h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hi R4, the pub offer just struck me as bizarre. The only bank holidays likely to fall on a Wednesday are in the Christmas period. New Year, Boxing day etc. and that's only going to happen once in a 10 year period-ish.
So it struck me as just a very weird exclusion. I'd love to know the reasoning.

Gymwise I'm still doing the same thing as before, just hitting the bike hard. Getting faster and going for longer now though. Like you my real enemy is my eating though - and I think I have more of a problem than you to be honest. I'm going to see if I can halve my portions at tea time. One success has been giving up breakfasts in the works canteen after the gym. I got into a very bad habit of doing a full english after the gym earlier in the year and really I think my current waistline drop (I can fit into my jeans better than recently) has been down mostly to avoiding this.

Saw the new Star Trek movie yesterday. Absolutely cracking!

Glad to hear you are doing well on the rowing machine.
Dublin sounds like the scene in Cardiff a couple of months back when we went to see the Ireland v. Wales match in a pub next to the Millenium Stadium. I've never seen a town so packed!

Hey Orcus,
Bizarre indeed, can't see the offer lasting long enough to encounter such issues. Perhaps it was witten by an Actuary, god knows they love covering all possibilities

Fortunately Full breakfasts are rare for me, it's cereal or porridge if anything during the week.
Though the Hotel Breakfast at the Clarion (Dublin Airport)was really magnificent, despite costing around £11 each.Full Irish, cakes, juice, unlimited toast and coffee.
I can see it's easy to put weight on that way,gained 2 kilo myself during our short vacation
Got to say if I lived there I would be real Alchy though, the black stuff tastes 100% better than anything you get here.

Thanks for the 'heads up' on the Star Trek movie. My O/H wants to see 'Cordaline'first, so I will have to wait my turn at choosing

Another weights/cardio session tonight to keep up the pace and Tia Chi Thursday, to give a more rounded approach.
Some of the enjoyment is filtering back now I'm not so intense about sticking to a weights programme. Guess variety and balance were missing to some extent and the shoulder problem has at least made me slow down a bit

Bye for now
R4

Hey Orcus,

Hope you are well and life is treating you kindly

There's been a bit of a gap in my Gym sessions. Due to our one and only car breaking down. The Dephaser pully that affects the timing had worn and the timing belt slipped. New belt, fixing kit, water pump , timing belt and under bonnet service; cost an arm and a leg
Almost considered cycling to work as it cost £6.00 per day on bus. Then I saw an episiode of Reggie Perrin and thought the practicalities through more thoroughly

Watched Star Trek movie last week and thought it was brilliant, especially with the old spock getting a role

Have been in Bromsgrove town lunch time. Packed with media as Julie Kirkbride resigns over the expenses row.
That and a mention on Eastender a few week's back is really putting this place in the spotlight.

Bank holiday gardening/fencing work has maintained a bit of activity. Coupled with some walking means I have not lost too much of the fitness. Squats and Roman chair also proving good on legs
Tonight I have another Tia Chi lesson to add some relaxation and breathing control with a bit of Kung fu.
Our local free paper is advertising a free taster session in Krav maga.Was thinking of going but cannot afford to take on yet another activity (time or money), besides given a real life situation who knows how we would react.Besides which too much to do at home, as my wife keeps reminding me.

My shoulder is still giving me problems but trying Glucosamine to see if that makes a difference. Certainly would love to get an undisturbed nights sleep and equalise strength between left and right arms.
How's your cycling/ restricing intake going? You must be dropping down a bit now.
Shame you cant give me some bulk I seem to go the other way too easily

Next week does'nt look promising for Gym. I have Presiding Officer training on Tuesday and Thursday is elections day (long working day for me) so the Gym will again have to fit in around everything else.

Whatever your up to, take it easy.
Catch you again soon
R4

Hi R4, glad to hear you enjoyed Star Trek. We've seen X-Men Origins: Wolverine since. Nothing but sci-fi and superhero films at the cinema for me these days! Such a big kid. I thought X-men was a jolly romp too.

