The Results Are In

So I thought I would be writing this much sooner than this.

It amazes me how you can get caught up with life and how the days fly by.

It was my intention to do a weight in on the 14th of Feb and that day has come and gone!

Not to worry as my lose as in body weight lose is a subjective thing.
My focus has always been on getting to optimal health not hitting a number.
 The numbers for me will only ever be just that, just a number.
It does not defined me or define my potential.

Tomorrow we are off to south Australia to visit some dear friends and I thought I  would get this done and put it out there before we go.

OK so here we go.

For those that don't remember  my start weight 20.01.2014...........................165.9Kg

 

Weight as of 22.02.2014.............................. 147.2Kg

    Wow 18.7Kg in just over a month!

After stepping off the scales I really did not know what to say, think.
I have not been that low since um.......... well I don't remember so it must have been ages.so happy right now :)

Taking Jane to Karate!

Well today has been a long time coming.

Last year I committed to taking Jane my niece to Karate.
I have been thinking of going back as I did love it and I can't remeber why I left.  I guess it must have been when I left Tassie.

Grandpa Pete's started taking Jane to Karate when she visited Hobart and his hope was that she would continue a family tradition.

It has been some time since I have been in a Dojo but like most things in life some lessens learn t are not forgotten so quickly. I surprised myself with what I had retained.

After arriving there for a 9.30am start I new I was in for a killer session, so the day arrives and it had to be in the middle of the hottest week ever.

9.30am start and it was already 35 degs.
So the session starts and all is going well, remebering lots from my past. It was great to not feel compleatly out of place.

Jane was doing well and before we new it we had done half the class.
So Jane turns to me and in her loudest voice and asks

" Uncle Matt why are you sweating so much"

trying my hardest not to clasp my hand over her mouth I said while everyone was turning towards us to hear my response. So what could I say but the truth

 "sweetie I'm old and fat" the room breaks into a giggle.

After a few seconds of studying what I said, I could see her mind ticking over with the next question.
Then out it came with as must gusto as the first statement.

"So is the why you look like you have just got out of the shower"

more giggles

"yes sweetie when you are over weight its harder to do things but I am try to get fit and that's why I am here with you"

Then I see she has another question or statement to add.
Then she said this

"OK so I will help you until you don't sweat any more uncle Matt and your not old.......... well sort of"
Too cute!

How about this heat!

So this week is from hell!
For those that know me, heat, hot weather does not mix well with me.
It is very hard to working in, and even hard to workout in.
But I think my routine of talking my walk later at night, around 9pm has work really well.
As a Tassie boy I can take a hot day or two but weeks, wow no way.

Has been to long!

It has been some time since I have had a chance to write here.
There has simply been so much going on.
I have been on track with plans and could not be happier.
There has been so much going on in my life with work, family and so much more but the good news is still on track and loving what I'm doing.
I have been keeping up with my gym and also walking 6 to 7 km 6 days a week, this is about an hour walk.
This has had a really big effect on many things, the scale result are great but I'm waiting until Feb 14th for my first scale results that I will publish.
This will be one month since starting this journey and for me I think this is going to be a long term plan.
I am not looking to break any records or gauge myself against any body else results. This is my journey and what i achieve is what I achieve.
I will be happy no matter what my results.
I can feel already feel the changes in me and not only physically.
I have gained so much more!
Special Mention to the Dub Nutrition system, really making this journey so much easier.

Weekend

To say that I am a bit weary of the weekend is an understatement.
So much free time.
Going out and catching up with family and friends and keeping to within my food plan has very good odds to crumbling.
Happy to say that because I'm not doing some crazy diet that keeps me on the edge of starvation, I have done well today.
Also being a long weekend adds another day to keep on track.
It seems so much easier to keep on track thru the working week. There is a lot of structure to the working week with defined breaks and set schedules but not so for weekends which is good it helps you relax by breaking up the routine.

I was contemplating if I should break routine and not train on Monday. My personal trainer Marco said that he would be happy to come in but was up to me.
After thinking about it I decided that I was not going to break my plan, I was going to stick with what I had committed to myself.

