beef and refined carbohydrates were making my condition worse and not realising it. I'm determined to beat this and not rely on pain meds mainly more for better mental health and improving my lifestyle in general. 

Have an A1 week

The week so far, the stigma attached to men going to weight loss groups and goals for September

Back from London after a few days catching up with family and mates and even got to see the greatest football team on earth and the Pride of North London qualify again for the world's premier club competition, foodwise its going ok, not missing meat at all so far but this can easily change, getting in plenty of fish which I like anyway and even making vegetarian versions of my favourite dishes, my protein coming from fish, nuts and whey protein and i'll be sticking with this. The weekend will be as normal as possible and come into weigh in with a much needed loss to give my morale a boost.

Being addicted to food and being a yoyo dieter all my adult life I've been going to weight watchers a few times and most recently the past 3 years slimming world most of the classes I was the only man in group and the reason why? A lot of men sees weight loss groups as women only and I don't agree at all, I joined a weight watchers group in Dublin in 2009 and this leader had a men only class as he recognised that some men felt uncomfortable sharing their stories with women, at the end of the day overweight men need help too and in recent time Slimming World has invested a lot of time encouraging overweight men to lose weight on their plan and it's working but I still hear and see every day the stigma attached to men going to weight loss groups, I was slagged off last year behind my back with an idiot saying 'I'm sick of Mick's weight loss stories and that only women and queers go to s.w and if he was a real man he'd be having a few pints with the lads and banging hookers afterwards' and that fuelled me to ram those childish thoughts down their narrow minded throats the best way possible and it was to carry on doing what has won my life back. My consultant's brother who is also a s.w consultant has quite a lot of guys going to him and the same with my one, I'm even hearing stories especially through my followers on instagram that they met their boyfriend in slimming world so 'only women and queers go to s.w?' Those pricks are not even worth the steam of my piss and FUCK THEM, I like hearing stories of men who actually find love in weight loss groups, it helps them and inspire others also. So any man who needs to lose weight, it's socially acceptable to get help through these classes it's the 21st century after all and obesity levels in the UK and Ireland are at an all time high.

I'll end this as August is coming to a close and when I set my goals I didn't put pressure on myself on the scales and I still lost 3.5lb this month and i'm good with that and will continue with that attitude in September and stick with the pescatarian diet and not even a juicy medium rare steak will tempt me

Have an A1 weekend everyone

This weeks weigh in

Normally weigh in at my regular class in Athy but I'm currently back home in North London for a few days and rather waste a holiday I chose to stick to plan and weigh in at a class in Enfield like I always do when I'm in London, a tiny setback with a 1lb gain but there is a positive outcome to this, a complete change in the way I eat can take time to kick in and I've only been a pescatarian for 5 days.

Did have a setback regarding my bastard hip last night and struggled to get a proper nights sleep because of it, the 2nd Cappagh Hospital appointment can't come soon enough, hoping its the pre-op but it could also be a normal clinic visit, either way at least I'll know where I stand.

I'll sign off for now, did my bit for charity today as I dunked myself in cold water in aid of the Irish Motor Neurone Disease Association

The week so far, a new diet and the quick fixes that ruin the weight loss community

The week is currently going well so far, was at a slimming world friendly bbq in Athy Tuesday night and it was a blast, plenty of food there and a good team bonding evening where members from all 5 classes got together, eat and socialise and everyone had fun, that night was also the last night I consumed meat as I had been thinking since my 1st Cappagh appointment where I was advised to eliminate red meat from my diet, spoke to my doctor last week about the pescatarian diet (it's a vegetarian diet but you can eat fish but no meat), hopefully this will prolong my hip until I get a replacement and that I don't have to rely on medication or using a walking stick in which I am using around 60% of the time. I'll be buying a lot more fish and Jennifer will support me 100% even know she will continue to eat meat, gonna miss my juicy medium rare steak, bacon sarnies and chicken but I need to prolong this bastard of a condition as long as possible.

On a final note was a member of a Facebook group called Motivation Elevation until this morning when I was removed because I said that Herbalife was an overpriced and poor quality product and that only hard work and eating right is the way to go, I wasn't allowed to promote this blog on there because it was deemed as advertising but the moderator sells the bullshit crazy wraps on the page and also encouraging other bullshit quick fixes that make a mockery of the hard work me and a load of people who go through sheer hell to live a healthier lifestyle, I'd rather struggle and gain respect for my hard work than wrap cling film around my stomach or take a genetically modified supplement such as herbalife just for a quick fix FUCK THAT LOAD OF BOLLOCKS, work hard, eat right and have a positive attitude you'll get there

This weeks weigh in

Weighed in like I normally do on a Monday afternoon and despite eating out twice this week (nandos after weigh in last week and had a 3 course meal in Cactus Jacks in Dublin Saturday evening and had a big dirtbird burger lol imagine the calories in that when you had a 1/2lb beef pattie, chorizo,Monterrey Jack Cheddar,mayo, relish and jalapeños but it tasted so damn good) I stayed the same, goes to show if I stick to plan 100% throughout the week and eat out I can minimise any damage caused by consuming a shit load of calories at a Mexican restaurant I can get positive results.

As you all know I am battling Osteoarthritis on a daily basis and there is days the pain gets the better of me and it sometimes saps every bit of energy out of me but at the same time I won't let a cunt of a condition beat me and even the possibility of having Fibromyalgia won't defeat me,I wouldn't wish Osteoarthritis on my worst enemy because it affects the people close to you as my fiance would tell you, I may feel down, stressed and moody sometimes but I'm carrying on as normal, this has also fucking up my social life as I don't want to be in packed places and when I'm not in best spirits i don't feel like joining in and it's unfair on others, I did enjoy the other night but nearly had a panic attack walking into a pub in Dublin but luckily I defused the situation immediately, I need to get this sorted out especially when I'm gonna be getting married to the love of my life.

