A week into my bodybuilding regime and I've already injured myself, clearly a case of "learn to walk before you can run".
I've been pumping weights on my chest, biceps and triceps for over 10 months now and decided I should probably get down the gym to work the rest of my body before it all goes out of proportion. However, it seems I forgot that I've never really pushed my shoulders before, so when I attempted to do it, I ended up damaging my Deltoids or Rotary Cuff, can't work out which although I believe it's the latter.
Looks like it's going to be a case of rest up and stick to cardio for the next week and a half. Great!
23.10.06
12.10.06
Britain Is Fatter than Europe
According to a recent study, Britain is the fattest country* in Europe with one in four people being obese - the fattest being located in Boston, Lincolnshire (Where I used to live).
However, it's not the people of Britain that are at fault for this, it's the Government. We're taught in schools from a very young age how to read, write and add. Going through to secondary school we're given inadequate sex education which is possibly the reason why so many teens are having babies these days, but the one thing we're not taught is nutrition.
Sure, we're brought up being told not to eat junk food, but ask a young child what they think junk food is and they'll probably tell you vegetables, simply because of the dislike in taste. The government should now be making it compulsory for every school to have a nutrition lesson once a week, possibly coinciding with P.E (Physical Education) so that when youngsters leave school they know very well what is right and wrong in the ways of eating and they can then make up their own mind about which path they wish to choose.
As I was growing up my parents would always tell me Mcdonalds was bad, but I never listened to them because they weren't telling me why it was bad. Sure, it's "fattening" is a pretty bog-standard answer, but I was never told what types of fat there are and what they can do to your body. I became over-weight and it was simply down to lack of education.
I'm healthy and fit now, but only because I put in the time and effort to learn for myself what is good for my body and what isn't. There are still thousands, if not millions, of young children who are growing up and leaving school not knowing what "Polyunsaturated fats" are or what "Fibre" actually does for your bowels, and as such, they're eating rubbish foods with no more health benefits than drugs (well).
It's about time the Government stepped up and listened to the likes of Jamie Oliver and others and began introducing nutrition classes in school - making them as equally as important as Maths, Science and English.
On another note, BMI scales. Anyone heard of this? BMI stands for Body Mass Index and works out a persons height and weight and tells them if they're overweight or not.
According to this article by the BBC, a gentleman of 6ft 2 in height who weighs around 15 stone is classed as overweight - and when you hear the term "overweight", you instantly think of "fat".
However, I have a friend who is of the same height and weight but he is clearly not fat. If I could post up a picture of him I would but he has muscles galore and not an inch of fat on him. Every part of his body is sculpt to perfection with 'cut' definition and rock solid pecks. He is a fitness instructor and spends 4 to 5 days a week down the gym. According to the BMI index, my friend is over-weight and thus is expected to die younger.
My view? What a load of bollocks! The government are once again failing to educate people about what is fat and what isn't. They refuse to scrap an absolutely pathetic and disgraceful system called the BMI chart for something much cheaper and more reliable - a mirror.
Next time you want to lose weight, throw your scales in the bin and forget visiting the doctor to find out if you're over-weight. Simply take a look in a mirror (a decent one, I know some that make you look fat) and decide for yourself. If you see lumps in the wrong places or your stomach sagging over your belt, then you know it's time to lose weight. If you can see some definition in your body then you're most probably fine - and if you can see more bone than muscle, then it's time to start eating more.
*I'm fed up with the media calling Britain or Great Britain a country, it is not a country but a geographical location made up of three countries; England, Scotland and Wales.
However, it's not the people of Britain that are at fault for this, it's the Government. We're taught in schools from a very young age how to read, write and add. Going through to secondary school we're given inadequate sex education which is possibly the reason why so many teens are having babies these days, but the one thing we're not taught is nutrition.
Sure, we're brought up being told not to eat junk food, but ask a young child what they think junk food is and they'll probably tell you vegetables, simply because of the dislike in taste. The government should now be making it compulsory for every school to have a nutrition lesson once a week, possibly coinciding with P.E (Physical Education) so that when youngsters leave school they know very well what is right and wrong in the ways of eating and they can then make up their own mind about which path they wish to choose.
As I was growing up my parents would always tell me Mcdonalds was bad, but I never listened to them because they weren't telling me why it was bad. Sure, it's "fattening" is a pretty bog-standard answer, but I was never told what types of fat there are and what they can do to your body. I became over-weight and it was simply down to lack of education.
I'm healthy and fit now, but only because I put in the time and effort to learn for myself what is good for my body and what isn't. There are still thousands, if not millions, of young children who are growing up and leaving school not knowing what "Polyunsaturated fats" are or what "Fibre" actually does for your bowels, and as such, they're eating rubbish foods with no more health benefits than drugs (well).
