Running Off The Pounds

Distance: 10km
Time: 47:10

For those that knew me before I started running will know I always carried a couple of extra pounds about with me, and I'm not talking cash. Combining running with a healthy diet has been one of the best things I've ever done (the best obviously marrying Jan, before she says anything!)

At the start of the year, after all the Christmas cheer and party food I topped the scales at 14st 7lbs. I'm pleased to say that I'm now down to 11st, in fact after tonight's run the scales stopped in the 10st zone,not done that for a LONG time.

One of the biggest aids in watching what I eat has been a website called MyFitnessPal (www.myfitnesspal.com) which using an app on my phone (yes one of the few made for Blackberry!) I enter the food I've eaten, it will then track the calories against my target for the day. Great idea and really simple to use. Even though I'm not looking to loose any more weight I'm going to carry on using the app and site as I know that if I don't I'll loose focus and be back on a couple of bags of crisps a day rather than apples.

I'm sure some people will mock me for using such a site, and being so open about doing so, but the change in both the way I look and feel has been impressive.

I do think since I started running the weight has come off faster, I'm guessing that's all the calories I'm burning (666 cals tonight according to my Garmin and over 1000 on Sunday). But it's not just flab that has cleared off; from those flabby legs have appeared toned mussels that I never knew I had.Why oh why didn't I run when I was at school? I'm not going to say "if only" but part of me thinks I should have done this years ago. Better now than never!!