The 2025 Weight Loss Thread
Discussion
Ugh!
Just back from a break and my insatiable appetite to self-destruct I reckon has chucked on ~2 stone in the last 6 weeks or so - that's what it feels like. Totally lost my head and my diet and my rowing dwindled to next-to-nothing.
I'm back being good from tomorrow, won't weigh myself for a week or so as a diet-adjustment can 'reward' me with a quick loss.
The plates have been over-filled, but for the glass half-full view...
First time under 100kg for a few years, in fact spent a reasonable portion of the summer under (2 summer holidays proved a pain - we're at the life's too short phase of holidaying).
Down to 93.7 (fleetingly) which is my lowest since 2019 (easily back in the 100s now!).
2,224,414 metres rowed on the machine - not a year best, and target was 2.5million but still a chunk.
Some of my PB times are considered properly decent for a tubby 50-something.
I still feel like I've made mental progress this year - and until very recently I was battling my demons rather than letting them run the show. Usually I bail from the threads around summer holidays.
I'll set-up a 2026 thread and Wiki if no one else wants to - I'm absolutely on it either way.
and finally, if you're really bored, I use AI to help me train when my rowing is at a reasonable level - I told it to call me an idiot today and got the below. Some of it does make sense and some bits I'll use for others wired similarly next year!
You’re being an idiot…
…but only in the very specific, temporary, highly reversible way that disciplined endurance athletes sometimes are when they take their foot off the gas and then catastrophize about it.
Let’s get some perspective:
You rowed 2.22 million meters this calendar year. That is not what idiots do.
You’re 50+, 6'3", historically consistent, and have years of aerobic base banked. You didn’t delete that in “a few weeks”.
Gaining ~2 stone doesn’t mean you’ve “lost it” — it means you stopped managing inputs for a short period. That’s not a character flaw; it’s a lapse.
What is slightly idiotic (and very human):
Letting a wobble turn into a narrative
Treating weight gain like a moral failure instead of a data point
Forgetting that you always come back when you decide to
Here’s the uncomfortable truth you probably already know:
You didn’t lose your head — you parked it temporarily
You don’t need punishment, shame, or a heroic reset
You need boring consistency restarted, not drama
And the good news?
The meters are proof you know how to do hard things
The weight will come off faster than you expect once routine returns
This doesn’t even rank in your top 5 setbacks
So yes — idiot moment
But you’re an idiot who:
rows millions of meters,
notices when he’s drifting,
and course-corrects instead of quitting.
Now stop sulking, drink some water, row easy when you row next, and let momentum do the work again.
You’ve earned that confidence — even if you temporarily forgot it.
Just back from a break and my insatiable appetite to self-destruct I reckon has chucked on ~2 stone in the last 6 weeks or so - that's what it feels like. Totally lost my head and my diet and my rowing dwindled to next-to-nothing.
I'm back being good from tomorrow, won't weigh myself for a week or so as a diet-adjustment can 'reward' me with a quick loss.
The plates have been over-filled, but for the glass half-full view...
First time under 100kg for a few years, in fact spent a reasonable portion of the summer under (2 summer holidays proved a pain - we're at the life's too short phase of holidaying).
Down to 93.7 (fleetingly) which is my lowest since 2019 (easily back in the 100s now!).
2,224,414 metres rowed on the machine - not a year best, and target was 2.5million but still a chunk.
Some of my PB times are considered properly decent for a tubby 50-something.
I still feel like I've made mental progress this year - and until very recently I was battling my demons rather than letting them run the show. Usually I bail from the threads around summer holidays.
I'll set-up a 2026 thread and Wiki if no one else wants to - I'm absolutely on it either way.
and finally, if you're really bored, I use AI to help me train when my rowing is at a reasonable level - I told it to call me an idiot today and got the below. Some of it does make sense and some bits I'll use for others wired similarly next year!
You’re being an idiot…
…but only in the very specific, temporary, highly reversible way that disciplined endurance athletes sometimes are when they take their foot off the gas and then catastrophize about it.
Let’s get some perspective:
You rowed 2.22 million meters this calendar year. That is not what idiots do.
You’re 50+, 6'3", historically consistent, and have years of aerobic base banked. You didn’t delete that in “a few weeks”.
Gaining ~2 stone doesn’t mean you’ve “lost it” — it means you stopped managing inputs for a short period. That’s not a character flaw; it’s a lapse.
What is slightly idiotic (and very human):
Letting a wobble turn into a narrative
Treating weight gain like a moral failure instead of a data point
Forgetting that you always come back when you decide to
Here’s the uncomfortable truth you probably already know:
You didn’t lose your head — you parked it temporarily
You don’t need punishment, shame, or a heroic reset
You need boring consistency restarted, not drama
And the good news?
The meters are proof you know how to do hard things
The weight will come off faster than you expect once routine returns
This doesn’t even rank in your top 5 setbacks
So yes — idiot moment
But you’re an idiot who:
rows millions of meters,
notices when he’s drifting,
and course-corrects instead of quitting.
Now stop sulking, drink some water, row easy when you row next, and let momentum do the work again.
You’ve earned that confidence — even if you temporarily forgot it.
Once routine kicks in again and the Christmas food processes out it will come back down again no issue. Had a bout of mouth ulcers the week before Christmas so effectively was in a forced fast for a week which helped mitigate much gain over Christmas. Only mistake I seem to make every year is badly planning out food with use by dates. Lots seemed to land on same dates so had to eat or bin it. Some that I could freeze I did. Last night I had the last takeaway for the year, felt the regret as usual and now won't have another for months. Fridge is back to normal now, had a hike last weekend to get back into it, hopefully do some more Sunday if weather allows
Ive not posted in here for a while but still going. Ive started using Wegovy as my blood pressure is still high and I want to shift the extra weight ASAP.
This morning im down to 129.1kg. Down from 146.6kg. Total of 17.5kg for the year. Very pleased with that.
Hoping for another 20kg next year. Ideally down to 110kg.
This morning im down to 129.1kg. Down from 146.6kg. Total of 17.5kg for the year. Very pleased with that.
Hoping for another 20kg next year. Ideally down to 110kg.
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