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Ironman

The End of the Road and the End of Being Fat and Fit

When the Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine suggested that I speak at Elevate on a panel debating the notion of being Fat and Fit, I did not take it as an insult (it was a privilege and an honour to both represent the Faculty and to speak to such a distinguished audience).

For I am fat and I am relatively fit

I can swim, cycle, run (all slowly, mind), lift weights and I can play with my step-sons. I am a try-athlete and a triathlete (number 210 is still inked on my leg).

Fat and Fit

But, I am fat and over the past year, I have gained more weight as I allowed injury and my mental health to impact on my training and my eating.

However, I do know that by cycling and walking daily and going to the gym that I am in a better position than had I just sat on the couch.

At a recent health check, my blood pressure, resting heart rate, blood glucose and cholesterol levels were all within a healthy range, even if my BMI was not, and since increasing my activity levels, my mental and emotional health have again improved. While I still want/need to lose weight and I am fully aware of the dangers of being obese, I am appreciative of how being active improves my overall health.

The World Health Organisation states that health “is a state of complete physical, mental, and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity” and this week’s news, labeling the notion of being fat and fit as a myth, seems to have largely ignored this, even if its main claims are not to be ignored.

Being active enriches my life and a huge part of me wants to help others discover the same joy and that is why I have used opportunities like Elevate and even my FSEM Lay View to promote physical activity for all. It is why I write this blog and why I launch campaigns and initiatives to encourage others to become try athletes, regardless of their age, ability or size.

However, I will not lie. I have struggled of late. As I invest more time into helping others, devising schemes and writing blogs, the time spent on my own well-being shortens and my waistline widens.

Today, two things happened that decided a new course of action and a new direction.

Facebook’s “On This Day” brought back a memory from 18th May 2014.

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This was the day that I ran my first and only marathon. It was my proudest achievement but also the peak of my athletic performances. From the moment I crossed the finishing line to about about four days ago, I have coasted and I have felt lost.

I have searched for a purpose; I have searched for ways to use my story and experiences to help others and I have searched for recognition.

And all too often, I have searched for conflict and too many of my posts are filled with despair and anger.

I have stopped looking for ways to have fun and for ways to keep me moving. Everything now is judged on its potential as a blog feature or it is measured on its ability to promote How Many Miles. If I am going to ever be an Ironman (or even a fit man), I have to focus less on being a try-athlete and more on being a triathlete. I have to stop worrying about writing blogs and focus on updating food logs, especially if I am to reverse the damage done over the past few years. Damage that has been fully illustrated via my love of gadgets and technology (all the gear and no idea).

For in addition to the fantastic seminar by Professor Greg Whyte (there WILL be a FSEM post on this at some point) there was one stand at Elevate that caught my eye and today, I looked at the results of of my session with them and it proves that a picture is worth a thousands words.

Fat and Fit ?

This is ME, fat and fit but mostly fat. Using the cutting edge technology of the Styku 3D Scanner I have finally come to terms with how I look and feel about myself.

Regardless of my general level of fitness, my excess fat is a greater risk and I cannot ignore the image above. There is no hiding from the truth and there is no cropping of pictures to hid my girth.

I might be fit, but I am unfortunately fat and even as a supporter of body positive campaigns, it is hard to see anything positive about my current physique (other than it is still over 100lbs lighter than my heaviest).

So, I have decisions to make. Do I continue on my current path and continue to make the same mistakes or do I accept that change is needed.

It is time for change

An inner voice is calling on me (and has been for some time) to give up blogging and to give up campaigning and launching initiatives. Yes, I have had some notable successes, but I havve also experienced difficult times and while I do enjoy writing, all too often the writing of blogs and the promoting of said blogs has felt like a chore.

I have judged my value as an individual on my ability to accrue views and comments on blog posts and with the number of Twitter and Facebook shares and likes. I have become paranoid, resentful and at times delusional. I have let my persona of How Many Miles take over my life

It is time for change

I am not one for making sweeping changes and I have always benefited from making one or two changes at a time and then assessing the results. If something works, it continues and it mitigates the need for further action.

