Gaby's Case Study Workout - Ten Years Younger. Completion

December 14, 2021

I won't ask for my money back, but somehow I didn't quite reach one of my targets, the running. And of all the things Gaby knows so well, she is a London Half Marathon winner after all. But just between me and you, I didn’t follow all her instructions.   

Shopping Bag and Tree

"Dad..." said James, "As we get bigger and stronger, you get older and weaker!" "Thanks James" I replied, "Indeed, such is life."

Keeping fit for me, is also about keeping up with the boys for as long as I can. Shopping Bag was a game I started with my daughters over 20 years ago. They would hold onto my arms pretending to be shopping bags and we'd see how far we could get to Waitrose, a few hundred yards away in Marylebone High street.

This was a test for their strength holding on, and mine as they got bigger. So at the moment the boys are letting go before me, but they are 6 years old next month and eating like horses.

 

 

'Tree' is another game where I adopt the shape of a tree. Legs bent, arms out is easier than tall straight pine. And they race up to sit on my shoulders. Easier for me if one at a time, but they like to race each other too. They are still learning the sensitivity needed not to rip out my hair, poke me in the eyes, or put their feet where it hurts.

 

 

Hoping to stay strong enough to keep up with this for a few more years.

 

These were my 8-week goals 

• Chest - plus 2” - target achieved
• Upper arms - plus 1” – target achieved
• Waist - minus 1” - target achieved
• 5k run – minus 2 minutes – must try harder
• Body fat % - below 20% - target achieved

This is how it turned out

	Week 1	Week 5	Week 6	Week 7	Week 8	Target
Chest	40”	41⅔”	42½”	42½”	43”	42”
Upper Arms	12”	12⅜”	12½”	12¾”	13”	13”
Waist	35½”	35”	35"	35"	34½”	34½”
5k Run	25m 15s	23m 50s	23m 55s	23m 32s	23m 40s	22m 59s
Total Fat %	24%	20.6%	19.6%	20.5%	19.7%	19.9%

 

Chest – This seems to respond the quickest for me

Upper Arms - Hard work - more Shopping Bag needed

Waist – Target achieved but I feel this is the hardest to maintain

5k Run – Sadly I didn't quite get the speeds I wanted.

Body Fat % - I’m using smart body fat scales which blue-tooth into a Feelfit phone app giving data on weight, bone mass, muscle mass, body fat and separately – the visceral fat.

Related links

Gaby’s Case Study Workout – Ten Years Younger

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 3

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 4

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 5

 

Having a milestone birthday was a good target for me to stay with the health programme. I'm thinking through the next focus point to keep my strength and fitness on track now. Hmmm....maybe mountaineering or surfing?

 
 Michael Van Clarke

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