Any of the readers of this blog who attend a Slimming World class will know this week and last week is the most emotional 2 weeks in the Slimming World calendar otherwise known as Woman of the Year where nominees get to tell their stories and they are heartwarming and it does have people in tears, weight loss journeys are sometimes brutal and sometimes rewarding and the photo this blog is Nicola who weighs in my own group in Athy who won Woman of the Year for the 3.30 class, she has a facebook page called thenakedblondie if you are a foodie and take inspiration from meals itself while I focus on weight loss, my fight against food addiction and osteoarthritis and fitness

Have a positive week everyone

The week so far

The 3lb loss after the weekend back home was a boost and the extra incentive of getting married has really got my mojo back, no bokwa yesterday as my hip is being a total bastard again but instead of doing fuck all and moan about it, I actually carried on as normal and still got up and moved around, this is what no excuse is about. I do have an appointment with the doctor in the morning but in just 4 weeks time I should know more about the hip replacement.

I did mention a few weeks back that one of my hates is people who thinks obesity is a laughing matter, well today while visiting a friend's Slimming World group in Dublin, a lady gave an emotional speech regarding secret eating and shortly afterwards I saw some pathetic excuse of a man on Facebook post an immature comment poking fun out of a woman who happened to be overweight and thinking it's funny so the delete friend button went in use, I don't need negative narrow minded pricks in my life right now, there will be more unfortunately but when I find out, I fuck them off too.

May hit the gym Sunday for a bit of strength training and have set up a weight loss and fitness motivation group on Facebook to help and inspire and be inspired by others

This Week's weigh in and a major decision in my life

Where do i start, was back home in London this weekend for 2 games (Millwall v Leeds and the chance to wind Leeds fans up by saying 'Jimmy Savile is one of your own' and he next day saw North London's finest put on a show for the fans at Wembley), i stuck to the plan 100% and allowed myself a couple of treats and it paid off nicely with a 3lb loss, that's now half my June/July gain lost and right now i'm very happy with this, not only this means i'm back on track but this is also a psychological boost regarding my fight against food addiction, dealing with osteoarthritis and giving me the strength to keep it going no matter what is fired at me.

Did my 2nd Bokwa session last week and it was so much fun, some of the moves i struggled with because of my hip but i gave my all and that's good enough with my instructor, no gym last week but was able to get out and about while i was home in London, hope to get some gym and some Bokwa this week.

On a final note, last week i made the move to propose to my long term girlfriend Jennifer and she said yes straight away, yes i'm getting married and extra incentive to kicking obesity in the bollocks, she helped me get through everything that I went through and I can't wait for the future, right now we are looking at a May/June 2016 wedding

Have a positive filled week everyone

This Weeks weigh in

A 6 day week due to weighing in on Tuesday last week and I lost 1.5lb getting rid of the 1.5lb gain from last week and a brilliant start to August too and I had the future in-laws 50th wedding anniversary sunday just gone and the dessert was too good to resist in the shape of a proper rocky road cake surrounded in Cadbury's chocolate fingers which is normally a food addicts nightmare but I was 100% on plan throughout the week and managed to have just the one bit and an extra bit to take home (Happy 50 years to Mick and Dolores and here's to many more happy years and a happy birthday to my little mate Red).

Back in the gym fully again and it feels great, back to being an IRON ADDICT in the words of powerlifting and bodybuilding icon CT Fletcher (the man is my inspiration, 54 years of age and with a heart defect still works out and in great shape who develops a no excuses attitude) , only do 15 mins of intense cardio and in process of joining a 2nd gym just for pool use as I want to be using the pool 2-3 times a week, Bokwa is on tomorrow evening and buzzing for that.

Will blog again on Friday with plans for the weekend when I'll be in London for the Arsenal v Man City game and seeing friends and have an A1 week

The week so far

The weekend is here and it's pissing down right now, no more weather updates lol but despite the wet weather this weekend I'm having a very good week so far, no evil temptations and my food is 100% spot on, able to shop smart and on budget helps too did some batch cooking (made a spicy tomato soup, bolognese and turkey chilli) and I should get a few lunches and dinners with this, I'm also making sure I'm eating the right foods frequently so I can spike up my metabolism which is important in weight loss.

Back in the gym after a month out and it felt good, only doing 60 minutes per session for now plus a bit in the pool so I don't put a great deal of punishment on my hip, so happy to get my mojo back and is hopeful for a loss this coming Monday, also looking forward to doing Bokwa this coming week, need to keep the feel good factor going and have set goals for August which is the photo of the day, not pressuring myself on the scales but as long as I claw back the 9lb gained since Boney's funeral I'll be happy

Have an A1 weekend everyone

This weeks weigh in, Bokwa and eating healthily on a budget

Weighed in yesterday instead of my normal class on a Monday and I was up 1.5lb and to be fair I was expecting more as I said in the weekend blog that my hip caused me a lot of problems over the weekend which caused me to comfort eat, it wasn't crap that I ate but I was constantly eating and this can easily happen and come Sunday lunchtime I drew the line, I've promised myself that this week that I get back to basics, keep a positive attitude and set a good example for the people I inspire, since Boney's funeral the 1st week in June ive actually piled on 9lb how the fuck can I inspire people when I struggle myself so now it's back to the drawing board, start food prepping again and get back to the gym, my hip right now cannot handle a 5k without using Nordic Sticks and that basically means no treadmill, that's not a bad thing as I can walk to my gym(2.65km) do a little treadmill work and do weights and i'm incorporating Bokwa into my fitness.

On Monday, I participated in a charity Bokwa session with the Slimwithdan slimming world groups in aid of the Marie Keating foundation which fights cancer in Ireland in Finglas, beforehand I watched a few youtube videos on Bokwa and it looked fun. What is Bokwa?  It's a bit like zumba but you move to the alphabet while moving to the music and its high intense, total non stop for 60 minutes and you melt fat doing it, I burned 732 calories in a Bokwa class and I never done it before, most people's excuses not to go to the gym or an exercise class is that it's boring, I can tell you now that Bokwa ain't boring which is why after the session I made the decision to take it up on a regular basis as well as my traditional gym sessions and will be doing it on a Tuesday evening in the Liberties in South Central Dublin and have an option of doing it in Pearse St on a Friday also. You can burn more calories having fun doing Bokwa than spending an hour on the treadmill at 6km/h avg 5% grad and the Bokwa instructors made me and everyone who did the class very welcome and quite a few have decided to take it up.

