“You can’t fire a cannon from a canoe”

“You can’t fire a canon from a canoe” said Charles Poliquin. I heard these words a few years back on a podcast with Matt Macduff, a free ride mountain biker who likes to take things to the extreme. He was referring to building a strong foundation in order to move forward, especially in his case after a serious injury, but this simple phrase can be related to so many aspects in life. 

When we’re told we ‘need to do this or that’, I often remind myself I don't need to do anything unless I choose to. But one thing we really should do look after ourselves both physically and mentally, because if we don’t, then both our physical and mental self will protest and on occasion let us down, or at the very least give us a stark warning. At 56 and at the time of writing, my body is full of aches and pain's, but also a few things going on that’s gut related. If a doctor asked me ‘how can I help?’, I could present an itemised list of physical issues from head to toe. Each ache has a story, a memory or a moment; “I probably shouldn’t have done that”, or “doh, that went wrong”. But being late to the game is standard practice for a world class procrastinator. Resistance is my nemesis, unless it’s surf or bike related. 

A few weeks ago I felt like a canoe, a little unstable, and prone to rolling over, I felt pretty crap to be fair.  My wife bought home some new weight scales for herself,  and I decided to also upload the app. What’s the worst that can happen? I stood on them for the first time, just to endure the new purchase. We both watched, waiting for the display, and was shocked to see my weight at 15 stone 2lb, or just shy of 97 kilos, or 212lb depending on what weight measurement you prefer these days. 

“I have not been that heavy since University” I blurted out. Back then, thirty years ago,  I was pretty much stuck to a desk writing and revising, eating a stereotypical student diet, lots of drinking, and at the same time full of stress that I wouldn’t be capable of completing the course. This new weight/health app also told me quite ‘rudely’ I was Obese. My fat levels were high, my protein and water levels low, my muscle was wasting away and on nearly all the elements on the home page, I was being told my numbers were far from the recommended average. But more that this I had already wondered what was happening inside my body. I’ve no idea what my cholesterol levels were, but I’m sure they would be on the high end of the scale. Even my metabolic age was 5 years above my actual age. At that moment I had this overriding urge to be average, and that sounds bizarre but average is a great target.
 
It was time for a change, time to I set my goals. Lose a stone, build a strong foundation for what I’d like to achieve in the future and get fit heading into winter, and stronger coming out of the darkest months into spring.  I set my self a three month window and amazingly managed to reach my first target in 32 days. Yes, in one month I lost a stone and felt fantastic. Did I diet? Not really, I wouldn’t call it a diet, I’ve not watched a single calorie. I just stopped eating huge amounts of ‘crap’ food at work and rode my bike. Regular ten mile sprints and longer endurance rides at the weekend, and my favourite enduro laps of my local hill.  But it was the food that was the kicker. At home, we eat well, all home cooked, but at work, after my sandwiches, I consume, snickers bars, crisps, donuts, pastries, and I know its not good for me, or my gut health. Having a chocolate bar is not a crime, but the amount I was eating. I’m surprised I wasn’t heavier and on the verge of diabetes.  

I’ve worked hard to lose that weight. I got on with my exercises, I rode my bike, surfed, joined a circuits class and stuck to not eating any processed food.  At five weeks I hit 13st 12lb and it felt amazing, a week later another pound, meaning I’d lost 19lb at the time of writing this. If you pick up a set of 5kg dumbbells, well that’s pretty much the extra weight I was carrying around. Being under 14st, is a real personal milestone. It’s been a long time since I’ve felt this light, this healthy, and on the way to feeling really fit. The effects on my surfing and riding bikes are noticeable, purely from a lighter body weight. Less weight to pop up on a board, less weight to pedal up the steep hills here in the Wild West. I’ve been hitting personal bests on my Strava routes, and even took the crown on one local stage. I feel more agile on the enduro bike when descending, and even with a body full of nagging injuries, losing weight and eating well has made a huge difference to my mental wellbeing. I’ve always believed in ‘Mind and Matter’, not mind over matter. Look after one and the other follows, either way. A positive mindset is part of us taking ownership and responsibility for our own health.  

I’m just over six weeks in, and by being committed to this feel like the foundation I’m building will continue to develop and I’ll be able to fire that cannon from a healthier vessel. Whether the future means more enduro races again, which for the last couple of years have been plagued by illness and fatigue, longer distant gravel or sportive rides, longevity in my surfing, and most importantly, by continuing to manage my physical health, there can only have a positive outcome. There are days where I could eat for my country, but I’m beginning to understand more about foods, and what my body does and doesn’t need.  I’m enjoying the process and the progression feels and looks like success. 

This isn’t a review for a set a scales, I don’t even know how much they are.  This is a 56 year old man trying to preach to others about being healthier, its about letting anyone who reads this know that if you recognise any of this in yourselves and you’re willing to change a few really bad habits, then have a look at your canoe, and ask yourself if you could indeed fire that cannon, or you require a stronger foundation. 

The scales are my wife bought are by RENPHO, I don’t know how they work, all I do is stand on them every morning, and they don’t lie. I can only recommend them based on the fact they will give you the daily stats and data that I assure you will motivate you to become a better you. There is no weigh in at the village hall with others, no subscription fee, no points to follow, if you want to eat more, eat more. It’s just yourself, being accountable for your own actions, and that’s worth a question. How can I become a better version of myself? If change requires a pair of scales, so be it. If it’s physical goals to gain your fitness back, write them down and make a plan. Invest in the tools you need to begin the journey, and enjoy the process, the highs and the lows.  These scales have been a kickstarter for me.
 
I believe it was Dave Brailsford who once said “quite often there is a way to change the worst things we have going on, into the best things, which become our strengths”.

We can set targets that we can control, like a healthy diet, or a training and exercise routine, practice mindfulness and mind management.  We can control the time and effort that we put into our physical and mental maintenance, and change direction for the better, or try and fire that cannon and see what happens. I think we all know.