Fit To Dive: Entry 1.

A few months ago, PADI issued a statement from the HSE regarding the BMI of instructors. Body mass index (BMI) is a measure of body fat based on your weight in relation to your height.

My BMI, is kind enough to tell me that I’m overweight… So how can I fix it?

I could go on a diet. This will no doubt result in two days of not eating, followed by one night of gluttony in which I devour everything I can find. FAIL.

“I’ll go to the gym,” I told myself. However, before every gym session I’ll find countless more important tasks to occupy my time. FAIL.

At age 54, height 6ft, weight 19.6 stone and a BMI of 36.1, it’s certainly no easy task to motivate myself. 

I get out of breath easily and am getting stiffer by the day. At the same time I have two instructors complaining about equipment no longer fitting them.  

After spending the last few weeks thinking about my physical predicament, and heading to teach open water only to find that my dry suit had shrunk over the winter, I decided now is the time to do something about my situation.

The priority is getting fit to dive.

I concluded a personal trainer was needed, which I knew would help conquer my lack of motivation, as well as take care of old injuries (bad knees, lower back and arthritis).

I’ve found in the past that different gyms offer different advise, often leaving you with no idea of how to make the best use of your time.

A call was made to Jay, a personal trainer that dives with us, and a meeting was set up.

Day 1: Measurements were taken and then straight into a pilates based workout (Jay doesn’t mess around). Finding all of those muscles that were hidden under layers of fat. Stretches, push-ups, sit-ups, lunges and various other exhausting exercises including balance work. The idea was to get my body moving again before upping the tempo.

As part of this effort, Jay wanted to know everything I had eaten over the last week, and had asked me to keep a diary that we could look through together. Considering my diet is based mainly on bread and coca cola, and large quantities at that, it became clear that had to change. 

So as I embark on this journey, I will keep you up to date with my progress, which will hopefully help in holding myself accountable as well as keeping me motivated to continue.