18: With compliments

Last weekend I drove to Cheshire to attend a 25th wedding anniversary event for one of my best chums from art college and her husband. Amanda and Paul had certainly chosen a spectacular location in which to hold their gathering - the Discovery Centre at Jodrell Bank - home the third largest steerable radio telescope in the world.

As part of the pre-supper entertainment we were treated to a tour of the orrery in the Planet Pavilion. It was an ideal opportunity for us to ask those questions we'd always wanted answers to… for example: "What happened to Pluto?" and "Where else do you think there's intelligent life?" Sophia, our knowledgeable guide, made the mind-blowing subject of our planet, solar system, galaxy and the universe easy for us to follow.

For me, what made Saturday evening so memorable, was meeting-up with members of Amanda's family again. As her folks lived not far from mine, I regularly used to see them - and her sister and brother - when I occasionally gave Mandy a lift home from Ravensbourne College of Design & Communication.

That was 27 years ago! - and although I'd met Amanda's parents briefly in the early 2000's - I haven't had any contact with them since then. So it was fun to instantly recognise Mandy's brother, say hello to him, and then watch as he tried to guess - wrongly - who I was. Similarly the same with her mum. When they both realised it was me, their reactions were the same. The compliments flowed about how well I looked.

On Sunday, before I headed back to Scotland, I called in to see friends in Stockport who are also customers of mine. I hadn't seen Mary and David since January of this year, when they exhibited at a trade exhibition in Glasgow. So "the Derek" they remember was the one at the start of 2014. Their compliments about my physique were the same as those of Amanda's family.

Before starting my fitness programme with Luke, I'd read somewhere that it would take approximately two months for me to notice any changes to my body shape, two more months for those immediately around me to acknowledge the changes and a further two for the whole world to see them. Certainly from the reactions and compliments I received at the weekend this seems to be the case.

As Yuri Gagarin said to ground control, during the first manned space flight he piloted on 12 April 1961 - "I feel fine. How about you?"

17: Halftime

I know it's September and it's technically the start of autumn, but I've only just managed to shoe-horn a week off work - a consequence of being self-employed - and am enjoying some much needed time-out in a relaxed Ionian idyll.

The day before departing Scotland I had a monthly evaluation with Luke Bremner. Considering my Fringe Festival naughtiness (way too much alcohol) and the less intensive gym workouts (due to my IT-band problem), the stats weren't bad at all. Waist and chest measurements down, body fat down, lean mass up a little.

Suddenly my vacation, and week away from the gym, feels like a natural halftime for me.

Over the past five and a half months I've achieved a lot with Luke. Looking at my initial goals and incentives - most have either been met or I'm well on the way to reaching them.

My goals were to lose the "spare tyre" around my mid-rift and have a flatter stomach. Tick. I wanted to swap the "moobs" for pecs, start developing my biceps, and lose weight but replace it with muscle. All of these are underway.

My incentives were: new motorcycle leathers. Not on order yet, but will be soon. Be able to change body type status of online profiles from 'average' to either 'athletic' or 'toned'. Tick. Find Mr Right. Tick.

Prior to the evaluation, Luke and I had agreed that I'd continue working with him for another 6 months. I'm loving what's happening to me - both physically and mentally - with his input. I'm now interested to see what we can achieve by March 2015.

However on Thursday Mr Bremner asked me the killer question: "What do you want to achieve in the next 6 months?" My answer was simple. "I don't know. I'm really going to have to think about that."

There's no doubt that my original aims and objectives kept me focused and committed to my fitness regime. I'm also excited to see where the next half of my personal training programme will take me. But in order to sustain my current motivation I need these new goals.

So for the next few days, whilst enjoying the warmth of some late summer sunshine, I'm going to contemplate this dilemma. Regardless of what I decide, I know the second half will be as beneficial to me as the first one was.

16: Ouch!

A couple of weeks ago, whilst preparing to go to Luke Bremner Fitness, I became aware of a slight pain in my right hip. I didn't think too much about it and, as usual, walked briskly uphill from Edinburgh's Stockbridge to Luke's private training studio in Jamaica Street.