When it comes to making excuses about not losing weight when they need to, join a weight loss group or incorporate a healthy eating plan is down to money, I did a weeks food shop today of lean protein (canned tuna,turkey, chicken and 98% fat free beef mince), fruit and veg, eggs and greek yoghurt for 35 euros, all on plan and I know what is going into my body now tell me you can't afford to eat right BULLSHIT, if I can eat clean on a budget so can you. Would you rather save money eating cheap processed foods or would you rather keep spending money on medication and doctors fees (it's 50 euros a visit in Ireland) because your nutrition isn't the best

The pic i'm posting was my calorie burn, avg HR and max HR during Bokwa

Another breakdown and tempting to comfort eat

The past few days I've been looking forward to doing my bit to combat the scumbag disease thats riddled friends and family and even managed to borrow a pink Stade Francais jersey off a friend as we were required to wear pink and guess what happens? My hip decides to really play up and in a big way causing me to be awake all through the night and it's become a joke thats gone way too far, I go through this on a daily basis sometimes I can bear the pain and other days I can't handle it at all and last night and today is living proof of the hell i'm going through.

So how does the eating play a part in this? I could easily comfort eat and its very tempting as right now I'm on my own with a needy but adorable dog plus I don't have a great deal of energy to cook a decent meal as I got fuck all sleep.

All I can do is rest and put pressure on Cappagh Hospital and push through for a replacement and I ain't giving up or give up speaking out against the fucked up corrupt system that the Irish health system is and if you don't like what I have to say about the likes of Leo Varadker, James Reilly and the other wankers who thinks it's ok for normal folk to suffer for 2+ years well fuck off , they don't know what I'm going through and the stress I bring to loved ones because I'm suffering with uncontrollable pain and being moody

Update after weigh in Tuesday morning

The week so far and evil cravings

Currently the week is going well and currently having non-Irish type of weather right now which means having to hydrate on a regular basis and having mad urges to eat ice cream normally but I can live without it and I can have the odd one if I fancy and stick to plan. The warm weather can bring out the lazy in me regarding meal prep so the past few days just kept it simple and making chicken or turkey salads for my main evening meal, lots of fresh fruit too, this evening just a spur of the moment I was really craving for a raisin and biscuit yorkie bar maybe because I saw someone eat one on the 41b bus from Drumcondra to the City Centre and it was driving me up the wall, right now I resisted temptation but this could happen again tomorrow and this is one of many fucked up things a food addict has to face on a daily basis, another thing was mentioned today at a mate's s.w class was Secret Eating and i'm definitely guilty of this even know now I have that under control, this is also common in food addiction and eating disorders.

I'm all set for the Pop-Up 5k in Naas on Saturday morning and all for a good cause raising much need dosh to fight a bastard disease and weigh in next week will be on Tuesday morning as I'll be doing charity Bokwa for the dame charity Monday evening, losing weight and getting healthier is enabled me to give something back

Have an A1 weekend everyone

This weeks weigh in, a lucky break and hopes for the week ahead

Back in the real world after a few days in the beautiful island of Inishbofin and visiting my sister and finally got to meet my nephew's wife and it went well and after a week of dirty eating (5 days of fry-ups for breakfast, mountains of bread,1/2 pound burgers with 2 large deep fried onion rings to compliment, enough chips to run a chip shop lol and some mouth watering desserts) i'm only up 2.5lb but I also did plenty of walking (must have covered 40-45km) and that was a lucky break as I was expected to be up as high as 7lb. At the end of the day I cannot expect to be clean eating when I'm on my jollies and i'm fully entitled to eat what I want while I'm away and if people have a problem with that I don't really give a flying fuck, just because I'm fighting addiction doesn't mean I lose my right to enjoy myself when I pay my hard earned money to go away for a few days with Jenny,  I know mentally and physically I can claw it back and more because I want this and no one will stop me from achieving it.

As I said in my last blog that I'll be hoping to do a Pop-Up 5km in Naas on Saturday morning (depending on my hip but as of now I'm definitely up for it) and next Monday I'm doing Bokwa for charity, both are for the Marie Keating foundation on behalf of Slimming World who are always doing charitable things and i'm looking forward to it.

Have an A1 week everyone

My break away so far

Been in Inishbofin Island the past couple of days and for people who don't know where it is, it's an island just off the west coast of Ireland and a favourite destination of Jenny's for a while now, it's the perfect place for someone who just wants to get away from the daily shit and for a remote island there is plenty to do, did a 10km hike yesterday but having to use Nordic Sticks just to ease the hip and since I got back yesterday I've been in a lot of pain and it's upset me because I want to enjoy the experience more but I made the choice of not sitting in my hotel room feeling like shit or sorry for myself, I'm actually enjoying being on here and I can see myself coming here again, the food is good(other than the debacle of last night at the Inishbofin House Hotel where the service wasn't the best), the people are friendly and there is a good vibe in the place and the hotel i'm staying in is one of those places where you actually feel at home (check out the Doonmore Hotel on facebook)

Before I got to Inishbofin I was planning to stay on plan foodwise but it's virtually impossible unless you're renting a house and do self catering so I decided on damage limitation so if I'm up on the scales on Monday, i'll just move on straight away and get back on track.

Before I sign off I'll be doing 1 or 2 events for the Marie Keating foundation on behalf of Slimming World on the 26th and 28th July depending on how my hip is, the event on the 26th is a 5km Pop-Up 5k in Naas and the 28th is a sponsored Bokwa in Finglas (no nasty comments please) and it should be a laugh doing something to fight this scumbag disease.

Have a good weekend

This weeks weigh in and the plan for a few days away

Weighed in at a class in Donnycarney again this week as I'm actually going away for a few days with Jenny (Inishbofin Island) and after 2 weeks of gains i'm down 1.5lb this week and i'm happy with that result, I now have this attitude that any loss regardless if it's a 0.5lb loss or a 6lb loss should be a positive thing and something to be proud of and I wish some people would have the same attitude and when I see people bitch and moan about a 0.5lb loss it does piss me off because there is good folk out there who work their arse off and get their food 100% right who would be grateful for any positive result.