So happy with my progress so fare.
A questio that I was only ask now was how often are you going to publish yourweights readings.
I have done lots of weight lose program and they are telling me to check the scales on a dalily basis, and I see no point in doing that and from the study I have done it seems that a good time frame would be every 14 days.
So I am looking to have my first weight next Sunday 2nd Feb.
As this is going to be a slow and steady transformation I'm expecting a modest figure. As the actual goal is not to lose weight. It is to lose body fat and increase lean muscle.
So by saying that I am not expecting huge numbers as if all is going to plan I should be adding muscle from my weight training and in turn that muscle will help me burn body fat.

I think that is were most people go wrong and lose heart when they check the scales to much and dont get there head around that this is a long term plan.
This is a plan of small increments and I know it is hard to think that fare ahead and not lose heart as I have been one of those people!

Thanks for reading

New Shoes Jenny!

Well Leg day has arrived and had a great workout with Marco PT.
For those that don't know what I mean its simple.
Mondays at the gym I do weights and I do my chest, Wednesday is back and shoulders and Friday is Legs.
I am very strategic in my planning of my weeks exercises as I would not want to do Legs Monday only to not be able to walk Tuesday work day.
It's not that I can't walk or function but its a hard feeling to describe really.

DOMS or delayed onset muscle soreness is moderate muscle pain that is felt 12 to 24 hours after exercise.

It's a common symptom following taking up a new exercise routine or after increasing the intensity or duration of your exercise program. DOMS is the result of new stress on muscle tissue that's not used to being exerted in a certain way. 

DOMS is thought to be caused by microscopic tears in the muscle fibers, which arise when we push our bodies harder than they're accustomed to. The inflammation that also accompanies these tears also contributes to the increased soreness and stiffness.

DOMS can affect anyone regardless of their fitness levels. Any new form of exercise that leads to muscles stiffness is simply a sign that your body is adapting to the new strain.

So being that this is the first session I have had for a long time I'm expecting to feel the pain but it's a good pain, it's my friend in away. Lets me know that what I did was pushing my boundary's and there for it was a good workout.

I am also looking forward to see how my supplementation helps this factor. As It has been great with the other work outs. It does not eliminate the DOMS but lessens the intensity and duration.

Been that my legs are my biggest muscles I should expect to feel quiet alot and be in for a ride, but I will wait and see. I have been pleasantly surprised with the recovery for the other two workouts.

I felt so good at the end of the day I went for another walk to loosen up the leg before bed. 
Another 8km night.

As of next week Im going to start timing my self around the track I have made in and around my estate.

Time taken to do my course helps me see alot of things, energy levels, stamina and by tracking them I can see what effect my times, food, work load of the working week and so forth.

Also what helped me today was I got myself some new shoes and to say they made a difference was the
understatement of the year.

Nothing but fantastic, my old ones were really holding me back. Only thing was the price.

You see when I go into a store, no matter what I am looking for I am driven by one factor and one factor only.

Do you have my size!
You see when I went to go buy this new pair I went to a store that specializes in sports shoes.
Now the first comment from the assist was "OK lets see what shoe you need for your particular foot".
My first comment was " well lets forget the shoe technology and lets start with do you have size 14US and if you do then lets discuss on each shoe there merits and functions".

I have had many years of training in stopping shop assistant's in there tracks. I see no point in going thru all the great point of a product if you don't have it in my size.
The shop assistant said she had never done it that way but would do ask I asked.

She soon found out that my way was the best way as there were only three shoe in that size.
and after trying all found only one was a fit, lucky for me it also had the requirements for my specific foot type.which is crazy as I normally have to take what I can get. My lucky day I guess.

So I have new shoes, but still not sure how a shoe can cost that much.
I asked as to how long the warranty was and would they last a year with 3 to 4 times a week use.
I got a really dumb founded look on the girls face which told me no.
Well I guess I will see how long it takes to wear them out.

another good day, this journey is enjoyable. Not what I expected.
If you have any questions please ask away.
Thanks for reading. 

oh no tommorow!

Walking up a storm

Hi all, well things have been traveling great and best of all I am feeling fine.

I am shocked at the recovery times after my workouts. My supplements are doing there job great.

I have been taking long walks at night working my self up to a point were i can do a jog or a intermittent walk/jog situation but taking it easy for the first week or so, see how I pull up.
The walks are good in so many ways, gets me out and thinking of the day and week to come.
Quiet a therapeutic solution.My old runners have had there day I think, lots of rolling not so much support. Time for a n up grade me thinks.
With nothing else at me like TV or other out side influences it's great time to process, clears the mind.

