Free Spirits Rowing

Paul Victory wrote: ↑Wed Feb 24, 2021 9:54 am Sorry to hear about your injury Paul. I’ve had several visits to the physio about my lower back problems and I may have to consider alternative solutions if things don’t start to improve. I’ve done hardly any erging (none so far this month), although I don’t think erging makes my back any worse. It’s more a motivation issue and frustration at how slow I’ve become.

Woj, well done on your continuing weight loss. At that rate, it won’t be long before you’ve passed me. I don’t think I’ll be able to establish a clear downward trend until I get back into erging regularly.

Thanks Paul - I will get back to erging pretty soon I'm sure - I've come to accept that my PBing days are over due to my heart issues but the allround health and strength benefits realised through the rowing are sufficiently strong motivators.
I've had this happen a few times before, only once as a result of erging and funnily enough it happened on a session where I had lowered the DF significantly(I think it was a CTC) - from my previous experiences with this back twinge I have found that moderate exercise is actually Ok - it is being stationary for hours at a time, in front of the work computer sceen, or TV, that causes the most aggravation.

Paul G

Good man Paul, we've all been there, you more than most and know how to recover well.

Woj, were you going to update the bread recipe, or are we good to go?

Wolfmiester wrote: ↑Fri Feb 26, 2021 7:57 am Good man Paul, we've all been there, you more than most and know how to recover well.

Woj, were you going to update the bread recipe, or are we good to go?

Thanks Steve - back is recovering quite quickly now - had my second row this morning - another very gentle affair
- 5k @17.8spm - 23:49
Using a shortened stroke - no layback at all and it feels OK.

Paul G

Weigh-in this morning - I've come to realise the most important facet of losing weight is controlling the eating - injured my back last Monday so have done no walking, and only back on the erg since Thursday evening, yet I have been quite good with the eating and have lost 0.5kg this week - After my row this morning I sneakily jumped back on the scales to see a weight starting with 8 - the first time I have seen this in over 20 years - However, I will not be recording this as it was not achieved by "legitimate" means .

Date________Weight (kgs)____Week Change_____2021 Change____Overall
14/09/20______114.3
04/01/21______97.6___________-0.4 ___________-0.0___________ -16.7
11/01/21______96.3___________-1.3 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
18/01/21______96.3___________-0.0 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
25/01/21______94.3___________-2.0 ___________-3.3___________ -20.0
01/02/21______92.7___________-1.6 ___________-4.9___________ -21.6
08/02/21______92.2___________-0.5 ___________-5.4___________ -22.1
15/02/21______92.4___________+0.2 ___________-5.2___________ -21.9
22/02/21______90.8___________-1.6 ___________-6.8___________ -23.5
01/03/21______90.3___________-0.5 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0

Paul G

Congratulations on this momentous achievement, look forward to you achieving it properly!

Iain wrote: ↑Mon Mar 01, 2021 12:47 pm Congratulations on this momentous achievement, look forward to you achieving it properly!

Thanks Iain - only a light meal or two away now .

Paul G

I seem to be settling somewhere near the middle of my amber zone.

Paul V

Date________Weight (kgs)_____Weekly Change_____Overall Change
02/01/21______99.2
09/01/21______97.9______________-1.3_______________-1.3
16/01/21______98.7______________+0.8______________-0.5
23/01/21______98.2______________-0.5_______________-1.0
30/01/21______98.2_______________0.0_______________-1.0
06/02/21______97.8______________-0.4_______________-1.4
13/02/21______98.9______________+1.1_______________-0.3
20/02/21______97.2_______________-1.7_______________-2.0
06/03/21______97.1_______________-0.1_______________-2.1

The 90kg barrier is providing me with some stubborn resistance - can't really complain though, as I treated myself to a fried chicken feast and didn't do much walking.
Still moving in the right direction, even if it is by the underwhelming amount of 100g


Date________Weight (kgs)____Week Change_____2021 Change____Overall
14/09/20______114.3
04/01/21______97.6___________-0.4 ___________-0.0___________ -16.7
11/01/21______96.3___________-1.3 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
18/01/21______96.3___________-0.0 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
25/01/21______94.3___________-2.0 ___________-3.3___________ -20.0
01/02/21______92.7___________-1.6 ___________-4.9___________ -21.6
08/02/21______92.2___________-0.5 ___________-5.4___________ -22.1
15/02/21______92.4___________+0.2 ___________-5.2___________ -21.9
22/02/21______90.8___________-1.6 ___________-6.8___________ -23.5
01/03/21______90.3___________-0.5 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0
08/03/21______90.2___________-0.1 ___________-7.4___________ -24.1


Paul G

paulgould wrote: ↑Mon Mar 08, 2021 10:48 am Still moving in the right direction, even if it is by the underwhelming amount of 100g :lol

Like you said Paul, you‘re still going in the right direction, 100g or not!

Sitting here with fried chicken and waiting for the 90kg barrier to fall

Another slight loss this week.