Going on my jollies this week but going off plan foodwise isn't gonna happen because if I was to lose control, I could easily pile on 5-10lb in a week and I worked too fucking hard to lose 115lb to let a week of old eating habits come back and haunt me, I've seen people on Instagram join a weight loss club so they can lose 20lb so they can go loose on their jollies, eat shite and piss it all up the wall and pile the whole lot on and this is actually a dangerous thing to do because to me, going to my class is more of a lifestyle change rather than a diet itself.

I finish off today's blog with the actual name of my blog 'KICKING OBESITY IN THE BOLLOCKS' I named it that because I feel that I am kicking it in the bollocks and a select few have taken offence to it which led me to be removed from a private facebook group because of the name and because of a few begrudgers, good folk in that group will miss out on my story based on honesty and inspiration and I will never change the name just to please one or two, I warn people to expect language and to conclude today's blog I posted a photo of me in the new Arsenal jersey in an X-Large which fits nicely, i started my journey in a 5XL and 3XL football jerseys which is a result to me

Have an A1 week

This weeks weigh in, another breakdown and the future for me with exercise

Weighed in at a class in Donnycarney Monday just gone and the good weekend back home cost me a 3.5lb gain and I accepted that, only a good food prep minimised the damage but at the same time I'm only human and i'm entitled to enjoy an old favourite now and again and I don't regret a single thing as I know I can claw it back and I will do as I never doubt myself and was back on track straight after weigh in.

Did a 5.5km walk last night from home to Donaghmede and back via Darndale Roundabout and my hip gave in again clise to Kilbarrack Fire Station the same place I pulled up in February and I have to seriously think about the way I get my fitness in and I know my hip isn't able for 5km+ walks now but instead of only doing pool work and weights, I will still go walking but restrict to only doing 3km max and my gym workouts will continue but cardio will be 3x 15mins on the treadmill at 5.3km/h with a max of 10% and do full on weights (leg days will only be once a week not twice) and will look into Aqua Aerobics too. I will do the odd trek but only if I feel 100% on the day as I cannot afford to fuck up half way around a trek especially as I could be stranded.

I'm feeling ok mentally and i'm in positive spirits

The weekend, a non scale victory and hopes for tomorrow

Thought I write this as I'm heading back to Dublin from a weekend in London where I got to see 2 of my all time fave bands (Black Sabbath and Soundgarden) in London's Hyde Park and it was a bit of a test when it comes to food as I do go past temptations like Gregg's bakers, traditional pie n mash shops and other places where some of the damage that caused me to have this food addiction, one thing about me going to my slimming class and using social media and what I have learned is doing a complete food prep, this way I'm in total control and I managed to have some form of control while in London but at the gig venue, food prep went totally out of the window as 1. me and jen decided to have a full on lunch before going and 2. The security at Hyde Park were complete and utter bastards, you couldn't even bring a packet of chewing gum or a bottle of water without them confiscating it.

As for eating in the venue itself there was plenty of choices ranging from burgers, Mexican, Indian, pasta, fish and chips and even vegan food and most of the delicious offerings are not on my current plan so I was kind of forced to pull in a flexi-day and had the jalapeño burger, the good side to Friday was I got in plenty of walking and the same as yesterday when me and Jen went to Camden Market and Oxford Street and my hip was playing up so I sat down for a few minutes in Camden Lock and next to me there was a guy eating a Chimichanga (a deep fried burrito that tastes too damn good) and that was so unfair but I remained strong, did go for a Mexican in Chimichangas in North Finchley and I enjoyed it and I think I have done enough to warrant a weight loss tomorrow as my food was 100% throughout during the week, back exercising and got in some good sleep too (to me sleep is just as important as you can burn up to 300 calories an hour according to to the Jawbone Up band which I have, will weigh in at a class in Donnycarney instead as I'm travelling overnight and I want to get some decent rest before and I feel good mentally and physically and I will promise myself that no matter the result tomorrow I will jump off the scales with my head held high.

I finish off with a before and current photo of myself just to show the total progress I have made since December 2012 when I could only get into t-shirts in 5XL and 3XL football jerseys and now I can get into an XL no problem and treated myself to a Heisenberg Heineken shirt yesterday and I feel good in it, there is gonna be obstacles in any weight loss journey but it's totally up to you to rise above them and crush it

A slight change of plan foodwise

While I was in Cappagh Hospital yesterday, the doctor asked me what my normal diet was I was a little shocked that certain staples like acidic fruit, tomatoes, peppers and even potatoes were triggering my inflammation plus red meat (I do love a medium rare steak myself), the new plan is to still have the fruit and veg as it's vitally important regarding my weight loss plan but obviously limit it, as for red meat I'll probably only have a steak once a month  as a treat and when I have a chilli or a bolognese have it with extra lean turkey mince (all my chillies are done with turkey anyway), as for fizz I'll be phasing it out permanently, the main protein source will be chicken, turkey, fish and post-workout musclepharm combat protein shakes

If this helps me regarding pain and i'll be happy to continue, doing this on a 1 month trial and see if there is any improvement, also doing a food journal which all my instagram followers will get to see every evening, you can find me there @beavis420 as I find there is no negativity there unlike facebook (yes facebook can be seriously bitchy and I had to remove many comments and people because of it)

Today's weigh in and todays visit to Cappagh

Weighed in 2 hours later than normal because I had my first appointment at the Muscular Skeletal Clinic in Cappagh Hospital Dublin regarding my bastard hip and the news is that I have osteoarthritis on the right side of my hip which basically means the the joints attached to my hip and thigh bones are this fucked that the bones are touching together causing me pain and that I will definitely need a new hip as soon as I can, the only downside is that because of my age I will need a 2nd replacement in 10-15 years time but I now know what I'm getting myself in for.