Who new exercise was were I would find my universal oneness haha
to find ones self you need to lose ones self

Well that's me for today, bed time nite all and thanks for reading.

Thank You

Well Since releasing to the world that I'm doing this journey I have had some truly wonderful and very welcomed support.
To all those that messaged with words of support I thank you, It means alot.
I was surprised as to how many people where interested in this little thin I'm doing but I guess I get surprised alot these days how powerful social Media can be.
I mean some times I wonder if anything I say is truly looked at on face book. But I guess it comes down to how good the content of that message put out.

Also I found so many people wanted to know and asked lots of questions and since there were so many and that I think it will be good to share with everyone I will answer them in this blog.

OK so first question was

" when starting this do you have and end weight or goal"

Short answer is yes I have a goal in mind but it's a bit vague and not an exact figure. You see I have asked the question to many professionals and found there answer all to be very different. Take my GP for example, he put my stats into his BMI program that came out with a healthy wait range of 78 to 85 Kg. Now for those that know me well and have seen me, you would know that my bones alone would weight that much.
Even my GP looked at me and said "um i think you could do with a little bit more on that as you have a big frame" so 110Kg's was what he guessed would be around that right mark. My personal trainer Marco said around the same when I worked out with him a while ago.
So the number I'm going for is around the 110Kg mark. I am guessing I will know what feels and looks right when I get there.
I really have not thought about a goal or a set time frame as I really don't know how long it will take or even what the best and safest weight loss schedule would be. There is alot of information out there saying what weight you should be but not so much on the optimal time frame to do it in.
I mean take for example the biggest loser progam. they aim for huge numbers in a very quick time frame but I'm not so sure that is best. Each to there own I guess.

Next question

"What made me put my soul on a page and expose my self so deeply"

OK I understand that for many doing what I have done would possible be that scariest thing ever.
Letting the whole world know some of the most personal details of you life.
I guess I did it for a few reasons, one would be to give my self no escape route. Meaning that by telling as many people as possible about my journey I would put myself in a position of accountability but also in a position to get the most support and for a journey like this the more help the merrier.

Also I thought that it would be selfish to accomplish something and not share, as what if my words, my goal reaching could or would help someone else rethink there life and maybe take the same steps as me. I'm not saying that someone should expose them self quiet like I have but take from it what they needed to do the best for them.
As my journey came form hearing of a friends battle and accomplishments.

"Do you need a personal trainer or is that part of your program" 

For me the reason I have chosen to use a personal trainer is to fill a specific roll to use a personal trainer at this time. I am only using my trainer for three weeks. I am using his skills to help me start a plan and to get myself in good form while training. As I have said before poor form while do exercises is a dangerous venture. On a ongoing basis I will check in and maybe have one off sessions but my plan is to become self sufficient in the training department.
The other thing to remember is that depending on your personal constitution you may need to have a driving force to help you and to make you reach your goals. For me I am good at self governing and I get my driving forces from within.
Plus if you can afford a personal trainer full time you have way to much cash.

"Are you going to show a before and after photos or progressive shots"

Short answer is yes I do intend to do before and after shots. Also I was thinking of doing progressive shots but I want to have a bit of fun with it.
If any of you are photographers out there I would like to discuss a fun project but I'm not sure how to do it.
To say that I am less than thrilled to put these pictures out there is an understatement but I think it necessary for this to continue to be a no hold's barred look into my journey and the pictures are a big part of it.

" Are you doing a calories count or doing a point system"

No, No points and I'm not crunching the numbers as to how may calories I am taking in.
What I am doing is not what I consider to be a diet. I'm changing the way I eat as well as what I'm eating.
I have been on many so called diets where I am starving reaching for anything to fill the void.
I have got some direction from the system I'm on but really it's just a change in perception of food.

It's not changing one thing its changing a few, not changing or focusing on only one thing drastically and not even looking at the other areas of my life.
More of a life style change if you will.

"Why are you taking supplements and what are you using and why"

My supplements, well I am using a supplement plan that was recommended to me by a friend that they have used for some time now and found it assisted in the progress to optimal health.
What it is not! It is not a fat loss wonder pill, meal replacement, shake, lemon drink or any thing in the normal weight loss world. I guess I would describe it like this.

