1066 All Stars

One week into the FIT1, time to take stock of how things have gone.

Weight and Measurements

Post C9 weight - 10st 12lbs

FIT1 starting weight – 10st 8lbs

Current weight – 10st 6lbs

Sadly I negelcted to measure at the start of the plan so for comparative purposes, my post-C9 figures are shown in brackets.

Waist –33.5 (35)

Chest - 38 (37.5)

Biceps - 11 (10)

Thighs -20 (20)

Calves –13 (13.5)

Interesting to see that although my waist has shrunk (hence the drop in trouser size) my chest appears to have slightly increased. This may be as simple as attempting to take the measurement myself, rather than asking the wife, or taking it in a slightly different place. Either way, I hope to see this reduce down over the next couple of weeks.

The bicep change reflects my observations whilst the calf measurement is no doubt a reflection of my regular lunchtime walks.

Thoughts

• After a bright start, I had a real wobble around days 2 and 3. My muscles were aching from the intensity of exercise and my mood was low as I questioned why I was doing this and whether I was doing it right.

• The big question is why? The muscle ache is obvious. Despite being a regular walker, I have never done calisthenics and resistance training. I also suspect that I failed to warm up and stretch properly, exacerbating the problem.

• But something important happened on day 3. Despite aching legs, I powered through the exercises in the evening and afterwards felt great! Despite waking up on day 4 with a migraine (a long term condition), I felt great and was actually disappointed that days 4 and 5 were rest days. I ended up really looking forward to my day 6 workout which was hard but rewarding.

• I can already see results. I have lost 2lbs on the scales and can definitely see some toning to my arms. Encouraging signs only one week in.

• As for low mood, this is very much related to my deep rooted mental health issues, driven by insecurity and anxiety and something that I continue to manage daily. So let’s park these thoughts here; I am doing this because I want to make sustainable, healthy changes to my lifestyle that help me to look and feel good. There is no ‘right’ and ‘wrong’ to the plan, simply finding your own way and being happy with it. So no more doubts and no more questions. And no regrets.

• The FIT1 and C9 programmes are about more than physical changes. An important aspect is changing the way we think about nutrition and diet. Calorie counting has now become an engrained part of my daily routine, not in a restrictive sense but in the sense of taking responsibility for, and control over, my diet. It takes more effort but by planning out my meals and shopping, I can prepare affordable, balanced but still tasty meals. It is an enjoyable challenge, the accountability helping me to make better choices.

With week one down, I find myself looking forward to week 2 and I am already certain that I will carry on some of the habits and exercise routines I have learnt well after the plan has finished.

Got a question or a comment? Interested in the Clean 9 or FIT1 but don’t know if it’s right for you or where to start? Feel free to leave a comment below.