I want to lose weight.

I’ve never had a problem with my weight until this year. I know it’s hard to believe but I’m 40 now 😉 and I’ve been told that may be a reason why I am putting on weight. I took this photo of myself a few weeks ago, it’s when I discovered I had loaded on some unexpected kilos that snuck up on me. You can see in my face cheeks how bloated and heavy I have become.

The truth is, the weight gain began when I quit smoking this year. I don’t regret giving up the disgusting cigarettes at all, but I do feel very depressed knowing that if I don’t make a change, I will be heading to the tailor on the weekend to get a few trousers taken out at the waistline. The last suit I bought for myself was actually a size too small because I told the shop assistant that I was on a diet plan and was about to shed many kilos… That was 8 weeks ago and needless to say you know what hasn’t happened.

Even many of the greatest food lovers and chefs can control their weight. A big part of my blog is writing about food and places that create incredible culinary experiences. I don’t want that to end just because I am in the midst of a weight crisis.

For gym owners I have been a regular donor for many years. Always the one with great intentions and the direct debit that sucks like a Dyson from my bank account each fortnight. To my credit and to not be all doom and gloom, I was pretty proud of my efforts with my personal trainer when we lived in New Zealand. I did well, lost weight and actually felt good about the way I looked. That was 7 years ago. Likewise a few years ago in Sydney I came across a new personal trainer who was also a nutritionist. He gave me a great food plan to follow which had a great impact for me in both my mind and body. I thought I was onto a winner this time, but sadly one day I turned up to a training session to discover my new personal trainer and meal planner had been arrested for dealing drugs. The next day I read about it in the news. A disadvantage of living in Kings Cross, or an advantage for some at the time.

“I was disappointed because for the first time in my life I actually felt comfortable in a gym environment. I didn’t feel embarrassed, I simply felt like I was part of a team. The worst thing for me about being in a gym is feeling like an idiot if you’re not using the equipment in the right way. My drug dealing meal planner had given me the confidence to not only eat well, but to also train well with confidence.”

Enough about me. I need your help! Have you overcome a weight loss challenge? Or are you trying to lose weight just like me? Or do you have any advice that might help me overcome hunger pains after quitting smoking?

I have read all the books and most recently tried Lite n’Easy. No offence to Lite n’Easy, it is actually a very convenient service and a responsible one, but if you read my other blog posts and my Facebook page, it’s not really in tune with my lifestyle. Sounds a little precious I’m sure, but I am 40 and I’m not about to be told what to eat 3 times a day.

In short, if you can help, lets have a discussion and hopefully we can somehow help each other. Mike x

P.S. I think I will go back to the ‘cutting diet’ my old personal trainer put me on. It wasn’t actually all that bad. If I stick to it I will let you know.

What do you think?