It's about time the Government stepped up and listened to the likes of Jamie Oliver and others and began introducing nutrition classes in school - making them as equally as important as Maths, Science and English.
On another note, BMI scales. Anyone heard of this? BMI stands for Body Mass Index and works out a persons height and weight and tells them if they're overweight or not.
According to this article by the BBC, a gentleman of 6ft 2 in height who weighs around 15 stone is classed as overweight - and when you hear the term "overweight", you instantly think of "fat".
However, I have a friend who is of the same height and weight but he is clearly not fat. If I could post up a picture of him I would but he has muscles galore and not an inch of fat on him. Every part of his body is sculpt to perfection with 'cut' definition and rock solid pecks. He is a fitness instructor and spends 4 to 5 days a week down the gym. According to the BMI index, my friend is over-weight and thus is expected to die younger.
My view? What a load of bollocks! The government are once again failing to educate people about what is fat and what isn't. They refuse to scrap an absolutely pathetic and disgraceful system called the BMI chart for something much cheaper and more reliable - a mirror.
Next time you want to lose weight, throw your scales in the bin and forget visiting the doctor to find out if you're over-weight. Simply take a look in a mirror (a decent one, I know some that make you look fat) and decide for yourself. If you see lumps in the wrong places or your stomach sagging over your belt, then you know it's time to lose weight. If you can see some definition in your body then you're most probably fine - and if you can see more bone than muscle, then it's time to start eating more.
*I'm fed up with the media calling Britain or Great Britain a country, it is not a country but a geographical location made up of three countries; England, Scotland and Wales.
8.10.06
21st Over
I woke up on Saturday morning feeling a little sombre from the mood I was in the day before. I was a little hung-over but I felt unusually better by around lunch time, so I think it was more of an anti-climax that my 21st birthday had ended.
It was a great night though. I started off with 20+ mates in a bar near me. I hadn't planned to get drunk there but it so happens that most of my mates weren't coming to the club we had planned to take a visit after, so they all ended up buying me drinks. By about 10 o'clock I had three pints sitting in front of me waiting to be drunk topped off with a couple of shots of Sambuca and I had to catch a cab by about 10:30!
Before we left though the D.J cut the music in the bar and started singing happy birthday to me, which was incredibly cool - I'm not used to all the attention. Afterwards six of us managed to head outside to make our way over to a club closer to the city. All I can remember from that was flirting with the woman who let us all in and making a joke with the bouncer - incredibly nice fellas actually.
The rest of the evening was highlighted by a D.J freestyling a rap which informed everyone of my 21st, another touching moment, my mates buying me loads of drinks and getting me plastered plus two fine looking promotions girls who were there as part of the WKD rodeo machine. Unfortunately though the evening was cut short when my mates dog died but other than that I loved it.
After that we somehow headed home and all I can remember thereafter is a cold wooden floor that I spent the night on at my cousins.
Very appreciative to all my buddies and family who made it a great day for me. Now to get back to the real world...
It was a great night though. I started off with 20+ mates in a bar near me. I hadn't planned to get drunk there but it so happens that most of my mates weren't coming to the club we had planned to take a visit after, so they all ended up buying me drinks. By about 10 o'clock I had three pints sitting in front of me waiting to be drunk topped off with a couple of shots of Sambuca and I had to catch a cab by about 10:30!
Before we left though the D.J cut the music in the bar and started singing happy birthday to me, which was incredibly cool - I'm not used to all the attention. Afterwards six of us managed to head outside to make our way over to a club closer to the city. All I can remember from that was flirting with the woman who let us all in and making a joke with the bouncer - incredibly nice fellas actually.
The rest of the evening was highlighted by a D.J freestyling a rap which informed everyone of my 21st, another touching moment, my mates buying me loads of drinks and getting me plastered plus two fine looking promotions girls who were there as part of the WKD rodeo machine. Unfortunately though the evening was cut short when my mates dog died but other than that I loved it.
After that we somehow headed home and all I can remember thereafter is a cold wooden floor that I spent the night on at my cousins.
Very appreciative to all my buddies and family who made it a great day for me. Now to get back to the real world...
6.10.06
21 Years Young
I felt old the other day when my 15 year old niece had no idea what I was talking about regarding her last year in school, apparently things have changed that much in the 5 years I've been gone.
You also know you feel old when you get a letter through the letter box regarding your pension scheme - triffic.
What e-mails did I get today? A bill from O2 - cheers O2.
What texts did I get? Many and thankful - I do have friends.
Parents have made a homage of me on our living room wall and it seems to be a picture of me naked when I was three years old laying down on a mat or something, looks rather professional, quite sweet.
I've got a load of friends popping round this evening to open a couple of bottles of champagne with me and then we're gonna head out on the town and see what sort of mischief we can get up to - all in the name of fun of course.