Most of my anxieties and self destructive behaviours stem from the frustrations borne from my failings as a blogger, event coordinator and physical activity champion. I try so hard and I often try too hard. I appointed myself as a guardian of the obese and the inactive. I made it my responsibility to stand up for them and to challenge the status quo. I made enemies and I am not sure if I have made a huge difference.

It is time for change.

I enjoy writing too much to completely give it up and I do get to have some fun, so howmanymiles will continue, albeit in a simpler, smaller and less confrontational form. I will post updates on my Ironman training and anything related to regaining my fitness but gone are my campaigning, my ranting and my pursuit of blogging superstardom. I will write to help keep myself accountable and hopefully it will entertain and encourage others. I will not lose sleep or friends over it.

I also genuinely enjoy supporting others and devising plans to get others active, but when I see my name omitted from credits, others rewarded for my efforts or my ideas fall flat, it saps my energy and usually drives me towards some form of chocolate. I admittedly get involved in far too many projects and cannot resist taking on more challenges when I am struggling with my current commitments. I let myself and others down and I head again for some form of chocolate. Yes, there is a pattern forming.

It is time for change.

I will honour and complete the roles and partnerships that I actively support and anything new that will complement my Ironman aspirations will be considered, but I will be discarding a few more roles and I will not be able to help any more businesses or organisations. I will not seek any more blogging opportunities that don’t directly relate to my own wellbeing (time to lead by example) and I have removed myself from blogging groups in which I have learned to loathe the very nature of blogging and sadly, many of those who practice it. I will continue with my reduced presence on Facebook and make a real effort to connect with friends in the flesh.

If you are one of those that I have disconnected from over the course of the last year, then I am sorry. You were most likely a good friend and it was my paranoia, angst, self loathing and fear of rejection that drove us apart.

These changes will reduce my levels of anxiety while enabling me to spend more time training and less time on the internet. I can’t promise to bounce back overnight and my excess pounds will not magically disappear, regardless of what that skinny coffee selling person tells you (sorry, I promised no more ranting) but I am going to take advice from Professor Greg Whyte.

I am going to aim to do more today than I did yesterday and I am going to prove to myself and others that the impossible is possible and most importantly, I am going to stop being Fat and Fit.

I am going to be an Ironman

May 18, 2017 2 comments

Cycling Journey Running Swimming Triathlon

The Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon Review

written by Stephen Morrison

Just the other week, I made my triumphant return to running on the beautiful and extremely windy Reiss beach, close to John O’Groats. It wasn’t fast, but it was extremely pretty and more importantly, I felt no pain (for the first time in well over a year).

This Man Will Be An Ironman

It was on this same beach that I gained the confidence to complete the Copenhagen Marathon and with my weight starting to drop again (slowly) and my cycling becoming an everyday activity, my Ironman dreams should still be alive.

However, last week I was on BBC Radio Scotland (listen here until the end of May) talking about why I blog.

My goal has always been to inspire and encourage others and it might be time to accept that I may need longer to prepare for my Ironman than I anticipated. Especially as I hope to launch at least one new cycling inspired initiative to help encourage people to move more and because I am currently not finding the time to train sufficiently (note to self: sort this out!) while trying to accommodate all my roles, campaigning and responsibilities. At some point, I have to decide what is more important to me. Helping others or helping myself (I want to do both).

But back to the present and back to my Ironman training.

On Sunday, it received a welcome boost as I completed the Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon hosted by Glasgow Triathlon Club and located at The Leisuredrome.

Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon

For those who, like me, are triathlon newbies or wannabes, the Sprint Triathlon is made up of :

750 Metre Swim
20 Kilometre Cycle
5 Kilometre Run

Individually, I am competent at these distances in each discipline, so going into it I was hopeful that I would get through it unscathed even with my lack of real training (famous last words).

However, like most things preparation is key. Bishopbriggs is 8 miles from my home and on the morning of the event, the sun was out and I was feeling good (possibly too good).