My supplements can be broken down to 2 types of supplements

Protein

This supplements is a collagen protein, the protein helps me with my recovery after workouts, to protect my heart and connective tissues, promote lean tissue growth, and to protect my joints
It also has weight management properties perfect for fat loss and will help to speed up the metabolic function of the body also promotes healthy blood sugar levels, feeds the muscle and burns the fat!
Most importantly, it helps with craving control that's a big plus there!
Other things to consider is the anti aging properties is a great product for your skin. Hydrolyzed collagen helps thicken the skin, strengthen arterial walls, and rebuild cartilage

Multi-vitamin

I have three different types I take which all work in injunction with each other but all have very specific jobs.

The first I called burner, It help me with five key factors to losing weight safely and happily: appetite control, mental alertness, fat oxidation, athletic performance, and water balance.
Now I'm not going to go into great detail as I know I can go on a bit so, if you want to know more ask if not sit back and see how it helps me over time.

The Second is called Muscle,  firstly and most importantly this protect my existing muscle tissue, and secondly to create an optimum environment for the addition of new muscle tissue.
Through proven ingredients like milk thistle, beta alanine, acai, and vitamins B6 and C.
Once again  there alot in this and happy to tell you more if you want to know.

Third is call Youth,  it helps with four key anti-aging factors: mental alertness, anti-inflammation, anti-oxidant support, and organ support.
Include things such as Acai, Resveratrol, Curcumin, Vitamins A, C, D, E, B12, and Alpha-lipoic-acid to help the body combat the effects of aging.
By keeping your body and organs healthy and free from inflammation you not only increase my quality of life but you also add years to my life expectancy. Which is a good thing!


Well I had a few more questions but these were the best and I did not really want to go to over loading with info.
I want to keep you coming back not put you to sleep :)
thanks for reading.

Feeling the pain

Well I new it was on its way after having such a great gym session yesterday, soreness is in the house.

But really it is quiet mild compared to other times I have gone to the gym.
I guess the supplements are doing there job in helping me recover quickly for DOMS ( delayed onset muscle soreness )

Today has gone really well once again.

Still have not fixed the egg white situation but I should have a plan by tomorrow.

So the day has gone well, very busy work day.
With my training I have to be very consensus of being able to function. No good having a great workout if you can't earn the next day.

I Must admit the first time I ever did weights I could not move the next day, I had  never felt pain like that but as I have learnt over time there is no better feeling. It is the feeling of growth, makes me feel like what I have done will bear results. It's one of the only indicators for me when working out that there is actually something working such as seeing weight lose it's such a gradual thing but  without fail next day after working out there it is.

Tonight I'm doing the cardio part of my plan.
Hitting the pavement for a good long walk on the none weights days.(Tues Thur Sat)
I will be working myself up to something alot more physical as I progress but as I said I have to be able to walk the next days so taking it slow and steady for the first week.

Well I took my walk and ended up going about further than I thought.
7 km which I think was a good job, now to keep up to that standard.

Taking an early night ready for training in the morning, a good nights rest is as important to you success as what you eat. Well that's what I have herd any way.

Night all and thank you for reading.

On the First Day................

So the day has arrived.

well it's late in the day now and what do I have to tell you.

This Is the protein pack I use

 Today went great, up for Gym at 6 Am and had a really good session with Marco, felt good to be back.
Had my protein, I use a protein call Protein 2.0 from a company called DUB Nutrition.  It is a Collagen based protein not a powder shake, it comes in the form of a gel . sooooo much easier to take than my old powder whey protein. Tastes better to..

After gym headed home to eat my breakfast which consisted of scrambled eggs (3)
Now please note that the 3 whole eggs is not what I should be having but I have had to modify my breakfasts for the time being due to the lack of egg whites being sold in the market. (Just my luck Coles took egg whites out of there range).
It was only days before starting this I walked through Coles and saw that they had these egg whites in a frozen pack and Saturday when I went to gather all my ingredients for the week and....... nothing.............timing..... is this some plan to bring me down already?
So not wanting to waste I'm doing a 3 egg in stead of a 1 whole egg to 4 egg white.
As well as the eggs i have some oatmeal. so very filling really.

Also I took my supplements, time to get this vitamin D up as well as get some goodness in me.

Then off to work

Snack was fruit and nuts about 10Am

Lunch was great I made up some Tandoori chicken breast Sunday night ready to be made up into wraps in the morning. They were great, found some great organic wraps linseed, oat and something. Bit of lettuce carrot dash of very light mayo and walla..... tandoori chicken wrap.
Belinda (my wife) loved them also. Think we were on a winner.

afternoon snack was an apple and another protein. Choc Mint yum!

