2023 is about health for me. I'm determined to be as healthy as I can be.
Situation Report
As of the 7th of January, I was 5'10" or 173 cm tall. I weighed 128.6 kg, which is 284lbs or 20 stone, 4 pounds. BMI is 43. The NHS website suggests I should weigh between 55 and 75 kg.
I'm all for getting healthy and slimmer, but the NHS can do one. 55kg? Dream on. I'm targeting double figures, 99.9 would do.
There. It's written down. I'll have to do it now.
Old fashioned fellow that I am, I like to keep it simple. Burn more calories than I take in, and the weight will go down.
Intake
I've signed up for Noom which has asked some questions and calculated daily calorie targets for me. I weigh in daily, and log everything that I eat. The app aims to educate and encourage too. It's nice having a personal cheerleader in my pocket.
We use a service called Recipebox who deliver us fresh ingredients and instructions for our evening meal. They also calculate the calorific value of each meal.
For lunch, Mrs L and I both have a Huel shake, worth 400 kcal. I'm teaching myself to eat a small breakfast too.
A key element on the intake side is the fact that I no longer drink alcohol. Funnily enough, the benefit of a salad is somewhat undermined if its accompanied by a bottle of wine. Who knew?
Burn
I've switched golf clubs, moving back to a course that I can walk. My watch credits me 1,800 kcal for this morning's round, which is not dissimilar from the sum of today's intake.
Dog walking is complex at the moment. Dog number one is off-games, dog number two is game for anything and dog number three still runs a mile from me whether I'm carrying a lead or not. I'm getting some sort of walk in most days, particularly non-golf ones.
It's too cold for swimming at the moment, even for me, but I'll get started in April.
Progress Report
On the 7th of February, weight was down 125.4. A decent enough start. The recent change of golf course will build on that.
Findings.
Noom.
It costs. The price per month varies on the length of your commitment, but it's not cheap. What does it provide?
- Discipline. The old cliché is "if you can't measure it, you can't manage it" and it's true. Accurately entering food into the app is a bit of a chore at first, but gets easier. Having to log everything has another benefit - it discourages me from me casually grazing.
- Helpful tips. Each morning I log my weight and then read five minutes of useful information.
- A plan. The app has mapped out a weight-loss timetable, keeping me focused on the goal.
Huel
Human Fuel. Plant-based meal replacement powder. It's convenient for Mrs L to take one to work, and having one prepared prevents me lingering in the kitchen.
- Tastes good.
- Fills me up. We use the"Black Edition", lower in carbs and higher in protein.
Even with delivery charges, the per meal cost is reasonable. Importantly, I'm not hanging out in the kitchen "preparing lunch" which can often be a euphemism for "eating the larder" in my case. I grab my shake, drink it and get back to work.
I'm back on Camino in October, and I'll be 99kg by then. I won't bore you with weekly diet updates, but I'll keep you in the picture.
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