Hello friends, it’s great to finally have some time to update this newsletter! A lot has been happening over the last few weeks, so I will dive right in and update you on what has been happening in my world!
HEALTH
There’s good news and good news! I continue to lose weight steadily, although the initial weight loss has now slowed. This week I have noticed a small weight gain, although I put it down to muscle growth due to daily exercise. On Monday I had my first diabetes review since being diagnosed with T2D. The nurse couldn’t quite believe the figures she was looking at. My HbA1c has halved and is now just above normal levels. I have reduced my weight by almost 27kgs, and my cholesterol levels - although a little on the high side - are almost normal. My blood pressure continues to be on the high side of normal levels, but I am no longer hypertensive.
I have used a combination of fasting, a very low carbohydrate diet and exercise to improve my health outlook. On average I fast for around 22 hours per day, eating only dinner followed by a few nuts later in the day, and I try not to eat any food after sunset. Over the last few weeks, I have begun to introduce longer periods of fasting into my weekly routine. I have settled on what is known as a weekly ‘Monk Fast’, it goes something like this. A so-called Monk fast is an opportunity to experience the physiological benefits of prolonged fasting. I find that starting a 36-hour fast after dinner on Sunday, and breaking the fast on Tuesday morning works well for me - although sometimes this becomes a 48-hour fast.
While fasting, your body shifts fuel sources to maintain energy stability, even when you’re not taking in calories. If you consume a mixed diet, your body will burn a mixture of fuels, often prioritising available carbohydrates. During a fast, as stored glucose diminishes, your body gradually shifts fuel priority away from glucose and glycogen toward fat.
Put simply, the longer you fast, the more you rely on fat burning to fuel your body. Consistent fasting practice helps to move your body into what is known as a ‘fat-adapted’ state. Fat adaptation is a long-term metabolic adjustment to ketosis, a state in which your body burns fat for fuel instead of carbs. Routine time-restricted feeding and weekly 36-48 hour fasting seem to allow me to achieve a consistent increase in fat utilisation to help weight loss and improve metabolic flexibility. Let’s face it, our bodies evolved the ability to prioritise fat burning, especially when required for survival. We can use fasting and fasted exercise to create the conditions that boost our ability to burn fat for fuel. I am rarely hungry, I have increased energy levels, increased mental acuity, and much better sleep. It would seem that I have found a way to be healthy, without having to spend silly amounts of money on special foods or gym membership. My mojo is returning!
WORK
Since my last letter, I have sat and passed my HGV theory tests. This then opened the door for me to begin the practical training in the art of lorry driving. On Thursday I took the wheel of an 18-ton rigid axle truck. I was very nervous on that first drive, but quickly got the hang of it. The rest of Thursday and all day Friday saw me and another student paired with an instructor, out on the roads around Canterbury, Whitstable and Herne Bay. Driving a truck through very tight high streets and side roads was challenging, but rewarding. Next week, I have two more days driving the ‘Class 2’ truck, before moving up to driving the ‘Class 1’ articulated vehicles. In total, I have another eight days of intensive driver training ahead of me before I take the examiner out for a drive to find out if I have made the cut. If all goes well, I will be issued my HGV licence and I will be able to start work as a professional driver.
So, there we have it, an update about my self-improvement journey. There’s lots more for me to write about over the coming weeks, but for now, I need to concentrate on my driving school stuff as well as my health and well-being.
Until next time, adieu!
JP
Well done mate on all counts - Speak to Alex sometime, he is full time HGV Tanker driver now .