My biking has now reached rather epic proportions. I managed in excess of 15.5 miles this morning in a 50 minute session, and that's going quite a pace.
I can feel my belt loosening on a daily basis now which is cool. I weighed myself for the first time in about 6 months on Friday and I am at a silph-like 18st 13 lb
So I'm back to pre-christmas weight which is a good start as I know I put on loads during and after then.
Hope my upcoming 2 week break in Italy doesn't stall things too much. Still, last time I was in Italy I lost about 2 stone in weight, although I was there for 3 months back then. All that olive oil is good for you

Life has gone a bit to pot aside from that sadly. My other half lost her job a couple of weeks ago which is a major bummer. Dismissed too - but on entirely harsh trumped up charges. Her firm basically used an accidental mistake she made to claim that it was gross misconduct so they didn't have to pay her any notice or redundancy. A sign of the times at the moment according to a union guy I've asked about it on here.
We'll try and do them for unfair dismissal if we can but it doesn't sound too hopeful according to our very own h2g2 researcher Ferretbadger .

On the bright side of that, she's hated the place ever since she started to work there (when I moved her down here from Brum) and she gets her christmases and bank holidays back as she had to work through those in that place. Also, we bought our current house on my wages alone and I've had significant pay rises since then, so it doesn't impact on our mortgage or anything.
We just won't be going to Italy again for a while if she can't find another job soon, rather less will be going on savings.

So what is Krav Maga when it's at home? I've not even heard of it.

On the arthritis front I'm gradually becoming worried that I've got it too. I have very sore feet in the mornings still at the heel and ball and this is supposedly an early sign of its onset. This is one of the main incentives I have to lose weight at the moment as my weight certainly won't help with this.

Good luck with the elections. Should be an interesting one this time around what with the cross party shenanigans going on at the moment.

Hey Orcus,

Love a bit of Sci Fi too, nothing like a bit of escapism to take one back to more youthful days

On the bike. You'll be doing the 'Tour De France' at this rate
Would' nt worry too much about the effect of the holidays. As you say, more healthy food, plus heat usually balance things out.

Sorry to hear about your other half's situation Employers are devious when it comes to finances and long gone are day's of loyalty. At least your home is secure, she's escaped the environment and you have Italy to look forward to

Krav Maga is a combination of fighting styles that provides a combat skill based on real life situations.
Developed by an Isralie to defend the ghetto's against Natzi gang's it's highly aerobic and mixes defence and attack to disable and escape from assailants. It's high intensity sustained methods sets it apart from Martial Arts which are mostly theory based (Also it has no Sporting side). More on www if interested.
I have decided not to bother, can barely afford Tia Chi in terms of cost and time/travel. If I give up Tia Chi I could get another gym session in a maximising the benefit of paying by DD.
Also the car repairs need to be payed for which have to come out of the money for our intended bathroom..
As you can imagine that's not gone down too well with the good lady wife as we have been saving, since the building of our extension to create a new bathroom. Unfortunately a car is a necessity for work/shopping otherwise I would glady sell the thing and do without.

Wonder if the recent events will affect turnout of voters. Perhaps we needed something to address the apathy of the electorate and rein in the 'Career Politicians' who 'take advantage'

Looking forward to a weekend in the Garden.Being indoors gets me down
so it's theraptic to be out in the sun

Catch you soon
R4

Ah, actually in that case I have heard of Krava Mag, just not the name

Hey Orcus,

Did a morning session before work today
Deadlifting with platform, on a pyramid basis starting with 60 kg then 80 kg then 100kg. A few inclined flies, then Roman Chair followed by the Concept MkII.
Nothing like a morning session to set you up for the dayWould love to do these more regularly but travelling onto work means not arriving until gone 10 a.m. then working late to make up the time

On a totally unrelated subject , my wife just phoned and all I could hear was screams like she was being attacked. My mind was racing trying to think what was going on.
The cause of the hysteria was Alfie (our most recent cat) had brought a live frog in the house and my missues is scared of them.
She eventually summoned enough courage to shoo the cat outside with frog and put a plant pot with house brick ontop (of the frog not the cat). Guess I will have to remove the offending amphibian later.
One of the Joy's of having cats for pets I suppose amusing but also a pain too sometimes.
R4

Hi R4, back from Italy now. What a holiday! I am blown away by all the sights of Rome and the Amalfi coast. Kept my fitness up too since I spent the week in Rome just walking walking walking...

