So I've always struggled with my weight and while at University it got a lot worse with the good old problem of settling down with somebody syndrome and also being diagnosed with an under active thyroid. Since I can remember I have been trying every Fad Diet you can think of - you know the ones "live on just 3 powdered meals a day and you will lose weight or take this magic pill and lose lbs" - the type of diets that do work but as soon as you put real food into your mouth you just put it all back on again.
Well my weight affected my health so badly that it actually affected my fertility, with PCOS developing and we couldn't get pregnant for 6 years. Yeah I know you would of thought this would of made me lose the weight but as I say I did try but unfortunately using the wrong methods...
So what changed...
Well we moved countries! Moving to Sweden was the biggest wake up call we ever had. Just the stress it removed, the no longer being able to rely on a car to get us everywhere, the healthy vibe you get everywhere you look, the wanting to be outside because everywhere is so beautiful and easy to get too and yes living by the sea has a great advantage of making you want to be out and looking your best. Especially when you see the beauties at the Volley Ball Courts.
We weren't "dieting" at the time but I think the radical lifestyle change was enough to kick start my body and I did start to lose weight and feel healthier in myself which was proven by the fact I got pregnant towards the 1st year anniversary of us moving to Malmö.
After having Aadi my gorgeous boy, life seemed to make more sense and when looking down at this beautiful mix of his Pappa and me it made me realise we had to change, be healthier and extend our lives as best we could for him. However being new parents and wrestling with sleepless nights, new busy routines and my husbands return to work - takeaway and fast food yet again became a big part in our lives. As did skipping breakfast and other meals. I actually ended up putting on more weight then I did during my pregnancy.
Things came to a head in May when I saw a picture of myself after a family visit in which I was disgusted by the person I saw stood in the picture and to be honest I didn't even recognise myself as when I looked in the mirror I managed to not see the person I actually was - at my heaviest weight ever - Things Had To Change!!!
We started to "diet", count calories and try and wing each week - basically looking back now I can see we were just lying to ourselves saying we were doing something to change just to make us feel better and once we came back from a trip to the UK at the end of June and the scales were showing gains instead of losses it was time to be realistic. We started off saying "yeah but we were on holiday", "we were enjoying ourselves" - you know Excuses!!! Luckily though something inside me clicked and made me realise no they weren't good reasons and it was all rubbish and we were failing!
Around the same time I was talking to a friend on Twitter about Jillian Michaels 30 Day Shred as I was trying to find something to kick start me and seen as I have always highly respected Jillian, I thought why not give it a go seen as it happened to be the 1st of July, it seemed the best time ever to start. This was then fuelled by another friend commenting that she wanted to join in with us and had actually done day 1 already, which pretty much made me think "come on Laura no backing down now" and I switched it on and worked out - and yes it hurt but I was so Proud of myself.
Basically we then decided to report in to each other on Twitter every day as this would motivate and push us to do something because we had to admit to the world of Twitter and each other what we had or hadn't done that day and this was a huge push!!! I then got into talking to another friend about nutrition and diet who referred me to a few documentaries and links that helped to get inside my head and change the way I viewed "bettering myself" I had been doing it so so wrong for the past so many years. It wasn't about fad diets or even the word "diet" because it was all about making Lifestyle Changes!! You had to change your lifestyle so that it would last forever not just a month and then put it all back on again.
I won't go into badgering you about what to eat, not to eat as that's not my place but basically my husband and I learnt and taught ourselves what healthy decisions to make and what to cut from our lives! We now plan our meals weekly so we know what were eating every day that week so we don't skip meals or get a pizza in, we give ourselves one cheat meal a week to keep it from feeling like a diet, we work out 5 - 6 days a week and use social media sites to motivate and keep ourselves on track and accountable.
So why do I feel like all of these amazing changes in our lives, which are making our lives better, healthier and hopefully longer are alienating us??
Well I have been using Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram as my main outlets for what I am doing or for posting and finding updates, motivational pictures or quotes, what workout I've done that day, recipes, food eaten etc and I've received criticism for it!! How annoying my posts are, how I'm throwing it in other peoples faces and making them feel guilty (a great quote from a no longer friend), how boring I am. Just a few "feedback's" I have received in the short two months I have been on this journey!!
It doesn't bother me if people think like this because to be honest if me making my life better offends you "jog on" and unfollow/unfriend/get out of my life!! I will not stop what I am doing because it helps to keep me going. If I don't feel like going to the gym or eating healthy and I scroll through Instagram I'm suddenly full of ideas and inspiration and I'm ready to carry on - so I'm not stopping for no one!!
And if the fact full of sugar alcohol is not in our lives any more, I am terribly not sorry you think this must mean we're now boring and not know how to have a good time as I really won't miss you while sitting having a gorgeous meal and glass of red with real friends!
So yeah making you life happier, healthier and longer alienates people - who would of thought that!!!
