Hi.
I'm Mike. I am trying for the umpteenth time to start a blog in the hopes it will help motivate me to change. I want to live a healthier, happier life. I (kind of) know how I want to do it, but actually doing it is another thing.
I recently came across
Wil Wheaton's reboot blogs - and I liked it so much I think I am going to give it a shot. I definitely have some areas I want to focus on and I will try to document them here. So here they are:
1. Drink less alcohol.
I put this number one for a reason. It really is the number one thing I wan't to get sorted. In an ideal world I would ditch it for good and I still think that is the aim, but cutting down would be a perfect start. I drink almost every day. It's not a first-thing-I-think-about type situation, but at the end of a day there is nothing I like more that to get stuck into a bottle of red, or some beer, oftentimes both!
2. Eat better.
I do not handle carbs well, but boy do I like to partake in them! So for me Eat Better is an area that I will be trying to improve by reducing the carbs. I dip in and out of a Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) diet (obviously alcohol doesn't help here!), but I really want to be a better low carber. This isn't going to turn into a LCHF blog, and I really don't want to get into discussions with people around the pros and cons. I fully respect everybody's right to find what works for them. I want to give this a really good go.
3. Use my camera daily.
Doesn't really sound life altering, but my camera sits unused and almost every day I will look at and think I should learn how to take some nice photos. I'm thinking this will help battle boredom, and who knows, I might actually end up taking some really nice pictures!
4. Mediate more.
When I do take the time to meditate and sustain it for a few days or so, I can definitely see the improvements in me. I really want to develop this into a daily habit of mindfulness meditation. If you haven't given it a go I recommend you do. My mind is often racing and I struggle to catch hold of thoughts, or focus on the bad thoughts for way too long. This will help that.
5. Quit smoking.
I know, I know. Smoking is bad right? I get it. There's not much more to be said on this one. Smoking has become a habit, a crazy bad habit that isn't really about the nicotine any more. I can go days without one, and start back up again not because of a craving but because I just miss the habit of stepping outside and smoking. So this needs to change.
6. Exercise more.
I don't move nearly enough. At the moment I'm back on a couch to 5k plan and and mid way through week 4. I really enjoy it when I get running, so I want to make this a new habit and also find other ways of exercising to mix it up a bit. I'm at a good starting place here, according to my app, in July I have ran a total of 18 miles (25 miles including the walking bits)
7. Write more.
I love it when I'm writing. But I just procrastinate. Writing here may help, but I really wan't to finish my book. I'm about 30k words in and stalled. I want to get some passion for writing back. I think what puts me off is the fear that no one will want to read it or that everyone will hate it. Well, so what? I have to do it for me and if anyone else likes it then that's a bonus!
So, I think that is more than enough for now! I'll do my best to write here and document how I'm getting along. Hopefully I will see improvements in all areas. At the time of writing, I am 250 lbs. Stomach measures 47", Waist 43" and Chest 45". If all goes to plan those numbers will drop and I'll post some pics. I'll also be able to share my book with the world and just be generally happier.
Here goes.......
