4 Hour Body - Day 1

Day one is almost over and it has been a breeze. Being prepared is the key to the 4 Hour Body working. Yesterday I cooked a simple veggie stir fry so there was enough for lunch for Catherine and me. (See photo)

For dinner I've cooked aubergine parmigiana (all be it without the cheese) with some quorn sausages (see second photo).

I'm still eating meat, but am cutting back after Xmas in order to help my digestive system recover! The leftovers will be lunch tomorrow. Normally we would cook a huge amount, box it up and have it through the week. That will come at the weekend when I can commit a couple of hours to cooking.

Today's training was cross training. I chose to do vinyasa yoga at lunchtime as I've been away from it for so long. I find it challenging as it is in a heated room, but it certainly develops my flexibility and balances out the running sessions nicely.

Catherine hit the gym to spin on the bike and do some 'bodyrock' training this morning.

Tomorrow we both have a seven mile tempo run to do, so I'll fill you in on how that works out.

Tom :)

Back on the wagon

Thanks to a few close friends our Christmas passed with laughter, fun and a great deal of eating. Fortunately (or unfortunately depending how you look at it) I will be back at work, soon. I am completely non-specific about when because my boss wrote off his van and has been getting back on his feet the last two weeks. Despite my position of uncertainty and near bankruptcy I am filled with a fantastic sense of motivation and urgency.

This new motivation is not because it is January (as a former fitness instructor I don't believe in New Year's resolutions), but is due to the enjoyment of explaining the 4-hour body to our friend Jim. Jim has been staying with us over the last couple of weeks and we have enjoyed many a flat white, Asahi, pastry and delicious dinners with him. On his last night (yesterday) we got onto talking about the 4-hour body (4HB), which Catherine and I had been fans of back in London. By telling Jim the fundamentals of this way of eating (w.o.e) (note: not a diet) I began to remember how effective it was. Yes it had its drawbacks, I remember feeling like I had turned into a lentil with the amount I was eating. But this w.o.e works and as I am determined (no really I am) to break my PB I thought the 4HB would help my drop some kg's and get me there. After all its our diet that lets us down most of the time, not our inability to train.

So tomorrow Catherine and I will be back on the 4HB and what better way to document this small journey than to blog about it! I thought I'd keep it simple and write a small post every day on how I was feeling in the first couple of weeks. This is the time when headaches, nausea, lethargy and any other numerous feelings will surface as we remove the "white" carbs and focus on the 4HB. It will be interesting to see how the weight changes. I just got back from the gym and my measurements stack up as follows:

1. Weight: 89.1kg (probably the heaviest I've been for a year)
2. Waist: 33in (84cm)
3. Chest: 40in (101.5cm)
4. Glutes (mid backside): 40in
5. Thighs (10in up from patella): 23in (58cm)

I don't have my body fat measurement, but I intend to get a DEXA scan done in the next couple of weeks to see how I progress. I will retest the above every 4 weeks and the body fat post marathon in April. 

Aside from writing about our progress I will post photos of the meals and our cheat days (every Saturday as per the 4HB), just so you can see how easy it is to adopt. Check out the 4HB by Timothy Ferriss for the whole story. I will also update you on our marathon training (check out the FIRST program through runners world for more info) as we progress through the weeks. This weeks is only week two, so there's a lot still to come! My target for April is 3:30-3:40 and Catherine is aiming for a sub-3:45 marathon. 

Feel free to ask any questions you have in the comments section or let me know of your own goals this year.

Wishing you all a very happy new year,

Tom :)

Rain, rain, go away...

As the name of this post suggests it has been raining cats and dogs in Sydney recently, but good weather has returned and looks to remain for the next week. Just as well because I don't want to turn into a whingeing POHM by complaining about the rain ;)

When I first began writing this post it was for another meaning that I used the above title. On the day in question it was indeed "pissing down" as I made a visit to the Randwick TAFE college. I wanted to find out if I could apply for the upcoming carpentry course in order to further develop my skills and gain an Australian qualification. The costs on the TAFE website put it at approximately $800-$900 per year, studying one or two nights a week. No problem I thought, I can carry on working and study at the same time. So imagine my shock when the man at the TAFE reception told me that foreigners have to pay an extra $11 per tuition hour on top of the $8-900 per year. This would raise the cost to approximately $3,500-$4,000 per year. Multiply that by three years and suddenly I'm looking at either selling my backside or my functioning kidney to fund my further education!

However I never posted the subsequent rant that I tapped out after learning this great news. I hadn't quite finished when I realised the time and had to leave for an appointment. I am certainly glad that I didn't post my previous draft as you would've thought (even more so than now) that I am a cantankerous old man!

Moving on (and hopefully forwards) it looks like it will be a busy time before Christmas in completing a variety of jobs for clients of Steve and Andrew from Hire a Hubby. I've only recently started doing some work for Andrew, but hopefully I will be helping him on a renovation that he is trying to complete inside three weeks. New floor joists, stairs, skirting, kitchen and bathroom are being put in among other things, so that should be an interesting project to work on. I've also been networking and trying to get work as a trades assistant for a carpenter. I think this will be the only way that I can learn, after all, I have done my carpentry course at home, I just need the experience and guidance to put my skills into action!