I had considered cycling half way to a train station, but the timing was off and being my usual late self, I didn’t have any time to spare, so I just cycled on. [Lesson 1: investigate and plan on how to get to events with a bike]

All the way I was envisaging being late to registration; of encountering lengthy queues and of experiencing a confusing (to me at least) transition area (where you park and collect your bike).

The Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon

On arrival, however, all my fears evaporated. I was welcomed at reception and quickly issued with my timing band, race number and instructions (instructions that even I could almost follow). At the transition area, they must have sensed that I was a newbie and both marshals and another competitor came to my assistance. Neither cared that I was clueless nor wearing the normal triathlete uniform of a tri-suit. Instead, they only seemed to care about me being able to enjoy the race.

And that was to be the theme of the whole event.

We had a quick but instructional (and funny) briefing and then with my estimated swim time being slow and subsequently being in the first wave of triathletes, we were ushered to the pool (no outdoor swim in this event). Here, we were given more instructions. Everything had been thought of, and as I entered my lane, I could focus on one thing

Not killing myself in the pool.

The Swim

Swimming is my weakest discipline and with my Total Immersion swimming still not perfect, I resorted to the breast stroke, which is perfectly acceptable even if my form is far from perfect. I had estimated 30 mins for my swim and I decided on an almost effortless pace as I had no idea how I would cope later on.

At 28 laps, I was accosted with a swimming board. Ok, that isn’t quite right. I had much earlier lost track of my laps, but thankfully, our lane marshall had it in control and a gentle wee tap to the head was to remind/reassure me that I had only two laps left (a nice wee touch indeed).

As I reduced this to one lap and turned for my final 25 metres, I heard the voices. Not in my head, thankfully, but all around me. The awaiting swimmers, my friend Mark and all the marshals were willing me on. As I touched that final pool edge, there was a huge cheer and as I slid out of the pool like a walrus, I had a huge smile on my face.

It was then out to the transition area to collect my bike and in all honesty, I wasted so much time untying shoelaces, attaching race numbers and generally messing around that I lost several precious minutes. [Lesson 2: All of these could and should have been done in setup]

The Cycle

Finally out of the transition area, I set my sights on the 4 x 5km loops on a closed road. Closed to all but two refuse lorries that is, which had somehow managed to break through the blockade of marshals. As soon as you leave the vicinity of the Leisuredrome, you are faced with a monster of a climb. No warning and no warm up. I went through my gears and by the top, my lungs were busting. The rest of the way out was relatively flat, well signposted and with a nice surface, so I paced it well ( I took it easy). At the turning point, there were two friendly and helpful marshals warning us to slow down for the turnaround but also offering encouragement.

The way back was slightly tougher, but we did have THAT hill to go down and the wee kid (or big kid) in me loved the exhilaration of speeding down it, only to be instructed to slow down again as we approached another turning point.

And here , disaster struck. As I slowed down, I placed a foot on the ground and I felt the pain of cramps shoot their way through my left calf and right up into my hip. I pedalled out of the area and managed about 100 metres and had to stop.

I performed a few stretches and tried to get back on and the tightness returned. With it ‘only’ being a 20km cycle, I had no water [Lesson 3: Always bring water and even energy gels] and I could have kicked myself. If I could have moved my leg, that is. At this point, I thought that my race was over and part of me just wanted to curl up and hide. A member of the public then approached me to see if I was ok and suggested that I walk up the hill with my bike and that’s what I did.

As other riders passed me, most asked if I was ok and by the time I reached the top, the pain was easing off. So, I jumped back on and managed to complete the ride only a few minutes outside of my pre race estimate of one hour and that was with me pushing my bike up THAT hill. [Lesson 4: Do more hills. Whether it’s cycling or running, I need to do more hills]

The Run

Again the dismount and transition area was clearly marked and with only the race bib to change from back to front and a change of hat (it was extremely sunny) I was quickly out and onto the last leg.

