Pete Mitcham

It’s fair to say I’m walking a little taller and prouder this week. This is partly due to my ‘Eureka moment’ last week with the scales and the flat surface business and partly because I feel my posture improving as my core strength is improving.

As I’m sure you don’t need every detail of every week’s exercise, food and motivation objectives relayed to you, dear reader, I will take a single new learning experience from each of the following 7 weeks of The Man Challenge and cut-and-paste the numbers each week.

But before that, those who read last week’s diary entry will recall my teaser about my not-quite-really looking forward to the challenges of attending the 4th annual Australian Craft Brewers Conference. At least as a co-host of the event I won’t have the temptation of sitting back with a beer in hand while listening to the entertaining and informative guest speakers but there is still the ever-present spectre of seminar breaks, after conference get-togethers, the delegates BBQ, more seminar breaks, pub visits and the unavoidable CBIA Craft Beer Awards to contend with.

I really thought I’d at least have to wait until the plane landed before temptation sang its siren song.

Enter Mazen Hajjar, co-founder and Chief Shit Stirrer of Hawkers Beer. Unperturbed by any perceived suspicion directed towards gentlemen of Arab appearance on national airlines, Mazen saw fit to smuggle a few sneaky samples of his new Hawkers Imperial Stout aboard. Bourbon barrel-aged. He was also seated two rows in front of me and one row across from Edge Brewing head brewer, Adam Betts. He also decided the beers were being opened and shared around regardless of any protestations.

My first sip of sweet, sweet beer in nineteen days was going to be a 10% big-arsed, black-as-a-dog’s-guts, full-bodied Imperial Bloody Stout. Way to break the drought. Thanks Maz.

Needless to say I managed to cash in a few reward beers during the conference but a new-found determination (not to not drink but to stick to the program and not undo the recent results) meant that a lovely time was had. Self-control is an empowering thing.

What did we learn this week?

Week 3 Diary Entry
“Motivation. This week’s ‘take-away’ has certainly been two-fold. First, I have discovered that I was unnecessarily sceptical about the value of a program which is essentially fronted by a retired sports star and, second, I have learned that motivation is a powerful ally in regaining a healthy lifestyle. This week I heard Paul Roos pop up on the wireless chatting about The Man Challenge. I found myself glued to the interview. This is partly as I’m now emotionally invested in the caper but also because I find myself inspired by what the program wants to provide and by my own results.

A gym membership is unnecessary for participants inThe Man Challenge, as Adam McDougall demonstrates here

Roos was a star footballer with the AFL’s Fitzroy Lions (now the Brisbane Lions) and later, the Sydney Swans, but is probably better known as the coach who took the Sydney Swans to their 44 year drought-breaking Premiership glory back in 2005. He is a partner in The Man Challenge and plays the role of the Motivator. A series of short videos features Roos chatting with Man Challenge Founder and Mentor, Adam MacDougall, about inspiration, challenging yourself and ‘keeping your eyes on the prize’. But here’s the thing. It’s actually inspirational! Far from being trite or clichéd or ‘you go get ‘em, champ’ type platitudes, the videos really speak to me as a normal person looking for ways to achieve the goals I’ve set myself.”

What I’ve learned this week
The Plateau. Received a helpful bit of advice this week from TMC Team. A gentle reminder that significant results are often seen in the first few weeks of most programs. A noticeable weight loss or waist decrease that is followed by a few weeks of far less obvious results. This can be due to fluid loss in the early weeks or the fact that some fat is turning to muscle and replacing kilos lost or simply that each body reacts differently to the program. This small insight has steeled me for the weeks ahead and strengthened my resolve to achieve the goals I set myself.

What else I learned this week
I have no upper body strength. I am shit at push ups.

Starting Weight – 89 kgs Week 3 Weigh up – 82kgs “Wooh-Hoo!!”
Starting Waist – 38 inches Week 3 Waist measure – 38 inches. Yeah. Still work to do here.

Weight loss so far – 7kgs
Inches lost so far – 0 inches

Next episode. Week 4 and Prof makes a few discoveries.

Read more:
Prof Pilsner takes The Man Challenge: Week 2