Next week I turn 30! This great milestone of survival will be marked with a session of paintball, during which I imagine I will be shot at enough times to remind me that I am not 18. I have limited it to a two hour session, in the hope that the pain will be less. As a precautionary measure we will be going for drinks afterward in order to numb any paintball associated injuries. I will be drinking pints as I can't be seen to be drinking schooners on my birthday. I wouldn't get away with it in England, so I won't avoid it here with half measures ;)

Shortly after my birthday is Catherine's 30th birthday. We have both been fairly disorganised with birthdays this year, but I still have time to get her a sneaky present or two. I won't divulge any more information in case she chooses to read my blog! I'll get the photos up when I get a chance, so you can admire Catherine's bronzed face and my darker shade of white tan.

All in all life is great in Australia. It would be even better if our friends and family were here with us, but that's the price we pay for paradise and as the saying goes "absence makes the heart grow fonder". I certainly miss family and friends but remind myself that I can call them and now have the benefit of video calls, which we use as frequently as possible.

Next time I will update you on our marathon news, we start our next training program on December 22nd!

Until then, live strong and prosper ;)

Tom

Back to the gym and fun trips

Ok I admit I have been more than useless at posting over the last few months. For a time the blog app on my iPhone stopped working after an Apple update, so I went AWOL on the blog front. But fear not! I am back...

I am sure I have some thoroughly boring photos to post of carpentry work and of beaches galore, but they will come separately to this post as they are on my mobile not on this computer. Catherine and I are going to "upgrade" to a new computer for our 30th birthdays, so I am sure that will make things a little easier.

Over the last few months I have been working alongside Steve of Double Bay Hire a Hubby. Every day is different and although I am not always doing carpentry work the variety keeps things interesting. Going forwards I am going back to working at Gap part time, whilst arranging other work around that to ensure some wages security. I am also looking to start a carpentry course at the TAFE college part time from next February, so I'll be uber busy!

Catherine has been working hard at her law firm in Double Bay, but has now been joined by a new part time employee, which should help her out. Despite her fully daily schedule from time to time she gets to enjoy the lunchtime views at Double Bay beach. Not a bad place to be! Although she is working hard I think she'll agree that when she finishes at 530pm she can fully appreciate her time off now. Going to yoga, running or just enjoying the warm evenings are a possibility now after leaving the London life behind.

After running the Sydney Blackmores marathon in 3 hours 50 minutes a few weeks ago I have decided to go back to strength training in the gym. Having worked as a fitness instructor and personal trainer it has been enjoyable (though painful) to get back in the gym to train myself. Catherine has joined me too, so I get to share the pain with her! I am working towards strengthen my legs for next years Canberra marathon, so that I can run a sub 3:45 marathon without the discomfort ;) This is quite a revelation for me as I am ultimately as lazy as a sloth, so an organised training plan is a new strategy!

Catherine and I have been looking forward to these last two months of the year for awhile now. Firstly because we are off on holiday for a week to New Zealand with friends next week. Two of our friends from London are coming over and so we are sharing an RV to tour the South Island with them. I've always wanted to go to New Zealand so I am excited to finally be going and to share it with Catherine and friends. Hopefully we will get a little mountain biking in, which I have been missing out on over the last year. I'm sure I'll have a million photos to share when I get back!

We are also looking forward to our 30th birthdays, which will be a novelty to have in summer instead of winter. A pint of Guinness will be a big part of my celebration ;)
After those celebrations we will be welcoming our friend Jim for Christmas and a few barbecues. Along with our friend Andrew we are going to enjoy a trip to Melbourne for the Boxing Day Ashes test. Here's hoping England give a repeat performance of their latest Ashes triumph.

All these things just add to the amazing lifestyle we have here. I won't kid myself by saying that I am always down the beach (yes I should be), but when I do go down to Bronte it is such a great experience. To have a the ocean on your doorstep is a blessing and the perfect balancing aid for any stresses we face. The weather is the main reason I wanted to come to Australia and it has given us such an amazing first year. It has provided the opportunity to enjoy frisbee at the park during the winter months, BBQ's at the beach during the spring and many runs in sunny conditions.

So until next time I wish you all the best and happy training!

Tom :-)

A waiting game

This blog writing business is tricky eh?! Or perhaps it is my organisational skills (or lack thereof!) Either way it is great to write and update on our progress here in Sydney.

