16 Days into my Challenge and……
It’s at this point in any challenge that most people quit (if they haven’t done so already). and I am seemingly stuck, particularly if I judge my progress on weight lost. I stepped on the scale and was shocked to find that I am only 0,5kg less than when I started focusing on this new direction a fortnight ago.
Fortunately I know that I am in the most critical phase of my new Journey and I need to revisit a few things. Why did I start? What is my Vision? What is my Purpose? How will my mantra of Burning the Boats help me now?
Truth be known, my ultimate success or lack of it will depend on how I answer the above questions and also how I respond to this challenge within a challenge. I cannot quit now, I have to persevere, remain committed and pull through, as this ‘week’ may define many of my future successes or lack of them.
“You cannot change your destination overnight, but you can change your direction overnight” (Jim Rohn)
The early days, seems like I’m having to dig deep once more!
1. Why did I start?
I believe that the majority of us have been eating badly and arguably the biggest culprits are Ironman athletes, as we can seemingly get away with it due to the hours spent swimming, running and cycling. I am living proof of that, but I’m also starting to ask myself have I realized my potential; how has all this junk that I’ve been eating affected me inside my body; has the food I’ve been eating (in the past) been a contributor to my poor sleeping habits or my energy levels?
The more I read the more I believe I’m heading in the right direction and it may take months, or years to reach my new destination, but I am sure it will be worth it. One thing is for sure it will be an interesting Journey.
2. My Vision?
Bill Hybels said in his book Courageous Leadership that Vision “Is a picture of the Future that creates Passion!” I have a Crystal Clear Vision of my future, of being healthier, of being more streamlined and this picture of the future is creating sufficient Passion for me to stay focused and to remain committed.
3. My Purpose?
It was the tragic passing of my 19 year old Stepson Reece that was the catalyst to me getting started and that little spark became a fire within, enabling me to chase my dreams and compete in ironman competitions worldwide. My transformation appeared to encourage others to want to dream again, to want to get off the couch and back into the game of life.
So this has become a huge motivator for me, trying to encourage others, to inspire people to change direction in an effort to pursue a new direction within their lives.
4. Burning the Boats?
The beauty of Burning the Boats and committing your Goals to Stone is that you cannot simply erase them, or rub them out. This is one of the reasons I Burnt the Boats and why it is so much easier for me to push on and to persevere. What message would I be sending out now if I called in and said sorry (to anybody following this weekly Blog), it’s a little tougher than expected so I’ll start again next month, or next year? (http://ironmansa.com/2013/08/22/burn-the-boats-maximise-your-potential/)
Week Two and how am I progressing?
Perhaps the only progress I have made this week is that I know I’ve broken a really long, bad habit. I no longer desire some of those really bad refined carbohydrates, things like chocolates, biscuits, chips, rusks and muffins. Before I proceed let me record my gratitude to my wife Michelle, who is supporting me in my efforts but more importantly preparing the meals… thanks very much!
I stuck to my Plan very well, yes I had a couple of Light beers and Future Life on one of the days (my Treat Day- never call it a Cheat Day as you want to digest positives not negatives), but other than that I did great and stuck to my Plan to a T! My one concern is, should I be cutting out the Capuchinos (a big weakness), so if you have an opinion on this I’d be grateful to hear from you?
My reactions to the week: Well sticking to the Plan was so much easier than I thought it was going to be and it was a case of building upon the momentum of the first week. Strangely enough I never seem to be very hungry any more which is a great sign and I think now I’m snacking (nuts and kudu biltong) purely out of habit. It’s important to snack, but I probably do snack too often and in too large quantities, but it was important that I snacked often those first two weeks, but this will be one of my key focus areas going forward.
I even had two social commitments including a staff braai and drank 2 glasses of red wine and snacked on carrot sticks and nuts, which I thoroughly enjoyed. Strangely enough I had no desire to sample the chips & dips, nor the pasta or potato salads, something I would have got stuck into a few weeks ago.
My energy levels have been more constant and I think I am sleeping a little better. Even going to the toilet is different these days and one big plus is that there is far less gas emissions around the home.
But while I chalked up a big Plus on the Plan, I must say it is very disappointing that the weight is being stubborn and not falling off me like we would all hope it does. (If anyone has any encouragement or rationale on this please let me know as I would be grateful for that but it would be great to share it with those who face similar challenges?)
