Day 1 of 365 without Alcohol.

After a wee break I'm back ready for a new challenge. My account for 365 days, of exercise and eating healthy. Accountability, honesty and a raw account of my journey ...lets see what happens

Day 1

The start…it hasn’t gone to plan…but thats ok!

Christchurch’s own City to Surf, 12km run or walk from the city to the beach. The journey thru Christchurch’s red zone. IF you dint know it’s the land left over after our series of devastating earthquakes, that destroyed this areas homes and business, leaving behind vacant land. It’s a lovely walk now from the city to the beach.

I completed it last year in 2hrs 3mins, and the goal this year was to walk it in sub 2hrs. Kind of fitting that I have a self imposed goal to take 365 days off alcohol. So why not use this as the starting point for a new chapter.

As I fell back into a not so healthy routine over xmas drinking, eating sugary crap, chocolate and unhealthy options, I regressed to where I was this time last year. Unhappy with myself, and annoyed I didn’t stick to a plan and just thought shell be right. Yer nah!

One thing that I learnt though is life has ups and downs, and I now know what i’m capable of in 75 days, so once again I start a journey and a challenge to better myself, but this time for an extended period of time, not a short go hard, but a sustainable more focused goal. I know I’m going to have ups and downs, hard days and good days. Take today for an example, I had a surpirse bill I had to pay because of someone else misgivings. Annoyed I had a bowl of ice cream. Felt better, but soon regretted my decision. Another lesson learned about emotional eating. One bowl isn’t going to be bad, but ongoing will be. I tripped, i’m going to get back on the train and keep going. It’s a small bump, don’t dwell on a bad mistake, you caught it, you will be ok…or am I?

It is impossible to live without failing at something, unless you live so cautiously, that you might as well not have lived at all – in which case you fail by default - Grant Cordone

Over the last couple of weeks I hit a wall, mind running wild, sleep patterns out the window, working too hard, eating unhealthy, and burning the candle at both ends. Though this time, instead of letting myself slide endlessly I pulled the pin bit the bullet and asked my partner for help. She quickly jumped in to support me, and we headed out for an impromptu dinner. I was feeling down and out, I wasn’t sure what was going on, I just felt off. Ive been here before but this time I recognised it and asked for help before I fell off the rails. She was amazing, listening and talking openly about how we felt. It was nice to just sit and chat over an amazing dinner and be in her company. The next day I felt so refreshed, I slept well, and woke up feeling like a huge weight was off my shoulders.

Im learning, though slowly that I need to communicate openly and form healtheir habits through discipline . Discipline is just a small part of it, be disciplined, be consistent for as long as it takes to form a habit. Ive formed a habit of walking each day at work for my lunch break, it took discipline for a challenge and now it’s a habit, I just get up and go for a walk. I’m slowly forming a habit to work out on my spin bike each day and move into a healthier me. I emphasis slowly, though I must be doing something right as for the 4th time I broke my bike, snapping the main shaft off! I swiftly purchased a new commercial bike, my old one is 12 years old so probably time to upgrade, and man what difference in noise reduction and smoothness of the equipment. its a new level and motivating me to use it more.

I had intended to walk the city 2 surf this weekend and challenge myself, though earlier in the week I broke my little toe. Ouch! So have reluctantly pulled out. I could have easily not gone, and just sat at home, though I thought, no i’m going to support my colleagues at the finish line. Whilst I cant walk I can at least go help and support those that can.

Last year I remember looking at my Apple Watch running low on power, about half way and deciding I have to finish fast! Push thru the pain barrier of a blister on my foot and get there to record my time. Up the pace and push on. I was happy with my time, I wasnt last, and had a great walk, ending up with colleagues at our work tent and having a laugh and a bite to eat. Was a great morning walk, and a nice day to kick into a healthier habit. This year i’ll be there to welcome the runners and walkers home, providing food and drinks for their hard earned achievements. Trying to do my bit to support the team.

So whats gonna change, well, I had my last drink a day ago at my annual awards at WM New Zealand, I have mentioned this recently, and well this was my chosen date, I wanted to go out with a bang, well it was a bit of a fizz than a bang, but I had fun and celebrated with my colleagues and enjoyed some great people in a great company. I laid down a $50 bet with my boss, nothing like a little motivation to make it more challenging. I hate loosing bets. Though I know a year is along time, I know anything is achievable if you put your mind to it.

So here I go, 130kg and heading for a lower score, again…lets go!

No drinking, trying to be better by 1% each day and living a healthier life. It’s gonna be a challenge, it’s going to be hard and i’m going to have ups and downs. Though thats life right?

The Wrap

And that’s it for this week!

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