Diary of a MTT Grinder Wannabe

[Ant040689]

Woooot, weight loss. Yehhhhhhhh. That is all.

[Ant040689]

Well i know this diary is going to crap at the moment, but i haven't had much time to play poker recently nor do anything that interesting, but i am losing weight. I played a pre season football match last Sunday, still being quite a bit overweight, but the girlfriend's of one of the other players had noted how i was becoming more svelte (she said this to a mate who was spectating). Didn't know what it meant at the time, assumed skinnier and was proved right but wasn't too sure so held back my inner thoughts of the fist pumping.

Played an alright game it must be said. I hadn't played in four months and felt how slow my reactions had got between the sticks. Unlike Eso Kral i am 6'3 but also unlike him i am not very good, well at least now i am not. My reactions were so slow! I mean one shot was pummelled through me at some pace, everyone expected me not to save it and I got a touch onto it to tip it onto the bar but it went in off the underside. I could have sworn i did enough to get it over and receive the plaudits after. I was basically nodding in appreciation of my fans of the save and had to face palm at it going in. Everyone else thought i was unlucky but in my heart of hearts i know my reactions are slowing at the ripe old age of 22.

Besides that goal i conceded another 2 which i could do nothing about, but we had also scored three, and as it was a friendly we decided a draw must be settled with an immediate penalty shootout. Now i pride myself in my penalty taking record. I would say I am penalty taking king to be honest. I think i have taken about 20 in my days so far and have put in 19. The one miss was a travesty and the elements were against me. I'm pretty sure a bird tweaked as i was about to take it, it may as well be counted as a goal tbh, but more about that later.

Back to point and with all the confidence of a man in control i stepped up for the very first kick, giving the keeper a wry smile, he returned it with a much more playful one and i thought ahh ooops i hope he doesn't think this is sexual, then i walked up to the spot and placed the ball top left with consummate ease. When i say top left a part of me thought it was going wide until i realised i was taking it and misses didn't happen. Not ordinarily massively cocky about anything but with penalties i am. I would love to have a prop bet with someone on them. We eventually win 5-3 after one of their men hit the post with their attempt. I dived the right way every time but just couldn't get to any of them which at least gives me some hope to save some for the future.

Now back to a bad, distant memory, of the penalty miss that did occur last season. It was a cold morning, one in which I had hardly any sleep and was quite a bit hungover. We were winning the game i think 4-1 and everyone got a little bit casual by the end of the game. Then the regular diver in the team managed to get past a few players outside the box and squirm his way inside, then for his regular routine of waiting for a defender to come bundling in and to nudge the ball to one side and gracefully accept the challenge to take the plunge to the ground. The comedy I find most in this is the way he slaps the grass afterwards in appeal to the ref who always gets sold, despite how obviously crafty this man is at winning spot kicks. The penalty is given.

I start my casual walk from the other end of the pitch, taking high fives as i normally do from the centre backs and midfielders en route. I then get given the ball by a good mate up front, who a little peeved about my comfort with the situation says, "i hope you miss". Now this threw me a little but i smiled and thought, no bother this is going in. Then when i place the ball on the spot i look up to see i am basically placing the ball on the touchline such is how far skewed to the right this pen spot has been placed. I would say i was about 3/4 of the way to the right of the goal. I crapped myself, i must say. I hadn't seen anything like it. A dilemma engulfed me. What do i do with this ball.

Do I go for my normal top left despite having to change my bearings completely to get the ball there or do i change it up and hit it top right, where i have had success in the past, and it looked like i would have to basically toe poke straight to get that end so thought why not, that is what i do. I take the kick, lifting the ball nicely to negate his attempts even if he goes the right way but it hits the inside of the post. The ball remains live though and in my confusion of not reeling away after seeing it hit the back of the net i remain a striker, even though at one point the ball was put out wide near the touchline. It comes back in and a little melee ensued before the very mate who wished me the worst before the penalty had put it in and remarked to me after he had did it, something of the lines of "this is how it is done". He owned me that day.

Now vowed a miss will never happen again.

