Tuesday 13 July 2010

Weight lifting (2)

According to my scales, I've lost almost a stone in weight in the last few weeks, which means that I'm not so far at all from what I'd consider to be my ideal weight.

One trigger for this is the very stressful stuff that was happening at work for a spell. It's not that my losing weight was a stress reaction, it's that I found myself knowing that if I really started doing sensible stuff like looking after myself with a little bit more rigour, then I'd be better equipped to handle whatever came my way.

Which, so far at least, has worked.

The other trigger, I think, is that (apart from the last few days) we've had a pretty decent summer so far. It makes it easier to just go out, stay out, and do more stuff - particularly stuff that doesn't revolve around the pub - and to eat lighter meals too. Last time I managed to lose this amount of weight - and more - was around four years ago, which was the last summer not to feature stupid amounts of torrential rain round these parts.

Changing tack slightly, there's some writing I want to do. It's been on my mind on and off for a little while, and I hope in a way that it develops into more of a kind of compulsion, since that will mean it's more likely (as with music) that I actually get on with it.

I make no bold claims (nor italic claims, nor sans serif) for this intention to write. It's just something, a little idea I want to explore, and not necessarily anything more than that. But I just want to make the point - to myself first and foremost - that I have to bloody well sit down and make the effort to type out the words, if I'm to allow any chance of seeing whether there's any merit in it whatsoever.

9 comments:

Jose said...

Do it! Make a writing pad available and pour into it every/anything you think of. At the end of a week you re-read it and perhaps something interesting will come out of it. Insist and do it every day.

I'm sure you'll be an excellent author, just centering oneself is the first step to be taken.

Zhoen said...

Could do to drop a stone myself, but I refuse to worry about it. Have to just get out and walk more, but the bar here is intense heat and smoggy air. I could do with some ridiculous rain.

trousers said...

Jose, writing potentially vies with other things - not least music, and I envisage a similar process of distraction techniques and tics designed to get me into the mindset of actually working on stuff.

Like I say, I make no bold claims, but need to play with a particular idea to see where it may (or may not) take me. I appreciate the advice and encouragement: thank you! Appreciate you stopping by to comment too.

Zhoen, the air, when it's like you describe, really has a draining effect. Certainly sounds like it would take the pleasure out of a walk, which is the main reason for doing it in the first place.

Refusing to worry, too, is no bad thing. I'm very pleased to have lost some weight, I did want to, but the main priority is to make the most of the fine weather and enjoy the walking, cycling etc.

Fire Byrd said...

oooohh a skinny writer,with a clear head.
that'll work
x

trousers said...

FB, well I'm certainly not skinny, and don't consider myself a writer!

As for a clear head, well, that's a little more variable..

xx

Carol said...

Well done on the weight loss!! I've managed to lose two stone...still got a bit more to go but I'm determined that this is the year that I'll shift it once and for all!

As for the writing, if you don't try you will never know and you'll spend a lot of time thinking 'I wonder what would have happened if...'. I say go for it...nothing to lose and everything to gain!

C x

trousers said...

Thanks Carol, and well done on your own weight loss :)

I've started a bit of writing, and I can see it being a very similar process to the music: dip my toe in, get annoyed/disillusioned, try something tangential, leave it alone for a bit, come back to it, poke it/prod it until something starts to take shape...and so on.

Montag said...

I know exactly how you feel.

Think of it as liberation..., rather than a confrontation.
I found that by writing, I could begin to write my own story, rather than living someone else's.

Even if writing doesn't work out, your genius will express itself.

trousers said...

Thanks Montag - I like what you say about liberation rather than confrontation. I tend to feel like I have to force a bit of the latter in order to effect the former.

That probably goes for many things :)