Should be a blast.
Edit: It doesn't seem like such a unique day when all of these people are celebrating their birthdays too. They even bum you out with a list of folks who died on this day as well!
You also know you feel old when you get a letter through the letter box regarding your pension scheme - triffic.
What e-mails did I get today? A bill from O2 - cheers O2.
What texts did I get? Many and thankful - I do have friends.
Parents have made a homage of me on our living room wall and it seems to be a picture of me naked when I was three years old laying down on a mat or something, looks rather professional, quite sweet.
I've got a load of friends popping round this evening to open a couple of bottles of champagne with me and then we're gonna head out on the town and see what sort of mischief we can get up to - all in the name of fun of course.
Should be a blast.
Edit: It doesn't seem like such a unique day when all of these people are celebrating their birthdays too. They even bum you out with a list of folks who died on this day as well!
29.9.06
Microsoft Zune Loss
It seems the only way Microsoft can compete with rival companies these days is to lose a lot of their money. The only way the original Xbox console could compete with the Sony Playstation 2 was by losing money on each sale, something Microsoft have openly admitted.
And with Microsoft about to release their portable media player - the Zune - in two months time, they have once again admitted that the only way to compete with Apple's iPod and iTunes is by matching their pricing system, thus forcing them to lose money on each sale. I suppose they've managed to find success with their Xbox360 console in getting it out before Sony and Nintendo's next generation systems, but there's only so much you can do with a media player and Apple seem to have already perfected it. Microsoft have virtually copied Apple's design on that as well.
Anyway, I'm not lying out of my back teeth here, check out MacNN.
And with Microsoft about to release their portable media player - the Zune - in two months time, they have once again admitted that the only way to compete with Apple's iPod and iTunes is by matching their pricing system, thus forcing them to lose money on each sale. I suppose they've managed to find success with their Xbox360 console in getting it out before Sony and Nintendo's next generation systems, but there's only so much you can do with a media player and Apple seem to have already perfected it. Microsoft have virtually copied Apple's design on that as well.
Anyway, I'm not lying out of my back teeth here, check out MacNN.
28.9.06
Power League
After months and months of trying to worm my way into a Football team, I've finally done it and with a bit of luck our season will start next week. I've been granted the number 10 shirt, a number I've had in teams since I was a young lad, so that's put a little smile on my face.
I've been playing with the lads since the beginning of summer now, but the actual team hasn't played together properly at all so the first few games we'll probably be really shady. I'm going to give it a 110% though and see what comes of it. I can't wait.
I've been playing with the lads since the beginning of summer now, but the actual team hasn't played together properly at all so the first few games we'll probably be really shady. I'm going to give it a 110% though and see what comes of it. I can't wait.
25.9.06
Love Issues
I think I'm probably going to be one of those people that will never get married. I'm only 20 so I'm possibly being over-dramatic at the minute and I've not had anywhere near enough experience with the opposite sex on an adult level to even justify my previous comment. However, after my ex and I split up some time ago I've not once had the passion or drive to get back into a relationship again.
Don't get me wrong, I've met many fantastic women, but everytime I consider taking it to the 'next level', I panic and decide against it.
I've been partying hard all weekend with some friends of mine, two birthdays infact. On one night I met a lovely woman, a few years older than me, who I instantly connected with. The whole night I spent talking to her and her friends, none of whom I've ever met before. We ended up sharing a kiss before the night was up and I figured that was that. I spent the night at someones house only to find the next morning she had come round to offer me a lift home, as I had said the night previously I wasn't sure how I was going to get home. Really sweet of her.
I took her up on the offer and the whole way home we spent chatting in the car. We got back to mine and I invited her in for a cup of tea and spent the next four hours after that chatting, but it really didn't seem like four hours - the time just flew by. She decided it was about time to go, so I walked her to her car where we spent another hour chatting more. The whole time just bonding and completely understanding each other.
I'm not one to jump the gun and say "yeah, sweet, she'll do for me" because relationships shouldn't and don't work like that. I've got to admit though that she's the first lady I've met in a while that I've actually had an understanding with... and I'm still frightened to make anything more of it.
There's an obvious physical attraction between us both, but at the minute I'm just far too protective over my own feelings to want to do anything. I'm not sure if I'm emotionally scarred from a past relationship or whether I'm just one of those guys who doesn't want to put any committment in. Perhaps I'm enjoying being single too much? It's not like I sleep around either so I'm still trying to work it all out.
Anyway, I'll no-doubt post my thoughts up here if anything should come of it.
Don't get me wrong, I've met many fantastic women, but everytime I consider taking it to the 'next level', I panic and decide against it.