Back to weight loss, weighed in and was 0.5lb up and i'm happy with that as I was dealing with constant pain and was expecting the worst so coming off the scale with a positive mindset and i'm ready to kick some fucking ass this week and I will come back from London (gonna see the legendary Black Sabbath original line-up with Ozzy himself) with a loss

Have an A1 week

Dealing with pain and how it can affect weight loss

One of the reasons for me losing weight is because of my arthritis and i'm dealing with constant pain and in recent weeks I've not only been suffering with constant pain but I'm suffering mentally too and that's playing on my weight loss so me highlighting this in my blog and on Social Media is telling people who are in the same boat as me if you are suffering from arthritis or back trouble that you are not alone and there is good people out there who can help and recently when I posted a blog update on a private slimming group on Facebook and one lady went out of her way to send me these little booklets as she is a volunteer for Arthritis Ireland and going through these are very helpful and they actually have courses in how to deal with this bastard condition so in the next few weeks I'm gonna enrol in a pain management course in Dublin, the pain right now has got so bad that I'm currently using a walking stick just to get by but I aim to keep moving, may not be able to do the gym for now but I have to think of what is needed to do but I will still fight my battle with my weight and as long as I'm spot on with my food I should be able to lose weight and I know myself and good people around have total faith in me

A big thank you to Bernie who supplied me with the booklets and anyone dealing with arthritis should look into seeking alternative help as I believe the pain meds I'm taking are not really helping but instead is fucking up my mood swings and I have to think of my loved ones as well especially my dad and Jennifer who are the closest to me

This weeks weigh in and news regarding my hip

Weighed in on Monday at my normal class and definitely back in the game with a 6.5lb loss and a much needed boost to my journey and my mental state especially after the nightmare gain from the week before and me feeling like shit due to the pain caused by the arthritis.

Unable to go to the gym as I pulled up in the gym 5 minutes in to my normal session and it turned out I have a slight torn thigh muscle and only rest is the cure there but I'm determined to remain positive and not turn to food.

Recieved a phone call from Cappagh Hospital monday just gone and have managed to get a call to see a hip specialist which is a huge step for me and this will start the ball rolling and I hope to have a new hip within 6 months, had to go for an x-ray this morning in Kilkenny and I will know the full knowledge of the damage caused by the chronic inflammation caused by arthritis since my last x-ray 18 months ago.

I'm feeling good mentally and physically despite the injury and I hope to get any loss come Monday

What to do in the beautiful warm weather

The past week or so the whole country has been experiencing some decent warm weather and some folk would be thinking of going to a beer garden to have a few beers or setting up a bbq at home and paying a trip to the off-licence to buy cans of beer or other alcoholic beverages and I used to be one of these people until I chose to stamp out alcohol completely (I was no longer enjoying it so it was better for me to become teetotal and that contributed to my weight loss as when I drank, I would eat a ton of crap and recently Slimming World has highlighted the dangers of what alcohol can do to weight loss and the day after).

As Jennifer was off the past week off work and I was planning to hit the gym until she mentioned the Tramline Loop in Howth (a coastal suburb in North East Dublin) and I said yes straight away, it's one of my favourite places to walk and psychologically I needed to do this again (done 3 different loops on 4 occasions) just to get back in the swing of things and it felt pretty damn good afterwards.

For people having bbqs and paying visits to beer gardens for a few bevvies enjoy them as it's the time of year to do that :-) getting active is my buzz and i'll enjoy that

Eating out/Takeaways while doing Slimming World and hope it brings

When someone starts off their slimming world journey and the discussion on how many syns you are allowed (a member gets 15 syns a day to use on treats like chocolate or other naughty treats while I normally use syns on my post-workout musclepharm combat protein shakes or a quest protein bar but have the occasional bar of chocolate or a bag of buffalo flavoured hunky dorys), when it comes to meeting friends for lunch or having a weekend takeaway you are normally limited unless you are willing to overload your syns and that could end up messing up your weight loss but thanks to the power of social media there is help, slimming world members tend to go for the safe option of getting chicken/beef in black bean sauce, boiled rice and a side salad and that would only use up 5 syns but my usual takeaway from the Chinese would use up a possible 2-3 days syns (salt and chilli prawns with chips at 40 syns) so I make my own fakeaway instead, recently Slimming World brought out a cookbook called Fakeaways and you can eat your favourite takeaways made from home and still stay on plan. This was a masterstroke by Slimming World and me and Jennifer has enjoyed some cracking meals from it.

Another problem while keeping to plan is eating out during the day and in the evening and now cafe owners in Ireland have took the initiative and started doing a slimming world friendly menu, I can name 3 cafes right now that do this as the head chefs/owners are members of slimming world, not only it's a good business move for them but it also gives members peace of mind when ordering food knowing they are still on plan and there is more cafes doing this now.

Finishing off with a pic of 2 meals me and Jennifer had this lunchtime courtesy of the Good Food Cafe in Newbridge owned by a girl who attends my own Slimming World class in Athy and has a huge range of Slimming World friendly meals on offer

The day after that horrible weigh in and my plans for the week ahead

After storming out of my slimming world class yesterday in a really fucked off mood, it would have been easy to go for a full on eating binge which is common with food addiction and I was very tempted to do so but I did go out and buy a white chocolate magnum but thats how far it went, did it feel good afterwards? Yes and no it was good to actually eat my fave all time ice cream but I drew the line immediately and I didn't binge at all and I have my beloved Jen to thank for that.

Today I'm gonna try seek pain management from the doctor in order to get this bastard pain in control and do something to control my mood swings because this weekend was the final straw for this, I need to use new ways of stopping me from being cranky and in constant pain but at the same time I'm carrying on with this journey so I can have a better quality of life.

Other than the pain I'm in positive spirits and is looking forward to this week and what it has to offer and I will be hitting the gym regardless of how much pain I'm in as the gym makes me feel good

Thought I end the blog with a before and current pic just to remind me how far I have come and that this ain't no sprint but instead it's a lifestyle change and when I see people get disappointed with 0.5lb or a 1lb loss it pisses me off because to me it's a possible result and it's a step further to your goal and throughout my journey I've had these kind of losses and I've always been happy with the losses

This weeks weigh in and my current struggle with arthritis

I weighed in at a class in Donnycarney today as I was in too much pain to travel on the bus to Athy and today I wish I just took the day off and weighed in tomorrow elsewhere as I was up 4lb and the girl that weighed me in was a bit rude to me saying 'ohh you've put on 4lb' in the tone of voice that in my eyes it's unacceptable, of all the times I weighed in at a slimming world class, the weighers all had dignity and respect for the person who has paid their money to weigh in, I already had a shitty weekend dealing with my hips and the constant pain I'm going through and that makes me feel shitty because I can't do fuck all about it and not even the strongest painkillers can take the pain away from me.

