Join our newsletter and get 15% off your first order.
Blogs

Gaby's Case Study Workout - Ten Years Younger. Completion

July 31, 2020

Gaby's Case Study Workout - Ten Years Younger. Completion

I won't ask for my money back, but somehow I didn't quite reach one of my targets, the running. And of all the things Gaby knows so well, she is a London Half Marathon winner after all. But just between me and you, I didn’t follow all her instructions.   

Shopping Bag and Tree

"Dad..." said James, "As we get bigger and stronger, you get older and weaker!" "Thanks James" I replied, "Indeed, such is life."

Keeping fit for me, is also about keeping up with the boys for as long as I can. Shopping Bag was a game I started with my daughters over 20 years ago. They would hold onto my arms pretending to be shopping bags and we'd see how far we could get to Waitrose, a few hundred yards away in Marylebone High street.

This was a test for their strength holding on, and mine as they got bigger. So at the moment the boys are letting go before me, but they are 6 years old next month and eating like horses.

 

 

'Tree' is another game where I adopt the shape of a tree. Legs bent, arms out is easier than tall straight pine. And they race up to sit on my shoulders. Easier for me if one at a time, but they like to race each other too. They are still learning the sensitivity needed not to rip out my hair, poke me in the eyes, or put their feet where it hurts.

 

 

Hoping to stay strong enough to keep up with this for a few more years.

 

These were my 8-week goals 

• Chest - plus 2” - target achieved
• Upper arms - plus 1” – target achieved
• Waist - minus 1” - target achieved
• 5k run – minus 2 minutes – must try harder
• Body fat % - below 20% - target achieved

This is how it turned out

 

Week 1

Week 5

Week 6

Week 7

Week 8

Target

Chest

40”

41⅔”

 42½”

 42½”

 43”

42”

Upper Arms

12”

12⅜”

 12½”

 12¾”

13”

13”

Waist

35½”

35”

 35"

 35"

 34½”

34½”

5k Run

25m 15s

23m 50s

 23m 55s

 23m 32s

 23m 40s

22m 59s

Total Fat %

24%

20.6%

 19.6%

 20.5%

 19.7%

19.9%

 

Chest – This seems to respond the quickest for me

Upper Arms - Hard work - more Shopping Bag needed

Waist – Target achieved but I feel this is the hardest to maintain

5k Run – Sadly I didn't quite get the speeds I wanted.

Body Fat % - I’m using smart body fat scales which blue-tooth into a Feelfit phone app giving data on weight, bone mass, muscle mass, body fat and separately – the visceral fat.

Related links

Gaby’s Case Study Workout – Ten Years Younger

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 3

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 4

Gaby’s Case Study – Ten Years Younger – Week 5

 

Having a milestone birthday was a good target for me to stay with the health programme. I'm thinking through the next focus point to keep my strength and fitness on track now. Hmmm....maybe mountaineering or surfing?

 
 Michael Van Clarke



Also in Blogs

Healthier Hair & Scalp
Healthier Hair & Scalp

July 29, 2026

Hair condition affects everything. Not just how the hair looks and moves but also how vibrant the colour appears and how quickly it fades. How easy it is to style and and how long that lasts. Even how soon hair needs cutting, healthier hair lasts longer between trims. Altogether, hair condition has a...

Continue Reading

SPF for Hair
SPF for Hair

July 29, 2026

We know that too much sun wrecks our skin. For two generations we’ve been drilled about SPF sun cream, and we use it.

Continue Reading

Size Isn't Everything
Size Isn't Everything

July 27, 2026

“How can I get more volume in my hair?” is a question so often asked and I’d like to clarify an important distinction between size and body.

Continue Reading

Subscribe