Thanks for taking the time to visit my JustGiving page.

THE SUPPORT GIVEN (ABOUT TO BE GIVEN?) BY PEOPLE VISITING THIS PAGE HAS PAID OFF...BECAUSE I WON!

After 8 weeks I not only achieved a greater weight loss than my able competitor from Citi Bank but also achieved the greater percentage weight lost. My knees are really pleased and I feel a lot fitter. The last target is my fund raising which is going fantastically well (thanks you everyone who has dug deep so far) and hopefully the "AFTER" picture will get me there. Don't go to Specsavers!

Donating is simple, fast and totally secure. Your details are safe – JustGiving will never sell them on or send unwanted emails. Once you donate, your money will be sent directly to the charity and Gift Aid (for those of you in the UK) will be reclaimed on every eligible donation. I raise more, whilst saving time and cutting costs for the charity.

Having known and played rugby alongside too many men who have suffered from prostate cancer – some of whom, sadly, didn’t survive – I have chosen The Prostate Cancer Charity as the recipient of any funds that I raise. And I intend to raise as much as I can.

I will be going global so please note, the JustGiving site accepts all currencies!

Please dig deep and donate now!  In case it inspires you - here's my story and WEEKLY UPDATES below:
_________________________________

If a doctor starts talking to you about breaking your legs to effectively ‘re-set’ them, wouldn’t you start to think that there must be another way?  This is precisely what happened to me very recently.

After many years of playing rugby, my knees were a bit worse for wear.  And after retiring from rugby, I noticed that my activity levels were inversely proportionate to my increasing age and that my increase in age was directly proportionate to my increase in weight!  None of this mathematics was helping the condition of my knees.

And so it was that I found myself facing the choice of “Frankenstein-like” surgery or … something else.  And the very next day, along came the Here In The City ‘Fat Banker’ competition.  It was an opportunity for two ‘fat bankers’ in London to win a two-month fitness and weight-loss programme at one of the famous Matt Roberts training clubs.  Thanks to supporting votes from friends and colleagues all over the world, I was announced as a joint-winner.

Two months of ‘hell’
So what’s in store for me over the next two months?  Day one involved posing ‘topless’ for photographs (see adjacent selection) which will be published on websites and national newspapers.  I chose my clothing and pose carefully to avoid confusion between these shots and those taken for recent designer underwear adverts featuring David Beckham!

After a full set of measurements, fitness tests, a weigh-in and an in-depth interview about my lifestyle and diet, I was given my personal fitness and dietary plan for the next two months.  My commitments are as follows:

- Two supervised fitness training sessions each week (I have also committed to two additional sessions each week)
- A daily limit of 1,600 calories (down from the usual 3,600 a day)
- My fitness trainer,Nick, has set a target weight loss of 8kgs - I'm aiming for 12 kgs.
- No alcohol, no curry, no crisps
- Regular weigh-ins, tests and measurements
- NO ALCOHOL, no curry, no crisps!
- Lots of water.

Why?

On reflection, wouldn’t surgery have been the better option?  Definitely not! This way I get to help myself but, just as important, this is the ideal situation for sponsorship so I get to help others at the same time.  By asking people to sponsor me, I can help to raise money for a charity that’s very dear to my heart and that, in turn, will motivate me to keep going and lose as much weight as I can.

Having known and played rugby alongside too many men who have suffered from prostate cancer – some of whom, sadly, didn’t survive – I have chosen ‘The Prostate Cancer Charity’ as the recipient of any funds that I raise. And I intend to go global and raise as much as I can.  To achieve my target weight loss of 12 kgs, I’m going to need A LOT of encouragement.  Please donate generously.  THANK YOU!

 

WEEK 1 COMPLETED

Day 7 in the Fat Banker house. Well the good news is I have lost 2.5kg and the money for prostate cancer has started coming in. But there is a still a long way to go. 2 sessions with personal trainer Nick have had excellent content but he is still at the "being kind" stage. I had forgotten how much I hated training! I ache now so anticipate serious creaking once he starts raising the stakes( I'd love a steak!). Glad to report no booze....7 days! The food is going okay - is there a book called "1,000 recipies for dried apricots"? Big challenge this week with back to back "Nick" sessions Monday and Tuesday and a 2 day team offsite Thursday/Friday.  I promise to keep up the good work.....please spread the word and all donations are much appreciated.

WEEK 2

Day 13 in the Fat Banker house. Great news another 4kg lighter this week. Thats 6,5kg in total. Almost a leg! The dietician would say "its only water"......good dietician, not so good motivator. I know it will get harder. 4 gym sessions done with Nick, lots of persperation, and we did boxing yesterday....I enjoyed it but I am not sure he did! Difficult few days as I am in Amsterdam on business so discipline will need to be strong. Nearly into 4 figures in the £'s column (when I put this weeks "unused beer money" in the milestone will be reached) so thanks to those who have been already been generous. To them and all you others please spread the word and keep that money rolling in...it will get harder,I do need your encouragement, the aim is to beat the opposition at Citi... on all fronts!!! 

