Don't Buy This Man a Pint

Why is not drinking alcohol SO easy?

February 18th, 2010 by Mark

Officially, I am coming  up to seven weeks without a drop of alcohol!

Ok, so I need to blog better, I need to start doing some videos and I am annoyed with myself that I am not doing more things that I wanted to do, in order to push body, mind and spirit and I am finding that balance difficult as my work life increases. However, this is a really happy post because, I am finding this no drinking thing way too easy!

Since my last blog I have been for a night out in town, last weekend. This resulted in me being out until 3am without a single drop of alcohol! Previously I would have though this to be a pretty stupid, barmy thing to do, however, it reallly wasnt a problem.  I was chatting to mates, I was dancing away and I was having a laugh. There were miniscule moments were I thought it would be great to have a pint, but, it didnt really matter. I was out,  having a good time and I was enjoying it. The comments that I got were interesting, comments that ranged from, ‘there is no way that I could do it’ to ‘how come it is 1am, you have had no alcohol and yet your still dancing away!’ I was loving it!

Of course I want to push body, mind and spirit and, to be quite honest, I am seeing the difference, my body is looking better, my mind is certainly significantly  more focussed and driven. But the massive step forward for me is that, previously, after both every high and every low I would have turned to drink and copious amounts of it simply to get out of my own life / head / existance for a while and now, I dont need too.

I thought this would be tough. There are occassions when I really want the odd pint, but to be honest, the benefits that I am seeing and  feeling as a result of not drinking far out way the lack of drink!

Today, this is a happy post. I am really pleased that I started this project and I can see how I am going to grow so much, so it is all good!

Mark

Tags: benefits, happy post, my weekend, no alcohol
Posted in Body, Mind, My weekends | 2 Comments »

My ephiphany. The head to heart drop.

February 8th, 2010 by Mark

I had an epiphany (why do I think of chocolate eclairs whenever I think of this word?) this weekend. A heap of people I know where heading to town and drinking alochol until the sun was rising in the sky. Not me, I stayed at home and I thought, and thought, and thought. This is when I had my evening of realisation.

Last week I was debating whether I could drink alcohol as a special one off celebration, which resulted in a number of comments from the good readers of this blog. I have not made any decision either way and suddenly, I have realised, that this is not my focus. I have gone back to the reasons as to why I decided not to drink: because there were thought processes and actions, in my life, which were intensified or displayed more, when I had been drinking alcohol.

A large proportion of my actions were based on my own insecurities, my own lack of self-worth, my own lack of self-esteem which were only highlighted by the alcohol and therefore having dramatic consequences on my body, mind and spirit.

Yes, the purpose of cutting out the drinking means that the effects of these issues will happen less. However, I realised, the other night, that I could go a whole year without drinking alcohol, using that as my main focus, and at the end of the year nothing will have changed because I have not dealt with the root issues, and so, this is what I am focussing on doing.

This is a powerful and dramatic realisation for me. Not drinking, is of no consequence or benefit if I do not deal with the root cause.

And, so begins a whole new journey and another chapter of ‘Dont Buy This Man A Pint’, a chapter that is going to get even more personal, even more real and even more positive as I use this year as a year of re-defining who I am, what I want, dealing with insecurities and chasing every dream.

It is crazy, even this realisation, without much work, brings about change. Today, two of my friends commented on how I seem to be a different person. For so long I have understood the theory behind gaining self-worth, self-respect and finding these things within you rather than from the voices around you. Nevertheless, at the weekend it became something I knew not simply in my head but a reality which I knew with every essence of my being, what I have called the head to heart drop.

Today, Mark Bowness, is absolutely excited, not because of ‘business’, not because of hopes, dreams or ambitions, but because I am changing, in myself, my character and my personality and as a result of this I can honestly say that I am at the best place that I have been in my whole life.

Hence, why I am excited!

More to follow.

Mark

Tags: Mind, my weekend, no alcohol, self-esteem. confidence
Posted in Inspiration, My weekends, Spirit | No Comments »

Fitness Assessment Part One

February 8th, 2010 by Mark

Foresight Fitness Services
PO Box 73
Manchester
M20 6GT
0161 614 0133
Info@foresight-fitness.co.uk
www.foresight-fitness.co.uk

Fitness Consultation Feedback

At the gym...

