I love hearing from people who read my blog. Honestly in the beginning when people suggested I should blog about my journey I thought they were crazy and couldn’t imagine being so transparent about what I was doing and trying to achieve or that anyone would be interested in reading my rambles. But ……it seems some of you are and I am grateful for that (and blushing a bit).
So I’ve had a couple of people new to fitness and trying to lose weight who I speak with via message and I figured I would do a blog post.
I am 35 years old, work full time, have 1 dog, a husband and a 17 year old son (so you may as well say 2 children ;-p) so I’m pretty busy. I get asked a lot when I fit it all in and here’s how……I want it badly and if you want it bad enough you work for it.
That sounds harsh and I don’t mean it in that way I just think there is no point being upset by the results you didn’t get with the work you didn’t do – there is no sense in that.
I am 54.5lbs down on my journey and I still have at least 28lbs more to lose and I am struggling so exactly the same logic I apply to myself. I’ve hit a plateau and I am changing things up in order to kick start it all again. I’m pushing myself out of my comfort zone and I am sure that in a month I will see results from it but it’s not overnight and so don’t expect it to be (even though that would be nice right?). I know that is hard as I found it to be because I am an impatient b*tch but I’ve learnt from years and years of yo yo dieting it is far better to lost no more than 2lbs per week in order to keep it off.
I’ve got several people around me who have been on a similar journey and the results are huge! That alone is very inspirational. My husband to start, he’s lost over 4 stone and gone from doing nothing to competing in Olympic distance triathlons and my biggest support by far. My best friend Nicole, she’s lost almost 5 stone and looks even more gorgeous than before (if that is possible). Also another beautiful friend of mine Minnie – now Min was not anyone I ever thought needed to lose any weight and yet recently I found a pic of us from a cycling event we did last year and she looks completely different (legs to die for) and one person who does events and makes it look effortless!
Life changes can bring big results. When I look at everyone I mentioned above they are all super busy people but you get into a routine and that just becomes part of your week. That applies to both working out and food. The figures differ depending where you look but whether it is 80%/20% or 70%/30% the larger percentage is diet and the smaller is exercise. You cannot out exercise a bad diet – if you eat sh* it’s unlikely any amount of exercise will make that ok. You don’t have to eat less necessary but it does have to be right. Work on your nutrition. Know what you are eating.
Some changes I’ve made and I don’t actually even notice now:
- no white bread, pasta, rice – all wholemeal now
- no milk in my tea (takes a while to get used to)
- no carbs in the evening
- no processed foods (though I didn’t really eat any before anyway)
- get your fluid intake and drink that water
- no excuses!
Make sensible swaps:
- far less calories in a spirit and mixer than beer or wine
- full fat cheese to low fat mozzarella
- frozen grapes to fill a gap if needing something sweet
- cook with coconut oil
- potatoes for sweet potatoes
- fresh fruit instead of fruit juice
I use My Fitness Pal to record my food and its interesting to see some foods you wrongly assume are good for you are higher in salt/sugar/calories than you realise and helps you keep on track and be more aware of what you are eating. Just because it says low fat or diet doesn’t mean it’s true – in fact some of those low fat items are so full of sugar they serve no purpose.
If you look at working out there is so much that can be done. Don’t want to pay for a gym you can run and cycle outside – start with walking. Use stairs not escalators or lifts. Don’t want to run out in public? Join an online gym. Download an app with workouts provided to follow. Go on You Tube. There are so many options.
There are very few people who couldn’t fit in a half hour workout per day or an hour even. Get up half an hour earlier than normal. If you are like me a workout at the beginning of the day sets me up nicely and does it kill me to get up at 5.30am to fit it in? Nope!
Find your nearest Park Run and get involved – once a week 5k run, almost certainly you will find one near to you and they cater for all abilities from walkers to runners of different levels. Meet people – you may find others in the same situation who you could meet with and workout with – there’s a very social aspect to this also! Over this journey I have made friends with different people from my cycling club, Romford CC, my running club, Havering ’90 Joggers, local cycling club, Hornchurch CC, and local tri club, Havering Tri and of course the lovelies from my gym, Abbs Cross. Everyone is in the same boat – trying to exercise, trying to get better, trying to lose weight, trying to look for advice on different levels, looking for support, willing to help, willing to give support, wanting to build each other up rather than knock each other down – become a part of it, I’m sure you won’t regret it and I say that from experience! There are numerous people from each of the clubs I’ve mentioned that I know I can call on or message for help, support, advice, running/cycling together, doing events together (and I have called on them too!).
You need to get out of your comfort zone. I always say I’m the slowest and not the best (and get shouted at by many people for doing so) but I’m out there and I will be damned if I am not trying my hardest and I cannot do more than that.
I’ve got involved in obstacle runs this year and LOVE them! I’ve done a couple of events now with an amazing team, Scrambled Legs, and I only knew one lovely lady, Laura, from my cycling club and took my lovely friend Helen and the rest of the team I met from that first event and they are all lovely and amazing and I’d do any event with any one of them but this time last year I would have probably got scared and politely declined but why not? Get involved! No one regrets working out and being healthy.
If it’s important enough to you then you will find a way and if not you will find an excuse it’s as simple as that. And it will be hard but it will be worth it too! You will recall my awesome friend Nikki who I’ve mentioned before she started last year barely being able to swim a length and falling off her bike (always smiling I may add) and this year completing an IronMan half and full distance!
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