Fat Boy

Last night I had my weekly visit to my own personal torturer, Gordon (aka my personal trainer - see previous post on Impact Fitness). This particular visit was important as I was due to have my body measurements taken.

I will try and explain. As a way of monitoring his clients fitness, and to help set them achievable goals, Gordon takes body measurements from each of them at their first visit. These can then be repeated at a later date to check for improvements. I had my measurements taken about a year ago, when I had my first Impact Fitness session.

The measurements include standard parameters such as height, weight and "circumference measurements" (waist, chest, bicep, quads, calf etc.) . There is also a measurement of body fat. This is done using what looks like a large pair of pliers that are used to grip your various spare tyres! A calculation is then done to determine your percentage body fat.

Now, before I reveal the results, I should say that I have been feeling pretty good about myself recently. I have definitely lost weight since I began my training. I can feel it in my body and I notice a difference in my clothes (my jeans don't fit). Having said that, I have not been having a particularly great week. I've been a bit under the weather, I guess with a virus (my son has not been well either over the last couple of weeks and we are a very caring family...). This, combined with some truly Glasgow-esque weather, has scuppered my plans for a long ride this week (I did go to cycling club on Wednesday and had a great time. Forty miles, including my first "race pace" group riding of the year but this has definitely been the exception rather than the rule this week).

So, before last nights session, I wasn't feeling at my peak but then I guess we all have bad weeks, or bad days. I was having what Bridget Jones would called a "fat day". My diet had not been particularly good and, as I said, I was feeling a little under-exercised. Not a great mental state of affairs for such an ordeal but hey-ho. It turns out that I have a body fat percentage of 20.3%. This seems like an awfully high number to me but Gordon assures me it is not too bad. It places me in the Good category (the categories being Poor-below average-good-very good and excellent). I suppose I should be pleased although it is higher than I had hoped for (my perception has definitely been skewed by an article in Cycling Weekly last week, where one rider had the bizarre level of 1.5% - truly abnormal) I guess what is important is whether it is an improvement on last year? I will look out the other figures and let you know...

Col.