[Eso Kral]

Well i know this diary is going to crap at the moment, but i haven't had much time to play poker recently nor do anything that interesting, but i am losing weight. I played a pre season football match last Sunday, still being quite a bit overweight, but the girlfriend's of one of the other players had noted how i was becoming more svelte (she said this to a mate who was spectating). Didn't know what it meant at the time, assumed skinnier and was proved right but wasn't too sure so held back my inner thoughts of the fist pumping.

Played an alright game it must be said. I hadn't played in four months and felt how slow my reactions had got between the sticks. Unlike Eso Kral i am 6'3 but also unlike him i am not very good, well at least now i am not. My reactions were so slow! I mean one shot was pummelled through me at some pace, everyone expected me not to save it and I got a touch onto it to tip it onto the bar but it went in off the underside. I could have sworn i did enough to get it over and receive the plaudits after. I was basically nodding in appreciation of my fans of the save and had to face palm at it going in. Everyone else thought i was unlucky but in my heart of hearts i know my reactions are slowing at the ripe old age of 22.

Besides that goal i conceded another 2 which i could do nothing about, but we had also scored three, and as it was a friendly we decided a draw must be settled with an immediate penalty shootout. Now i pride myself in my penalty taking record. I would say I am penalty taking king to be honest. I think i have taken about 20 in my days so far and have put in 19. The one miss was a travesty and the elements were against me. I'm pretty sure a bird tweaked as i was about to take it, it may as well be counted as a goal tbh, but more about that later.

Back to point and with all the confidence of a man in control i stepped up for the very first kick, giving the keeper a wry smile, he returned it with a much more playful one and i thought ahh ooops i hope he doesn't think this is sexual, then i walked up to the spot and placed the ball top left with consummate ease. When i say top left a part of me thought it was going wide until i realised i was taking it and misses didn't happen. Not ordinarily massively cocky about anything but with penalties i am. I would love to have a prop bet with someone on them. We eventually win 5-3 after one of their men hit the post with their attempt. I dived the right way every time but just couldn't get to any of them which at least gives me some hope to save some for the future.

Now back to a bad, distant memory, of the penalty miss that did occur last season. It was a cold morning, one in which I had hardly any sleep and was quite a bit hungover. We were winning the game i think 4-1 and everyone got a little bit casual by the end of the game. Then the regular diver in the team managed to get past a few players outside the box and squirm his way inside, then for his regular routine of waiting for a defender to come bundling in and to nudge the ball to one side and gracefully accept the challenge to take the plunge to the ground. The comedy I find most in this is the way he slaps the grass afterwards in appeal to the ref who always gets sold, despite how obviously crafty this man is at winning spot kicks. The penalty is given.

I start my casual walk from the other end of the pitch, taking high fives as i normally do from the centre backs and midfielders en route. I then get given the ball by a good mate up front, who a little peeved about my comfort with the situation says, "i hope you miss". Now this threw me a little but i smiled and thought, no bother this is going in. Then when i place the ball on the spot i look up to see i am basically placing the ball on the touchline such is how far skewed to the right this pen spot has been placed. I would say i was about 3/4 of the way to the right of the goal. I crapped myself, i must say. I hadn't seen anything like it. A dilemma engulfed me. What do i do with this ball.

Do I go for my normal top left despite having to change my bearings completely to get the ball there or do i change it up and hit it top right, where i have had success in the past, and it looked like i would have to basically toe poke straight to get that end so thought why not, that is what i do. I take the kick, lifting the ball nicely to negate his attempts even if he goes the right way but it hits the inside of the post. The ball remains live though and in my confusion of not reeling away after seeing it hit the back of the net i remain a striker, even though at one point the ball was put out wide near the touchline. It comes back in and a little melee ensued before the very mate who wished me the worst before the penalty had put it in and remarked to me after he had did it, something of the lines of "this is how it is done". He owned me that day.

Now vowed a miss will never happen again.