Dinner was steak fajitas with capsicum, onion, mushroom with dash of low ranch dressing.  So fast to make and crazy good too.  Really I can't complain. I have not felt hungry or wanting for anything.
That's the mark of a good plan to me, If I'm stalking the fridge at anytime then it not working.
So far so very good.

OK now for some numbers

Today before I left to go to the gym I weighed myself to have a starting figure. To be honest I was not happy with what i saw.

20.01.2014...................................165.9Kg

That's a huge number and more than I thought actually. I see a long road ahead but I will get there.

Tonight I was watching The Biggest Loser which is something I never do. I hate those kinds of show
but I know it has a following and I know it has helped a lot of people but I don't know, it still seems off to me but each to their own.
Anyway I was watching it with Belinda and we were watching the first weigh in by the group that were going into the house.
Now I was expecting to see crazy numbers up there but to my surprise they all but two weigh less than me.
And it hit me if i was in there I would be the second biggest guy there.
That hit hard. I said to Bels man I'm huge, Bels said no you big boned there is no way your as big as them.
But I am and I'm glad that I have started this.

I looked up my BMI today

BMI 20.01.2014...................  44.8

Another crazy number and once again alot of work to fix this.

This is a picture of myself in fine 'over weight' splendor and my wife Belinda.

I hope in a year there will be a very different picture taken!

So Close

So it is Sunday the day before the beginning of my health journey .
I have tried to clear everything that could have been a hinderance to me in this,food wise!

1 Foot Wide and 1/2 Foot high

 

Only yesterday we was cooking a birthday cake for Belinda's mums 66th, sure that it would kill a horse with the sugars and cream content. It was a crazy big cake that delivered on it intent, to shock and awe and it did that well and truly.
For those that know me cakes are my thing and the bigger and grander the better.

I have tried to make going into this as easy as possible by planning ahead. The food plan was crazy easy to do and not to mention I think we are going to save a bit with this as well.
Looking forward to hitting the gym again after so long but I'm sure i will feel the pain later.

No Pain No Gain

wish me luck for 6 Am

The Plan

Well after hearing the news of my less than perfect blood results it's time to put a plan into action.

Now for the plan......

Well I have a three pronged plan and it goes a little like this

E.F.S Trident

E = Exercise
F = Food
S = Supplement

Now let me break it down for you.
I have come up with EFS as it will cover everything that I need to address.

Firstly exercise

well it goes with out saying that for me to have any hope of beating the issues I have, exercise is going to play a huge part.
So as of the 20th of Jan I will be training with my personal trainer Marco.
I have trained with Marco on other occasions and found him to be the best trainer I have found.
It is so important to find someone that you connect with and feel comfortable with as this can make all the difference.

So as of Monday I will be doing mostly anaerobic work outs with Marco, With my body type I find it hard to do running or working out on machines like the cross trainer, it kills my knees and last thing I need is a injury that will hold me back from completing my goals.

Plus weights are a favorite of mine, I actual feel I am accomplishing something when doing them and being engaged I believe is half the battle.

 Finding something that works and finding something that you like!

Now im taking it slow for two weeks, working out three days a week at my local gym but after that I'm looking to go it alone with my exercise routine.  I think at some point you need to leave the nest after you have a good understanding of the exercises and the best form possible while doing these exercises. 
It takes a while to find the muscle memory while doing weights as training with poor form is deadly and as I said I can't afford down time with injury.
 Now I am going to be doing aerobic work outs as well but I'm being very careful with my methods of exercise. Luckily there are many pieces of equipment that can work up a sweat and be less stressful on joints.
6 days a week with a day off for rest.

Food

OK now like many of you I'm sure this is the hardest part to face.
Food is a huge part of my life, to say I love food is an understatement.  It's not that I love huge crazy out of control meal sizes or anything it's just I love the finer things in life.  I was told by a friend recently that the way I describe food is amazing, apparently when I describe food I paint a picture and it is quite evident that I have a very close relationship with food but at times that relationship is a destructive one.

In the past when dieting (please not that in no way am I calling or treating what I am doing as a diet, diets don't work and the past 15 years has proven that time and time again) I have cut and slashed at what I eat and withheld, denided, abstained from just about everything that was in my non-diet menu.