Name:

Mark Bowness

Date: January 2010

Trainer: Tom Godwin

Resting Heart Rate This reading gives us the number of beats per second that your heart produces when at rest. As your fitness levels increase this should decrease.

Your Resting Heart Rate was:- 63 BPM This is within the above average range, with increased levels of cardiovascular fitness we would look to get this to within 56-51 BPM (Good). Your theoretical maximum heart rate would be around 190 BPM (220 – your age).

Blood Pressure

Blood pressure is a good indicator of vascular fitness. As you increase your levels of fitness this should decrease.

Your Blood Pressure was: 131/87 This is well within the normal range.

Body Mass Index

This is made up of your weight divided by your height squared and gives a basic indication of body composition.

Your Weight was: 10st

Your Height Was: 5ft 9in

Your BMI was: 20.7  This is well within the normal range of 20-25.

Circumferential Measurements

These measurements are used to compare your changing body composition over a period of time.

Waist 84 cm

Hips 79cm

Chest 90 cm

Thigh 47 cm (l) 47cm (r)

Calf 35 cm (l) 34 cm (r)

Upper Arm 27 cm (l) 28 cm (r)

Skinfold

Triceps 5 mm

Biceps 3 mm

Sub-Scapular 10 mm

Supra Ilium 11 mm

Total = 29mm

Estimated % Body Fat = 16% This is a great score, and body fat is at a low but manageable level. With accepted normal levels for a male would be between 15-19%.

Lung Function

The peak flow test gives us an indication of the power of your lungs.

Peak Flow 550

Tags: Fitness Assessment, Foresign Fitness, gym
Posted in Body, Gym - supported by Foresight Fitness | No Comments »

One month down, eleven to go!

February 1st, 2010 by Mark

Over the past week, I appreciated that it was coming to the end of the month and therefore, it would be one month of none drinking out the way, with another eleven to go!

It has felt like the longest month of my life, it started off really well, as ‘no drinking’ was novel and then it increasibly got more difficult, going to clubs, nights out and the stresses of daily life that would lead me to having a quick drink, or ten! Over the past few days I have been redlectikng on the ‘Dont Buy This Man A Pint’ project and here are my conclusions and thoughts, some thoughts that I have not necessarily got answers too:

1) My daily job is getting busier and busier and therefore it has been difficult to set in motion the goals that I want to achieve, in terms of pushing body, mind and spirit. Right now, in order to counteract that I am going to create a list of 52 things that I would like to achieve. I feel that, in doing so I have goals to aim for rather than a simple desires which by default may result in me not achieving anything much. These 52 goals will go up this week.

2) I would like to make this website more alive, which requires more video / image content so I will be working on that, on occassion this may result in a video blog (vlog) once a week, just to make it more personal.

3) I am struggling with a real dilemma, which is, that my work is getting busier and busier, things are really growing and developing and, as a result, the possibility of moving is on the cards and it seemigly looks like I am going to walk into the final stage of a dream I have been working on for 3 years.

Now, if all comes off according to plan, naturally, after 3 years I would want to celebrate, with alochol, just for one night. If I do celebrate with alochol does this result in one of the following reasonings?

A) I need to stop the whole project. I have failed. It’s over.

B) One night of celebration shows that I am human, why shouldnt I? It may actually be harder to then keep going but this shows strength, determination and commitment. Continue the rest of the year without drinking.

C) Why let this rule you, it is your project to play around with, as you like, you know your own goals, being not to turn to alochol at every given opportunity so make this project work for you and enjoy.

D) Can’t you stick to no drinking and celebrate in other ways?

E) Something else.

I am really struggling with this, probably struggling slightly too much but, I would seriously love to hear your thoughts on this. So please do comment!

Eleven months, twelve to go, I am completely committed to  this project, I see vast improvements already and I will share these with you at some point very soon.

Finally, I completed stage one of a fitness assessment with Tom, my personal trainer last week and all results will be uploaded this week!

Mark

Tags: alochol, dilemma, improving
Posted in Body, Gym - supported by Foresight Fitness, Inspiration, Mind | 3 Comments »