A COMMON reference point used by ex-players as a guide for their fitness is their ‘playing weight’.
I played at 80-81kg for most of my playing days and since finishing over 3 years ago, I have kept myself in reasonable shape, running a couple of times a week and the odd weights session.
It was to my embarrassment then, that when I got on the scales at the end of January I weighed in at 85.6kg.
It did not happen all of a sudden, it had been a casual increase of approx 1kg per season, but after a couple too many slices of fruit cake over the Christmas break something had to be done.
Coinciding with the launch of the new series of Biggest Loser, I launched my own challenge, to get back to my ‘playing weight’. My plan was simple, exercise more and eat less.
Exercise wise I started riding my bike to work, increasing my time running and did a couple of the famous Adam Paolo Circuits.
Eating wise I started saying no to the chips on the side at the Trumble Cafe at the MCG, put a stop to lollies after dinner, and loaded up on water.
It took me just over 4 weeks of dedication, but on March 1 I got there, 80.5kg.
I have learnt a few things from this experience and here are my tips to ex-players that want to stay close to their ‘playing weight’ are:
1. When going for a run, leave your watch at home, it is no longer about Personal Best times, but more about Heart Rate Zones and distance covered.
I played at 80-81kg for most of my playing days and since finishing over 3 years ago, I have kept myself in reasonable shape, running a couple of times a week and the odd weights session.
It was to my embarrassment then, that when I got on the scales at the end of January I weighed in at 85.6kg.
It did not happen all of a sudden, it had been a casual increase of approx 1kg per season, but after a couple too many slices of fruit cake over the Christmas break something had to be done.
Coinciding with the launch of the new series of Biggest Loser, I launched my own challenge, to get back to my ‘playing weight’. My plan was simple, exercise more and eat less.
Exercise wise I started riding my bike to work, increasing my time running and did a couple of the famous Adam Paolo Circuits.
Eating wise I started saying no to the chips on the side at the Trumble Cafe at the MCG, put a stop to lollies after dinner, and loaded up on water.
It took me just over 4 weeks of dedication, but on March 1 I got there, 80.5kg.
I have learnt a few things from this experience and here are my tips to ex-players that want to stay close to their ‘playing weight’ are:
1. When going for a run, leave your watch at home, it is no longer about Personal Best times, but more about Heart Rate Zones and distance covered.
2. You can no longer eat the portion sizes of food that you used to eat.
3. If you keep saying ‘yes’ to all the foods and drinks that you used to say ‘no’ too, you will be in trouble.
For Assistant Coaches;
For Assistant Coaches;
1. Just because you are out on the track with the players and walking past the gym each day, it doesn’t count as an exercise session.
P.S Some ex-players take great pride in being as far away as possible from their ‘playing weight’, each to there own.
