A desire to improve my health... Disclaimer- this is a long one!

Y'kno I spent a few hours a couple of days ago writing a very lengthy blog post about my exercise and eating history, for the past 6-8 years and as I started to read it back, even I lost interest.

So let me paraphrase it and you can fill in the blanks...

For about 6 years before getting engaged Richard and I went overboard with exercise. P.T every week as well as gyming 4-5 times on top of that. trying various eating plans, and I didnt realise it then but I was in great shape! strong, pretty good stamina, and that exercise was keeping my weight down well (expecially since I wasn't eating absolutely perfectly... but who does right?)

we fell into the stereotype of getting lazy after we married, suddenly I had cleaning, cooking etc on top of full time work (and we quite our respective training) and dog walking became the main form of exercise... which again kept my weight maintained!

Richard has done more exercise than me post wedding, various types of P.T and I joined him in weight training for a year and then a bout of chest-wall inflammation (Costochrondritus) set me back for about 4 months, and I just never went back.

In March I started a new class locally called boogie bounce which is essentially cardio dance workouts on a resistance trampoline... and I love it. I attedn 1-2 classes a week and its great fun... thats my only exercise atm.

eating habits for me suck... I fill quickly so eat small and often which is ideal... but I crave the wrong stuff, I don't like salads... I just don't enjoy them, I love savoury food... sausage rolls, crisps, pasta and bread... it sucks!!

so... Now what?

I came back from our holiday at the end of May having had a wonderful time, but not overly happy with my weight/shape..

I purchased alot of holiday clothes and packed them without trying them on, all things I generally have been able to wear every time I've holidayed... but there was at least 3 items (evening wear) that didnt fit or looked terrible. that knocked my confidence back rightly!

So I came home, about 3lb heavier and a bit dejected!

i've sort of wallowed this past month, getting back into the swing of work...routine and all that. the weather has been amazing but too hot for dog walks or exercise!, and now its wet and changable.

I've tried to set achievable plans/goals for myself in the past but always have ended up setting the bar too high, so this time, I need to be more realistic!

I have about a stone to lose and thast all... so it won't come off real quickly and that's ok! I just have to be patient.

EXERCISE PLAN

I'm still finalising this... but the main thing is to have something I can do at home, or on my own.

An old friend has been quite the inspiration for me, her Instagram posts have inspired me to use my own social media to keep me accountable and she also linked me to her best friend whose training to be a fitness instructor. Her instagram post has had some great HIIT sessions I will be starting.

I tend to avoid those pop up ads on Facebook... namely as I'm usually a sucker for them *Cough* bodyboss *cough* (I've tried it.. need to start again and be committed)

but a 30day body weight challenge pinged up, created by someone called The Betty Rocker.

I read into it and it was genuinely free, basically you get a workout plus video emailed every day. just commit to 30days of 15min body weight exercises. I signed up and will be starting it tomo... and will post about it on Instagram, as well as take before and after shots for a blog

I'm the kind of person who usually needs something to workout for... this time i'm trying to just do it for me...not a holiday, or a big event... for me, for my happiness. I dont have a definite time frame for what I want to achieve *See below* but it would be great to see the summer out with some semblance of happiness in my body!

I HOPE TO ACHIEVE

1. losing 1 stone.... or as an alternative, losing excess body fat and gaining muscle (i am happy to judge by shape and clothes fit)

2. able to fit into my jeans I could wear 2 years ago

3. more confidence in myself

4. more control over my eating habits

I'm not going to lie May/June where quite a stressful couple of months (aside from the holiday) with big decisions being made in Richard's career, my dad having a surgery just before we went on holiday, and a drawn out cold/flu for me which i had before, on and after my holiday... its been hard to get interetsed in me with so much else going on... so the time is now!

this weekend has been a hectic one, but a nice one. I had Friday off and Richard and I had a date day in Belfast,...five guys (OMG how expensive is that place!?), a Tim Hortons (still nowhere near as good as the ones in Canada) a bit of retail therapy... as in a shampoo bar from Lush, shorts from primark and a top from Zara, and home again

Today I took dad for early breakfast (for Father's day)and then Richard and I went to view a car (as his needs changed)... so now I'm quite ready to sleep

Thanks for stopping by... next one won't be this long!!

#exercisehistory #eatinghabits #illness #selfworth #improvingmyself