In Sorrento we had a Hotel that had a swimming pool and I've rediscovered my love affair with swimming. After nearly 4 years out of the pool I have discovered I can still do butterfly stroke (not as well mind but the rust comes off sooner than later) and the fact that is my favourite exercise. I'd forgotten what an all over body work out it is and that you don't get injured - ever.
So this morning I did 45 lengths of the local pool here in Cardiff - and I'm knackered! All over! Did the gym yesterday too, a bit of exercise bike.

The only trouble with the pool is the expense. It's £2.85 a pop and with the other half out of work at the moment it's not really an expense I relish as that's nearly £60 a month. So I might just do a couple of times a week for now.

Hope you are keeping well and thanks for the message over on my diary, I saw that when I was out there, wrote a big reply to you all and then found my internet time on the hotel had run out when I pressed post!

Hey Orcus,
Glad to hear you enjoyed your Holiday
It's a beautiful place and one of my all time favourite holiday destinations.

Wish I could swim that we'll, my other half does around 100-140 lengths each time she goes. On the rare occasions I go I end up doing a couple of length's or just swimming widths. Good low risk exercise Also there's a certian theraputic feeling about being in water it seems to relax and envigorate at the same time.
As my Gym is a Council Gym I get free swim sessions at the council baths, but only at certain times. Mostly in the day when I am at work or early mornings when the wrinkly brigade come and stand in the shallow end looking like the cast of cocoon about to loose control of thier bladders....Hence I don't take advantage of the opportunity.
Hear what your saying about the cost though. I have missed 3 tia chi sessions on the basis teaching is not progressing as quickly cos the group has grown larger.
The 2 teachers tend to focus on begginers and the advanced. I consider that travelling eight miles and spending £3.50 is only worth it if there's a proportional attention.

We have been to Dublin again (Thursday to Monday), did all the tourist type things missed last time. Jameson Whisky factory, Guiness Store, Kilmainham Gaol, Christ Church Cathedral and even a River Dance show at the Gaeity theatre.
The Hotel had a gym, which was top notch, but I only made it twice cos of all the walking during the day. Spent more time in Jacuzzi and steam room
Tonight is my first Gym session since returning. I'm looking forward to it, just hope not busy being a Friday.

Hope you get to get to keep up the swimming.
Vareity really is the 'spice of life'. Just wish the 'spice' was less expensive

No worries about your reply from Italy that kind of thing happens to everyone. Hope you got some nice momento pics

Catch you soon
Have a good weekend
R4

Hi R4 - 100-140 lengths! That puts me to shame. I'm assuming that pool is at least 25m in length?
If so that's up to 2 miles or more at a time. Very impressive.

I think I did 100 lengths of the uni pool in Birmingham once but I'm nowhere near fit enough for that sort of thing yet.

I know what you mean about the wrinkly brigade. I once had to go to the Harborne pool in Brum when the uni pool shut down for a week. A scary experience, the pool was divided into three lanes. The slow lane, the slow lane and the slow lane. I was the only bloke there and the only one under 60 I think. What a pain.
Also the girl on reception tried to chat me up - not an approach that was welcome at the time.
I only went once.

The pool I've just payed a monthly subscription for (yes I found a budget way of doing it - a cardiff council 'Stretch' card - £21.60 a month by DD) seems to be used by all sorts of standards and hence the lane discipline is not too bad.
I managed another 50 lengths this morning which has done me in at the moment.
I've also discovered I've lost about 5lbs in weight since I went on holiday! Must have been all that olive oil in Italy.