Wiiiiiiiiiiiiii mentioned in Ants diary

[Ant040689]

I have had a week of eating healthily, but now i am succumbing to the craving of dominos, which tbh i don't often get too much anymore (use to be daily orderings), but i do know from experience they open at 11am sharp and i may be, in the same way winos queue at weatherspoons at 9am every morning, be ordering as soon as they open. This will be a one off treat as i have done well so far, i am going for the ultra thin base and i am probably going to save it throughout the day to justify it as a meal on a balanced diet. I know i am talking bollocks here and should eat summin else, but you only live once dammit!

[Ant040689]

literally waiting for the seconds to go by for it to be 11pm. An fml moment if ever i saw one.

[Ant040689]

Had the pizza today and i felt sick after it to be honest. I think i have just gone off them. Still ate it don't get me wrong but i could feel my body not wanting anymore but my brain getting tricked into thinking have one more slice, have one more slice, so to stop the monosodium glutamate ruining my weight loss programme i am happily now not wanting to have any takeaway pizza. This is a big deal. This is from a man that has on and off had pizza mostly every week and in one dire stretch i believe i had pizza for lunch and for dinner 4 days in a row, don't think i got out of bed either. Just a whale in the making. Like one of those channel 4 documentaries into how Billy hasn't left his house for 15 years, the only bit of daylight he sees is when he opens the door to the delivery man, problem is he needs a custom built heavy duty mobility scooter to get him to the door.....etc etc.

Played a bit of poker tonight and i was up, didn't play many tournaments but got lucky in the last one to strike a deal heads up and take away a total for the night of about £200 profit. Can't complain. Was only a 4 hour shift. Did get lucky though as the main prof came from a crapshoot, but i was unlucky in the rest so swings and roundabouts hey, just have to keep your head in the game. I just have to make sure with every grind i don't feel too financially committed otherwise i will stress and play a lot worse being a lot more hasty with decisions. I am going to build up now smashing the small tournies but playing so many that hopefully the roll will build to play the medium sized tournies of the ilk of $33-$100f and $20-$50r. The basis is going to be on me making sure i know what i am going to register for at the beginning of the night, calculate total buy ins, then edit if it doesn't abide by my new found under 10% of my whole poker bankroll rule. That is high i do know, but hopefully with playing the smaller tournies of the calibre of $5r to $10-$20f i can expect my roi and volume to help make that less of an issue and if i stick to winning in them the percentage of my br being used each night will get lower and lower.

However i do know variance, and i will check myself almost immediately if i find the percentage of my br increasing each night because i have lost on previous nights and i won't be afraid to play the micros and in dire straights i will get backed if needs be. However in my last 4 sessions i have been £600 up which is great with a small roll, again i know this may be variance on the positive side for me but i will just keep on going and see what happens.

Its all about being comfortable with my grind and making sure i don't feck about with the br policy i have. I need to stick to MTT's i know at the minute as well. I also have to make sure i get my HEM sorted, which has always been a thing left undone and i think deep inside i may not want it set up because of the hassle but i know the analysing of hand histories afterwards will be so good to improve my game.

Dream is to see what it is like to play the games i am good at comfortably and not to rush into wanting to play them immediately, then hopefully in this manner i can have a safe rise in profits without having to look over my shoulder at busto.

[The Lad]

Hi if you decide to go with the get backed route! send me a p.m

Cos can vouch for me  that this is a serious offer

[Ant040689]

Hi if you decide to go with the get backed route! send me a p.m

Cos can vouch for me  that this is a serious offer

Kl, cheers for the offer, i'm hoping i won't need to take you up on it!

[The Lad]

Hi if you decide to go with the get backed route! send me a p.m

Cos can vouch for me  that this is a serious offer

Kl, cheers for the offer, i'm hoping i won't need to take you up on it!

hope you dont either buddy! but the offers there all the same, if it comes to it! glglgl

[Ant040689]

Hi if you decide to go with the get backed route! send me a p.m

Cos can vouch for me  that this is a serious offer

Kl, cheers for the offer, i'm hoping i won't need to take you up on it!

hope you dont either buddy! but the offers there all the same, if it comes to it! glglgl

Cheers.

[Ant040689]

£100 up after a 7 hour spell. Not bad as it is prof but in the last two hours i was dead in terms of tiredness.

Woke up at 6am this morning so it has been a long day, would assume i won't be making as many mistakes as i did tonight, on Sunday when i next play, as i should be well rested.