Now this was not a plan, well maybe it was. A plan to fail I think.
First and foremost if a menu can't work on an on going basis it will never work.
I am pleased to say that I have found a great menu plan (supplied by my supplement company) that is very doable on a long term basis. If I get bored with my food this is not going to work.

OK now portion control, this is a biggy well I think it is for me.
I love my food but I'm not all about big serves but I must admit that when I look at the size of the plates in my cupboard I see a problem.
If I look at the old plates in there that were passed down by family and some of these plate are as old as me. Now there is something that is quite evident when you see the old plates and the new ones we have, the new ones are almost twice the size of the old plates.
Meaning we were eating less or had smaller portions in times past.

When dishing up I guess I always try to fill the plate so it did not  look so empty. I guess I should take a leaf out of high class restaurant book - 80% plate 20% food but not only the plates but the bowls are an issue as well.
So with this in mind there is going to be a change in crockery!

Supplement

Now I'm guessing a few of you would be wondering what I mean by supplement.
In a nut shell it's going to fill the gaps in my nutritional requirement.
As you can see by my blood test I have some deficiency and my food intake may not be able to give me all that I need.
So in doing my research I have found a system that was recommended to me by an old friend.
He has been using these products for some time and has had some fantastic results.
Looking in to the system it seems to cover everything I need at this time.

I am looking to tell you more about this product and system once I have tried and used the products but from what I have seen its all looking good. 
They are where I have got my meal plans from and just going on that they know what they are on about.
Not only have they hit the mark on the food but at the same time keeping me in line.  Looking at the meals there is nothing I can see that I would not eat or more importantly nothing that is time consuming or complicated which is a very important for our house.
Both working full time coming home and having to make some crazy meal is just not viable or even worse have to pay crazy amounts for home delivered food that is way under the quality that is advertised on TV.
For me fast and tasty is the way to go and in the past that has meant bad foods quick but as I am learning fast can be good and with a few changes can really super charge me towards my goals.

So this is very basic but it's what I'm working towards.
As always any question please ask.
Thank you for reading.

The Doctor!

Well as I start this journey i thought I would start with a visit to my local GP.


My first visit was back  in Nov 2013, it was to ask my GP to do a full blood work up so we could get a internal picture of where my body was at.

Due to Christmas and holidays I had been unable to visit him again to find out the result until today.

I wanted to find out were I stand in regards to my health and if there were any areas that may be holding me back (besides my weight) that needed to be looked at before I started down this road of bettering myself.

Losing weight for me has never been easy at any time and so my thoughts on why, came down to maybe a Thyroid problem or something else that could hinder weight lose.

Unbeknown to my wife and family the time over Christmas was a worrying one as I was not sure of the results from the blood test would come back favourable.

I mean a guy of my age 38 and in less than peak condition I was not expecting a glowing score card.

So my visit to my GP started off like any other visit to him...... late by 45 minutes which is not bad as I have sat there longer in times past!

But once in, it was clear that I was not in for good news.

So lets start from the beginning....

The Blood Tests 

TSH Test Thyroid
Well it seems that I have no problem with my thyroid as the results came back well within range of normal.  So that rules out any abnormality with the thyroid and weight gain/loss problems cant be contributed to it.

What is the thyroid gland?
The thyroid gland is a butterfly-shaped endocrine gland that is normally located in the lower front of the neck. The thyroid’s job is to make thyroid hormones, which are secreted into the blood and then carried to every tissue in the body. Thyroid hormone helps the body use energy, stay warm and keep the brain, heart, muscles, and other organs working as they should.

Here is a copy of the results for those that like the hard figures

 
If you are interested in learning about this test have a look at this  http://healthengine.com.au/info/Thyroid_Function_Tests

General Biochemistry Test

OK I'm in no way going to try and explain this test as it has so many parts. Suffice to say I had a good result in this area, all within normal parameters.
I will be posting my result soon so that those that are interested can take a look or if you are a professional can view them your self and I would be more than happy to hear what you think about them.

Full Blood Examination 

Once again I'm not going to try and explain this test but once again my results have come back "within normal limits" which is a comfort.

If you would like to know more about blood test check this out http://hubpages.com/hub/How-To-Understand-Your-Blood-Tests-Biochemistry

Now for some bad news

Now this one was strange and really was not on my radar. 