I have a new job which I may have told you about before. I am now working as a labourer for Steve Nash of "Hire a Hubby" Double Bay - http://www.hireahubby.com.au/nsw/double-bay/
Steve works on a variety of jobs from concrete and formwork to tiling and carpentry. He loves his work and I do too. It's great to work on something different everyday and have the satisfaction of getting jobs done in a relatively short time frame. I learn something new everyday and I don't exaggerate when I say that, plus I'm building a variety of trade skills for use in the future. When Catherine and I buy our own home I will be a spring of knowledge and tradie skills. "Homes under the hammer" here we come! If you want to see some of the work I've been assisting with, you can keep up to date via the twitter feed on www.woodytom.com or follow me on twitter: @gotwood83

Catherine has been working hard at her law firm in Double Bay and has submitted her visa application. As the title of this post describes we are playing a waiting game. Provided all is well this visa approval will give us another three years in Sydney. So fingers crossed for that, if we get the visa then I am expecting visitors!

Away from work Catherine and I have been loving life. We have done a great deal of yoga and a little running. We are running every weekend with our club Achilles - www.achilles-sydney.org.au where we guide disabled/blind runners and walkers. Catherine is just getting back to running after her injury and is making great headway. I have entered Sydney marathon (September 22nd) and am back into training, which is going well. The target is 3:45, so that I beat my PB and reclaim the marathon crown from Catherine the Great!
Other than that we are enjoying a mild winter and have plans to visit Melbourne and the Blue Mountains over the next couple of months.

Wedding plans have not progressed since we were back in England in May, but we will be sending out an email with details soon. Naturally the location is dependant on our visa approval!

That's about it for now from me, but I'll pop some work photos up on my next post.

Keep smiling,

Tom :-)


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Back to the beach

We got back to Sydney and our beach home on Wednesday night after a short skip and a hop through Dubai.

We had a great time back home during our six week sojourn. The two weddings we went back for were great fun and were blessed with great weather. The rest of the six weeks was a blur visiting friends and family across the country and although it was enjoyable it won't be something I repeat! Next time we head home it will be a much more relaxed affair.

Back at the beach we have settled straight back into our routine. Catherine and I both returned to work on the Thursday and I can safely say it helped to "reset" our body clocks. I slept for a good nine hours on both Thursday and Friday!

It was brilliant to get back to work at Gap on Thursday. I felt a little like a minor royal (probably Eugenie) and it was fun to get stuck in.

Catherine enjoyed going back to work as it meant she wasn't rushing all over seeing everyone and got to do yoga at the days end.

As I type this Catherine is being flung around above another mans head. She is really excited about getting back to Acro and acting like a big kid (in age if not size ;))

Naturally it was tough leaving England, but we were both keen to get back to our life here after rushing about for six weeks. The lifestyle here is relaxed to say the least. Even when working we both know at the end of the day we can go for a run, swim or do yoga in a beach setting. Yes we could do all these in England, but not only is the weather better, but the people are friendlier (than London at least). So before anyone says anything, yes we miss home, but only for the friends and family we leave behind. I'd trade London for the beach life any day. It may not be perfect, but the balance is much more positive here than the city back home.

Well I better scoot. I'm off to watch the Lions begin their tour of the Southern Hemisphere. Good times.

Tom :)


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Tick tock

We have less than two weeks until we return to England for a six week holiday.

Taking a holiday from a "working holiday" may be seen by some as indulgent. But we have several good reasons for this trip home. Firstly two weddings, secondly several new born babies and thirdly to see family and friends.

We sent our schedule out to all our family and friends recently in order to make the most of our time home. A few people "took the Michael", probably because I am about as organised as a barrel of snakes. The email was my suggestion (I think!), but an idea that Catherine loves. She loves to have a plan, to know what is going on, and on this trip it is essential. When we go home and people say "are you free on the 28th?", I will be referring them to the aforementioned email with a look of disdain and incredulity.

Whilst in England I have a few carpentry projects that I hope to complete for family and friends. All being well this will mean that I can gather a bit more experience and hone my skills.

I recently finished the project above for a friend. It was good to use some of my joinery skills as it is not an area that I would say I'm an expert in. However I am proficient enough to know what to do. Add that to my desire for perfection and I am pleased with the results. I learnt a great deal from this job and now have a greater understanding of working with different materials, using different techniques and taking my time to get things right.

One thing I will be collecting from home is my GSharp chisel sharpener. I managed to forget to pack it with the tools I shipped out and have been loathed to buy a new inferior alternative. If you are a DIYer or tradesmen I strongly recommend checking it out. Just visit www.chiselsharpener.co.uk for video tutorials by Gervase Evans the inventor and a great friend of mine. Whether you are in Australia or Antarctica* he can ship it to you. *You may want to check before ordering to the Antarctic ;)

Among some of the things I have missed (a little) whilst we've been in Sydney, is cycling. When we get back I am fully expecting spring to be in bloom (please!), so that Catherine and I can hit the trails and do some long mountain bike rides to a country pub or two. There's something natural and enlivening about travelling under your own steam. The same could be said of running to work, but to do it regularly requires more dedication and motivation than I possess. Cycling is by far the easiest way to get around. Especially when the buses are as reliable and true as a politician here in Sydney.

Until next time,

Tom :)


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