After my facebook status when I said I was raging after weigh in I was inundated with goodwill messages telling me it's gonna be ok and to keep going and that is what I aim to keep doing, I can place a bet with Paddy Power right now on how many begrudging pricks out there laughing at me right now but this is only temporary because I promise each and every one of those fools and the good people that support me that I will fight back and that me storming out of a slimming world class before image therapy which I always stay behind for is a one off

A big special thank you to an inspirational woman for the nice chat this afternoon and you know who you are and look forward to meeting up for coffee next week

The rise of cheap fast food and one politician's quest to stamp it out

The past few months through social media I've been speaking out against the likes of Centra, Eurospar and fast food outlets currently offering cheap lunches and this morning I woke up to a whatsapp message I recieved from my girlfriend regarding an article in this morning's Irish Daily Star which is a breath of fresh air for me as Senator Catherine Noone wants to crack down on these outlets selling fried chicken baguettes for €2.50 and the artery blocking 1250 calorie breakfast rolls for €3 and upping the price of these, these are the same outlets that RIP YOU OFF when it comes to buying healthier options like fresh salads where I believe Centra can charge up to €4 for a salad, the power of Slimming World in Athy has created a huge effect for fast food joints in the town and now some chippies are selling food half price to encourage folk to get takeaways, going back to the the likes of Centra, it seems like schools are not serving up healthier options in school cafeterias which is why kids are going for the fried chicken baguettes and the greasy wedges.

I just hope that Catherine Noone backs up the smack and do something about the ever increasing obesity epidemic thats diseasing Ireland right now and take on the likes of McDonald's, Subway, Centra etc, around 60% of the population are overweight and that includes me but I'm doing something about that, i'll probably always be considered overweight because of the bullshit BMI but as long as I'm healthy, fit and happy the BMI can kiss my East Finchley arse

The week so far

Thought I write a blog today as right now I'm feeling good in myself right now and my motivation is high up right now which is a good thing and I need to keep it going especially now the World Cup is about to start but I have plans in place for the gym so I don't need to miss many games.

Started training for the Great Pink Run at the end of August and thats going well right now and I want to get between 15-20lb down by then.

Ending this blog with a photo I just posted and thanks to Megan who posted it on Instagram and thought of me :-) as an overweight guy I was always looked down like a piece of shit especially by Polish lads who would hog the weights and have no respect or consideration for others and I left one gym because of their pisstaking and spoke out in another gym over this, just because I ain't a bodybuilder it doesn't give them the license to be a selfish, pisstaking, inconsiderate arseholes and that I pay my money to workout and I have the right to use weights, one thing I love about using Parnell's is there is no stigma attached and that I'm respected by others because I'm doing something about improving my quality of life and i'm sometimes surrounded by elite athletes YES I said elite athletes

Enjoy the football and the weekend and good luck to my girlfriend who is doing the Hell and Back race this Saturday

This week's weigh in and the exploitation of quick fix companies preying on the overweight

Weighed in at my regular 3.30 class for the first time in 3 weeks and it was good to be back to a normal routine and Operation 9lb Fuck Off which I called the next 3 weeks of my plan is going nicely with a 5lb loss this week and i'm really happy with that too, and to cap it off I managed to pick up my man of the year award that I should have got 3 weeks ago but couldn't pick up due to being away in London, another award to my collection but to me thesr awards are just a bonus as my main objective is to get the job done and live a normal life.

As you all know social media is a powerful tool when it comes to weight loss and healthy living and there is people who will exploit the vulnerable to make a quick few quid for themselves and i'm mentioning 'Crazy Wraps' 'Secret Diet Drops' 'Herbalife' and 'Juice+' as the main culprits in the bullshit quick fixes who promises results in super fast time, to me it's all a pack of fucking lies and i'm having these twats bugging me on Facebook and recently Instagram and I decided to speak out when a friend who I met on Facebook who has lost 12st (168lb) on the slimming world plan (in my eyes the safest weight loss plan out there as you eat proper food on this and some opportunistic scumbag selling Juice+ stole her before and current photo and added a smoothie and these jokers will use any dirty tactic to promote their product.

If you want to lose weight safely, the only way to do it is to eat right and get active

Have a good week

Visiting my old gym and my hopes come weigh-in

I always enjoyed working out in the K-Leisure in Athy and I do miss the place so when I get an opportunity to workout there I jump at it and I always seem to have a monster session when I go there. I have a new way of working out and it seems to work well for me

Will get in another session tomorrow and it's the evil leg day back in Parnell's GAA club in Coolock and then going out for dinner with the gf tomorrow evening and I normally make good choices and i'm hoping to pull back some of that 9lb gain on Monday and even if it's only a 0.5lb loss I'm happy

Enjoy the weekend ������

Visiting my old gym and my hopes come weigh-in

I always enjoyed working out in the K-Leisure in Athy and I do miss the place so when I get an opportunity to workout there I jump at it and I always seem to have a monster session when I go there. I have a new way of working out and it seems to work well for me

Will get in another session tomorrow and it's the evil leg day back in Parnell's GAA club in Coolock and then going out for dinner with the gf tomorrow evening and I normally make good choices and i'm hoping to pull back some of that 9lb gain on Monday and even if it's only a 0.5lb loss I'm happy

Enjoy the weekend ������

This weeks weigh in and relapsing

This happened to be the worst week I had since rejoining slimming world as my normal positive attitude and resisting temptation went out of the window and my food demons came back with a big fucking bang and I paid for it big time with a 9lb gain, there's no excuses why this happened and I have only myself to blame for this and now it's up to me on how I approach this week. I may have had a lot on my plate but I also need to watch what passes through my lips and not let these bastard demons get the better of me.