I've been partying hard all weekend with some friends of mine, two birthdays infact. On one night I met a lovely woman, a few years older than me, who I instantly connected with. The whole night I spent talking to her and her friends, none of whom I've ever met before. We ended up sharing a kiss before the night was up and I figured that was that. I spent the night at someones house only to find the next morning she had come round to offer me a lift home, as I had said the night previously I wasn't sure how I was going to get home. Really sweet of her.
I took her up on the offer and the whole way home we spent chatting in the car. We got back to mine and I invited her in for a cup of tea and spent the next four hours after that chatting, but it really didn't seem like four hours - the time just flew by. She decided it was about time to go, so I walked her to her car where we spent another hour chatting more. The whole time just bonding and completely understanding each other.
I'm not one to jump the gun and say "yeah, sweet, she'll do for me" because relationships shouldn't and don't work like that. I've got to admit though that she's the first lady I've met in a while that I've actually had an understanding with... and I'm still frightened to make anything more of it.
There's an obvious physical attraction between us both, but at the minute I'm just far too protective over my own feelings to want to do anything. I'm not sure if I'm emotionally scarred from a past relationship or whether I'm just one of those guys who doesn't want to put any committment in. Perhaps I'm enjoying being single too much? It's not like I sleep around either so I'm still trying to work it all out.
Anyway, I'll no-doubt post my thoughts up here if anything should come of it.
Phone Upgrade
So I recently decided to upgrade my mobile phone on my phone network. I'm not going to name the name of the network.I've been with them for three years and have not once had a problem with them, until last week of course. Phone upgrades have always been free for myself and everyone else I know. However, the other day when trying to upgrade they wanted to charge me £79.99 for the phone. I told them that they had surely gotten something wrong as my cousin, uncle, aunt and father (who I all told to go with this particular phone network in the first place) have all recently upgraded, for free, to the latest phones. After much debate I told them I wanted to cancel my contract...
...And it's here where you get your deals ladies and gentlemen.
The moment you tell a phone company you want to leave their network for a rival company because that other company is offering something your current phone company aren't, then they suddenly want to do everything in their power to please you. Which goes without saying really, but it's a shame that it takes something as much as "I want to stop giving you my money now" to do that.
Unfortunately and fortunately for me I didn't get the phone for free, I still have to pay £79.99 for the upgrade. But because I threatened to leave the company they have offered me the next 12 months of my contact (and my contract is 12 months anyway) for half price, which saves me in roughly £180 throughout the year.
Now let's question that for a moment. The phone company didn't want to give me the phone for free, because they presumably wanted the £79.99. However, they'd much rather literally give me £180 instead and keep me connected for another year, thus they've lost around £100.01. Now I'm not complaining because although I have to splash out extra cash now, I've saved £100, but isn't this a bit stupid of the phone company?
The reason I'm not mentioning the phone companies name is because up until this point they've been incredibly good to me with not one complaint from yours truly in the three years I've been with them.
Anyway, after some system errors and about 10 phone calls later, my phone is finally on its way and I can at last get rid of this ageing Nokia I've had for some time now - it's slow, big and ugly.
Sony Ericsson K800i here we come!
12.9.06
Personal Issues
Unfortunately for yours truly I've hit a rough patch. Things haven't gone the way they should have in the past couple of weeks and today has proven to be a bit of a low one for me. There's plenty worse things happening out there so I am grateful on that front. However, all belief and confidence I had has just been smashed into a large brick wall - with spikes n' stuff.
I'll post more when I'm happy enough to face everything.
I'll post more when I'm happy enough to face everything.
4.9.06
Generosity For A Day
I run a Katie Melua forum elsewhere on the internet - so I'll admit that I'm a fan of her music. I'm used to receiving kind gestures from forum goers who appreciated my quick set up of the forum after her official forum was closed through petulant reasons. But today I was offered a gesture that goes beyond kindness.
A forum member offered me a ticket to her concert in December, which I've gratefully accepted. I think it was out of thanks for everything I've done for the fans of Katie. There's many members on the board and over 40,000 posts, which I think is more than the official forum (has now been re-opened).
Anyone interested? I won't be naming the site up here, but a quick search on Wikipedia should bring you to my message board.
I might not be the biggest fan of Katie's latest album, but I'm still fond of her earlier stuff and so can't wait to go to the gig. Should be a blast to meet up with other forum members as well.
A forum member offered me a ticket to her concert in December, which I've gratefully accepted. I think it was out of thanks for everything I've done for the fans of Katie. There's many members on the board and over 40,000 posts, which I think is more than the official forum (has now been re-opened).
Anyone interested? I won't be naming the site up here, but a quick search on Wikipedia should bring you to my message board.
I might not be the biggest fan of Katie's latest album, but I'm still fond of her earlier stuff and so can't wait to go to the gig. Should be a blast to meet up with other forum members as well.
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