Viking Fit - Getting in shape for Fatherhood and Fighting

[Aonghus]

I decided to formally go ahead and do a  battle thread since it seems like I am actually sticking with this fitness stuff. (Touch wood.)
I've never been good at online introductions, but I'll do my best.

I'm a nerd, obviously. My hobbies are medieval re-enactment (mainly through the SCA,) archaeological experimentation, woodworking, writing, Scottish country dancing and pipe smoking. I also run a podcast on Viking Age History called Norse by Northwest.

 

I'd always been a fairly outdoorsy person with fair fitness, but I moved from Scotland to the US and gained a ton of weight. (A few images below to show the journey so far.) I struggled with it for a long, long time and just couldn't seem to shed a pound.
Eventually I went to my Doctor who went through a lot of options with me and convinced me to try a month of Phentermine.
That actually worked really well. I lost weight at a reasonable and healthy pace and was only on it for one month. But it led to a further diagnosis of Chronic depression related fatigue.
Basically, I needed a stimulant of some kind added to my antidepressant to really get me feeling human. The antidepressant stopped me from being suicidal, but I was still just trapped in a fog and never able to really engage or get anything done.
So I got put on a really low dose of Adderall and it has totally changed my life. I feel like myself again. I have a reasonable amount of energy. I'm actually happy. I get chores done during the day and I'm not completed incapacitated by having to make a decision on a thing.

 

At any rate, I started hitting the gym every weekday on my lunch break. I would do two days of weight training and three days of the C25K. On weekends I'd attended fighter practice for the heavy armoured combat I do.

 

I've now completed the C25K and I am running 35 minutes twice a week and doing weight training three days a week.

 

My 'Big why' is twofold.
First, my Daughter, Freya, was born in November of 2017 and is growing like a weed. I want to be fit enough to keep up with her and healthy enough to be around for her for many years to come.
I also really want to look better in my medieval garb. I make clothes that I am really proud of and then I put them on and think about how much better they would look if I were a bit more trim. It's vain, but maybe not too bad of a thing.

 

My goals are modest. I don't expect washboard abs or biceps as thick as my neck. I'd like to get rid of most if not all of the beer belly and have better strength and endurance.

I'm making good progress so far and trying to just stay patient and continue to make healthy choices.

 

So, on to the pictorial proof.

 

Pictures of me from before I moved to the US where I was in really good shape.

Then pictures of me after I moved to the US and was really fat.
Finally, a chain of progress pictures showing my weight loss over the last few months.

 

 

 

[Ingagr]

Hey Aonghus congrats for your fight! You are doing it well.

It seems that you are a true ranger, keep on moving, we are with you!

[Aonghus]

Continuing to work at it. Down to 181.8lbs. 
I have an event coming up this weekend and one of my interim goals when I started losing weight was to be in the 170s by the event. Not 'You have to be 170lbs or you're a failure.' 
Just, an aim to try and be somewhere within the 170s when the event happens.
If I behave myself this week then I should actually reach that goal and I will plan to update people on Monday or Tuesday of next week.

 

I'm feeling good. It has been a rough few weeks. I got really sick for a while and then we had inlaws visiting one right after the other. So I have been trying to make good choices about diet and make sure that I get some kind of exercise.

Today I will be back in the gym for weight training and the aim is to have the following schedule - 
Monday - Arms, chest and shoulders.
Tuesday - Run for 35 minutes.
Wednesday - Back and Core.
Thursday - Run for 35 minutes.
Friday - Arms, chest and shoulders.

 

I try to go for a 1.8 mile walk with the dog twice a day each day, but some days it's only once. I am toying with the idea of turning that into a gentle jog, but we'll see.

[Kishi]

Family does tend to get in the way, but hopefully it's a welcome diversion before back to the business as usual. Which would be "Crushing It." I checked the itinerary. It said so.

 

Anyway, good work as far as your progress goes! Hope it keeps up.

[Aonghus]

Work has been kind of a nightmare lately so the stress and overload of it has cut down a lot on my workout time. 
However, I have been continuing to eat sensibly and try to do more physical activities.
Latest update. I am down to 175 lbs. Which is just 10 lbs off of my tentative goal. (End goal is 155 lbs without much burly muscle or up to 165 with burly muscle.)

So I am making really good progress.
Here are some comparison pictures. May compared to September and June compared to September.

 

 

[Kishi]

Woot! Nicely done! You are right on time to make your goal by the end of the year, looks like.

 

Sorry to hear that work's been a bear. It happens sometimes. We'll still be here, cheering you on, though!

[Aonghus]

Just doing an update after a long hiatus.

 

Life got a bit mental. I got laid off very suddenly (and with it lost my gym membership) and spent a few months just working on things at home and applying for loads of jobs. 
I managed to maintain my weight right up until the last month of being unemployed where I got frustrated and gained back 8 pounds.
I haven't gone up any since there, but I am working again and just signed up for a new gym close to my house.

 

As most of you on here know, having a small child can make it difficult to find time for working out, so the aim for right now is that three days a week I'll get up early and hit the gym before I go to work. I will also try to go running with the dogs two nights a week.

 

We'll see how it all goes. I'm mostly eating healthy and making good choices, but I could be doing better so I am trying to just jump back in and rebuild some good habits.

[Kishi]

Nah, man, it happens. Sorry life threw a curveball at you like that. It sounds like you were in a position where you had to make the most of what had been taken from you. Way to keep things constant, though! You only put on eight pounds? That's awesome. Could've been way worse.

 

Sounds like you're back on your feet and taking the necessary steps. Cool! Keep going!