"The Downswings of Property and Poker"

[Eso Kral]

So this was the finished result of the Zhivanska after 40 mins in the oven and was followed by some home made Apple Strudle (not cooked by me!)


A few days after this Petra and Ivy flew off to Slovakia to sort some stuff in the shop over there and for Petra to see her folks and as Max is in school and obv he cannot be taken out it was just me Max and the dog at home in a week that was then called "Boys Week" which meant no tidying up etc until the day that Petra got back when it was all hands to the pump!

It was great to have a week with the boy and I would like to think that he enjoyed it too and whilst the girls were away I played two of the online legs of the Grand Prix and managed to get 195k for day 2 on Sunday just gone but having chipped up in the first 2 levels without showdown to get to a peak of 350k at 4/8k as the blinds were deep in 5/10k and with a very flat payout structure I took what was obv a flip to try and get a really good stack where I 4b jammed over an open from MP and a 3b all in for 24bb's from the SB and I found AQhh in the bb with 35bbs but lost vs 55 exiting in 166th place with a £100 ladder in 104th and prizes not reaching a grand until the last 36 and back down the M! we went.

Earlier this year I posted that I wanted to lose some of the "Terry" that I had amassed having had the best part of 3 years out of the gym and having got to half Red Dog size (copyright Tikay) I decided in February I really needed to do something and with me I really need to be eating fairly well before I set foot in the gym (just a quirk of mine) so by March I had adjusted my diet whilst not worrying about a once a week meal out etc I then stepped into the gym and commenced a 3 x a week (most weeks) high intensity cardio circuit session using a program from a few years ago.

I basically cut most of the bread out my diet with my daily intake of food looking something like this
Breakfast - eaten with the kids being 2 slices of Brioche toast with a bit of jam or couple of slices of chocolate brioche slice

mid morning snack of some fruit

Lunch - one small 4 piece Sushi pack from Tesco and pack of meat (4-5 slices of beef, chicken or turkey) with some fruit

Dinner - whatever we eat at home but normally a meat dish with some veg and carbs in either a few potatoes or rice

and rarely eating a desert as this is a failing of mine as I have a sweet tooth!

I'm sure if I really wanted to strip the fat further I could make some further tweaks but I have to remember that I'm 41, lead a busy life and its hard to eat that different to the kids at home plus I only have time to train for 45mins-1hour tops 3 x per week normally at 6.30am in the morning.

Below you will see some photos that have been taken firstly on the 30th November last year (you can tell as it was the end of Movember) and then from a hotel room in Nottingham in May when I was one month into the programme with a final couple of images post session today which show quite clearly how my body has started to change over the past few months and I am probably in my best shape for years tbh which has come with added benefits of having more concentration whilst playing and overall having more energy on a day to day basis.

If you are squeemish or dont want to see a half whale then scroll straight past my bloated photos but I am pretty chuffed with how I am looking currently and am going to endevour to keep it up whilst in Malta from tomorrow with an expectation of 5 sessions whilst there and also to step it up when I get back but am going to ask Harvey or Sean to devise me a little program based on my goals and time available as I felt I started to plateau toward this last couple of weeks so need a fresh challenge.

30th November 2014 (Just Lol obv on so many levels but this diary is an honest one)

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End May 2015 and peak weight of 85-87kg (I am not worried about weight as much and have no idea what I weigh today but guess around 78kg as for me it's more about how I feel and look in clothes)

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Today

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I think genetically I am slightly fortunate due to my sporting background and have always been blessed with a stocky, muscular build and kinda regret it a bit but in my 20's I tried to get big but was just lean and took one course of dyanabol whilst working in a gym and suddenly grew a set of shoulders and stocky chest which has remained ever since but I am chuffed with the results so far of my hard work and feel great inside too.   I will add the final two weeks and a bit about the program I used in another post 

[Eso Kral]

So the program I used is basically a high intensity circuit split into 3 days per week and each day is different across the 4 weeks

Mondays are a "foundation day" where the larger muscle groups are used

Weds are classed as "stability days" and utilise different stabilising muscles using similar movements but utilising Swiss balls and balance

Fridays are about power and engage the fast twitch muscles and instead of working for a number of reps you work for x seconds.

The first 2 weeks you are supposed to do 2 circuits but I did one for the first 2 weeks as I was literally blowing out of my arse and after 2 weeks repeated weeks one and two for 4 weeks until I then ventured to weeks three and four and have repeated these weeks below but never used a dumbell over 15kg's at any point to get to where we are today.