Paul V

Date________Weight (kgs)_____Weekly Change_____Overall Change
02/01/21______99.2
09/01/21______97.9______________-1.3_______________-1.3
16/01/21______98.7______________+0.8______________-0.5
23/01/21______98.2______________-0.5_______________-1.0
30/01/21______98.2_______________0.0_______________-1.0
06/02/21______97.8______________-0.4_______________-1.4
13/02/21______98.9______________+1.1_______________-0.3
20/02/21______97.2_______________-1.7_______________-2.0
06/03/21______97.1_______________-0.1_______________-2.1
13/03/21______96.7_______________-0.4_______________-2.5

Nice one Paul - well done.

Ate loads this week - not too much walking and slightly down on erg mileage, but slightly more intense than my normal LSD.
Reversed the progress this week - 100g up


Date________Weight (kgs)____Week Change_____2021 Change____Overall
14/09/20______114.3
04/01/21______97.6___________-0.4 ___________-0.0___________ -16.7
11/01/21______96.3___________-1.3 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
18/01/21______96.3___________-0.0 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
25/01/21______94.3___________-2.0 ___________-3.3___________ -20.0
01/02/21______92.7___________-1.6 ___________-4.9___________ -21.6
08/02/21______92.2___________-0.5 ___________-5.4___________ -22.1
15/02/21______92.4___________+0.2 ___________-5.2___________ -21.9
22/02/21______90.8___________-1.6 ___________-6.8___________ -23.5
01/03/21______90.3___________-0.5 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0
08/03/21______90.2___________-0.1 ___________-7.4___________ -24.1
15/03/21______90.3___________+0.1 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0



Paul G

Woj

Been off the rower for a few weeks: I think I got a re-run of the dengue (painful back, no strength, weak) and then my knee that was operated on two years ago started kicking back against the rowing. Now in physio to strengthen the knee and work on my back. Doc told me I could start rowing again, but I am going to just go slow and easy...put meters on without going for broke so I can sustain my favourite exercise.

Weight has been bobbing around the 107-108kg mark for a couple of weeks, though I think it is set for a downward trend again.

Date________Weight (kgs)_____ Change______________2021 Change_____________Overall Change_______
Oct /20______127.6
13/01/21_____112.2__________-15.4 _______________-0_____________________-15.4
20/01/21_____110.9__________-1.3_________________-1.3___________________-16.7
27/01/21_____111.3__________+0.4_________________-1.7___________________-16.3
09/02/21_____109.8__________-1.5_________________-3.2___________________-17.8
15/02/21_____108.2__________-1.6_________________-4.8___________________-19.4
22/02/21_____107.6__________-0.6_________________-5.4___________________-20.0
01/03/21_____107.8__________+0.2_________________-5.2___________________-19.8
08/03/21_____107.9__________+0.1_________________-5.1___________________-19.9
15/03/21_____107.3__________-0.6_________________-5.7___________________-20.3

Still aways to go, but good news is that everything I have lost has all been fat. My muscle mass has stayed the same at 70kg since October 2020, but I have lost over 20kg. Another 20kg to go to get to my first major goal. Also, since I hit 108kg I stopped taking the omeprazole to control heartburn / acid reflux, and I have not had one jot of it since, so that is good news.

Need to put a new hole in my belt too.

Keep up the sterling work chaps.

Woj

Hi Woj
Hope your aches and pains clear up quickly - seems like dengue is very similar to malaria in that you get regular recurrences of the disease but in ever-lessening intensity.
Well done in getting off the Omeprazole - I am on Lansoprazole, but that is to counter-act the side-effects of my other heart medications so I won't be coming off it anytime soon.
Good news about the weight, bad news about the lean mass(if you want to get to LWT ) - I am a lean weight of 71kg and long ago gave up on the idea of competing in the "mal-nourished" category .

Paul G

paulgould wrote: ↑Tue Mar 16, 2021 9:28 am I long ago gave up on the idea of competing in the "mal-nourished" category .

How rude!!

I agree that I willl never be LWT, not with a muscle mass of 70 kg. Just not going to happen.

Regarding bread, everyone is good to go with the recipe.

Regarding Malaria - I have had that five times in my life - not nice, and I was very lucky the first time. 13,500 ft up a Mountain in Irian Jaya, near the Baliem Valley during a scientific expedition. Severely dehydrated, Malaria and amoebic dysentry at the same time. A helicopter had to be called to take me back to the small town of Wamena. Did not eat for nine days, survived on Lychee juice and lots of rest. The other times I got it were in Zimbabwe, Ghana, Cameroon and Colombia. Irian Jaya was probably the closest to dying I have been - apart from when I got Salmonella in Zimbabwe - that was four days in hospital, and I have never felt so ill in my life. (

I hope Dengue will be the last of the tropical diseases I get. I have had a few others: bilharzia in Malawi - just really tired, fixed with drugs over six weeks. I did get viral meningitis here in Colombia - 10 day hospital stay. Mystery illness in 2010, which required four days in hospital. I have also been ill when working in Nepal. I guess if I am to get anything now it will probably be something like Zika or Chicunguna - vector spread by Aedes or Anopheles mosquitoes.

Thank goodness for modern medicine I say!