Today's blog is a brutally honest account on how food addiction plays with your head and the consequences it could have, yet there is arseholes who think they have the license to insult and poke fun of people who are overweight or battling food addiction but they probably only do it as they have either a small cock and need an ego lift or just plain ignorant.

I will tackle this gain and hope to get a big chunk of it down and being back home with the gf will help too, have a good week everyone

This weeks weigh in and the horrible attitudes towards obesity

Had an early morning weigh-in today in Palmers Green (a suburb in North London) and I maintained (stayed the same) which is still positive but I could have got a better result especially as I put in a mammoth effort but I'll use this week to get that good loss I'm craving for just to kickstart it again and I'll be back at my normal class next week when I return to Ireland directly after Boney's funeral which is on Monday in Worthing.

The past 3 days I've seen a disgusting attitudes towards obesity in social media and I really can't understand why people think obesity and food addictions can be funny and I pulled one arsehole on facebook over a tasteless pic and his attitude was 'fat people are disgusting and that only lazy cunts and slobs go to weight watchers, slimming world and other clubs' and this angered me because I battle through pain physically and emotionally to lose what I have done so far so I blocked the loser along with the melt that was tagged. And after watching the US version of Obese A Year to Save My Life and a 35st guy losing his battle with food addiction and the damage it was doing to his young family I decided to challenge people on Facebook if you find this funny delete me, I did the same thing 6 months ago and 2 people did delete me and one of them is a coke head loser with no self respect, heard from a 3rd party a few months ago that 2 lads was talking behind my back saying I'm wasted going to Slimming World and that only women and queers go to weight loss clubs and if I was a real man I'd instead get hammered and have a bunk up with a brass afterwards well for those narrow minded fools, Slimming World is for everyone who needs it's service and I feel very welcome when I attend my class

Rant over and lets get the loss I want next week

This week's weigh in and 24 hour gyms

Weighed in at a class in Enfield as i always do if i am back home in North London and the chance to show Charlene (the consultant in Enfield and does 2 other areas in NE London) and the Boleyn gang my current progress and i didn't let them down and lost 1lb this week grabbing back the gain from last week and those small losses are a great pick up especially at this part of the journey.

I'm able to continue my normal routine thanks to the rise of 24 hour chain of gyms like PureGym and The Gym Group and that you can buy either a 1,3,7 or a 30 day pass if you are visiting or not able to tie down to a contract and i can workout anytime i want. The PureGym in Enfield has a normal gym with cardio, free weights, machines and also a CrossFit box with Rip60.

Stocked up on protein this week too and went with MusclePharm again as i managed to get a tub of banana cream and it tastes so much better than a McDonalds milkshake without the chemicals,sugar and other worthless ingredients.

Off to the gym now

A setback regarding my pending hip replacement and my plans for the next 2 weeks

As you probably know one of the reasons I'm kicking obesity in the bollocks is that I need a hip replacement on the right side thanks to arthritis and i'm been on the list for 20 months now, recently switched hospitals due to me moving to Dublin but then I found the attitude and antics of Cappagh Hospital a total disgrace, 1st they claimed they wrote to me and rang me on numerous occasions and then decided to discharge me and that I had to return to my GP in which I did and to my GP's credit he worked hard in trying to sort it out and sent emails to Cappagh and I did the same only to be told that the surgeon getting his messenger to say I don't fit into his criteria to warrant urgent assistance well I bet if I was some rich slag or one of those filthy low life heroin infested scum I would get seen, to add insult to injury Mr Connolly's lapdog (Mr Connolly is the melt that thinks I don't need urgent assistance) suggested I go private if I really need to get it sorted and I told her one thing I don't have 6 grand plus to burn in my pocket and don't insult my intelligence.

This is one of many cases of a corrupt messed up state Ireland is and when you have a lazy, lying snake of a health minister running the health service where  junkies get everything handed to them and unless you're rich or have health insurance, the normal Joe Public gets screwed

On a good note, i'll use this to drive me forward and tell the likes of James Reilly and Mr Connolly and his cronies that their sort won't beat me, yeah I'm in constant pain but I have something these prawn sandwich twats don't have and that I have the heart to succeed.

In London for a couple of weeks for tomorrow FA Cup Final as my beloved Arsenal are in it and then Boney's funeral and give him a good ol Millwall send off, will be weighing in as I always do and going to the gym as I did pack my pre-trainer and protein in my case

Have an A1 weekend all

Weigh In

Went to my regular class today at the GAA club in Athy and was up 1lb but instead of moaning and bitching about it, I'm instead using this as motivation to get my arse in top gear and kick some fucking arse, the next 2 weigh ins will be in Enfield and Palmers Green in London, I have the privilege of carrying an Irish and a UK card so I don't have to use up any holidays (I will use them the moment I get a date for my hip replacement but thats down to Cappagh and it's inept admin/surgeon staff to do the right thing and yes I am frustrated in their attitude towards me)

I hope to lose at least 2lb next week and will be good to weigh in with Charlene again

The Darkness Into Light walk and a Pre-weigh in

As I mentioned in an older blog I participated in the Darkness Into Light 5k in Malahide Castle in aid of Pieta House that helps people dealing with suicide, self-harm and mental health issues and I believe not enough is done to combat this

It was chaos at the event and the actual walk was delayed 20 mins due to traffic coming into Malahide Castle itself but it was a superb turnout even know I thought parts of the course was either too narrow or dangerous due to rain on Friday, did the walk in just over an hour but this wasn't about smashing PB's, this was supporting people affected by suicide and other things affected by mental health issues and I will be doing this again next year, it also hits you for 6 when I saw people doing the walk with photos of loved ones who decided to end their own lives

Back to normal, I weigh in at my usual class at the Athy GAA club this afternoon and feeling confident despite a 5 day week and any result this week will be dedicated to a good friend who lost his fight against the scumbag disease otherwise known as cancer RIP Keith Bone gone but never forgotten

The week so far and tomorrow's Darkness Into Light 5k

A short week this week but things are going nicely food wise so far and not even been craving chocolate or cake or the usual shit that lead to me being morbidly obese so I'm delighted with that, getting my sweet hit from fruit and a quest protein bar I got from a sports nutrition shop in Clontarf and today has been clean so far also with porridge with a scoop of PhD diet whey strawberry protein and fruit for breakfast, pasta salad and a bag of beef jerky for lunch and this evening a friday night fakeaway of extra lean burgers, salad and a gluten free wrap and finish off with some fruit.