Do Not Let the How Limit You?
I’m not sure of the How, but I cannot afford to let the How limit me. I do know that some of the best Visions are the ones that we have no idea how we are going to achieve them. Somebody once said let imagination be your only limitation.
I can recall a bike ride in 2007 when I wasn’t very fit or in great shape and somebody asking me what is my ultimate goal. I said I’m aiming to get to the World Championships and challenge for a Podium in my Age Group. Sure he laughed and so did I, as I had no idea if it was possible and it certainly appeared not, except for one thing…. I had a vivid imagination and if you can imagine it, it is Possible. It was Possible! View Las Vegas race report here (http://ironmansa.com/2011/11/13/the-riddle-of-the-iron-man/)
I have no idea how successful I will be on this new challenge, but I can imagine it and I’m starting to see myself as I can become and no longer as I am, which is an amazing vision. I don’t know the How, but I’m inspired and while it is important to me, there is something ‘bigger’ than me at work here. I am hoping that others can learn from my experiences, my mistakes, my successes with this challenge and improve the quality of their lives, or enhance longevity.
This week I took a phone call from an old University friend, Douglas Gerber, who now lives in America and he is struggling with similar weighty issues since a back operation (must be an age thing), but a little over a year ago he ran a 33 minute 10km, which is inspiring in itself. So come on Douglas time to get back on track. Also chatted to Mark Wolf, who is seemingly a fundi on Nutrition and I hope I can learn a trick or two from him. In the meantime I’m sampling some of his recipes.
Australian cricketer Steve Waugh once said and I live by this motto..
“If you want something to happen with all of your heart, you will always find ways to make it happen: If you do not really want it with all your heart, you will find an excuse to explain why it did not happen!”
It’s important to remember that life begins at the end of your comfort zone and nothing worth achieving is easy, so it’s time to get into the trenches and put your back into something. Unfortunately most Goals (Vision) fail either at the start or in the execution, as we never expected it to be stubborn or difficult, which is what I am experiencing. But, I am going to keep fighting back, getting up once more than I am knocked down and I will finish strong!
So this week will be trying to do a few more training sessions (last week was particularly poor as I hurt my shoulder at swimming so only swam twice and ran & biked once, but both were very short). However, my main focus will be on pushing through on the new Nutrition Plan, trying to stay away from refined carbohydrates. I will be bold, it will be measurable and I will be accountable and in time I will start seeing the benefits.
Enjoying the Journey, although it is very Challenging!
Cheers for now, Alec (@alecriddle)
During the course of this week @davepearce76 sent me a link to an article by Ben Greenfield entitled ‘Does endurance exercise make you age faster?’ Wow, this was a wake-up call and below is a brief extract from Ben’s article, together with a link to the article. I highly recommend that you read it, you may just view Life through a different Lens thereafter.
For a long time, Chad stayed fit on the outside, but broken on the inside, and it eventually caught up with him. Within just a few years, Chad will barely be able to do any of the exercise that he relied on for so long to keep him sane and keep him lean. Even simple movements will hurt.
And Chad will quit enjoying life.
If Chad had taken the trouble to have some tests done, he would have discovered…..
-hampered fat metabolism and a pre-diabetic condition from excessive sugar, starch, carbohydrate and high-glycemic index carbohydrate intake…
-chronically elevated cortisol hormone levels, systemic inflammation and blood vessel and nerve damage from oxidative stress and free radical production…
-skin, joint and connective tissue breakdown from hormone depletion and high levels of inflammatory markers like HS-CRP, fibrinogen and interleukins…
-rock-bottom vitamin D, depleted omega-3 anti-inflammatory fatty acids and plummeting testosterone levels from a low-fat diet combined with energy depletion from overexercise…
-a leaky intestinal wall, fungus overgrowth in the gastrointestinal tract and severe neurotransmitter and sleep imbalances related to a broken gut…
-depletion of elements crucial to the heart’s electrical activity, such magnesium and trace minerals, combined with excessive levels of oxidized cholesterol and plaque formation…
YES, you Can, you Will, you Want to!!
The Riddle of an Ironman's Life 