Any excuse (it was very sunny) to wear my Pearl Izumi Champion cap

And this was quite apt as I was on my last legs. I couldn’t run and managed only short bursts of jogging interspersed with longer bouts of walking. [Lesson 5: Include more “Brick” training sessions where I go straight into a walk or run after a bike ride] The run route is along the canal and it at least offered a beautiful backdrop. It is shared with the public, so there were cyclists, runners and dog walkers, but at no point did this feel like an issue and at the turning point we were met by by another marshal, who was my friend Ray from my Great Run Local Glasgow days. I wasted a minute or so catching up and stealing his water (thanks Ray) but it was a minute worth wasting.With his encouragement and his water, I set off and managed a few bursts of running, but I was sore and tired and it was hot. If I have one complaint, it is that there should have been at least one water station, but I should possibly revert back to Lesson 3.

The route had us then run under a bridge and along the canal in the opposite direction before crossing another bridge (again manned by friendly marshals who even took Ray’s empty bottle from me) and entering the final mile on a more trail like surface. I walked/jogged most of it until I got to the final 500 metres. I picked up the pace (relatively speaking) and sprinted (again, relatively speaking) towards the inflatable finish line where I pumped my hands in the air, having completed my first “real” triathlon. I was given some water and encouraged to have a wee sit down. I didn’t have to be told twice.

I lay back in the grass, spread my arms and stared skywards.

I was a triathlete.

The Celebration

I was a slow, knackered and sore triathlete, but a triathlete nonetheless. I lay like this for a few minutes and then the urge to tell all and sundry about my exploits took over and I headed towards my bike, gear and mobile phone. I picked up some much needed refreshments in the Leisuredrome cafe and set about updating all my social media accounts with my accomplishment. As I spoke to my girlfriend on the phone, I felt tears welling up. I was both emotionally and physically drained, but I was also beaming with pride.

Two thumbs up for the brilliant Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon

Once rested, I gathered my bike and gear and collected my timing sheet from the manually operated system, bade farewell to my hosts and set off on my 8 mile cycle home (yes, I did sleep well last night).

The Verdict

The Bishopbriggs Triathlon was superbly organised by Glasgow Triathlon Club and it is a perfect introduction to Triathlons with both Junior and Novice events also available. With an indoor pool, closed roads and a beautiful run route it was both fun and safe. The marshals were all friendly and knowledgeable while the locals came out to cheer us on. It’s an annual event with 250 Sprint places up for grabs and they do sell out quickly. At £46 it isn’t cheap, but you can get a £5 discount if you are Triathlon Scotland member (I joined after signing up) and it compares favourably with the big name events who charge upwards from £70 for Sprint Triathlons. You also have access to showers, restrooms and cake!

With the cost of entry, the cost of bikes (all triathletes/cyclists adopt the N+1 formula to owning bikes, where the number of bikes you need is N, the number you have + 1) and the amount of kit needed, triathlons are for the serious athlete. I am partly assuming this as they seem to have no time for frivolities. For there was no goodie bag and not even a medal for finishing (although you do get a far more practical Glasgow Triathlon Club towel). Obviously finishing is reward enough.

As someone who collects running medals with the mentality of a magpie, this was disappointing, so I decided to digitally create my own for posterity.

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If a triathlon is something that you are considering, then I would have no hesitation in recommending the Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon. It’s friendly, fun and now unforgettable.

I certainly hope to return next year to beat my finishing time of 2 hours : 33 minutes : 27 seconds and hopefully improve upon my position of last place.

Yes, I was the last finisher and it hasn’t detracted from how I feel about the event or my performance. I had an amazing time and at no point did I feel that my shape or pace were being judged by anyone.

Thank you Glasgow Triathlon Club for a wonderful Bishopbriggs Sprint Triathlon

This week I am speaking at Elevate Arena about being fat and fit and this illustrates why being active is so important to me. Despite being obese, staying active allows me to enjoy (relatively speaking again) these events and it enables me to feel better about myself. I do want to lose more weight, but I will not let my excess pounds slow me down (too much) or stop me from challenging myself or enjoying life.

