I'm a 32 year old red-head from Southampton UK and like most girls, I have struggled with my weight and relationship with food for my entire teenage and adult life. For years I have obsessed about my weight and my looks and allowed it to define my own self worth, constantly comparing myself to others and feeling that unless
I was thin and beautiful, then I didn't deserve happiness. The thing is I love food and as I got older, I loved to eat out and enjoy the company of my friends and family at a good restaurant, accompanied by a few drinks as well!
I was thin and beautiful, then I didn't deserve happiness. The thing is I love food and as I got older, I loved to eat out and enjoy the company of my friends and family at a good restaurant, accompanied by a few drinks as well!
I have tried many diets in my lifetime... Calorie control, Weight Watchers, Slimming World,. Atkins, Slim Fast and Total Meal Replacement (TMR). My weight has yo-yo'd over the years as I tried each diet and failed miserably, losing the motivation and strength to follow the 'rules' of each diet. The only diet that was successful for me was the TMR, three shakes/soups a day and gym 4-5 times a week. This was the hardest diet I had ever done as I had to give up food and alcohol for long periods of time (I usually had 1 cheat weekend once a month) but it rewarded me with results and fast, losing on average around a stone a month. I went from 15 stone to 9 stone 12 in 6 months, the lowest weight I had ever been and a size 10. But I wasn't happy, I was aiming for the magic number of 9 stone 7 to appear on the scales, but it never did.
Unfortunately, this diet triggered bouts of binging and purging, starving myself for days so I could pig out on junk food when I'd had a bad day. It wasn't healthy and before long, I had given up the diet completely and gone back to my old unhealthy eating habits of junk food and large portions and regained the weight back ... And more!
This year I have again tried and failed several attempts to lose weight, just trying to eat healthy and going to the gym. I lost about half a stone but nothing stuck, I wasn't motivated enough or 'in the zone' as I like to call it. If you want to lose weight you have to be in the right mindset for it otherwise, you'll give up within days, gorging on the food you have denied yourself. Just before my birthday in July, I weighed myself. 16 stone and 2lbs. I have NEVER seen a 16 on the scales before in my life and that number scared me. My mothers partner had also recently been diagnosed with diabetes and I was concerned that with my eating habits of junk food, high carbs and lots of chocolate, that I was headed in the same direction. I knew I had to do something long term, not just for my looks and confidence, but for my health too. I had a niece now (and baby #2 is on its way!) and I wanted to be fitter to keep up with her.
I stumbled across Clean Eating on Pintrest (download it now, it seriously has changed my life and I will mention this fantastic app/website alot in my Blog!) and before long I was getting hints, tips, recipes and motivational quotes just from this one place. Soon I was building up my recipe board and mentally getting into 'the zone' and on 7th October I started my new healthy Eat Clean lifestyle.
Clean Eating is not a fad diet for me, I know that in order for me to have the body and health that I desire, then I have to be in this for the long haul - the rest of my life. This is a LifeStyle change for me, not just a quick fix to get skinny. And that's the difference with Clean Eating, you do it for life. Sure there are going to be meals where I slip up (either planned 'cheat' meals or unplanned from not knowing what is in a dish) but the idea is to carry on with your lifestyle, not to let one meal or one day cause you to carry on making unhealthy choices for the rest of the week/month/year because you'll only get further away from your goals. I want to be thinner, healthier, have more confidence, be fitter and be a kinder, happier person. Who doesn't?
I have created this Blog for several reasons:
*To stay motivated on my weight loss journey and keep going when I have reached my goal weight
*To share my weight loss tips
*To share the recipes that I try each week
*To help and support friends and followers on their own journeys into becoming a healthier person
I aim to post twice a week and to keep you updated on my progress, post pics of my meals and inspirational quotes that get me through when life throws me a curveball or a food temptation! Eventually I want to move onto exercise and fitness as right now, my gym workout is currently based on losing the bulk of my weight. I can not wait to get back into running and sculpting and toning my body in 2015!
So, hopefully I haven't caused you to fall asleep and you're still with me! I'm looking forward to meeting new online friends and to help people start their own journeys. Can you tell my favourite colour is pink ;)
I will leave you with one of the most poigniant quotes that I have discovered for starting a new healthier LifeStyle which is:
"Fail to prepare or prepare to fail"
Much Love
Just Em
Start Date: 7th October 2014
Start Weight: 15 stone 8lbs
Current Weight: 14 Stone 4lbs
Total Weight Lost: 18lbs
Height 5'2
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