Read about Dave

"I was a 19 stone pie munching truck driver, my weight now is 12 stone,
this site is for of us giving advice and tips on positive ways to a healthier lifestyle"
2017. Changed; A year of difference - (Part 1 of 2)

2017. Changed; A year of difference - (Part 1 of 2)

Hello again, I’ve been rather busy concentrating on myself of late rather than writing blogs, there is a song that springs to mind. And starts Hello darkness my old friend… I guess it’s easy to change at first but becomes difficult to carry this over, so I needed something to inspire me again.

After the joys of 2016, 17 was going to be tough I knew this I wouldn’t be able to lose the same amount of weight, I wouldn’t have the joy of riding a bike for the 1st time in 30 years, I would need to motivate myself, I had great people around me so I knew I could use them and absorb the knowledge they had within each field, It’s this that I went with, from Semi Pro riders to a Sports psychologist to a cook then to a chef and also a sports nutritionist, yes there was a cost of seeking this help, but, I thought If I can pass on this knowledge by talking to others on walks or rides then any cost is worthwhile and I was lucky to pick up a couple of sponsors that helped me out. I know that wouldn’t be the norm for most so please don’t worry about it, just do it for yourself, please don’t pay for a diet program when all you really need to do is change your lifestyle a little bit.

I have started to offer what help I can by taking a few people from Dave’s Changed FB group on walks, around Virginia Waters Lake, and another 3 people from Twitter on cycle rides in Dorset as this is where I’ll be doing my winter training because of the hill’s, I will of course record the progress and let you all know the good and the not so good, I’m no expert of course I’m a short little fat lad that managed to lose weight and write a few funny stories which found their way into the press.

"I guess it’s easy to change at first but becomes difficult to carry this over"

I have now ordered a brand new WyndyMilla Bike it is these little things that have given me a new vigour to carry on, yes last year was tough for many reasons but the world keeps spinning and life goes on, so I needed to boost myself otherwise I could have easily put back on the weight I’d lost, Winter training is very hard in the UK we all know this, so I hit a gym in Bracknell called the Fit Box it’s focus is mainly on small classes where everyone works together to build strength and I focused on my core, I took up Pilates too this for me was so much better than Yoga because it felt I was getting somewhere rather than falling over while I had my butt in in the air, Not a great look I can tell you trust me on that one…

I hadn’t taken a nice holiday in years I’d been away on golf trips which really is about drinking beer talking rubbish with golf each morning thrown in, I decided a cycling holiday in Majorca a full 7 nights, so I booked 5 Rides, the 1st to get me used to the area then I went full on into the Mountains it was very tough some thing I’d never done, when I booked my trip I booked a tour with a Pro Rider, let me tell you he had his work cut-out and if I hadn’t booked him I would have turned around and gone back to the hotel, I was pushed way beyond anything I thought I could do, tears, sweat, blood, more sweat more pushing and I got up that 1st Mountain. Which was the catalyst to make myself continue this journey. The following rides where extremely tough even in the intermediates group the Pro’s helped me and a few others with our weakest points made me breath, made me suffer, made me the cyclist I am today. It didn’t stop when I got off the bike, back at the hotel there was an Ex Royal Marine who asked me to help him do a few exercises in return he showed me new routines I could use, turned out this guy runs a Retreat in Scotland, If you feel you need survival knowledge please make contact I’ll put you in touch he was awe-inspiring.

After this trip I was back to being me on the bike, lots of riding, putting myself forward to ride more events. And the big 24-hour race was back on, with 2 of the guys I was with in 2016, Oliver and Dom, I was so happy with this. This was what I could work towards, I wanted to do more than double my mileage from last year, after Revolve 24 hours I had gone 4 times the distance I thought I could.

There were other things I needed to work on, the main one was my Work/Life balance I wasn’t even sure what this was, as I put so much into my work that I neglected my own personal life, relationships with my friends and family etc, I decided in September to leave the company I had been with for over 8 years, I wanted to focus a little on myself, get 2018 winter training started early, however I broke 2 ribs and after a London to Windsor to London ride of 92k I twisted my knee, of course I maned up and didn’t take any time off work, I haven’t taken anytime off work in 15 years and thought process is always work where possible rather than sitting around watching morning TV.

From October to December I didn’t do to much training took good advice to rest and stretch when possible.

From October to December I didn’t do to much training took good advice to rest and stretch when possible I know the End of the year was the right time to leave as this would give me time to start a training program for myself and start a new job in the new year, so far I feel this is the right move as I’ve caught up with friends and family eaten very well and already started training with a few rides in late December and 4 in January a very happy fat little chappy indeed, In 2018 I plan to do more than double mileage again, I wish to go over 2000 miles and hopefully reach 3000. Aim high…

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