SaveSave

May 8, 2017 2 comments

Swimming Triathlon

Ironman Update : Total Immersion with Vigour Events

written by Stephen Morrison

I have regained 60lbs (having lost 170lbs); I have arthritic knees; I fall off my bike more regularly than Evel Knievel (look him up, millennials) and I cannot swim.

So my decision to sign up for an Ironman event in 2018 may seem a little reckless and a tad foolish. And it probably is. Ok, it definitely is.

However, I am a man of dreams and according to followers of the Law of Attraction, I just have to visualise myself crossing that Mallorca Ironman 2018 finishing line and it will happen.

Can’t Swim, Need to Swim

Of course, I may also want to do something about that whole unable to swim thing.

I say unable, but that isn’t strictly true. At the tender age of eight, my father instructed me. The instruction being not to drown as he pushed me into the water at Pollokshaws swimming pool. I didn’t, but as you might see from the video below, my technique since then hasn’t changed much. I basically flap my arms and try to stay afloat.

For years, I have vowed to learn how to swim and for years my fear of feeling embarrassed by my weight has stopped me. Even when I lost weight, I didn’t feel completely comfortable and any time I have tried to swim, my complete lack of talent has been clear for all to see. Even the brilliant Olympian Robbie Renwick failed to turn me into a swimmer when I trained with him for my Strathmore Water DoMore Blog.

So, if I was going to conquer my fears and feel confident about a 2.4 mile swim in the sea (what am I thinking?) I decided that I would need some expert coaching. Now, I don’t know any expert swimming coaches but I do know Robert Hamilton (sorry Robert, I couldn’t resist), of Vigour Events, and I also know that Robert teaches Total Immersion, the swimming technique that is seemingly quick to master and which makes swimming almost effortless and less exhausting.

Sign me up!

I had watched videos of Robert’s class in Hamilton and as the weeks passed, my doubts started to drain away. Robert and I engaged in a game of Facebook Messenger tennis. He would serve me an invite to a class and I would volley back an excuse not to go.

I didn’t have the time, it was too far way’ I had child care issues and I wasn’t competent enough to try Total Immersion. I used all of them and more. Eventually however, he broke down my barriers and for the past few weeks, I have been receiving and even enjoying his expert tutelage at Shawlands Secondary School.

With the changing room and pool almost to ourselves, my inhibitions didn’t surface as I approached the pool and climbed in for my first lesson.

The first thing Robert asked was to see how I normally swim and he must be a great poker player as at no point did his eyes or face reveal what he thought about my er, swimming “style”.

He simply advised that over the course of the next few weeks that he would instill upon me the basics of Total Immersion swimming and that the secret to success isn’t about the power or a high turnover stroke rate but in the positioning and alignment of my head, leading arm and body as I glide through the water.

At his request, I allowed him control of my body and relaxed as he coaxed my head into a neutral position under the water. It felt so relaxing and so right that my usual desire (and urgency) to break the surface and seek air was replaced by a calmness. Robert had managed, with a wee tweak of my head, to release the tension that courses through my body whenever I attempt to swim.

Floaty McFloatFace

Next he worked on my leading arm position. Again, I allowed him free reign and control of my limbs. He gently maneuvered them under the water until he found a resting point at which my arms automatically returned to when relaxed. Everything felt natural. I knew that I was in safe hands.

Over the course of two weeks and two hours, Robert continued to describe, display and direct me in the many small but vital components of the Total Immersion stroke and the result of our efforts is below.

I am far from finished and over the next few months my lessons and my practice sessions should help me progress even further. However, I have a wee confession. As I watch this clip over and over again, I am beaming with pride.

In just two hours, I had learned the basics of Total Immersion and the prospect of swimming 2.4 miles is a little less daunting.

Just a little.

If Total Immersion swimming sounds like something that you would like to try, then Robert has Swim Sessions on Monday nights at Hamilton College and in January and March he will again be at Hamilton College for his full day Total Immersion Workshops.

And if you want to support my efforts, please consider making a small donation to my Ironman Cancer Research page.

