Tales from a Bruised Mind

Seven months ago, I thought I was doing a very good thing and got myself a dietician. I felt terrible about my weight and wanted to do something about it. I was drinking a lot of alcohol, too, and I just generally felt pretty down in the dumps.

But somehow, I let it get away from me. Work, social life and all the rest got in the way of me achieving my dreams of losing weight and being a healthier human being. I wanted to look and feel good, how hard could it be?

Well now, in late February 2025, I’m giving it all another go. Here are my plans laid out.

1. Avoid alcohol for three months, then decide what to do after that (hopefully not relapsing into my beer binges).
2. Exercising more frequently and walking at least 10,000 steps a day.
3. Reduce sugar intake and stopping the cravings to snack
4. Eat well balanced meals and get my fruit and vegetable intake as many days as I can each week
5. Reduce my frankly excessive caffeine intake to two cups per day

Why am I doing this now?

I’m 27 years old in April and to be honest, I don’t want to be the fool no more. I want to be able to get up in the morning and love who I see in the mirror, not the opposite. I have nailed so much in my life so far, and have achieved the greatest dreams, but if I don’t pull my head in now and do the hard yards, I’ll never get better.

Is this a mid twenties crisis? Perhaps. Is it more to do with how I actually feel? That’s more the answer.

I have had a few weight related nightmares of late and none have been fun. Is this my brain telling me to wake up and do better?

Losing weight is not just about the kilograms, but the mental endurance required

Losing 10 kilos is a mighty achievement, but for me it’s more than just a number on the scales. Here’s why:

• My brain is a core reason as to why my appetite went away all those years ago when I was a wee 16 years old
• My brain got my body so anxious that it didn’t want to eat like a ‘regular’ person
• Once I was medicated, things reversed, and I stacked on the weight
• I got busier and busier and my appetite continued to get out of control. I ate a lot
• And lastly, when I was stressed or a bit anxious, I’d often turn to alcohol as a solution. Ps: This does not work long term, I do not recommend!

Going on a diet and losing weight is therefore not a simple task. It’s like swimming upstream against the current with a whole dams worth of water ahead of you. It’s daunting, but I think I can manage it this time round.

If you’re following on to my ranting and raves online here, make sure you also check out my Instagram Bipolar Bear for daily updates.

Wish me luck,

Zak