After changing and doing a general warm-up, Mr Bremner started to show me some new exercises that he'd incorporated into my home workout routines. As we went through these together, I became aware that the pain in my right hip was increasing.

"It could be something to do with your IT band." Luke said.

Not knowing what he meant, I assumed he was referring to the resistance bands I used at home for exercises like rowing practice. Thankfully he went on to explain what the Iliotibial tract, or 'IT band', is and its function. His final thought of that session was "Let's keep an eye on it!"

I returned the following Thursday and started my hourly session with some squats. However there was little improvement with my right leg. Instead of making things worse, Luke took swift action and decided that we should spend the remaining time looking at foam-rolling and muscle stretching techniques.

Up until then I'd only used a foam roller for thoracic spin exercises. So to start with Luke demonstrated some foam roller exercises that would help to alleviate the pain in my IT band.

Often when I'm the process of doing the final rep of a final set in the gym I let loose a lion's roar that's inside me. However these new exercises had me yelping more like a wounded pup!

We progressed to using a tennis ball to massage other muscle groups in the feet, chest and shoulders. Each exercise seemed to hurt more than the last, so much so, that by the end of the hour I'd almost forgotten about my original IT band problem.

Luke's advice was not to do any more home workout routines. Instead I was to focus on the foam rolling and stretching exercises, which I've been doing diligently. As each day passes, not only does the IT band in my right let become less painful, but the exercises themselves seem to hurt less too.

In order to allow my leg time extra time to recover, we spent last week's workout sessions looking at mobility and posture. As always I've been given excellent advice and techniques by Mr Bremner on how to improve these too.

Yesterday I finally started to lift serious weights again and my right leg, although not 100%, held-up to the challenge pretty well. There's no doubt that all the stretching and rolling I've been subjecting my body to over the past fortnight has really worked. More importantly I'm now doing many of these exercises daily in order to prevent something like this happening to me again.

15: Time for bed

As anyone who has visited Scotland's capital city during August will know, the Edinburgh International Festival and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe are rather jolly and social affairs.

Not only is it the perfect opportunity to see live comedy, theatre, concerts and art exhibitions - but it's also a great excuse to catch-up with friends. Certainly for me it's one of the main times of the year when visiting out-of-town acquaintances contact me and suggest meeting-up for a drink.

In the past I've never really thought about the effect that all this merriment has on my body. However this year is different. 

Last Thursday I sat down with Luke at Luke Bremner Fitness to go through my diet sheets, home workouts, and for him to take my monthly measurements. The results were very revealing. 

I'd already highlighted to Luke - through the colour-coding of my diet sheets - that I'd dined-out a lot more over the past month and consumed more alcohol than usual. This translated into less body fat loss than we had scheduled for, only 0.4% - from 18.4% to 18%. I know it's a loss, which I'm happy about, but it wasn't the full 1% target I'd originally set myself. 

In fact all my body stats over the past month have only had minor improvements. Although my chest and waist measurements have significantly decreased since I started my fitness regime in April - it is now my waistline that is decreasing less rapidly. 

As Luke explained to me there were two reasons - in addition to my recent excessive drinking and eating out - that were the cause of this.

The first was lack of sleep. On average I was sleeping for six to six and a half hours per night. No where near the eight hours sleep that we require. As Luke said to me "Sleep is the body's reset button." There was no real reason why my alarm was set for 06.30, so Luke suggested I push it back a bit. In addition he suggested no 'blue light' for at least half an hour before bed. So for me that means no iPad, iPhone, laptop or TV. Time for me to reconnect with books and magazines again.

The second reason why my waistline measurement isn't shrinking as fast as others is because, as Luke explained, I was failing to eat breakfast within 30 minutes of waking up. In fact, some mornings it was almost two hours between waking and eating*. As we all require nourishment after sleep, which trigger certain fat-burning chemicals, Mr Bremner's recommendation was that I make a concerted effort to keep to the 30 minute rule.