Week 3

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Week 4

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So tomorrow I fly to Malta alone with Petra and the kids flying next Tuesday and are then with me until the 2nd Nov when we all fly back together and I am so excited about going and am looking forward to my first and probably one of a handful of EPT's I will ever play and it will be the biggest buyin event I have played too but strangely I am really relaxed and first of all hope for as agood a table draw as I can expect and then lets see what happens.

The day after I fly I am playing the IPT (UKIPT equiv) main and have sold in the staking boards for both events so will update there if anyone wants a sweat and hope to have a few stories for my return.

[pleno1]

Hey Rich, play the Sunday imo, all the kids will be grinding online

[Eso Kral]

Hey Rich, play the Sunday imo, all the kids will be grinding online

Good shout mate!

I will message you when I get there and attempt to hook up.

[arbboy]

Weight loss nearly as amazing as your tattoo on your left breast converting to your right breast over 12 months from the first picture to the later pictures.  How you manage to do that?

[Eso Kral]

Weight loss nearly as amazing as your tattoo on your left breast converting to your right breast over 12 months from the first picture to the later pictures.  How you manage to do that?

Even you are too shrewd to not work that one out surely?

Iirc it was you son who enquired as to what I weighed when I mentioned the fact I need to lose some timber.

[arbboy]

Weight loss nearly as amazing as your tattoo on your left breast converting to your right breast over 12 months from the first picture to the later pictures.  How you manage to do that?

Even you are too shrewd to not work that one out surely?

Iirc it was you son who enquired as to what I weighed when I mentioned the fact I need to lose some timber.

Planning to lose any more?  You look in great shape.  In all seriousness congrats. 

[Eso Kral]

Hi Rich,

Why don't you set up your own Estate Agency ?

Hi Rich,

Why don't you set up your own Estate Agency in Malta ?

FYP

I will come back to these upon my return as I have to make some pretty big decisions over the next 2 weeks

[Eso Kral]

Haven't had carp yet, but try pretty much everything else.

Friend text me the other day.

'Do you have waders?'

'What?'

'Waders I think you say in English.'

'What?'

'For fishing'

'Oh waders, of course, I have several pairs in my wardrobe'

'Great. We need them for the Carp Festival'

'The Carp Festival?'

'Yes. It's 2 hours outside of Prague and very popular. I'll drive'

'Christ'

'No, Carp!'

Carp is the fish almost always used to make gefiltefish.

You might not be familiar with the joy that is gefiltefish but it is a Jewish standard; chopped fish and some other ingredients made into balls rather like meatballs and either steamed or fried, often served as part of the Friday evening meal.

It must take a while to get the meat off the bone as the Carp has sooooo many bones including a massive ribcage.

[Eso Kral]

Weight loss nearly as amazing as your tattoo on your left breast converting to your right breast over 12 months from the first picture to the later pictures.  How you manage to do that?

Even you are too shrewd to not work that one out surely?

Iirc it was you son who enquired as to what I weighed when I mentioned the fact I need to lose some timber.

Planning to lose any more?  You look in great shape.  In all seriousness congrats. 

Thanks pal, I would like to shift a touch more around the waist tbh but am realistic as well so would happily just lose a touch more and then maintain if I can.

Hows yours coming along?

[vegaslover]

Congrats on the results Rich, good to see the hard work pay off.

I'm sure if I really wanted to strip the fat further I could make some further tweaks but I have to remember that I'm 41, lead a busy life and its hard to eat that different to the kids at home plus I only have time to train for 45mins-1hour tops 3 x per week normally at 6.30am in the morning.

The above very true for most family guys imo.  Very hard to eat different to the family all the time.

GL in Malta, hope you get an epic result.

[celtic]

Good luck in Malta. There's some nice restaurants in an area called st Julian's. If you've not heard of it let me know and i can sort out directions

Oh, and stick a warning up next time you put naked pictures up. Gave me flashbacks of that night in a derby hotel

[The_nun]

I think the honest approach to this thread works really good. 

[Eso Kral]

Good luck in Malta. There's some nice restaurants in an area called st Julian's. If you've not heard of it let me know and i can sort out directions

Oh, and stick a warning up next time you put naked pictures up. Gave me flashbacks of that night in a derby hotel

Cheers Son

Arrived last night and tried to keep it from my Maltese family that I was coming prior to the wedding but unfortunately my old dear let the cat out the bag so I have already been texted 5 times from cousins and Aunties wanting to meet up but that goes with the territory here.

We're staying away from St Julian's in Sliema at a friend of family appt called Bay View which kinda misdescribes the one bed appt that my mum will take over when Petra and the kids arrive Tuesday as there is not even a glimpse.

I really love Malta and every time I come here it just feels like home!!!

[StuartHopkin]

There is an Indian restaurant in Sliema that features 'Ooops lambs brain' on the menu!