Making a resolution tonight? Fancy a little inspiration and some bad self shots?

[Knoxville]

You do? Step into my office

I've been a big lad for a very long time and by big I mean BIG. Until a few years back I was up around the 350lb mark.. Long story short, I fell for a girl, lost about 100lbs thinking my life was going to change then it all went wrong and 75 of them crept back on over the couple of years that followed.

I made a resolution this year to sort it out, I actually started, dropped about a stone then lost motivation again. By June 2012 I was back to being about two stone away from looking like this again (albeit with slightly less ridiculous hair) -



After really seeing the change back in some photo's from Download Festival that month I put my back into it, started boxing when I had the time and by mid December I was here -



With no expensive gym memberships, in fact for all the time I put in I'd say 90% of it was outside the gym entirely, minimal equipment and far from a positive state of mind I went from 324lbs to just under 210lbs in a little over six months. As long as I keep doing what I'm doing I know I'll shift the rest by my birthday too.

It's also worth mentioning that I ate many lasagne's, didn't bother carb dodging and never once uttered a phrase like "push the envelope", "feel the burn" or "pain is just weakness leaving the body" ... Although I will admit to make many dodgy Rocky jokes

So, that run you're thinking of in the morning, or the 20lbs you want to lose by summer... Do it. Start today if you want or start in the middle of April. Weight loss is just numbers, all you have to do is keep track of them, want them enough and remember, even if you've given up by February you've still got all year to get it done, after all New Years is nothing but the day the calenders change.

[0iD]

Bona-fide legendary Knoxxy dude. An inspiration to us all

[Saracen]

I don't believe in or bother with New Year resolutions, mainly because for me, they don't work.

I did, however, recently resolved to address my diet .... by which I mean 'diet' as in what I eat, rather than some weight loss plan. Mainly, this is because I, and the wife, had become far too complacent about takeaways. When I realised, one week, that we'd managed an entire week on takeaways, by rotating through Chinese, Indian, pizza, fishermen and chips, and so on, I thought "the hell with that", slapped myself on the back of the head (Gibbs style) and told myself to get a *bleep* grip, stop being so *bleep*ing lazy, and get my arse in gear, kitchen-wise.

I decided I am going hit hit my five-a-day, even if I have to be more creative with recipes to do it, and that takeaways are going to be once or twice a month, not 7 in a week. And for a few months now, I've been more or less doing it.

I recently saw my local pizza place owner in tears though. I do feel a bit guilty about that, having bought a pizza stone, and having tried pizza dough from both the breadmaker and the Magimix.

I'm sure he'll get over it. Eventually.

My point, though, is that while I don't do new year resolutions, sometimes, we all have to examine our lives, get a grip and grow up a bit. I just left it late in life to do it.

You do, though, in my view, have to do such things because you really want to, not because it's new year, ergo, time for a resolution. Which, I've no doubt, is why they haven't worked for me on past New Years.

But, and I stress this, that's my mileage. If NY resolutions work for anyone else, then they work.

You, Knox, sound like you're like me. You're doing this because you want to do it (and I commend you for it, by the way) and New Year is, if anything, a convenient trigger for something you want to do anyway. To that extent, I guess NY resolutions may work.

But for serious resolutions rather than a bit of fun, you have to REALLY mean it, which requires really wanting to do it, or it'll be forgotten in month or two, if not before.

My change, for instance, requires a complete overhaul of my cooking abilities. I've upgraded my recipe repertoire a fair bit already, learned new techniques, and yes, acquired some new kitchen items to do it. The repertoire, for instance, included (but not limited to) watching (and recording) Jamie Oliver's 15-meal series. That not only gave me some new recipes, but taught me some tricks and shortcuts that I've used elsewhere. It also gave me a way to do some pretty fast food, at home, with healthy ingredients. Mostly, I can now knock something tasty, and varied, up faster myself than I can get it delivered from a takeaway. That really is fast food. ; D

[Zak33]

now, no matter how you look at it.. that's a good looking bloke.

You want a man crush.... that's one to have.

I knew Knox when he was in the first picture. We've all grown older... uglier... in that time

EXCEPT Knox.....

And now you all also know why the Hexus-old-timers see Knox as one of our leaders. He was a kid when we started here.. caused us all sorts of grief.. pain in the arse tbh. But now.....

he's an inspiration.

As to losing weight/getting fit..... like he says:

Do it now.. for yourself.. find something you like to hate.... or hate liking.. and crack on.

I'm back into swimming. Make a mile every time now. Back down to only 30 lengths, but much faster and hurting enough to not be able to climb out at the end....but my fitness.. my lung capacity.. .. and my flat stomach and tight shirts attest to the pain.

I'll NEVER have Knox's arms.. they're enormous. I'll NEVER be able to lift what Rave can lift..... they're different people.. different physiques.

but I can improve what I've got and am

[Moby-Dick]

Good work ! Too much business travel has taken its toll on my activity this year , but I'm hoping to improove it in 2013 - My Ski instructor ( who happens to be my father in law ) signed me off to ski on my own, so hoping to try and do that a couple of times a week too

[Andeh13]

Credit to you mate! well done with it, and definitely an improvement. This from a heterosexual male who is definitely not rating you on a male hotness scale ...


