I have been told to sort myself out

And she was quite right.

So... gym five nights a week, and 1200 calories a day. Using the NHS 12 week programme.

To start with, I just guessed calorie intake and deducted whatever the cardio machines told me I had expended.

I am now wiser. and use an app from MyFitnessPal (free) on my iphone, but whilst that deducts calories for exercise, I don't.

This now seems to be working to the tune of 2lbs a week going off and I am now, having lost a stone, slightly more prepared to see myself in the mirror. Currently 11 stone and target is 10 by Christmas.

High point so far - put on a pair of my everyday 38" waist trousers, did them up, went to put a belt on and found them round my ankles. Yay!

Rewarded myself with a pair of 32" waist jeans, which I can actually wear and which make me feel decades younger. Long way to go.

Interesting discovery - trouser waist sizes are a lie. They flatter by at least 2"

Well good for you Andrew, just make sure you keep the weight off, that's the hard thing

I know what you mean about the waist sizes, they do say the older you get the higher you wear your trousers.

My dads waistband was nearly up to his chest

Well done Andrew,

This is a sore point to me at the moment.
I am too heavy and driving doesn't help.
I wish I was 11 stone.

Yes. the driving (in my case 160 miles a day in a car to/from work) is very bad.

err--how tall are you ? your calory intake seems low--does that include drinks ?

1800 calories per day is the minimum intake for a man and 1200 for a woman.

How many pints is that?

5ft 7ins and weighed 12 stone at the start. the calculation takes into account how active you are - I am not - I drive to work and sit at a desk all day. Yes it includes drinks. There are about 180-odd calories in a pint of bitter or lager, most of the calories are in the alcohol, so the stronger the beer, wine, spirit or cider, the more calories in a pint.

That is to keep a constant weight; to lose a pound a week, cut out 300 calories. It is not recommended to try to lose more than two pounds a week.

3,500 calories is a pound, roughly.

The reason for all the gym stuff is not to lose weight, but to make sure that your body chooses to lose fat and not muscle to make up for the reduced diet. You have to do strength exercises like weights as well as "cardio-vascular" stuff like treadmills.

Or so I am told....

If it all turns out well you could become the British Filipino fitness Guru Andrew, have a rummage around for suitable attire to wear on your new Avatar, similar to a Superman outfit

Seriously, its good that you're looking after yourself, at the end of the day we are a long time dead

Somehow I don't think so!

This is the standard I have to live up to:

You don't look bad Andrew, no beer belly or anything like that.

You're missus looks better though

You look like a racing snake compared to me.
If I was as skinny as you, I'd not worry at all

Your lady is a slim one.
My wife was as slim until two babies came along with the stress that goes with that.

Before or after Xmas?

M&S have a good line in elasticated waist jeans

Not the same though is it

You wouldn't believe how good I felt when I managed to get those jeans on!

That was after getting down from 12 stone to 11. I need to lose quite a bit more if I am going to be able to take my shirt off on the beach at Christmas.

Exercise doesn't add muscle unless you really get into it (not likely!) but the theory is that it stops you losing it. After 60 we all tend to lose muscle.