Could count at least 5 mistakes localised to how I made the wrong shove as i should have waited just a little bit longer as it just wasn't right. Was moving in a bit too early with poor hands pre flop and the fact i did this was shown up tonight in deadly fashion.

Also with the tiredness came me not keeping on top of the tables i was playing and looking to stay afloat without getting into the awkward sub 25 big blinds stack, where it becomes awkward to raise then fold to a re raise.

Very happy though that in this state i am still booking a win and can't wait until sunday. 

[Amatay]

Had the pizza today and i felt sick after it to be honest. I think i have just gone off them. Still ate it don't get me wrong but i could feel my body not wanting anymore but my brain getting tricked into thinking have one more slice, have one more slice, so to stop the monosodium glutamate ruining my weight loss programme i am happily now not wanting to have any takeaway pizza. This is a big deal. This is from a man that has on and off had pizza mostly every week and in one dire stretch i believe i had pizza for lunch and for dinner 4 days in a row, don't think i got out of bed either. Just a whale in the making. Like one of those channel 4 documentaries into how Billy hasn't left his house for 15 years, the only bit of daylight he sees is when he opens the door to the delivery man, problem is he needs a custom built heavy duty mobility scooter to get him to the door.....etc etc.

lolz

[Marky147]

I've been reading this since you started but only lurked until now. Dominos is the guvnor of that there is no doubt, however it is also fucking horrendously terrible if you're trying to eat well. If you're going to eat one make sure you lump it all down in one day and then get back on your plan. Also don't eat it the day before you weigh yourself as you've no time to get it back off.

I myself have always been partial to a nice old takeaway and when I was living on my own in London think I managed not to cook for over 3 weeks once. If you are eating really well all the time then your body gets used to it, I got told that a nice old cheat meal once or twice a week shocks the metabolism and stops it settling into a routine.

Good luck with the weight loss buddy, it's a hard track to get on but once you're in a routine it becomes easy and I'm sure you'll do just fine!!

[Ant040689]

Thanks a lot.

Yeh I have found it quite easy losing the weight tbh, I think if you go cold turkey for a while as you said the body gets used to the healthier foods so when I had the pizza I didn't feel all that bothered about it. I should have just made a brown bread sandwich. Helps I think that I am muscular despite the fat as the bigger your muscles the more calories they burn so with me eating less fat I am losing it all very quickly.

May well just do extensive dumbell work to get most of the fat off then when I am slimmer hit the treadmills and do some agility work. I have a problem with my knees atm and feel I should leave the running until I have less weight as I feel I am destroying them with any activity too arduous. I am actually wicketkeeping tomorrow which is going to be awful for ky knees but I will brave it and do a warm up and warm down.

The goal is to be at my ideal physical shape and fitness by Xmas and ignore what weight I am because I may be a fit and lean 17.5 stones but according to a body mass index I would be overweight.

[Marky147]

The heavier you are the easier it is to get off. Chicken, Steak and Lean Mince are all great protein sources. Sweet Potatoes, Rice and Pasta good carbs. I've been dieting since January, I lost about 24lbs up until Easter and then got lazy. Chuck Vegas into the mix  and I'm back up a stone

Up until now I've not really counted my calories and just relied on the scales every week. Now I'm actually counting all my macros going forward so I can be a lot stricter with everyone and actually work out my ratios of Proteins/Carbs/Fats. It's a bit of a pain until you have your foods listed but it's easy enough once that is done.

I've been aiming for weight but a few people I've been talking to have said they generally prefer to go by the mirror and bodyfat % as opposed to weight. If you want to get the fat off quicker then cardio is king, try some cycling or rowing if running is too heavy impact on your knee. I don't do any cardio because I can't and for that reason I have to be even stricter with my diet. Probably worth going to see a physio about your knees if they're causing you problems, it's always better to nip these things in the bud early and not letting them get out of hand.

Yeah that's what people who I've been speaking to who are bang into this stuff say. Bodyfat and mirror are the way to gauge what kind of shape you're in. Good luck at cricket tomorrow anyway and with the Dominos avoidance exercise