November 25, 2016 4 comments

Triathlon

Ironman 2018. Identify Your Dreams and Work Backwards

written by Stephen Morrison

“Identify your dreams and work backwards, using milestones to track and celebrate your progress. Progress doesn’t have to be becoming the best, but simply by becoming better. Better today, than you were yesterday and better tomorrow, than you are today.”

This is an excerpt from my Faculty of Sport and Exercise Medicine Lay View and it will guide me on my journey from Fatman to Ironman

These words were original spoken by Frank Dick OBE. As the President of the European Athletics Coaches Association and one the world’s top sport coaches, he knows a thing or two about training great athletes.

I am not nor never will be a great athlete, but my dream, as revealed in Man V Fat, is to be an Ironman, even if it does take me the full 16hrs and 10 minutes allowed (although I do hope to complete it a little faster) to complete it.

With the Kona Ironman 2016 World Championships happening as I type, it seems as good a time as any to lay down my plan for Ironman 2018.

Before anything else, I have to decide on an event. Ironman is a truly global event, but as I am fundraising for Cancer Research, I wanted to minimise costs, so I first looked for events in the UK.

Unfortunately, the UK options are Bolton and Wales and while I have nothing against either location, I am from Glasgow and the prospect of competing in the rain isn’t appealing. I may come across as a fair weather athlete, but my fellow Glaswegians (especially Travis) and anyone in Manchester and Cardiff will understand my desire to avoid the rain. So somewhere with some sun and warm water would be nice.

I am not expecting an invitation to Kona, anytime soon, and while a return to Noosa, Queensland in October 2018 would be wonderful, I have to look closer to home and Europe. In addition to warm water. I would like somewhere nice to celebrate and recover.

Everything points to the wonderful island of Mallorca in September 2018 as being my final destination.

The 26.2 mile run might even be pleasant…..ok, maybe not.

The run route is relatively flat (and lined with palm trees!!); the swim, in the Mediterranean is both seawater (i.e floaty) and relatively calm (and warm), while the cycle contains some amazing switchback roads and a wonderful backdrop.

Mallorca is a popular base for triathlon training and I might need to arrange a wee reconnaissance visit to the island and sample some cycling on these awesome roads.

What goes up, has to come down

With Ironman Mallorca normally held in late September, I have approximately two years to prepare. No, that doesn’t mean twenty months to procrastinate about my preparations and then four months of panicking about the lack of them, it means twenty-four months of discipline, determination and dedication.

The three “D’s” that help make so many East African runners so successful.

It isn’t their DNA, their diet or the altitude, it is their attitude that makes them winners and I have to adopt it.

The countdown to Mallorca starts now and I cannot lose focus. The past two weeks have seen my training stutter as I have been sitting an exam and caring for my mum. As I type this, I recognise the need to decide upon a plan and stick to it.

So having identified my dream, it is time to work backwards. I reckon that my milestones should be at least one Olympic Triathlon, a Sprint and possibly some Duathlons, Open Swimming and Cycling events

However, If I am honest, I don’t actually have any idea what it takes to prepare for a 2.4 mile swim, 112 mile cycle and 26.2 mile run, especially as I am not the greatest swimmer or the most confident of cyclists. At the moment, I am not even a competent runner.

I’ve done some Internet searching and the general consensus is that two years should be enough time for me to prepare. However, I will seek support from the experts at Triathlon Scotland and from Ironmen (and women) such as Mark Russell and Team GB Athlete Anna Symms. Both have generously offered to guide me and help prepare a proper schedule. One that will prepare me for the greatest challenge of my life, but one which will also recognise that I have others roles and responsibilities that present their own challenges.

There will be no intense or special training for me, just a consistent approach to being better tomorrow, than I am today.

