But Seriously ...

I notice I haven't posted anything about my actual progress in a little while. Generally, it's going well. I'm getting into the pattern of cooking and shopping on a regular basis and feel life has taken on a more cruisey pace. All expectations that I would have lots of free time have dissipated - it seemed like it on the first week but never since. Eating out and socialising have been passable (reduced but not eliminated). I just try to get fish or meat and a side of steamed veggies (though never quite trust that the only added ingredient is steam). When with drinking buddies I don't mind a soda-water if they can tolerate a dry-shite in their midst.

Getting started on the training each morning is hard but I always get through at least one of the strength or cardio exercises before work and get to the other after. Possibly not ideal but manageable.

• Skipping still requires short breaks for catching breath and tripping, but the runs are longer and the breaks are shorter.
• Push-ups still feel weak. On toes I'm not getting a real deep lowering and have to fail back to knees on the third and fourth sets. But I do flesh out the reps when this is necessary.
• Incline Pull-ups are still very tough and I'm only getting through two sets cleanly. Third set is half-motion and fourth is just a sort of vague strain that is wilfully upwards.
• Sit-ups are okay for the first set but become crunches in the second and later sets. I have a question for Patrick about this.
• Lunges are difficult and boring, but actually easier now that I'm returning to full standing position between each rep.
• Everything else is fine. Resistance bands make it easy to find a place which requires a lot of effort but is doable.

And that's it. No injuries, illnesses, excessive hunger or cravings to speak of. I'm a bit of a boring prick but I can live with that for a few months. I can always get back to being a grumpy, arrogant, dipsomaniac arsehole afterwards if I still feel like it.