Paul Dawson’s Blog

Well what an awesome expereince and was an amazing bunch of people.

Left sore (but in a good way), inspired, educated and simple buzzing.

Really helped me to ground the reasons why I had been doing the challnege and understand my body much better and what I need to do to be truly healthy.

The exercise sessions were great and left me wanting more.  I might need to be careful that I don’t become an exercise junkie!!! Was amazed at how much running I was able to do and that has given me a huge boost.

Inspired by the video of “Celebrate what is good about the world” and really trying to practice that each and every day.

Weight down to 84.2 kgs which is probably about the weight I was when I left school 19 years ago.

And what an amazing trip home with a tour of Waiheke island and some great chats at the airport and flight back.

This challenge is the start of something truly great for me and I am so grateful.

Looking forward to the call tonight.

It seems only fitting that I pay tribute to Michael Jackson and how apt his song is for this challenge, for the blokes anyway.  He obviously struggled with getting on top of his battles with himself but what a creative genius he was.

Anyway back to my challenge.  I have still struggled to get into a good routine again the last week and hence haven’t achieved a good result.  I did manage to get back to the gym and even did my first continuous run for 30 minutes, which is probably the first time I have done that since I left school.  So some new running shoes were purchased today in preparation for the retreat.

Results from the polar watch are 4 sessions for a total of 3:11 and 2635 kcals.

Failed miserabaly at my attempt to go for a week without coffee, it is still my vice but I will get there some day.

Very much looking forward to the retreat and just hoping the body will hold together for it.

Just 8 days left of the challenge.  What will I do when it is finished … keep going on the challenge to be the best me that I can be.

Well the last week has been really tough for me.  Our son Ollie has been unwell and waking up several times in the night and this has meant that I have been weary, haven’t made it to the gym since last wednesday, have been eating the wrong foods and generally spiralling downwards.  It is interesting to see how this has played out and how much I recognise it as a pattern.

Anyway getting back on track today and getting back to the gym tomorrow.

Weekly results from polar watch – 2 workouts, 1:27, 1107 kcals

Haven’t weighed myself this week so don’t know progress but worse than that and more importantly my energy levels are not good at all.  Will be interesting to see how quickly I can rebound back.

Well I am back into the exercise routine now and enjoying it although the body has been feeling it quite a lot.  Been walking around like a cowboy with very sore hamstrings and groin muscles!!!  Part of this is because we have been playing basketball as part of the warm up in our sports circuit at the gym and I remember how much I love sport and I have really got into it.  Think that will have to be part of my new lifestyle, getting back into a team sport.

Had a great surprise when I hit the scales this week as I have had a less than ideal couple of weeks and had not weighed myself for a while.  I was expecting to have put weight back on and was very nicley suprised when the scales read 2kgs off. Woo hoo.  I should be slack more often!!!!

Having some real successes at the moment with some work coming my way and my business developing nicely.

Also having some real success in dealing with my self sabateour and learning to accept that part of me rather than fight it.

Need to be better organised with food shopping for next week so I can stick to the plan more and also still need to drink more water.  I really should challenge myself to drink no coffee for a week.  Not sure if I could do that, but it would be a great challenge for me.

Weekly summary for last week from my polar watch is 4 sessions, 3hrs 7 mins, 2457 kcal.

At 86kgs, 4kgs to go to reach target for this challenge.

Well after a couple of encouraging reminders (thank you) I am back here for a blog.  It has been a very busy couple of weeks for me and it is getting to the critical stage for me to earn some more money (past that really) so feeling the pressure and while I am confident about the prospects for my business it is tough going at the moment.

I am getting some great help from Richard Whelan at the moment and we are working on the very stubborn self sabateour in me.  And that mainly comes in the form of having high expectations of myself, which I think make sure I don’t achieve to just prove to myself that I can’t be controlled.  I feel like I have a Gollum and Smeagol as my inner voices who constantly battle with one another.

Have been sufferring with a head cold for the best part of 10 days and that ha effected my exercise.  Feeling very tired and don’t have a lot of energy for exercise but also know that is due to not drinking enough water.  That seems to be a big thing for me.

