Pete Mitcham

It’s fair to say that I’m particularly determined to work the program this week having felt as though I had ‘failed’ last week with no weight loss or waist shrinkage. Having said that, I am feeling as fit as I have in a long time and my clothes are fitting less snugly, so I have not been overly deterred by this setback.

Here’s my Week 2 Diary Entry:

“Feeling fitter and far more energised than I had thought would be the case. Decided that I would stick to the program as it was delivered as a sort of ‘proof of concept’ for the benefit of the Brews News readers. Just do the program as it was set rather than doing ‘extras’ or other forms of exercise around the base program.

The exercises, while the same as the first week, are now broken into longer periods of intensity with shorter rests so the body is adjusting to its increased fitness level and the drills will never become too easy. Ten minutes is still pretty easy to fit in straight after breakfast and I’m finding it easier to get up fifteen minutes earlier as I’m now noticing I’m getting much better sleep.

But here’s the thing. As I am feeling so much fitter and more energised, I’m finding that I can’t help but actually inspire myself to improve on the results I’m getting. So I’m finding myself doing the ‘5 Minute Ab Extras’ or the ‘6 Minute Guns’ or the ‘5 minute Heartburner’ videos every second day or so. I’m also pumping the steps by finding a spare ten or fifteen minutes every day to do a quick lap of the block or include some extra distance when shopping or walking with the kids.
It’s amazing how a step target of 5,000 steps seems unachievable in an average busy day but it suddenly becomes 10,000 with fifteen minutes on the way to school and back or by parking the car at the far end of the shopping centre carpark.”

Adam McDougall demonstrates one of the program’s ten minute workouts

And now, I will now regale you with the illuminating tale of the Week 2 Weigh Up.

Me: “If you stuff me around again this week I’m taking you straight to the tip!”

Mrs Pilsner: “Who are you talking to?”

Me: “Stupid scales. [Mumbling] …telling me I haven’t lost any weight, doing all these exercises and eating all the right meals and not drinking beer, I’ll give you weight loss you snotty little lying machine. [pathetic pleading] please, please, please…” OK, here goes… FU$%#&&*%$#$%^^&^KKKKKKKK!!!

91 kilos.

Mrs Pilsner: “You haven’t got the scales on the bedroom rug, have you?” [Quite a long silent pause]

Me: “Your point being…” [“D’OHH!!”]

Well, who knew you had to stand on scales while on a hard, flat surface. I’ve never used scales before and they certainly don’t come with detailed operating instructions. There you go, you really do learn something new every day.

Here goes for real.

Starting Weight – 89 kgs
Week 2 Weigh Up – 84.5kgs – YESS!! Take that, stupid flat-floor-working scales!!

Starting Waist – 38 inches
Week 2 Waist measure – 39 I’ll take that.

I’m actually smiling to myself. Proper, actual smiling. I can’t remember a time outside of significant family milestones and Rodney Rude concerts when I’ve felt so happy.

• Ten minutes exercise, six days a week. STILL NO DRAMAS.
• Three meals a day plus two snack meals. YEP.
• Designed for blokes who are time-poor. YEP.
• Exercise videos on laptop/tablet/smartphone. STILL ALL GOOD.

Don’t have to give up the beers. Now here’s a funny thing. For the first four days of the program I kept up my ‘beer while prepping dinner’ – reward for hard work and something of a pleasant habit. From then on, I haven’t had a beer – not even my earned rewards beers. I might be taking this health thing more seriously than I thought I would.

Stay tuned. Next week: Week 3 and the Arab on the Aeroplane.

Read more:
Professor Pilsner takes the ‘My Man Challenge’: Week One