Hydroxy Vitamin D Test

Well it seems that I have a mild case of vitamin D deficiency. Now for those that may not know where we get or vitamin D from it sun light and very few foods! Vitamin D the sunshine vitamin.
Vitamin D is essential for strong bones because it helps the body use calcium from the diet. Traditionally, Vitamin D deficiency has been associated with rickets, a disease in which the bone tissue doesn't properly mineralise, leading to soft bones and skeletal deformities. But increasingly, research is revealing the importance of vitamin D in protecting against a host of health problems.

Symptoms and Health Risks of Vitamin D Deficiency

Symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness can mean you have a vitamin D deficiency. However, for many people, the symptoms are subtle. Yet even without symptoms, too little vitamin D can pose health risks. Low blood levels of the vitamin have been associated with the following:

• Increased risk of death from cardiovascular disease
• Cognitive impairment in older adults
• Severe asthma in children
• Cancer

Research suggests that vitamin D could play a role in the prevention and treatment of a number of different conditions, including type1 and type 2 diabetes, hypertension, glucose intolerance, and multiple sclerosis.

All things I want no part of!.

Vitamin D deficiency can occur for a number of reasons:

You don't consume the recommended levels of the vitamin over time. This is likely if you follow a strict vegetarian diet, because most of the natural sources are animal-based, including fish and fish oils, egg yolks, cheese, fortified milk, and beef liver.

Now once again that is not me at all, those who know me know that I am a lover of almost everything on that list apart from beef liver......have not had that for a long while :)

Your exposure to sunlight is limited. Because the body makes vitamin D when your skin is exposed to sunlight, you may be at risk of deficiency if you are homebound, live in extreme northern or southern latitudes, wear long selves all the time or have an occupation that prevents sun exposure.

Once again this is not me!

You have dark skin. The pigment melanin reduces the skin's ability to make vitamin D in response to sunlight exposure. Some studies show that older adults with darker skin are at high risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Now I'm as white as white can be and so once again this does not cover why i am deficient.

Your kidneys cannot convert vitamin D to its active form. 

From my research as people age their kidneys are less able to convert vitamin D to its active form, thus increasing their risk of vitamin D deficiency.

Crazy because as I said before I'm out in the sun most of the day and would never had thought that I did not get enough sun light but thinking about it I really only have my forearms exposed, head, neck and in summer my lower legs due to wearing shorts but really that is it, so I'm guessing I need to supplement or brave the sun and catch some rays. Maybe I have not been out in the sun as much as I thought.
I am far from a a sun bather as I don't wish to scare anyone with the sight of me sunning myself!!!!

For more info on Vitamin D there is a wealth of information on the net but once again here is a link
http://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/bhcv2/bhcarticles.nsf/pages/vitamin_d?open

  Now for the Big One's

  Lipid Studies AKA Cholesterol's

OK now this one was not so much a shock as what over weight person does not have a Cholesterol problem!

Now in 2007 which by the way was my last visit to the doctor for a blood work up (way to long between drinks I would say) and the these test results that I'm going to publish will have the last know teat as a guide as to how i have been tracking since last tests.
So in 2007 my Cholesterol reading was 5.1 and to those in the know that is right at the high end of normal.
Normal being between 0.0 - to 5.0. So as you can see I just past the test last time or it was close but not close enough for my GP to make a song and dance about it.
But this test, well I out did my self with a big 6.3 not happy Jan!

OK so here is a break down of the test

What is a cholesterol test?

A cholesterol test is a blood test that measures levels of fatty substances called lipids in the blood. Cholesterol is one type of lipid.

Raised cholesterol levels can cause cholesterol to be deposited within the walls of arteries, making it difficult for blood to flow through. This build-up in the walls of the arteries, which is called atherosclerosis, puts a person at significant risk of heart disease and stroke and none of these sound particularly fun!
Abnormally high cholesterol levels may not give you any symptoms, so a blood test is the best way to check how much cholesterol and other lipids your blood contains.Which is exactly my scenario and last thing I want is to find out the hard way.
A cholesterol test measures the amount of cholesterol and other lipids carried by protein-based particles called lipoproteins, in the blood. Cholesterol and other lipids are transported in the bloodstream in these lipoproteins because they are fats, and so don't dissolve freely in blood, which is water based.
These are some of the main lipids measured in a cholesterol test.