I am trying not to beat myself for failing at my orignal goal and I won’t make it now, but I realise the real goal of this challenge was about educating myself about what is a healthy lifestyle for me and it kicked me into exercise which I will not give up now.

I have so much on my plate at the moment and my weight is just one of my major goals but still an important one.  I still want to have a really good run up until the retreat and use that as another springboard and confirmation about the healthy lifestyle that is right from me.

So I am going to reset my target for the end of the challenge to 82kgs but more importantly to have my energy levels where I want them and have a sense of balance.

I am always so keen to give myself very big challenges (and usually multiple ones) because I am ambitous but I am realising now that is also because I am impatient and wnat to gte places really fast but usua;;y end up dissapiointing myself.  So being realistic and realising that life is a journey not just the destination is what I am focusing on for the moment.

Keys for me for the next few weeks are exercise and water, water, water.

Been contemplating my committment to the challenge  over the last few days.  I have been doing well with the exercise part but have been have been having the approach to my food that near enough is good enough.  I have always been a bit of a rebel, especially with things that are strict and where it requires discipline.  Hence this challenge is such a good challenge for me.

Really want to have a super few weeks prior to the retreat and I think one of the best ways for me to do that is to commit to doing a food diary and being absolutely honest with myself.

If only you could have a senor on your mouth which recorded everything that passed your lips, could be some interesting entries though.

Comitting to giving it my best shot here.

I am committed to being my best (just need to mute a few voices in my head, or ignore them).

Well you would think that I have.  Thanks for the nudge Bex and Joanne.

Well it is fair to say that it has been an extremely busy last 3 weeks but it has been enjoyable.  My wife, Andrea, has been doing a locum so we have been sharing income earning and child raising reponsibilities which has been quite a juggle but has worked well and I have really enjoyed having more time with my son.

I have remained realtively committed to the challenge, although my progress has slowed a bit, but looking to be even more committed for the last 50 days.  I have kept up with my exercise and am looking to do 3 circuit classes a week which I am finding fantastic.  Really pushes me beyond where I would push myself.

Getting some great help from Ruchard Wheelan here in Christchurch and find him just great to deal with.  We are dealing with a lot of emotional issues too which are getting in the way of me achievig my potential.

Sorry I haven’t been blogging more and getting onto toher people’s blogs but with starting up my business and sharing parenting duties I barely seem to have 5 mins to spare in a day at the moment.

So looking forward to the retreat and getting to know those also on the retreat but need to get myself in the best shape I can before getting there.

I had a big buss yesterday when I had a new BIA done and I have knocked 8 years off my biological age. My wife will be a cradle snathcher if I keep that up!!!!!

Lots of love and support to you all and remember chase the dream … not the competition.

Well my quote for this blog comes from Brittains got talent and I have just watched Susan Boyles auditon on you tube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9lp0IWv8QZY quite inspirational to say the least much like Linda’s story tonight.

My week started off badly when I weighed myself at the gym.  Up until Friday I had lost 1 kg and had made it under 90kg.  On the weekend I helped a friend move home (plenty of exercise there as the new house was up a hill with no vehicle access to the house) and I then went on hill walk on Sunday.  So I rocked up to the gym expecting to see some more weight shed but was shocked that I had put the weight back on that I had previously lost.  Boy was I mad and with myself for making some poor food choices, mainly bread, some dairy and a couple of beers with the other sherpas.

So having to kick my butt again and get into it.  I had a gorgous day today though with my son (my wife was working – she is a chiropractor at sportsmed if anybody wants a good chiro, not that I am bias but it is true) and so I was on parent duty today and we had a great time together going on a bike ride, going to Willowbank  and generally having lots of fun.

Off for the group sesson again tomorrow so looking forward to that.  Time to be very serious with myself and do I really want to get the most out of this challenge.  I think I found the first few weeks too easy!!!

Well better sleep has returned to me in the last few days which is great.  I am not sure how much of it was down to sheer exhaustion or a feww things being resolved.

Anyway had a few good days with the challenge and really enjoyed my hill climb this morning. It was great to get out and get of view over Christchurch at the start of the day and have some quiet reflection time.

Really committed to having a great week this week and want to break through the 90kg mark.  Also need to get some results on the work front so hopefully will secure some work there.

Looking forward to the week ahead.