So far, so good. Apart from last Saturday evening - which included more Festival activities - I've managed to sleep for eight hours each night, and am already feeling the benefit. In addition I've altered my morning routine and now shower after breakfast instead of before it. This enables me to breakfast sooner, although I'm still finding it challenging to actually eat within 30 minutes from waking. Often it's more like 40 minutes.

However I'm interested to see how my monthly stats look the next time, especially when combined with the tougher exercises Luke has introduced me to recently. As always I'll report back on my progress. In the meantime, happy slumbers!

*A consequence of keeping very detailed diet sheets

14: Get Inspired

After the disappointment of not getting any tickets for the London 2012 Olympics, I was determined to at least see one event at the 2014 Commonwealth Games currently taking place in Glasgow.

In April, when tickets for the general public went on sale, I scanned through the sports that were on offer looking for something that would be both appealing, and of relevance. It wasn't too long before weightlifting had grabbed my attention. I felt it was appropriate because I'd recently started lifting weights as part of my workouts at Luke Bremner Fitness. 

Knowing nothing about this sport, I did a quick internet search on the different classes and categories. When better informed, I applied for a ticket for the 94kg (207lbs) Mens Weightlifting Final, as this was the closest weight - at that point in time - to my own. 

After weeks of waiting, on Tuesday I made my way to the Clyde Auditorium in Glasgow to attend the event. Like London 2012, the venues have been packed with spectators, which is great to see. Whilst waiting for the competition to start everyone was given a brief introduction to the weightlifting format, how it worked and what to look for. This was a prefect guide for newbies like me. The audience were also encouraged to cheer and support all the competitors equally. Once both competitors and judges had been introduced, there was 10 minute warm-up before the competition started.

The first element was the "Snatch". Once this got underway, I suddenly realised weightlifting isn't just about brut strength, but there's a psychological element to the competition too. Participants started nominating to lift heavier weights which altered the order in which people appeared on stage. I also hadn't appreciated that there were time limits placed on each lift. This all made for a very enthralling spectacle.

When Scotland's Peter Kirkbride - who had won a Silver medal at the 2010 Commonwealth Games in Dehli - appeared on stage, the venue roof almost came off with the noise from our cheers. The pressure of performing in front of a home crowd must have been immense for him. However his first lift was sufficient to take him through to the second element which was the "Clean and Jerk."

It was at this point that the audience became completely impartial. When competitors failed a lift, the noise from our support for their next attempt became even louder. We were almost willing some competitors to make the lift in order to keep the competition going longer.

Ultimately it came down to a battle between Simplice Ribouem from Australia and Steven Kukuna Kari (photographed above) from Papa New Guinea. Mr Ribouem had managed to lift a heavier weight in the Snatch but Mr Kari had lifted more in the Clean and Jerk. At the end of the competition this left them both tied on the same combined weight for the two lifts of 349kg (769lbs). In the end the gold medal was won by the gentleman from Papa New Guinea, because he was the lighter weight of the two men.

The BBC - who are televising the Commonwealth Games across the UK - are asking its audience to get involved by using the Twitter hashtag #GetInspired. After Tuesday evening I've certainly been inspired. I've been given quite a number of new challenges this week by Luke Bremner in his private fitness training studio and, in all honesty, I've surpass all my expectations… well, for this week anyway.

13: Taps-Aff

Scotland has been enjoying some glorious weather over the past few days – quite a rarity for up here. As a result I've done what the saying advises and been "Making hay while the sun shines." Of course it helps when friends from outwith the city come to visit. Last weekend Tom, a friend from Bristol, was in town for the first time, so I decided to take a half day last Friday and show him around.

For those who have never been to my adopted city before – I was originally born in the south east of England but have lived in Edinburgh for 23 years – let me explain that the centre is really rather compact. Despite our fabulous bus system and excellent new tram line, in my opinion the best way to experience Scotland's capital is on foot. Also, due to Edinburgh's undulating terrain, this doubles-up as great cardiovascular exercise too.