• Low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol. This is the so-called ‘bad’ cholesterol that tends to be deposited in the arteries, causing atherosclerosis. High levels of LDL cholesterol are associated with cardiovascular disease (heart disease and stroke). 

• High-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol. As HDL helps carry cholesterol back to the liver, HDL cholesterol is sometimes known as ‘good’ cholesterol. Acting like a clean-up crew, HDL helps keep your arteries free of fatty deposits. It is advantageous to have high levels of HDL-cholesterol.

• Triglycerides. These are another type of lipid circulating in the blood, mainly in a different lipoprotein — very low density lipoprotein (VLDL). Your body converts excess kilojoules in the diet to triglycerides to be stored in fat cells. A raised level of triglycerides can be caused by consuming too many kilojoules, by drinking too much alcohol, or by having diabetes. A high triglyceride level can add to your risk of cardiovascular disease, especially if your HDL cholesterol is low. 

• Total cholesterol. This gives an overall level of cholesterol in the blood.

Last but not the least,OK the big one

Glucose Serum Test

This one I don't mind telling you scares me a bit.

A blood glucose test measures the amount of a sugar called glucose in a sample of your blood.
Glucose is a major source of energy for most cells of the body, including those in the brain. Carbohydrates (or carbs) are found in fruit, cereal, bread, pasta, and rice all thing that I love very much. They are quickly turned into glucose in your body. This raises your blood glucose level.
Hormones made in the body called insulin and glucagon help control blood glucose levels.

Now it is quite evident that from my test results that my Glucose reading at the time of my blood test is far from normal.
In 2007 the result for the same test was 4.7 which was an acceptable number and within the range for normal.
So if fasting before test for 8 hours (4.0 - 6.0 mmol / L) and my result for 2014 was 6.5!
which is above and in the high range.
So unfortunately as advised by my GP it looks like I need to have another test call a Glucose Tolerance test and this will confirm if I have a problem...... the problem being type 2 diabetes.
Not what I wanted to hear at all but there is no need moaning about it, there is only one thing for it....

to FIX IT

From all accounts this is a preventable situation and one I hope to change.
Weight is a major factor in this I think but I'm going to wait and see what the results are from the glucose tolerance test and go from there.

No use jumping to conclusion but if the result is not good then i cant have this situation continue.

BTW this is something that I thought was crazy.......
After going thru all of this with my doctor he hit me with a statement that knocked me for six.
His words " OK Matthew now this is what I recommend for you today is lap-band surgery, this is what would best help your situation." and to this i respond with "OK that seem a bit drastic, couldn't I try losing weight the old fashion way". He said " oh yes you can if you want to do it the hard way but this is a better option so you don't even have to try"
Now that's a sign of the times, surgery before hard work. 
There is something wrong with this picture don't you think?

The End I Promise

Right so that is allot to take in and I'm very sorry if this is more of a Bio lesson but for me I need to understand where I am at and how or why I'm there so that I can better understand how to attack the situation.

If you have never had this kind of blood work done I would encourage every body to do so.
I know finding out that things are not as rosy as you would like is not great but now that I know these things I can work on them.

The human body is an amazing thing, it will put up with and deal with so much before it shows signs of a problems.

But that does not mean it should or can put up with imbalance for long. 

Thanks for reading and I look forward to the next installment..... " THE PLAN "

New Beginnings

Hi and Welcome to my blog.

Today marks the beginning of my journey to better health.

The subject of health for me has never been a subject that I have been very happy discussing with anyone really and I'm sure I am not alone in thinking this way.

My hopes for this blog are simple, I want to take control of my health, I wish to show that I can do this and that in letting the world know what I am doing maybe it will help or at least educate others as to how they could make a change in their life to and better their health.

Now please don't get me wrong, this is not going to be a transformation of a guy 170 kg to a ripped muscle bound guy, no I think not.
I just want to get to a place of optimal health, simple as that... 

For those that know me I have been overweight for almost all my life and this year I am making a change, this year I'm going to try something new.

On this blog I'm going to be very forthcoming with my journey and my results.
I will be showing my past and present results as a tide marker along my journey.

I will share what I'm doing and how I feel as I do it.

I guess this will be my journal.
As well as showing you my healthier self,  I will share the foods and tips that have helped me alone my way.

So sit back and feel free to to comment as long as you are nice, no room for negativity in my world.