Boffing madness

My long time school/life time friend Oz sent me a link to a sport/activity called boffing.  I have since researched it and it reminded me of my LARP days (running around Margam Park as a barbarian dwarf with a beefy quarterstaff).  So it seems that Boffing is a spin off from several other activities, but has become something separate and fun in its own right.

So I went to B&Q and came home with the materials to make a few basic weapons, the result of which is below

The kids seem to like them and too be honest I quite enjoy the chance of therapy, hitting kids in a safe and controlled way, lol.

I first made two simple generic boffer swords, although I latter added a hand guard to one of them, I then made a generic dagger out of the scrap bits, of course I then rushed back to B&Q to get more materials and have since made a 6ft quarterstaff (pugel stick) which has always been my weapon of choice.

I am seriously thinking of using these boffer weapons in youth club on Tuesday and see how well it can be controlled as a fun activity.

There seems to be nothing quite like it in Swansea on initial investigation but I will look further into it, however, I can see me creating a group in the eastside of Swansea if there is not one, as this can be a fun way to get fit and socialise too, and never forget the therapy……

Boffer G signing out

before and after pics

Ok here are some photos for comparison sake. the first one is of me in May 2007 and the second one is of me two weeks ago in Hay-on-Wye so they are about 25 months apart.

Doctor who? – no but it was some odd eastern european name

I went to the Doctors yesterday…..

No there is nothing wrong with me, which is also what the doctor found odd!

I explained that i was not ill I just wanted an MOT (checkup) so we did the whole weight, heart rate and blood pressure thing, and I am fighting fit, 120/90 and heart kicking like a horse and weight in the doc’s with clothes on was 17stone 2lb.  He asked me how I lost the weight and I said ‘divorce’ (ok its getting old now but it still a  jaw dropper).

Ieuan also came in with me and we discussed stratagies with his own diet as well….

The Doc also seemed to think I could not get on any plastic surgery list unless I had also had a tummy tuck, so in one way I am actually relieved as I am not interested in any knife touching me on purpose.

But….he did seem to think that most of the skin would, over time shrink back and also if I was to bulk up with a bit of muscle mass that would also take up some of the sag.  So my plan is a sound one.

When I get to 15 stone I will focus on maintaining my weight (although any lose would be appreciated) and concentrate on firming up my body for a few months (about 6 maybe) and then I can re-evaluate after that and maybe move a bit further down the weight chart (maybe to 13 stone).

I am also going to try to give myself a freaky challenge over the next 3 weeks and see if I can lose a whole stone in that time ( my birthday).  It would be nice to just sneak into the 15 stone range and know that I only have 13lb ish left to loose.

Byeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

The G (the only and original)

a bit of an update – no surprises though!

Quite simply I scraped past that milestone today,  am now in the 16stone zone at last.  It has been a struggle to get to it simply because of the rest of the world slowing me down, lol……First I had a cold which put me off for a week, then the next week I struggled in the gym and recovering from a cold, then last week the kids were off from school, which always upsets my gym and swim routine, then in the latter half of the same week my car’s exhaust falls off.  Then come Sunday night I start sniffing again, so I have a cold again.  However I did manage to get back to the gym and pool today and when I got home I hung of the imaginary ceiling hooks to make myself a bit lighter on the scales and came in at 16st 13.7lb.

So I am happy, but it is more of a tired happy, sort of like running the marathon, you kno tha in the end you will win, but are just to darn knackered to care….

So here is the 16st guy signing off

Love and Peace out to the world and all my freaky friends

G

Nealry at the next landmark

IMPORTANT UPDATE TO POST ——IEUAN HAS NOW LOST 2.1 LB IN 2 WEEKS

Well last week I was ill (Man Flu)……And as we all know Men are terrible when they are ill.  The biggest babies on the planet.  And I am no exception to that rule (It must be genetics).

End result of me being ill was an increase in weight of about 6lb, hence the reason why I have been very quiet on the weight update front, if it aint good news then it aint worth telling.  So now I have some good news.  After spending time in the gym and the pool over the last 4 days, as intense as I can get it to be honest, almost passing out even, I now have good news.

Not only have I lost the extra weight but I have managed to go below it to a new time LOW (?)….

I am now (Drum roll please) 17stone…….wait for it………2.5lb

Ok maybe I should of made you all sit down first, it is quite amazing….

