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Ch-ch-changes

I have been re-evaluating a few things in my life recently and I have decided that it is time to make some changes. I have some goals, ambitions and dreams that I am yet to even start to try to achieve and I think it is my lifestyle that is holding me back.

Recently, I have found myself smoking more, drinking more frequently and eating wrong food at the wrong times. The result is I have become rather unfit, a fact that was highlighted when I was chasing Pud Jr around the park on Saturday lunchtime! I was absolutely knackered! I am 27 years old and I was out of breath, sweating my proverbials off and felt at least ten years older than my actual age.

My belly has grown too and compliments my little man-boobs (more...) quite nicely. I am not painting a great image am I? Do not get me wrong, I am not some obese, chain-smoking drunk but currently I am out of shape physically and that obviously takes its toll mentally too.

I have never been one to spend hours at the gym but I have always been fit even if I have not had the six-pack to prove it. A couple of years ago I even passed the fitness test to join West Yorkshire Police and used to make sure I did at least a couple of half hour jogs per week but now the only exercise I get is walking to and from the shops and entertaining the Mrs! LOL!

This is my plan of action. Firstly, I am going to quit the evil tobacco. Mrs P is also stopping smoking too so it should be easier than going alone. We have planned to start the cold turkey towards the end of this week, probably on August 1, as it is as good a time as any.

There will be no more drinking during the week unless it is a special occasion. If I feel like a beer, I can only have one at the weekend and I am not going to have a drink just because I can, if you get what I mean. This will start from today.

Fast food is also going to be cut out, as too many passing visits to KFC or McDonalds are adding inches and pounds to my belly etc. Not to mention they are a bloody rip off for what they are! I think cutting down on the drinking will help this too as after a few shandy's it is almost customary to have some sort of curry or kebab!

Finally, once my lungs have recovered a few pounds have been shed, I either am going to start jogging again or at least go swimming a couple of times a week. When I was younger, I was a keen swimmer and used to do at least a mile a day, every day and felt great for it.

I think by making some lifestyle changes my mental sharpness will return. Over the past few months, my game seems to have hit a wall and my concentration levels are miniscule where as before I could easily log 3-5 hour sessions if I had the time. Now I am lucky if I can stay focussed for just an hour. After all, they do say a healthy body leads to a healthy mind do they not?

Poker-wise there has been nothing really of note to report. I have taken the $210 donated bankroll and turned it into $260 by playing my bread and butter 6-max cash games. I am a bit angry with myself as I took it up to almost $300 but started playing Pot Limit Omaha (more...) 25 and played terribly and lost 1.5 buy-ins quickly. Again, this is down to me having a lack of focus, stemming from me being unfit.

Sorry this was not much of a poker related post but I wanted to let you know my plans for the next few months away from the tables because at the end of the day we all have normal lives when we are not playing! Something pokery will be up during the week, I promise!

As always, thanks for reading and best of luck at the tables.

28 July 2008 / About Dave Allan

Tags: 6-max cash games, healthy living, man boobs, pot limit omaha /

Comments (5)

Good luck with that mate, I quit smoking for the final time about 3 years back now and its saved me a bucket load of money and Im much healthier and smell much better ;) Its tough but if I can do it anyone can!!! Hang in there with it when it gets tough (cos it surely will) and you wont regret it. Im doign similar as far as the booze and crappy foods go. No longer do it during the week and do what I like at weekends and hoping to take up squash as Im turning into a fat git!!

Ant | 28 July 2008

Best of luck with the smoking challenge - perhaps it's one challenge you will succeed with:)

apal | 28 July 2008

smoking is bad. should really quit it.

And the belly thing, i never imagined myself to have one. All those sitting and poker and the food as well can add up. Especially kfc and mcd. They are eville.

jaklang | 28 July 2008

Thanks for the comment on my blog. Good luck on waging the war with food. I've been doing the same, and it's hard. It's a lot like poker, though, the bottom line is long term results are what's important. Even if you having a losing food session one day (eating too much junk and not getting enough exercise), if you regain focus the next day, eat right, and exercise, you can slowly lose weight, just like slowly building your bankroll by doing the right things at the poker table.

Best of luck!

Crushing The Mistakes | 29 July 2008

Good luck with giving up the smokes. I gave up when I was a similar age (about 7 years ago now) and have never looked back. Cold turkey is the only way. It's tough for about the first 2 weeks, after that, it's all in the head and it's easy. Cutting down on the booze at the same time will help cos the 2 go hand in hand together.

As for the crappy food, I can eat what I want and never put on a pound, but I still try and avoid eating too much crap as it makes me feel so sluggish. Try and eat as much fresh food as you can - fruit, veg, wholemeal brown (not white) bread and drink loads of water. Just doing that for a few days, and you'll start feeling great !

Doublemeup | 03 August 2008