Fitness and Focus - a note

It's been a very busy year for all of us in the UK: I hope 2020 brings a kinder and more tolerant society. So I'm taking a break from social media for a few weeks and wishing every one a very happy Christmas and peaceful New Year. Nadolig Llawen iawn i bawb a diolch am eich cyfeillgarwch.

There's been quite a bit of media comment this year about weight loss and motivation. So I thought I'd share my thoughts (very briefly) in the hope that they might help others in my position as we head towards a new year.

I decided to lose weight in 2017 because I felt unhealthy. It’s simple enough. I was physically and mentally in the wrong place. I was far too heavy and I wasn’t happy with that. That certainly had an impact on my mental health, and I didn’t feel great about myself. It got progressively worse. So losing weight and getting fit have driven a transformation in my life.

The issue of image can be a nuisance because the press writes all kinds of nonsense about it. When I enjoyed my boxing training, and used social media to promote it as a positive thing, this attracted a fair share of snarky comments. But the truth is, in a job like mine where you don't get much spare time, keeping fit is vitally important.

I’ve also learned that being physically fit means one’s mind is sharper and healthier. To me, that has been an eye-opener. I feel far better now than I did in my 30s and 40s. I recently motored my way through an 11-hour non-stop election night broadcast with no loss of energy or focus.K

I suppose my message to anyone in their 50s - male or female - faced with a similar situation to mine and feeling rather low is that making the effort to get physically fit will pay huge dividends both physically and mentally. If I can do it, anyone can.

We should be able to talk about these issues without inhibition. I just hope that my journey can inspire others to do the same and improve their lives. It's never too late.

Diolch o galon i bawb a dymuniadau gorau.