When I stopped playing rugby, but continued to go to the club to watch, my weight started to increase without me realizing it. Slowly my weight gain became more noticeable. At first, I just laughed it off. It wasn't much and I could easily lose weight by going to the gym. I even thought about training with the boys again. Eventually a nasty shock or two made me see that it was no laughing matter!
But before I arrived at the point where I decided that I needed to lose weight, I just carried on doing what I had become used to. Out with the lads on Saturday to watch the game, a few beers and a curry afterwards. Then back home to watch the tele with a few more beers.
My business activities meant entertaining clients. We'd discuss business in a morning meeting. Then it was out for a leisurely lunch with a few bottles of wine. And after lunch we'd retire to the nearest bar for a few beers.
This was fine while I was training to play rugby.
When I first started playing university rugby, training to be fit for the game was essential. A couple of gym sessions and practice on the pitch were quite normal. And this continued when I started playing club rugby. Add in an evening's running and I felt pretty fit.
But as the years went by, instead of getting fit to play, things slowly changed so that I was playing to keep fit! When I became too old for the 1st team, but still want to play I slipped without really noticing it into the 2nd, then the 3rd team. Still playing quite well, but not as sharp or fast as I was.
Then the training sessions got a bit too much. Other things like a wife and children took up more of my time and eventually I realized that I was turning up for the game, unfit having done no training and the game itself was what was keeping me relatively fit.
That was when I realized that it was time for me to give up playing. I decided to hang up my boots, but still stay in touch by going along to support the team. To be honest it was a fairly easy decision in the end. Getting knocked black and blue, especially by much younger or less talented players was not much fun. And if the fun goes out of the game, what on earth are you doing it for?
Well when you're a supporter, you usually drink even more than when you're playing. A pint before the game, another at half time and then several after the game was par for the course. And you still join the lads for a curry and a few more beers after leaving the clubhouse. Combine this with my business entertaining and no wonder I started putting on weight.
After a relatively short time, I'd put on about 30lb. Not a massive amount, but just noticeable. But then, the weight started to pile on and I went up by a further 71lb to around 288lb. Now the weight was showing! And my breathing was getting difficult. I had to lose weight somehow.
During a routine check up, my doctor told me that unless I lost weight and soon, I was in line for some serious health problems, such as heart trouble, diabetes and serious trouble with walking and breathing. But I was also struggling to play with my children. I couldn't keep up with them when playing ball in the park and got out of breath just trying to keep up when running along with them.
Then came the clincher. While walking back home from the park one afternoon, my youngest managed to slip out of my hand and ran off down the road. I started off after him, but had to stop with a wheezing fit and stood there watching as he headed for the main road. He was heading for the edge of the pavement and I was too breathless to even shout at him. Fortunately, my older children caught him up just in time.
That was it! Some serious weight loss was needed. I tried all the usual things; cutting down on alcohol, different diet, no more fatty foods, more exercise. And, to be fair, it was working. But it was so painfully slow! And the trouble was, I would lose 4lb and then put 3lb back on.
Then a friend recommended a weight loss program that a friend of a friend had recommended. I was a bit sceptical, but I thought, “I've got nothing to lose. I'll give it a go". Blimee, the weight just started dropping off. I lost 8lb in 5 days!
Within three and a half weeks I had lost 106lb and was down to just below my playing weight. Fantastic. And the beauty of it is, I managed to keep the weight off.
My name is Andy Roberts and the program my friend recommended is 'The Secret 2 Fat Loss'.
You can find it at: http://www.thesecret2fatloss.fw.nu
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