After a quick stop at mine to drop off luggage, we ventured to the Royal Botanic Garden for a spot of lunch al-fresco at their Terrace Café. From there we headed to Calton Hill to enjoy panoramas of the city before dropping back down to Princes Street for an afternoon coffee. Crossing to Edinburgh's Old Town we sauntered up the Royal Mile enjoying the free street entertainment on offer, then climbed to the top of the Camera Obscura. We made a final descent to the bustling Grassmarket before allowing ourselves an early evening beer in the beautiful surroundings of Princes Street Gardens. In total we covered 12km (7.5 miles) without really thinking about it.

Walking more has been another part of my fitness regime over the past 4 months – however there are people I follow on the Argus app who are prolific walkers and put my daily average of 5–6km (3–3.5miles) to shame. That said, when Luke Bremner took my measurements at his training studio last week we discovered that I've already hit one of the new targets we set last month - this was to lose another 2.5cm (1") from my waist. Since April I've lost over 14cm (5.5") from my waist and over 10cm (4") from my chest.

It's stats like these that bring me to the photo above. I took this selfie yesterday when I wandered into Inverleith Park to enjoy the warmth of the early evening sunshine. Due to the recent achievements I've been making, through diet and exercise, I have a new level of confidence about my body. Taking my shirt off in public - commonly referred to as "taps-aff" in Scotland - doesn't seem to phase me now, nor does posting a photo of me like that either. I guess it's another example of how Luke's strapline of "Fitter. Stronger. Healthier. Happier" is spot on and summarises how his clients' feel after working with him. I know I certainly do.

As the Fringe Festival starts in earnest at the end of next week I expect the Scottish weather to return to our more traditional wet, and not quite so wet, climate. In the meantime, when the sun does shine I intend to enjoy it a little more at the park.   

12. Nuts!

Often in life it's the small insignificant things that provide us with biggest surprises. Last week I posted an image of some Greek Yoghurt with mixed nuts and blueberries on Argus. Most of my usual friends and followers, on that app, indicated their approval of this dish by liking it. One or two even took the trouble to write a complimentary comment about it too.

As the week has progressed the number of likes and comments for this photo has gathered momentum. The last time I looked almost 100 people had given the picture a "thumbs-up." Who knew that this dessert, that was really quick to put together, would fire the taste-buds in others. I'm not sure whether it's the combination of ingredients, with their different textures and flavours that have inspired people. Now seems to be an appropriate time to let you into a little secret though. I was simply finishing up bits and pieces from my refridgerator because they were nearing their use by date. There, the truth is out!

Last Saturday, as I busied around my appartment doing domestic chores, I had the TV tuned to Le Grande Depart of the Tour de France. For 2014 this particular element of the race was hosted in the UK, with the first two stages taking place in the English county of Yorkshire. I was particularly interest to see these, as the riders passed through many of the places I had visited with my parents, when we once holidayed there several years ago. 

It was brilliant to see how the British public got right behind the race. For me, it evoked memories of the London 2012 Olympics, as again huge crowds lined the roadsides and took up every vantage-point in order to see the pelaton pass by. I remember feeling an urge two years ago to buy an bicycle and start cycling again, and these feelings emerged again last week.

For gentleman of my age there is a danger that if we purchase a bike we suddenly become a MAMIL - middle-age man in Lycra - which is a wonderful accronym that I was introduced to recently. Personally speaking I haven't needed to acquire the bike, the regular gym routine has already done it's job in this respect. 

Yesterday Luke commented on a new Nike Pro Combat training shirt I was wearing. As I explained to him, I'd bought it about a month ago but I've only just acquired the confidence to wear it - due mainly to the way my body is changing and the shape it's becoming. For those who don't know, this range of clothing is marketed as a "second skin" and the fit is very snug. As Luke pointed out to me "There's no hiding place in that shirt Derek." And he was right, from now on my abs will always need to be engaged whenever I decide to wear it to his gym.