Friday 4 February 2011

Feeling a bit under the weather.



As you can probably guess from the title of this post, I’ve not really been feeling myself so far this week. My weeks and weekends are so full at the moment – I really have been burning the candle at both ends and am beginning to pay the price.

I think my body had finally given up and I’ve spent far too much time sleeping when I should have been ticking off the things on my long To Do list.

I’m feeling slightly guilty this afternoon as I go off to pick the kids up from school but I definitely needed that rest time. I feel so much better now and I’ve made a vow to take it easier this week.

My doctor has said that I have a low red blood cell count so I’m making an effort to eat food with plenty of iron in like red meat and spinach. The diet is off this week anyway. I need to feed my body to keep going at the moment.

I’m still drinking my Cho Yung Tea at the moment though. It’s the only way to make myself feel a bit healthier and I find the tea itself quite comforting anyway.

Right, I’ve had my time for resting - back to the grindstone. I think I have time to vacuum before I pick the kids up from school!

Monday 31 January 2011

Catching up with old friends… but feeling brand new

I caught up with a friend called Stacy, who I haven’t seen in three years, this week. It was so nice to see her, it feels like far too long since we met up. As you can imagine, catching up on three years took quite a lot of nattering and a fair amount of wine.

It was really good fun – I had forgotten how well we get on. It was exactly like it used to be! The only thing that was different was, according to Stacy, me! She couldn’t get over how different I looked. I hope it was a good thing, seeing as she kept on mentioning it.

She said it wasn’t just the fact that I’d lost weight but the way I was acting overall. I suppose I do feel happier and more content with myself now.


I’m not sure that, before I lost the weight, I would even have had the confidence to catch up with old friends like this.

It’s not that I would worry that they’re judging me. It’s more that I wasn’t proud of my body in the same way I used to be when I was slim. I wouldn’t want them to compare me and think – she’s put on weight.

Seeing people I haven’t seen since before I lost the weight reminds me how far I’ve come. I love the surprise on their faces at the new, svelte me!

Thursday 27 January 2011

Feeling fitter than ever


I’m properly into my healthy routine now and feeling very positive towards myself. I’ve snapped out of the negative cycle around Christmas, of feeling bad about myself, eating to feel better and then feeling even worse.

I’ve broken the cycle and I feel proud. It definitely has a knock-on effect. Not only am I going to body combat classes twice a week, I’ve started doing some exercises that I read about in a magazine at home. And I haven’t even paid for them!

So most days at the moment I’m kicking, lunging and stretching in front of Coronation Street. At the time I barely notice it because my fitness levels are higher but I certainly feel the stretch afterwards!

I’m not sure if I’m just being optimistic but I think I can see the difference in my stomach and thighs already. Even if I am imagining it, it motivates me to keep going, which is great in itself. I’m getting into good habits and I don’t intend to let them drop easily!

And I’m keeping up with drinking two cups of Cho Yung Tea a day, which is always a great, instant tummy-flattener!

I’m feeling fitter and healthier than I have in years (possibly ever) and ready to push myself even further. Now, more than ever, is the right time to take on a challenge.

Wednesday 19 January 2011

Wii fit is keeping me fit



I’ve discovered how amazing it is to be able to do exercise in your own home. I actually love Wii Fit! It tells you what you weigh, how many calories you have burned and is just so convenient.

OK, maybe I’m a little behind the times with this, but I am finding it a lot easier to fit exercise around my day-to-day life when I can do it in my own house.

However, I still like to mix it up with going to my combat class because it is so great for burning calories. I love the combination of going to classes and doing little bits of exercise here and there.

It’s the little things like this and drinking Cho Yung Tea that I think really make the difference. It’s easy to slip up on the big things, like going to the gym twice every week, but the small things are easier to keep up long term. So, I’m back drinking Cho Yung Tea two times a day just to give me that extra healthy boost.

So far so good with the new health kick. I certainly feel a lot better for it and am really going to try hard to keep it up from now on. With the help of dancing on the Wii and drinking Cho Yung Tea I’m feeling pretty positive about this resolution. 

Tuesday 11 January 2011

New Year, New Start




I have begun a health kick to undo all the over-indulgence at Christmas.

I am feeling better already actually. The snow has stopped and I am so glad. The novelty had completely worn off for me! So, it’s back to the Combat classes again, two times a week.

Combat is kind of dance routine that uses a selection of marshal arts moves. It is a great cardio workout, and it really gets your blood pumping. It’s hard work, especially when you’ve not done it for a while but my instructor told me that it burns 800 calories per hour: that inspired me to get going!

I also really like combat because there is a 10 minute stretch down at the end. I’ve tried things like yoga and pilates but have never got on with them. I get a bit bored and don’t find it much of a work-out. This class is great because I like stretching after I’ve done some cardio.

Already I am feeling more toned and svelte. Not only do I feel better physically but I’m more motivated in other areas of my life. Going to the gym is a really great way to blow those Christmas cobwebs away!

Wednesday 22 December 2010

‘Tis the season to eat, feast and be merry!


At the moment I’m having a bit of a relapse but I think it’s a deliberate choice. Sometimes I just get sick of being healthy and eating the right thing all the time.

At the moment I’m really pigging out and treating myself a lot more than once in a while. I think it’s a mixture of the wintertime blues and just feeling a bit rebellious against my usual eating plan.

The weather is really not helping the situation. Being snowed in means I can’t get to the gym to compensate for eating all this rich food.

We went out for an Indian meal for our staff Christmas party. Normally I would try and make small, healthy choices like a tomato rather than cream-based curry and rice or naan, not both. But this time I had such a spread: rice, naan, curry, loads of poppadoms, bhaji, samosa. I literally couldn’t stop myself!


The worst thing is I’m so busy preparing for Christmas that I’m getting quite good at justifying it to myself. I’m so tired at the moment that I almost feel like I deserve to eat and drink what I want.

If I’m being really honest though I’m not trying too hard to be healthier. It is Christmas after all! 

Friday 17 December 2010

Losing weight can really affect your whole life.


Now I have lost the weight I needed to lose and I am a happy, healthy size 10. I’m finally confident about my body. I love being able to just forget about how I look and concentrate on enjoying my life. Aside from the physical change in my body shape, the main thing I’ve noticed is the huge increase in my energy levels.

When I was bigger, I felt so tired all the time and everything was an effort for me. I felt this especially because I have two young boys (Dylan, 7 and Jude, 4) who have boundless energy and are excited all the time!
 

Since I’ve lost the weight, I have so much more energy to play with them even though I’ve taken up work recently as well. I feel much less stressed about keeping the work-life balance and confident about facing the world.

I work three days a week now but seem to do even more stuff with the boys now. We went to Chessington World of Adventures in the summer and I organised a great party for Jude’s fourth birthday. I took Jude and all his friends to see Toy Story 3D which is his absolute favourite. I was busy with lots of excited 4-year-olds in tow but I actually really enjoyed it.

By far the biggest effect losing weight has had on my life is this energy boost. I have so much more energy than I had before and I now have a really positive outlook on life.