But are we bothered not in the Slightest!! Were only 2 months into our Lifestyle Change and my husband is in the best shape of his life already and me well I am 2 stone down and counting!! I just can not wait to see where we are in 12 months time and what we will look like!! - with a group of amazing real friends by our side and maybe a medal round our necks ;) (but more about that closer to the time)!
Well my weight affected my health so badly that it actually affected my fertility, with PCOS developing and we couldn't get pregnant for 6 years. Yeah I know you would of thought this would of made me lose the weight but as I say I did try but unfortunately using the wrong methods...
So what changed...
Well we moved countries! Moving to Sweden was the biggest wake up call we ever had. Just the stress it removed, the no longer being able to rely on a car to get us everywhere, the healthy vibe you get everywhere you look, the wanting to be outside because everywhere is so beautiful and easy to get too and yes living by the sea has a great advantage of making you want to be out and looking your best. Especially when you see the beauties at the Volley Ball Courts.
We weren't "dieting" at the time but I think the radical lifestyle change was enough to kick start my body and I did start to lose weight and feel healthier in myself which was proven by the fact I got pregnant towards the 1st year anniversary of us moving to Malmö.
After having Aadi my gorgeous boy, life seemed to make more sense and when looking down at this beautiful mix of his Pappa and me it made me realise we had to change, be healthier and extend our lives as best we could for him. However being new parents and wrestling with sleepless nights, new busy routines and my husbands return to work - takeaway and fast food yet again became a big part in our lives. As did skipping breakfast and other meals. I actually ended up putting on more weight then I did during my pregnancy.
Things came to a head in May when I saw a picture of myself after a family visit in which I was disgusted by the person I saw stood in the picture and to be honest I didn't even recognise myself as when I looked in the mirror I managed to not see the person I actually was - at my heaviest weight ever - Things Had To Change!!!
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| Who says "diet" food has to be boring! - Breakfast Muffins |
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| Working out is great for your mind as much as your body |
Basically we then decided to report in to each other on Twitter every day as this would motivate and push us to do something because we had to admit to the world of Twitter and each other what we had or hadn't done that day and this was a huge push!!! I then got into talking to another friend about nutrition and diet who referred me to a few documentaries and links that helped to get inside my head and change the way I viewed "bettering myself" I had been doing it so so wrong for the past so many years. It wasn't about fad diets or even the word "diet" because it was all about making Lifestyle Changes!! You had to change your lifestyle so that it would last forever not just a month and then put it all back on again.
 |
| Look and listen to why you are doing it and don't give up!!! |
I won't go into badgering you about what to eat, not to eat as that's not my place but basically my husband and I learnt and taught ourselves what healthy decisions to make and what to cut from our lives! We now plan our meals weekly so we know what were eating every day that week so we don't skip meals or get a pizza in, we give ourselves one cheat meal a week to keep it from feeling like a diet, we work out 5 - 6 days a week and use social media sites to motivate and keep ourselves on track and accountable.
So why do I feel like all of these amazing changes in our lives, which are making our lives better, healthier and hopefully longer are alienating us??
Well I have been using Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram as my main outlets for what I am doing or for posting and finding updates, motivational pictures or quotes, what workout I've done that day, recipes, food eaten etc and I've received criticism for it!! How annoying my posts are, how I'm throwing it in other peoples faces and making them feel guilty (a great quote from a no longer friend), how boring I am. Just a few "feedback's" I have received in the short two months I have been on this journey!!
It doesn't bother me if people think like this because to be honest if me making my life better offends you "jog on" and unfollow/unfriend/get out of my life!! I will not stop what I am doing because it helps to keep me going. If I don't feel like going to the gym or eating healthy and I scroll through Instagram I'm suddenly full of ideas and inspiration and I'm ready to carry on - so I'm not stopping for no one!!
And if the fact full of sugar alcohol is not in our lives any more, I am terribly not sorry you think this must mean we're now boring and not know how to have a good time as I really won't miss you while sitting having a gorgeous meal and glass of red with real friends!
 |
| 70% of weight loss is made in the kitchen, the other 30% is working out |
So yeah making you life happier, healthier and longer alienates people - who would of thought that!!!
But are we bothered not in the Slightest!! Were only 2 months into our Lifestyle Change and my husband is in the best shape of his life already and me well I am 2 stone down and counting!! I just can not wait to see where we are in 12 months time and what we will look like!! - with a group of amazing real friends by our side and maybe a medal round our necks ;) (but more about that closer to the time)!
 |
| My hubby's progress!! - the left is when he started 1st July 2013 and the right is 2 months later 1st September 2013 |
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| My Progress!! (very personal pic for me to post) Picture on left is me in April and what made me decide to change Middle picture is me starting for real 1st July 2013 Picture on the right is me 1 month later 1st August I've changed again in the last month but haven't taken a photo yet - will update soon |
You go girl! And Laura, If your "friends" can't be happy for you..... they're not your friends. Don't waste your time around bad energy. End of story!
ReplyDeleteThank you Jeanette, it means a lot you have read my blog and yes your right, why have "friends" like that in my life
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