The Final(?) Plan

So here's what I intend to do.

One of my goals for this year is taking care of my weight. Apparently the optimum weight for a top Laser sailor is 84kg and they are usually a bit taller than me. I want to get down to 85kg which is at the top end of the weight range for my my height (1.78m) but I am pretty broad shouldered. I'm already down to 94kg but its been hard. When you've been a fat bastard pretty much all of your life and really enjoy your food, the grams don't come off easily. Thankfully, I've found a really good online diet site at WeightLossResources.com.

I used to think that only a moron counted every calorie but now I realise that my internal systems for saying 'enough' are pretty much non-existent. The beauty of WeightLossResources is that it actually works out your fuel needs by adding in your daily activity level together with the exercise you've taken, then gives you a daily calorie 'budget' based on what your goal is for losing weight. Mine is 0.5kg a week. You then enter your food intake using the huge database. You can even enter your own recipes. Most importantly, it gives you a breakdown of the food groups you are consuming, together with an ideal food group profile. I like to eat a slightly larger percentage of carbohydrates as all my reading suggests that slightly higher carbs are necessary if you're doing a lot of exercise.

My second goal for this year is to improve my strength and fitness. I do a lot of cycling anyway and the last of dad's money has gone on a decent rowing machine and a small set of weights. The main problem here, as ever, is time. I have a limited amount of time to spend in the week to exercise and the weekend I try to spend as much time on the water as I can. My solution has been to get up at 5.00 am and exercise before I leave for work at 7.30. The principal stumbling block with this is metabolism. I just can't get myself going this time in the morning so the main reason for getting up that early is to ease into it gently. I have breakfast straightaway then sit and have a hot drink for 45 minutes to an hour. I'm trying to alternate weights with rowing machine. Originally I only had one rest day in the week but I kept getting injured, so now I have two.



My weight training programme is limited by what I can do with my little set of dumbells (total weight 35kg) and the hour or so available, so I'm starting up with one or two exercises for each main muscle group. I'm still experimenting with the exercises. On the rowing machine I do a 40 minute interval training session (I prefer the marvelous Finnish word 'Fartlek') based on percentage of maximum heart rate. I finish the session, rowing or weight training, with stretches. I also do a Pilates class and a body conditioning workout once a week. Oh, and February to October I cycle two or three times a week as well.


As far as on the water training goes, I've signed up for some of the excellent UKLA regional training courses. I went on a couple last year and learnt a lot, almost too much. That's the problem with my age, I take longer to process information, so I'm going back for refreshers! If you're in the UK and you're serious about improving your Laser sailing, go to www.laser.org.uk and look up the events section. You'll have to join UKLA to participate but its well worth the money - you get a decent discount off boat insurance too.

Also on this site is a comprehensive list of Laser racing events. I was staggered at the amount of Laser racing that goes on. Each of the regions runs a Grand Prix with about a dozen meetings which are a good notch up from club racing. I've done a couple of Thames Valley GP events this year and I'm aiming to do enough in the Autumn to qualify for an overall score.

Over the next 4 years I'm going to gradually build up the level of events I compete in, aiming to do national and European events before 2012. Not the least of my problems is going to be finding enough time to sail in the sea as its a pretty foregone conclusion that that's the kind of venue the 2012 worlds will be held on. I live about 60 odd miles from the nearest ocean which isn't a lot compared to what other people in the world have to contend with, I know, but the logistics at the moment are a bit daunting for me.

So that's the outline plan. You'll be able to read here how I get on with it. The highs, the lows, the successes, the failures. Wish me luck!