My declared priority this year is health. In terms of weight-loss, things started well through January and February, with 10kg, or 22 lbs disappearing. Early March I had my first brush with Covid, which put me on my backside. By the middle of the month, I’d regained a kilo and a half. I managed to knock that back off, but progress is slow. I’m languishing on the dreaded plateau. It seems whatever I eat, however much I exercise, the scales stay stubbornly static. The trick of course is to keep calm and carry on, and I’ll endeavour to do that. Damn it’s frustrating though.

Walking golf makes a huge difference. That 1.5 weight gain came during a two week absence from the course. We’re having a spring this year, after a couple of years where winter became summer overnight. In the cool temperatures, I’ve been carrying my bag, by far my favourite mode of play. As it gets hotter, I’ll revert to an electric trolley to bear the weight of the clubs, but for the moment, I’m marching around with a pack on my back. On non-golf days, I’m getting the hounds out for a hike, which they love as much as I do. I’m visibly fitter, and the visuals are backed up by the data collected by my Apple Watch.

April the 6th, I had an exploratory dip in the pool. Brrrr…that got the heart started. I’ll gradually build a habit. Through the summer, walks will get shorter and swims longer.

Turn of the year, my 44 inch waist shorts were, well, on the snug side. Now they’re in the “big” wardrobe and 42 is now a little loose. XXL shirts are in the wardrobe, with XLs both old and new in service.

Writing that last paragraph has cheered me up. I’m determined to get the waist measurement beginning with a 3 and the shirt size down to L, and I guess we could say I’m half way there. Hoo-Ha!

Downstairs hangs a relic of my Rockabilly days, a leather perfecto that I bought in 1986. I’m not sure what size it is - but I’m going to need to drop a shed load of weight to get that bad-boy back on. Surely I couldn’t get down to my 1986 weight. Could I?

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