Hey Orcus,

No it's only a 15-metre deck level swimming pool, which would equate to 1.3 mile for 140 lengths, I think.
Good news about the DD method
My wife was saying I get a free 'Reddi Card' (as it's called here) with my gym subscription but do not get a chance to use it and perhaps those who would make use of the card cant afford the subscriptions. I suppose the Council has to make money but it's no wonder many people are put off taking up some form of exercise.

Congratulations on the weight , I too have made positive progress putting on 4kilo's according to the gym scales. It's not fat either I can still fit in my clothes comfortably.
Maybe it's true…Guinness is good for you . Though the cooked breakfasts might also just of helped a bit

Another session yesterday afternoon, not ideal, as we had been to local Harvester for lunch with sister in law. Though it's better than not going at all I suppose.
Shoulder injury has stopped any parallel dip's altogether cos of pain but can still deadlift
Added to that a couple of hours weeding the front garden and humping some bags of manure to the back garden I had a pretty active day Sunday (good job cos I had a pudding too!)

Well I hope you recover before the next swim. Incidentally, should you ever want to use a pool in Dublin, many insist on Swimmimg caps.Fortunately my wife was aware of this and took one with her. They do sell them there at around 3 Euro's a time.

I think might give the bike a go again next session, the concept II is getting a bit stale on the old motivational front


Catch you soon
R4

Yes swimming caps are compulsory commonly on the continent too. It may not be long in coming here too - they insist on showering before going in now. Quite right too as there are many - particularly ladies - who like to cover themselves in gunk *before* they go in the swimming pool.

I managed a mile today (66 lengths) but it was hard going and I've been ravenously hungry all morning. I had bad cramp in my quads starting on the last two lengths too.
Somehow swimming is actually heavier (at least for me) exercise than the gym.
Luckily for my weight (if not my mood when I found out) - due to graduations ceremonies all day today and tomorrow, the uni canteen is shut for business. So just my pack lunch today - more lbs off I think...

Hey Orcus,
Another session yesterday evening. Weights room was packed so it was mostly aerobic workout, X-Trainer and Bike with a few bicep curls on a machine.
Legs ache a lot recently, mainly due to them being targed more and the occasional cramp. I think the cramp occurs because I don't drink enough water regularly. Drinks tend to be coffee (a diuretic) during the workingday .
It's me being lazy and getting stuck into a task/ ignoring everything else does not help. We have a water machine downstairs, so no real excuses.

I can empathise with the feeling of hunger, sometimes my stomach rumbles after the gym/ before evening meal. Grazing is probably the best method of eating throughout the day but not always practical when your at work.

A mile is good going must be pretty heavy in terms of oxegen demand.Do you get the same sort of lactose build up that you experience with weights?

Im have a lot of tension in my lats/neck which never used to get. Maybe due to trying to compensate for weakness in left arm.
Weight is staying roughly the same but sweat like a pig during heavy cardio sessions, which shows I have to build up a bit of endurance.


Hoping to go see Harry Potter tonight, providing it's not booked up by kids on half term.

Catch you soon
r4

No you don't really get any lactose build up with extended swimming sessions.

First I don't do it all in one go (although that was known for me a few years back), second it's pretty aerobic as I need to do a lot of breathing whilst swimming. Cramp seems to be the real killer as I think you do a lot more exercise without realising it as the water takes away the heat you would generate in the gym.

Breathing is a big technical issue in serious swimming (if that's not completely obvious ). I've resumed a task I had a few years back of seeing what distance I can do in the front crawl whilst still maintaining a breathing rate of once every three strokes. This means you don't dominantly breathe on one side and so develop a stroke that biases to this if you see what I mean.
This is not as easy as it sounds. It's easy to breathe once every three strokes at first but not when you start getting tired. Currently I can manage about four lengths before I have to breath every other stroke.

My 66 lengths this morning consisted of 6 lengths fast crawl then 30 lengths of breaststroke (breathing is not a problem for this). Then I did crawl again for 4 lenghts at a time until 50 lengths and then did the last 16 in one go with breast stroke.

