Week 6 - The Grind Begins

The Man in the Arena

Nothing terribly notable about this week really.  I managed to drop 500 grams on the scales.  Although half a kilo sounds more when you say it so let's go with that.  Whilst it does represent the smallest loss in a week to this point, realistically, I am very pleased as combined with the big drop last week, it is still just over 2 kilos over the 2 weeks.  Good times!

I also remembered to take measurements this week.  Overall, I had reduced 7.5cm from my chest, 14cm from my waist and 9cm from my hips.  I guess that equals at least one dress size....Maybe I'll fit into that nice floral number now!

That's pretty much it...before I do go though, I will share something that I did with my MMA crowd earlier this week.  It is a quote from Theodore Roosevelt's "Citizen in the Republic" speech at Sorbonne, Paris, April 23, 1910.

It is not the critic who counts; not the man who points out how the strong man stumbles, or where the doer of deeds could have done them better. The credit belongs to the man who is actually in the arena, whose face is marred by dust and sweat and blood; who strives valiantly; who errs, who comes short again and again, because there is no effort without error and shortcoming; but who does actually strive to do the deeds; who knows great enthusiasms, the great devotions; who spends himself in a worthy cause; who at the best knows in the end the triumph of high achievement, and who at the worst, if he fails, at least fails while daring greatly, so that his place shall never be with those cold and timid souls who neither know victory nor defeat.

This quote is often referred to as "The Man in the Arena".  I have it stuck up in my office at work and it inspires me daily to just get stuck into life generally.  More specifically it is motivating me in my martial arts training at the moment.  Despite not being the original sentiments of the words, they really speak to me in this endeavour.  The conjure up gladiatorial images of combatants facing off on the ancient fields of combat.  In today's context I cannot think of a better picture to associate with these words than the MMA canvas.  Regardless of the picture it paints for you, it beckons you to get in and have a go!