In just over 9 hours from now, I will be participating in the Darkness Into Light 5k walk for Suicide Awareness in Malahide Castle which has become a yearly event all across Ireland, I'm very much looking forward to this and my 2nd major 5/10k this year after the Great Ireland Run a month ago, I maybe doing a trek Sunday but won't know until tomorrow

No cheat meals this weekend as I normally weigh in on a Monday

This weeks weigh in

A positive and well planned week has well and truly paid off with a 4lb loss(I did put on the same amount last week) taking my loss to 119.5lb (8st 7.5lb)

Had set my May goals on my instagram account last week to lose at least 7lb this month and definitely on my way to achieving this goal, have the Darkness Into Light walk this Saturday morning and i'm ready to do this, just have to make sure I'm up early to do this as it starts at 4.15am

Belated weigh in

I normally weigh in on 3.30 on Mondays at the GAA Club in Athy(earlier as I do social team) but only returned from London this morning and instead of wasting a holiday (I have not used a single week off since re-joining and even weighed in at a class in London) I'll be weighing in a class in Baldoyle which is a suburb in North East Dublin (I live 2.8km away in Coolock)

I think I did enough to warrant a loss and no matter the outcome I just keep positive and carry on the good fight

Today's temptation and going to the gym on a Saturday evening

Where do I start, had a busy day and lucky I was able to food prep making sure breakfast was eaten with porridge and fruit and I made sure I had fruit around me so I wasn't tempted to pop into a sweet shop and buy shite and it can easily happen, but I managed to stay strong today, will have the same temptation tomorrow as I'll be at the Arsenal v West Brom game but will food prep again in the morning, did enjoy a nice dinner of venison, baked potato, salad and stirfry veg which was high in protein, very little fat and perfect for the gym

Being in London this week has enabled me to go to a local 24hr gym and no excuses to get a workout in, got in 45 minutes of cardio on the treadmill at 5.5km/h 8% gradient then a couple of CrossFit exercises before doing chest and abs

Will hit the gym again tomorrow evening after the football

My accomplishments and fitness plans

I was always sporty as a kid as I loved to play the odd game of football and played Sunday League for 2 years, was good at cricket but my weight always kept me back and played American Football competitively for 2 years before work commitments kicked in

The day after I re-joined slimming world I joined a gym and my first day back was pure torture and only managed to walk 4km/h at 3% and only lasted 15 minutes at a time and I was fucked after these sessions then a chance conversation with a lad in the changing rooms totally changed the way I go about exercise and this is when I added whey protein to my nutrition plan.

I was reaping the benefits of taking protein as I wasn't craving shit after workouts, my muscle recovery was going according to plan and as I was losing weight, I was upping the speed and gradients on the treadmill, slightly increasing weight and able to walk 5km on the roads

Changed gym 4 months in because of a gang of Polish bodybuilders were using the gym to peddle juice and were bullying schoolkids into taking that muck, I was improving and then I decided to do a challenge, one that I failed to complete 12 months before due to my heart rate hitting 160 and was advised to end it 2/3 up Mt Leinster but this time I was determined to complete it and the 2nd time I did in scorching heat, this was the start of a new love in hiking and I have since done the Frogs Loop in Howth (10.2km) the Tramline Loop in Howth (8km) the Tramline walk in Howth (10.8km) and the Malahide Estuary to Portrane hike(11km)  plus I did my 1st competitive 10km in Dublin 3 weeks ago in just over 2 hours which is good going for someone with arthritis and in need of a hip replacement

Recently signed up for the Darkness Into Light walk in Malahide Castle next week for suicide awareness, it's a 5km walk starting at 4.15am yes 4.15am and doing this with my girlfriend Jennifer, her sister and niece and that will be fun

An Introduction, my current story and my plans for the future

Hello and welcome to a new project of mine as I've now decided to do a regular journal on my journey to beat obesity, get fit and inspire others who like me are battling with weight and food addictions.

I'm a 42yo male from Finchley which is a suburb of North London but now reside in Coolock North Dublin, raised there by Irish parents and despite being sporty as a kid I always battled with weight but then I didn't really give a shit and when I got older and started earning my own money, it was easier for me to buy junk and the beers were flowing in and alcohol lead to fast food etc, not ashamed to say this as I've been a yo-yo dieter most of my adult life and the biggest kick up the arse was slipping on ice at 1am in the morning and not being able to pick myself up and it was 2 lads who were on the piss all evening that picked me up and that was embarrassing, this was over 5 years ago and joined a local weight watchers class (didn't think Slimming World was in Ireland then), much to my embarrassment the scales couldn't read my weight so basically had to go to head office in Swords Co Dublin (then a 2 hour trip from where I was and I then ended up living there for 7 months) and nearly had a heart attack when I knew my exact starting weight, it actually worked for me as I did lose 158lb on it until they changed the whole system and I struggled with it plus I went through a nasty break-up with an ex at the same time so I gave it up for a while.

I then seeing posts from a guy on Facebook calling himself Diet Geezer who was doing slimming world and I thought I look into it and lucky enough there was a class in Kilkenny city so I joined that and see if I can finish the job I started and it was a struggle for me for a long time, must have re-joined 3 or 4 times and another brutal kick up the arse for me was in late October 2012 I was told I had arthritis on my right side of my hip and from then until xmas 2012 I felt sorry for myself and piled on 2st but I said to myself on Boxing day 2012 that I was gonna go back to Slimming World and this time do it properly with a no excuses attitude, join a gym and kick some fucking arse, I will continue the story in other blogs and will sometimes post a food and fitness diary just to let people know how I go about my daily struggle

If I can do this so can you