And regardless of my training and event schedule, there are some essential milestones that I need and want to achieve:

I want to lose at least five stones of fat. I am currently sitting at 250lbs and having been 180lbs in 2012, it is a good weight for me and hopefully I won’t look too ridiculous in a tri-suit.
I also want to build more muscle. Ironman is an endurance sport and I need to be both physically and mentally strong.
I need to learn to swim and swim well. Currently, the 2.4 mile swim is the most daunting aspect of the Ironman for me and it will possibly make me or break me.
I need to master the art of the transition and learn the rules of triathlon. I won’t be trying to beat the Brownlee Brothers, but I do not want to attract any unneeded time penalties.
I need to remember to book a place. Ironmen events are becoming even more and more popular and they sell out almost as quickly as they open.
I need to raise as much as possible for Cancer Research and everyone can contribute here at Stephen’s Ironman 2018 Challenge for Cancer Research.
Finally, I also want to raise more awareness of the links between obesity and cancer. Too many of us believe that we are fit and fat and fail to understand the real danger that carrying extra weight can bring. Hopefully my efforts will inspire more to follow their dreams.

So, Mallorca Ironman 2018 is the dream and there will be many milestones to achieve and many barriers to overcome. It will not be easy and it will not be something that I will take lightly. There is much to do and I hope that you will continue to follow my progress here and at Man V Fat.

And remember, anything is possible.

howmanymiles

October 9, 2016 5 comments

Health Obesity

Energy Boosting Snacks for Work and Home

written by Stephen Morrison

One of the reasons for my weight gain of late is that I don’t eat enough.

Whoa…I hear you say, how can I, howmanymiles, gain weight by not eating enough? Am I some sort of freak of nature who defies the principle of calories in vs calories out?

Well, let me expand (much like my waist). Recently, I dropped some hours at work. Not to become a full-time blogger or even to allow me more gym time. It was to help me manage my caring responsibilities. I look forward each day to welcoming the boys home from school and unfortunately, I have also become accustomed to looking forward to my 3-4pm feeding hour. Which sometimes drifts on to 5pm and even 6pm as I make and taste dinner for the family.

Despite my best efforts, I am not going to bed earlier and I am certainly not getting up earlier in the morning. Each day, it is a mad scramble to get washed, dressed and out to work. No time for breakfast and no time to prepare lunch.

Not that I actually get one. I only work five hours a day and wait until I come home after 3pm to feast. So, to more accurately explain my weight gain, I should say that I don’t eat enough in the morning. I certainly make up for it later and then, when full, I often struggle to do a workout.

And with an Ironman (you did read my Man V Fat post, didn’t you?) to prepare for, I need to find ways to find time to eat in the morning and at lunch.

So, when the good folks at the meeting software provider GoToMeeting sent me their 15 Snacks to Boost Energy and Productivity Blog to read and share, I was instantly drawn to the information and the infographic it contained.

According to the author, Wendy MacAuliffe, part of the reason for my 3pm munchies is due to my circadian rhythm. She states that:

Our circadian rhythms (which influence our sleeping patterns) can also be responsible for creating the munchies. That’s why just as the afternoon slump hits, we go to make ourselves a cup of tea, and reach for the chocolate digestives!

It all starts to make sense. It isn’t that I am a glutton or have a really, really sweet tooth, it is because of that pesky circadian rhythm.

Listed, in the infographic, were 15 protein and fat packed energy boosting snacks that I could sit on my desk and tuck into while working. Not only, would they help me avoid snacking on unhealthier foods later, they would provide me with a much needed energy boost. Something that both my Ironman aspirations and my boss might appreciate.

Admittedly, some of them don’t excite me, but I have to admit, it has been too long since I last ate hummus ( I once lived on it while living on a Kibbutz)

Have a look at GoToMeeting’s suggested energy boosting snacks below and let me know if any of these end of on your desk . I would love to see tubs of nuts, bean and kale crisps replace the almost endless supply of cakes and biscuits in my workplace. And hey, you can still have chocolate, just the dark stuff.

This post was sponsored by GoToMeeting and for posting it, I was paid a fee. As part of my Ironman challenge is to raise awareness and funds for Cancer Research, I am donating the said fee (might need to get a tax adviser to advise on all my blog fee donations) to them

October 2, 2016 2 comments