June update

I have not been great posting on here of late, but have been increasing my exercise steadily nevertheless.

Last month I ran over 70k and cycled over 60 miles. So far this month I have ran over 30k and cycled over 20 miles.

My target is to cross the 80k running mark by the 30th June. I will be running 18k on the 29th.

I still need to start press ups and sit ups. Anyone suggest how I can get over my block on the boredom of doing these everyday?

Paul

Simon's update - May and June

Am kick-starting this blog.  Unless we are setting ourselves targets and assessing progress, then your exercise regime is pretty pointless.  Going for a run every now and then is not going to get you in shape.  

Therefore, my aims for the 11th July (3.5 weeks leading up to the stag weekend):

1 - have completed a timed 15km run on 29 June, which will act as a standard to improve upon by the end of July.  Everyone else should aim to do one (as agreed) before the end of June.

2 - have completed 10 sessions in the gym, building my strength in chest, abs, upper and lower back, shoulders, squat strength, biceps and triceps.

3 - run at least 60km over the 3.5 weeks.

4 - manage to complete the monkey bars which are in Primrose Hill park. So far am not able to do this.  If anyone wants to join me, I will be doing this after the run on 29th.  If you have not tried the monkey bars since you were a child, you may be in for a shock (I was).  They are very very difficult to do.  

I am going to update this on the morning of the 11th.  Please can everyone else also set their targets for the next three weeks.  Need not be the same as above.

Diet

My diet is a lot better.  Much less junk food.  No beers during the week.  Less portion sizes.  This has had a good effect on my weight (now under 95kg) and overall physique.  Also helping with the monkey bar challenge (see above).  My next step to alter my diet is to get some protein powder.  Can anyone recommend a good online retailer for this?

I am going to get back to emailing a link to this blog out every Monday, whether I have had a chance to update it personally or not.

Simon

Chris' No Regrets Holiday Setback...

I'm not sure anyone is looking at this blog anymore but I figure it can be a record of my own fitness attempts if nothing else.

So, after 3 months of training  and just under 2 months of a considered diet I finally made it to our holiday in Croatia - two weeks of eating what I want, drinking what I want and exercising infrequently (and none too hard). And boy did I. Some days were literally spent by the sea reading eating a two course breakfast, two course lunch and then a three course dinner - with alcohol throughout the day often. It was great!

The result? Devastating. I've regained just under 5% body fat (main culprits being 6cm at my waist and 4 cm around my arms). It's worth saying that this is despite a couple of (albiet short) runs, and 300 sit-ups and 100 press-ups on each of days 3-7 of the holiday.

The remedy? Hard training and a fast track back to the diet. PT session yesterday, hard gym session this morning, running club tomorrow, gym session Thurs and PT session Friday - then football on Sunday. All of this every week until 12 July - with my last blog's target still in mind. Well, that's the aim anyway. Let's see how things go.