Feeling healthy at the moment!

And back up this week. I seem to be firmly stuck in the middle of the amber zone.

Paul V

Date________Weight (kgs)_____Weekly Change_____Overall Change
02/01/21______99.2
09/01/21______97.9______________-1.3_______________-1.3
16/01/21______98.7______________+0.8______________-0.5
23/01/21______98.2______________-0.5_______________-1.0
30/01/21______98.2_______________0.0_______________-1.0
06/02/21______97.8______________-0.4_______________-1.4
13/02/21______98.9______________+1.1_______________-0.3
20/02/21______97.2_______________-1.7_______________-2.0
06/03/21______97.1_______________-0.1_______________-2.1
13/03/21______96.7_______________-0.4_______________-2.5
20/03/21______97.6______________+0.9_______________-1.6

Not too bad Paul, cosidering how little erging you have been able to do recently.
BTW, a belated Happy Birthday .

For me - the Holy Grail - SUB-90kg - only just, but it is the lowest weight I have been in the last 20 years so I'm very happy.

Date________Weight (kgs)____Week Change_____2021 Change____Overall
14/09/20______114.3
04/01/21______97.6___________-0.4 ___________-0.0___________ -16.7
11/01/21______96.3___________-1.3 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
18/01/21______96.3___________-0.0 ___________-1.3___________ -18.0
25/01/21______94.3___________-2.0 ___________-3.3___________ -20.0
01/02/21______92.7___________-1.6 ___________-4.9___________ -21.6
08/02/21______92.2___________-0.5 ___________-5.4___________ -22.1
15/02/21______92.4___________+0.2 ___________-5.2___________ -21.9
22/02/21______90.8___________-1.6 ___________-6.8___________ -23.5
01/03/21______90.3___________-0.5 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0
08/03/21______90.2___________-0.1 ___________-7.4___________ -24.1
15/03/21______90.3___________+0.1 ___________-7.3___________ -24.0
22/03/21_____89.9_________-0.4 ___________-7.7___________ -24.4


Paul G

Congratulations Paul, you deserve it after all your hard work getting this under control.

Iain wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 8:28 am Congratulations Paul, you deserve it after all your hard work getting this under control.

Thanks Iain, much appreciated.
Hoping to lose 4 or 5 more kg this year as I feel I am still getting stronger and not losing any muscle mass yet

Paul G

Congratulations on reaching the 90kg milestone Paul!

Congratulations Paul. That’s a huge milestone.

Well done Paul. That was a stubborn last KG!!

Thanks Peter,Paul,Jon.

As Paul had mentioned previously, the trick now is to maintain the weight loss, but if I continue with the Paul G Plan(PGP) for erging and keep the red meat consumption down to a kilo or two a day I should be fine

Paul G

Well I have been away a long time, but still see one or two familiar names on the board. Unfortunately for the last couple of years of work and then since retirement - 5 years now - I have been drifting back up again. A need to change BP medication and lockdown drove me back to the rower together with the well advertised Noom diet. Well so far (since Nov) I have steadily shed two and a half stone. Still nineteen and a half but BP now excellent and arthritic knees less painful when walking (ironically no pain when rowing !). Have managed to keep up to date with Mud Season Madness, 22 days and feel confident I can complete the 31. Would like to get to 18 and a half which I managed on this forum back in about 2006/7 . Time flies !!

ReducingFB wrote: ↑Mon Mar 22, 2021 7:19 pm Well I have been away a long time, but still see one or two familiar names on the board. Unfortunately for the last couple of years of work and then since retirement - 5 years now - I have been drifting back up again. A need to change BP medication and lockdown drove me back to the rower together with the well advertised Noom diet. Well so far (since Nov) I have steadily shed two and a half stone. Still nineteen and a half but BP now excellent and arthritic knees less painful when walking (ironically no pain when rowing !). Have managed to keep up to date with Mud Season Madness, 22 days and feel confident I can complete the 31. Would like to get to 18 and a half which I managed on this forum back in about 2006/7 . Time flies !!

Welcome back. Sounds like you retired not long after me and I'm interested to hear about your experience with the Noom diet. I keep on getting unsolicited emails about it, but usually just bin them. It seems to be working for you, so maybe I should try it?

In the meantime, I am staying firmly in my amber zone. Marginal weight loss this week, but no real trend that I can build on.

Date________Weight (kgs)_____Weekly Change_____Overall Change
02/01/21______99.2
09/01/21______97.9______________-1.3_______________-1.3
16/01/21______98.7______________+0.8______________-0.5
23/01/21______98.2______________-0.5_______________-1.0
30/01/21______98.2_______________0.0_______________-1.0
06/02/21______97.8______________-0.4_______________-1.4
13/02/21______98.9______________+1.1_______________-0.3
20/02/21______97.2_______________-1.7_______________-2.0
06/03/21______97.1_______________-0.1_______________-2.1
13/03/21______96.7_______________-0.4_______________-2.5
20/03/21______97.6______________+0.9_______________-1.6
27/03/21______97.5_______________-0.1_______________-1.7