Threads with Connection

There are moments on any journey that feel significant. This week was one of them. When I stepped onto the scales on Friday morning, they displayed a number I hadn't seen for a long time: 100.0 kg While I'm not quite below the 100 kg mark yet, reaching it feels like a genuine milestone. Since beginning this journey in April, I've now lost  8.88 kg  through a combination of better nutrition, regular activity and making healthier choices that feel sustainable rather than restrictive. More importantly, this week reminded me that the journey isn't just about weight. It's about becoming healthier. Health Snapshot The weekly weight loss is a little smaller than previous weeks, but it's still steady progress—and that's exactly what I'm aiming for. VR Fitness This week I completed two games of  VR Badminton  using my Meta Quest. Although it was only two sessions, they were both longer than last week. 2 sessions 69 minutes of activity 443 calories burned That...

Last Saturday, we headed to Manchester to see  Something Rotten!  at the Opera House — and I suspect this is a show that is going to surprise a lot of people. It is not a musical that I think is particularly well known to UK audiences. Many people will probably arrive without knowing the story, the songs or even quite what to expect. That may actually be one of its greatest strengths. Because  Something Rotten!  is very, very funny. Set in the world of William Shakespeare, the story follows brothers Nick and Nigel Bottom as they desperately try to create a theatrical hit while living in the shadow of the most successful writer of the age. Desperate to discover the secret of future theatrical success, Nick turns to Nostradamus for help and asks him to look into the future. What does he see? Musicals. And, with Nostradamus not always getting every detail of the future quite right, that glimpse of what is to come provides the show with some of its funniest moments. From...

 When I started this health journey, the number on the scales naturally became my focus. Every Friday I'd step on, record my weight and hope to see it moving in the right direction. But over the past few weeks I've begun to realise that perhaps the scales aren't telling the most interesting story. This week my Apple Health app highlighted something I'd almost overlooked. My average resting heart rate has fallen from 68 beats per minute to 61 beats per minute over the last six weeks. That simple notification stopped me in my tracks. Looking Beyond Weight Since April I've lost more than  8 kg . I've also: Started exercising regularly through VR badminton. Become more aware of my nutrition using MyFitnessPal. Begun monitoring my blood pressure using the LifeLight app. Walked more, both through work and leisure. Built healthier routines that feel sustainable. Perhaps my body is beginning to reflect those changes in ways that go beyond weight. Why Resting Heart Rate ...

 One of the things I've learned over the past few months is that progress isn't always about dramatic changes. More often, it's the result of small, consistent habits that quietly add up over time. This week I reached  100.49 kg , meaning I've lost  0.90 kg  since last Friday and  8.39 kg  since beginning this journey in April. Perhaps the biggest milestone isn't the number itself—it's the fact that  I'm now less than half a kilogram away from reaching under 100 kg . A few months ago that seemed a long way off. Today it feels genuinely achievable. Health Snapshot Measure This Week Weight 100.49 kg Weekly Change -0.90 kg Total Weight Lost 8.39 kg VR Exercise 44 minutes Calories Burned 276 kcal Average Blood Pressure 134 / 84 mmHg Activity This week included two sessions of  VR Badminton  on the Meta Quest. Although it was a quieter exercise week than the last, I still completed: 2 VR Badminton sessions 44 minutes of activity 276 calories burne...

  Sometimes the most interesting conversations start with a simple recommendation. Recently, Geraint Lewis, Director of Population Health at Microsoft, highlighted an intriguing piece of technology called Lifelight. As someone who spends much of my time thinking about how digital technology can improve health and care, it immediately sparked my curiosity. Not because it claimed to replace existing medical devices. But because it raised a much bigger question. Could the smartphone in your pocket become another tool to help people detect health problems earlier? The challenge we still face High blood pressure remains one of the biggest public health challenges in the UK. An estimated  5 million people are living with undiagnosed hypertension . It's often referred to as the  "silent killer" because, for most people, it causes no symptoms until serious complications occur. For many, the first indication is a heart attack, stroke or other cardiovascular event. Despite the avai...

Some theatre trips are enjoyable. Others become unforgettable. Our recent trip to London to see Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club was firmly in the second category. The performance was the centrepiece of a wonderful day exploring the capital. By the time we finally made our way home, we’d walked 13,297 steps (8.8 km ) , taking in the sights of London both before and after the show. It was the perfect combination of sightseeing, theatre and time together—and a reminder that sometimes the journey is every bit as memorable as the destination. Yet, as impressive as the day itself was, everything changed the moment we stepped inside the Kit Kat Club. More Than a Musical One of the most remarkable things about Cabaret is that the experience begins long before the opening number. From the moment you enter, you’re transported into the world of the Kit Kat Club. The theatre itself has been completely transformed, creating an intimate, immersive environment where the line between audience an...

 Another week, another reminder that lasting progress is built through consistency rather than perfection. This week I reached  101.39 kg , bringing my total weight loss since beginning this journey in April to  7.49 kg . That's another  0.73 kg  lost this week and means I'm getting ever closer to two important milestones: losing  10 kg  overall and reaching double figures on the scales for the first time in a while. What continues to encourage me most isn't simply the weight I've lost—it's the healthier habits I'm building along the way. Health Snapshot Measure This Week Weight 101.39 kg Weekly Change -0.73 kg Total Weight Lost 7.49 kg Exercise 80 minutes Calories Burned 533 kcal Average Blood Pressure 135 / 85 mmHg Activity This week I completed  three VR Badminton sessions , totalling  80 minutes  of activity and burning an estimated  533 calories . VR continues to be my preferred way of exercising. It combines movement, competit...