I’m two weeks out from a long weekend in the sun with my daughter to celebrate her birthday. I had promised myself since the last Christmas mince pie was consumed that by now I would be rocking my bikini. Well as far as any 60 year old can. Now I know that I will be criticised for not embracing my wobbly bits and claiming that my beach body is the body I take to the beach. Not the one that I hope to take. But that is never going to happen. I don’t want a muffin top spilling over my bikini bottoms or my subscapular adipose (back fat) bulging from the straps of my top. Why should I be less bothered at how I look now that I’m 60.

However,  I have failed miserably. I have managed to find an excuse for putting off dealing with my body fat to another day. Some excuses more acceptable than others. A family bereavement  at the beginning of the year placed any thoughts of curbing my sweet tooth firmly on the sidelines. And since then there has always been a weekend away, a celebration or some other reason to justify  ‘I’ll start Monday’. But Monday never comes. So here I am. Not happy and it is too late to do anything about it. I might as well focus on my next holiday.

My weigh and measure on Thursday was not good. Not only had I put on 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) which in itself means nothing. If this was lean body mass I would be delighted. But no lean body mass here. In the last four weeks my body fat percentage had crept back up to 37% which is really unhealthy. I carry it well due to the amount of strength training I do but the calipers don’t lie. It is not good. I need to do something about it. It is now a health issue not just my vanity. I’ll get onto it when I return from my break. 

My personal trainer had other ideas. We can do something about it now. A lot can be achieved in two weeks.

So I am on a rather strict program for the next two weeks to be followed by a longer program after I have celebrated with my daughter. She does love the cocktails.

I have concluded that I can’t do the ‘everything in moderation’ approach where my diet is concerned. I have to be in the zone. When I lost a significant amount of weight a few years ago I was in the zone for well over a year. I still drunk alcohol, I ate the odd burger and chips but I stayed on the wagon where excessive carbs and sugar was concerned. Unfortunately I came out of the zone when I was recovering from surgery and since then I’ve only got back in it for a few days here and there. And when I am out of the zone all bets are off where carbs, beer and cake are concerned. 

But creeping back to 37% body fat has, hopefully, been the wake up call I need.

For the next two weeks I’m on a high protein, high fat plan with only post workout carbs. There is no greater incentive to work out. But during week two they will be dropped. I have to up my cardio. Not a problem as I was already increasing my endurance training. Probably the most challenging element is to drink 1oz  of water for every lb of body weight. Works out at four and a half litres. My water consumption isn’t that great to start with so there will be a lot of bathrooom visits.

The risk of any calorie deficit programme is losing muscle as well as fat so I will continue with my strength training to protect the good work I’ve been doing and consume protein at  every meal. 

I have posted my body composition which hopefully will keep me accountable to you as well as my personal trainer. The photo was taken this morning. You can see my back fat. I have spared you a photo of my muffin top. 

I’m three  days in. It is going well. I’m in the zone. Fingers crossed I stay there.