If you want a tricky breathing problem in swimming, try butterfly. You have about 1/3 of a second to breathe because that's about the amount of time your head is out of the water and clear to breathe without swallowing the pool! Of course, most other people in the pool will have a hard time with their breathing if you do this a lot as it creates huge amounts of splashing and waves . Not a very sociable stroke to do if it's busy.

All that assumes one sticks one's head in the water during swimming of course.

Hey Orcus,

There's quite a lot of technical control needed then if your going to ensure breathing correctly for any significant distance.
On that basis I think my head should remain above the water line at all times

Controlling my breathing rate is a key target. I was reaching 146 bpm on the cross trainer which is about 80-85% of mhr.Not that the machines give anything like an accurate readout.

I figure that if I can get breathing under control, i'll be able to increase the cardio and that will also help with technique on the weights.

R4

Hey Orcus,

Deadlift,Roman chair,DB Bicep curls and Cardio( Bike and xtrainer)all compacted into 45 minutes for an intense session lastnight.
Weight stable at 84 kg
Recently having trouble keeping my enthusiasm as I have no clear goal set.... really need to sort this out.
Could do with a sports massage for the tension im my shoulders too.

My wife has reduced the number of lengths now she goes swimming more often.Doing the long distance without a day off inbetween left her too drained. However,she gets to use a steam room and jacuzzi too, so I am a bit.

Hope your swimming sessions are going well and the cramp is not hindering progress.

R4

Hey Orcus

Hope you are avoiding the lurgy (swine flu) and swimming is going well

Although I have wanted to put on weight for some time, the 5kg gained mostly around the waist, is not quite what I had in mind.
Trouble is lack of exercise for a couple of weeks, Dublin and Liverpool visits have resulted in more calorie intake than normal and despite walking a lot the results are evident in a 'Homer Simpson-esq' bulge developing
My intention is to burn this off with exercise rather than change diet.
Yesterday I had my first session on Deadlift for two weeks, 100kgx 7reps x 3 sets, followed by 1 set of three at 110kg.
Lateral Pulldowns, Roman Chair squats (holding 15 kg plate) and 10km on Bike to break into a good sweat
Returned to see Swimming (from Rome) on telly. Bit disappointing in terms of medals for UK but entertaining enough for a non swimmer.

p.s. If your ever in Liverpool do not stay at the Adlephi, we had little choice as it was a friend who booked it..
Would you believe they charge £5 for a days membership of the Health facilities so you can use Gym/Pool. We went to the Beatles experience instead which is to be recommended as an attraction.
Having seen some of the locals in the town on Saturday night including a middle aged woman falling over in road, infront of an approaching taxi, bottle of Rose in hand…. The least said about 'City of Culture' the better (must have been lilo lil )

Catch you soon
R4

Yes I've been to Liverpool. I was in Glasgow this week, that was City of Culture once and it made it soooo much better. City of culture award seems to be made to utter dumps (yes my family is from Glasgow, but still...)

Liverpool has been city of culture it twice, nuff said.

Haven't been able to do much of the old exercise of late as I got a load of work dumped on me towards the end of last month and I've been on a conference in Glasgow this week. Monday shall see a return to the daily swim however.

I'm sure a return to the routine of exercise will soon shift your newly acquired weight. It's ingrained long term weight that is hard to shift in my experience as that requires a paradigm shift in the old lifestyle to remove...

(you can tell I've been to a scientific conference, I've started using the word 'paradigm' )

Hey Orcus,

Yes,
I,ve used that a few times here and been asked to explain it.

Have been doing rather well on the aerobic front, including a full 25 minutes on x trainer the other day

My weight seems to be rather dormant.... have two weeks to shift some before Egypt holiday.
Two weeks AI in Sharm el Sheik & need to squeeze into clothes.
Sorry to hear about the workload, if it's anything like here it tends to come in waves

Weather supposed to be good Saturday when were going to see the "We will rock you show"

Enjoy weekend.
Catch you next week
R4