WEEK 3

Day 23 in the fat banker house and despite spending 5 of the last 8 days in hotels i have managed to shift another 2kg!! Thats a total of 8.5kg so Nick the trainers target already achieved! I have now not consumed 45 pints/cans of beer and 3 bottles of wine (some would say a conservative estimate!). Instead I have drank (and passed!) water to the equivalent of the Atlantic ocean. The training is going well but the most progress has been on the food avoidance front. Those muffins in Amsterdam looked delicious and my friends in the office continue top surround me with biscuits/cakes/donuts and lunch time food smells. I need to have a cold!! Its halfway next week and if I get enough donations I will up my target weight loss from 12kg to.... Over to you and many thanks for those who have already donated.

WEEK 4

Day 28 in the Fat Banker house. Great news a further 1.5kg lost meaning I now hit double figures...10kg in total!! That's 3 new born babies! The key hurdle this week was England beating Australia at rugby. I "celebrated" with Sprite zero...a whole pint! The final weigh-in is confirmed for Friday 17th December so 29 days to go. Having achieved 83% of my weight loss target I have decided (foolishly?) to increase my target to 16kg. The donations so far are 30% of target which is great but please try and catch up!!!

WEEK 5

Day 35 in the Fat Banker house and I have lost another 2kg so have hit my original target of 12kg!! In terms of life style it has been a question of passing pubs and passing water! In the gym it is getting harder and I must have done more squats that 50 girl guides on a 2 week camp. I have until the 17th December to hit my stretch target of 16kg. It will be hard but with your donations.........?

WEEK 6

Day 42 in the Fat Banker house and I am very please to say a further 2kg shed! Thats 14 kg in total which to "mperial" boys and girls is 30.865 lbs, more than 2 stones and equivalent to the turkey Scrooge gave the Cratchit family. There are now 14 days to the final weigh in, thats 5 more sessions in the gym and 3 Christmas parties to negotiate. I estmate I will have not drunk my 100th pint by this weekend! The Risk team has been very generous through dress down and Movember collections on my behalf. Total raised will be posted next time. Watch this space and if you haven't dug deep yet....please think about my diminishing frame..pictures soon.

WEEK 7

Day 49 in the Fat Banker house and I weighed in yesterday at 113kg. For the mathematicians thats another 2kg lost and I have hit my "stretch" target of 16kg. There is that much room in my suites I have purchased braces and I am awaiting bids from housing associations for the empty space. Most of the current loss is down to the gym as Nick at Matt Roberts is (quite rightly) stepping things up. I am eating well but I am really looking forward to a pint! However I will not be destroying all this good work - especially if I replace my wardrobe! I need a tailor!! 8 days to go so will be updating more regularly. If you haven't pledged...I am delivering. Thanks to the Risk team for their dressdown fund raising last week....sounds great - they are still counting!!  

DAY 54

There are 3 days to go to "the" weigh in. It is my last personal training session with Mick tomorrow (Wednesday) and he will also do my weekly weigh in. I am hoping its a punishing session. Depending on weight I might be training Thursday too!! Especially as its the office party Wednesday night. A real test!! Watch this space for DAILY updates. Many thanks to the latest batch of donators, as always much appreciated.

DAY 55

2 days to go. I have just had my last session with Nick at Matt Roberts. Thats 16 sessions, plus 21 of my own, plus at least 50,000 calories not consumed and 120 pints not downed (so far). Not one crisp nor one heavenly curry has passed my lips. Net result 16 kg lost and I am hoping to add to this although I admit it is becoming increasingly hard. Don't forget the photo's hit the streets Friday and I can categorically guarantee no air brushing!! 

DAY 57

Its all done...18kg lost versus 14kg achieved by Stephen from Citi Bank. Thats almost 40lbs!! A big thanks to my trainer Nick and the other staff at Matt Roberts.  Apologies for the AFTER photo but I thought a few chuckles would be worth a few more pounds? I do have more photo's to unleash on an unsuspecting world...! A big thanks to Parkview infants school, Basingstoke Rugby club this week and everyone who has supported me to date. One target left.....if you haven't donated please help me over that line too.

POST CHRISTMAS REPORT

It is now 4 weeks after weigh in and I have got through Christmas without too much damage. ..+2kg. Good news is I have a new target of 107kg by end February. This is now personal as fund raising will come to an end this week. The only target I have not hit is my £5k but I am really pleased with the sum raised...THANK YOU ALL. So this is slim banker signing off ...any thing is possible!!