After 17 months of drifting, a sudden scare on a business trip jolted me back into action. What followed was a complete reset of my exercise routine, eating habits, and mindset — and the early results have been nothing short of astonishing.
Wow, doesn’t time fly? I haven’t posted in 17 months, which obviously means I haven’t been making progress. Why? I could say “life gets in the way”, but that would be a lie — or at least an exaggeration.
The Move, the Chaos, and the Missing Scales
Since my last post in July 2024, I’ve moved house, which has been a huge disruption. I spent most of the year living out of boxes and unable to find anything — including my digital bathroom scales. Eventually, frustrated with myself, I bought a new set in August. I weighed in at 257.7lbs (116.8kg), a full 6lbs up from my previous weigh‑in on 30th July 2024. Not ideal.
But it did give me a nudge.
Back to the Water
I found a new open‑water swimming lake and started swimming twice a week, almost every week since July — right up until December 5th. I built back up to around 1km per session. Not quite the 1.5km I used to do, but still solid, especially with my dodgy shoulder.
Unlike my old lake, which shut down for winter, this one stays open year‑round. So I pushed myself to see how far into winter I could go. I finally tapped out at 8.7°C (47.6°F) water temperature. The swim itself was fine — it was the afterdrop while getting changed that did me in. I’ll write about that separately.
Despite all that effort, by my weigh‑in on 7th October, I’d actually gained slightly: 257.9lbs.
The Treadmill Shuffle
I’d also started easing back onto my home treadmill, but with my weight and slightly injury‑prone knees, I was taking it slow. I was doing a walk‑run programme, barely up to 2 minutes walking, 1 minute running — and not very consistently.
The Wake‑Up Call
Then came the moment that changed everything.
On a business trip in the USA last week, I suddenly developed numbness and pins and needles in my right foot. Normally I only get that after sitting for ages. But that day I’d just come back from the office and gone straight to the hotel gym for a treadmill run — up to 3 minutes running, 1 minute walking.
I tried to shake my legs out, walk it off, jump up and down on the spot. Nothing. The tingling persisted. Not just for a few minutes, or even hours – I went to sleep, and woke up with the same symptoms!
I knew exactly what it might be.
When you’re diagnosed with type 2 diabetes, you read about diabetic neuropathy — nerve issues that can affect the feet first because those nerves are the longest and rely on tiny blood vessels. They’re also weight‑bearing and constantly in use. I also learned that symptoms can flare after exercise, which suddenly made sense.
It’s sometimes called “stocking and glove neuropathy” because it starts in the feet and can progress to the hands. As someone who types for a living and also draws and paints, the idea of nerve issues in my hands is… unthinkable.
That was my wake‑up call.
Immediate Action
Previously, I’d give myself days between runs. This time, I was back on the treadmill the very next day — and I pushed from 3:1 to 4:1 (4 minutes running, 1 minute walking).
I also immediately cut back my eating. Business trips always involve mountains of food, but I stuck to salads and lighter options.
When I got home, I took a long, cold, honest look at my diet and made some radical changes.
Fixing My Diet
First, I reintroduced intermittent fasting, something I haven’t done in ages.
Second, I did what people with diabetes are told to do:
cut out refined sugars and carbs.
No bread, no potatoes, no pasta, no rice.
Lots of protein and vegetables.
To satisfy my sweet tooth:
0% fat Greek yoghurt blended with fruit and whey protein powder.
Plus the occasional square of dark chocolate.
Okay, I didn’t go completely hardcore. Before my US trip I’d ordered nearly £200 of game meat — roulades, roasts, burgers, sausages… and yes, pies and sausage rolls. I wasn’t about to bin them. But they’re homemade, not ultra‑processed, so not the worst thing in the world.
I also had a Christmas lunch booked the day after I got back. I don’t usually drink much, but I was knocking back Rekorderlig strawberry and lime cider from midday to nearly 7pm, along with a full Christmas feast. It happens.
But apart from that, I settled into a simple, repeatable routine:
Breakfast:
– Greek yoghurt smoothie with keto granola
– or an air‑fried fry‑up (sausages, eggs, baked beans)
– or an omelette with feta
Lunch:
– Usually none
Dinner:
– Game roast, pie, or sausage roll
– Lots of veggies (frozen, so they don’t go off) fried with butter, garlic, Worcestershire sauce, sometimes an egg for extra protein
Training With Consistency
With lake swimming done for the season, I switched to the local pool. I’ve kept up treadmill running with fierce consistency — still at 4:1 because I know the body needs time to adapt — but now I’m doing it every other day, alternating with swimming.
Has it been difficult?
Hell no.
Feeling nerve symptoms is VERY motivating.
The Results
Drum roll please.
After getting back from the US and that Christmas lunch blow‑out, I weighed in for the first time since October. On 16th December, I came in at:
250.9lbs (113.8kg)
That’s 7lbs (3.17kg) down from my previous weigh‑in.
I can’t say exactly how much of that was from the US trip versus the last few months, but what I can say is this:
Four days later, I weighed in again.
Another drum roll…
246.9lbs (111.9kg)
That’s 4lbs (1.8kg) in 4 days — a pound a day!
Here’s a nice visual to show my weight trend since July last year!
Yes, I know early rapid losses are often water weight. But here’s what’s different this time:
I’m not just eating less.
I’m eating right.
Previously, I tried to lose weight by fasting while still eating whatever I wanted — including loads of sugar and refined carbs. It’s arguable that this “I’ll eat what I want during my window” approach contributed to my diabetes by putting me on a blood‑sugar rollercoaster.
Now I’m eating in a way that supports my health:
high protein, lots of vegetables, sugars only from fruit, balanced with grains and Greek yoghurt for a slower burn.
Combined with consistent exercise, the results are astounding.
Christmas is just around the corner, but one blow‑out day won’t derail me. It’s just a blip in an ongoing journey — and for the first time in a long time, I feel like I’m actually moving forward.
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