My resolution is to be happy with what I've got, and not to take it for granted!

[steve threlfall]

Inspirational stuff Knox

[0iD]

Start of a beautiful bromance

[Tumble]

Just need to get out on my bike a bit more and improve core fitness

[Knoxville]

Cheers for the kind words fella's, even if a few of you are just trying to butter me up

Sara, I've always been of a similar opinion and never really bothered with resolutions. I posted this up NYE because obviously that's when a lot of people are going to be thinking about doing something but so was I this time last year, I didn't get off my ar$e and do something about it until June though. You're exactly right, you have to REALLY want it and I didn't hit that point until summer. Now, like you as it sounds, it's just about keeping myself in a few of the good habits I've started!

Zakky babes, keep talking like that and one day you're going to end up buying me breakfast In all seriousness though, yes, massive pain in the rear, still am

The gun show is still very much a work in progress, it's helped that I've had jobs that have done some of the ground work on the shoulders and biceps for me but if you started a 5x5 programme (I'm 99% certain that's what Rave did as well as being the basis for what's become my heavily modified routine) you could have arms like that in no time, I only lift 3/4 times a week myself, the rest is just all boxing. I'm the opposite, never been a huge swimmer, I know it's awesome for me but I don't feel the same burn or get the same endorphin kick I do for other things!

Ahh well, just another 30lbs to go...

[Zak33]

I'm the opposite, never been a huge swimmer, I know it's awesome for me but I don't feel the same burn or get the same endorphin kick I do for other things!

it suits you my man... you stick with what you like, cos it's gotta be said... you look top line!

I swam last night... I get what you get I think from boxing, but from the pool. 10 minutes medium speed then faster and faster, watching the clock on the wall until I knew I only had 2 more lengths in me... and push hard until the final strokes make your heart bust outta my chest... grasp the edge of the pool, struggling to hold on while my lungs rasp and rip air in,..... watching the clock through steamed goggles.... and after 30 seconds rapid fire deep breathing... push out and do another 6 as fast as I can until i think I'm gonna die.... then 15 seconds rest.. and the last 2.

couldn't stand in the shower properly....... struggled for breath... then sit... relaxed.. and then back in the pool for 20 slow lengths.

Every time, different muscle hurt... sometimes its biceps... sometimes stomach muscles... today it's back muscles either side of my spine... lower half. Feel amazing today

It'll never create arms like you've got...but it makes me ....better

[CAT-THE-FIFTH]

Not sure what I have just walked into here.

[melon]

Not sure what I have just walked into here.

that depends on what you have to lose

m

[melon]

You do? Step into my office

I've been a big lad for a very long time and by big I mean BIG. Until a few years back I was up around the 350lb mark.. Long story short, I fell for a girl, lost about 100lbs thinking my life was going to change then it all went wrong and 75 of them crept back on over the couple of years that followed.

I made a resolution this year to sort it out, I actually started, dropped about a stone then lost motivation again. By June 2012 I was back to being about two stone away from looking like this again (albeit with slightly less ridiculous hair) -



After really seeing the change back in some photo's from Download Festival that month I put my back into it, started boxing when I had the time and by mid December I was here -



With no expensive gym memberships, in fact for all the time I put in I'd say 90% of it was outside the gym entirely, minimal equipment and far from a positive state of mind I went from 324lbs to just under 210lbs in a little over six months. As long as I keep doing what I'm doing I know I'll shift the rest by my birthday too.

It's also worth mentioning that I ate many lasagne's, didn't bother carb dodging and never once uttered a phrase like "push the envelope", "feel the burn" or "pain is just weakness leaving the body" ... Although I will admit to make many dodgy Rocky jokes

So, that run you're thinking of in the morning, or the 20lbs you want to lose by summer... Do it. Start today if you want or start in the middle of April. Weight loss is just numbers, all you have to do is keep track of them, want them enough and remember, even if you've given up by February you've still got all year to get it done, after all New Years is nothing but the day the calenders change.

So would you say it was sex that motivated your change .because I heard that can do funny things to your head ?

m

[Knoxville]

Not sure what I have just walked into here.

From time to time certain members of the mod team feel the need to try and groom me, I'm not sure what for as I'm already one of them; they don't mean any harm though

So would you say it was sex that motivated your change .because I heard that can do funny things to your head ?

m

Maybe if you get your hat on backwards in the dark it does... I'd have to say no though and if asked to elaborate upon that opinion more assiduously I think the answer would be no, no not really.

[melon]

From time to time certain members of the mod team feel the need to try and groom me, I'm not sure what for as I'm already one of them; they don't mean any harm though



Maybe if you get your hat on backwards in the dark it does... I'd have to say no though and if asked to elaborate upon that opinion more assiduously I think the answer would be no, no not really.

well you cant have it both ways.

it is a serious question , as lot of things come down to basic impulses - or higher ones ( which can only happen through the basic ones usually to start with )

That girl obviously had some of effect of changing how you look at yourself ( which people tend to do )

Maybe it just me , but you got the ol'd stone cold in look in yer eye ( my sister missy gets that look sometimes when she meets the wrong or right folk )

Let me guess, is that your first beard too ?

m