All kidding aside, I am just so close to that 16ston something landmark I can taste it in the air (or was that the pasta from earlier).

On another interesting note I have just been to tesco shopping for clothing for myself and have downsized in all relevant clothing sections.  I just spray painted a pair of 38 inch waist jeans on and am wearing size L TShirt and size L Trunks (Just to show it all of better ladies)

So here is me sitting here in my new clothes loving you all

G

Family SlimPlan ???

OK I want to carry out a motivational experiment with my son Ieuan, so to that effect I have created his own ticker tape on his facebook page and will keep a track of his weight on my blog too

So without further adue(?) here are todays scores on the doors

May 7th 2009

Ieuan                 Gareth

Height               4ft 8.5                 5ft 6.5

Weight              11st 9.1lb           17st 4.7

Wrist                 6.75 inches       7 inches

Neck                 15 inches             16 inches

Waist                40 inches            48 inches

Chest                43 inches            48 inches

Come back next week for an update on the situation

17.5 stone guy

not exactly an original title to my post I know, but I don’t care so there……

I am now 17st 6.1lb and loving it.  the last few weeks have been infuriating hovering between 17st 10 and 18st its so damn nice to get down into the bottom half of the 17stone zone.  This is also a landmark figure in that now I have lost more than 8st in weight since I started this insane plunge into getting fit.

here’s to my dudes and dudettes

G

Swim holidays finished – back to the rota

After 2 weeks of easteer and then the pool closing for a week for renovations I was glad to get back in there today and swim another mile.  I thought that I would of been out of whack and wouldl probably only manage 40-50 lengths of the pool but I did it, I swam my usual.

Another interesting tale is my weight loss.  It has been a little fixed in stone the last few weeks, mostly due to the holidays and not being able to get enough exercise, but also I have been trying to mix things up a little bit, change how I eat and when to see what is happening.  The reason for this is that over the last few weeks it seems that I have lost weight, but this time mostly muscle mass as opposed to fat mass, which is not a good thing.

So this morning I get up and weigh in at 17st 11lb, and after yesterday eating lasagne at my mothers who could expect less.  However my plumbing has also been working over time today as well.  But after I got back from the gym, I though I would probably be 1.5lb lighter (as this seems the pattern when I do my gym and swimming together – making some 2.5 hours of exercise).  I did not expect to see the result that I did…..

17st 7.5lb

It did fluctuate a bit as I went on the scales a further 6 times to try to get a consensus opinion on it,  The lowest was 7.3lb and the highest was 8.0 (only once though) so I struck for 7.5 as a nice figure to work with.

Lets see what my weight is tomorrow morning when I get back from the gym.  I would like to see it hit 7.0 dead and can hope for even lower.

G (somewhat perplexed)

Unfamiliar ground

I weighed today after going to the gym and swimming with my son.

Good news I am now 17st 10lb…….

So why do I feel like shit, why do I feel scared.

The only thing I can think of is that I am now walking along a road I never really travelled before, the terrain is unfamiliar, there are no lifeguards at the edge of the pool.

It could also be because my target is becoming tangible.  I an now only 38lb away from my target.  In theory if I can keep a weight loss of 4lb a week I can be at my target by my next birthday (unlikely, but within the realms of reality at least).

When I eventually reah 15st I will also need to review the situation as to whether to stay at 15st or to push on lower, perhaps 11 or 12 stone.

This is all weird for me right now

G

Back on track

OK, it was in the ancient mists of time when……OK it was last October, the 29th to be exact, when I was 17st 12lb.  Then it all went pear shaped – what a strange phrase, how about Orange shaped or banana shaped.

Anyway I focused on my diet again and my fitness nearly 4 weeks ago and then went on a hellish diet and gym/swim regime to get rid of a stone in weight in 3 weeks, which as you all now I did in 2 1/2 weeks.  Then last weekend I went to Scotland (land of the brave – really, are they?)  and put on a small amount of weight (3-4lb).  So this week I been working to lose that puppy fat and then work on reducing it more if possible, and today it happened.

I am now back at that total of 17st 12lb.   So from here on in its virgin territory (10 virgins a day please, thank you very much).

So what landmarks can I aim for now, well 17st 7lb would be 8 stone lost so that would be a good one for now, and then lets aim for the 16st guy after that one.

An optimistic G signing off

Love and Peace Out