Hello sweets!
I hope you've all been enjoying the gorgeous sun that the UK has seen this week. I have, hence the lack of blogposts, but I'm sure you'll agree that you've got to make the most of it whilst it's here! It's been 4 weeks since I started my healthy eating and fitness routines, so I thought I'd do a little update post to let you know how I'm getting on.
My diet started off brilliantly and I have continued with it, apart from a minor blip on Easter weekend (where I consumed copious amounts of chocolate and cupcakes!) and the following weekend where I attended a BBQ... lots of alcohol meant a calorie-laden hangover day too. Throughout the week I've been great though and I have hardly craved any sweet things.
The most important change in my diet has been breakfast. Before I embarked on my healthy eating I never used to eat any as I just couldn't stomach it, but I soon got into a routine and now feel lethargic without it. I also used to think that I was hungrier through the day if I ate breakfast, but that's simply not true. When I didn't eat breakfast I'd crave junk late into the evening. Now I find that I'm less likely to snack during the day, my evening meal fills me up and I don't go looking for additional snacks late at night. I also think keeping a food diary has played a beneficial factor. I have realised my weak spots - eg. I eat better when I have breakfast, crave sweeter things when I drink Diet Coke, and I need to cut down on my tea intake in work!
My diet is an ongoing battle I think, but as someone who normally gives up a diet after one day, I am proud of myself. I haven't weighed myself yet. I'm actually too scared to incase I get disheartened if I haven't lost any weight and gorge on crap. I have been told my a few people that I'm losing weight on my shoulders and boobs (*sob*) though, and I can feel my work uniform (and bra's!) getting a little looser.
The best change I have made is my level of exercise. I'd get out of puff climbing two flights of stairs to go to bed in the evening, but I go jogging 3-4 times a week, each session lasting 60-90 minutes. I go on my days off, so obviously had more opprotunities over the Easter weekend, and the upcoming Bank Holiday weekends. I go for a walk most evenings with my fiance and the dog, and I have been walking to work more often too. I really want to try the 30 Day Shred, but am just stuck for time at the moment. I thought that I had ordered it from Amazon but I managed to balls it up somehow, and just haven't got round to re-ordering it. We recently bought a Wii Fit though, but Mr L uses that more than me at the moment. I get a belly-workout from laughing at him doing the silly games like Hula Hoop. I haven't attempted it yet as I'm happy enough jogging for now!
My diet started off brilliantly and I have continued with it, apart from a minor blip on Easter weekend (where I consumed copious amounts of chocolate and cupcakes!) and the following weekend where I attended a BBQ... lots of alcohol meant a calorie-laden hangover day too. Throughout the week I've been great though and I have hardly craved any sweet things.
The most important change in my diet has been breakfast. Before I embarked on my healthy eating I never used to eat any as I just couldn't stomach it, but I soon got into a routine and now feel lethargic without it. I also used to think that I was hungrier through the day if I ate breakfast, but that's simply not true. When I didn't eat breakfast I'd crave junk late into the evening. Now I find that I'm less likely to snack during the day, my evening meal fills me up and I don't go looking for additional snacks late at night. I also think keeping a food diary has played a beneficial factor. I have realised my weak spots - eg. I eat better when I have breakfast, crave sweeter things when I drink Diet Coke, and I need to cut down on my tea intake in work!
My diet is an ongoing battle I think, but as someone who normally gives up a diet after one day, I am proud of myself. I haven't weighed myself yet. I'm actually too scared to incase I get disheartened if I haven't lost any weight and gorge on crap. I have been told my a few people that I'm losing weight on my shoulders and boobs (*sob*) though, and I can feel my work uniform (and bra's!) getting a little looser.
The best change I have made is my level of exercise. I'd get out of puff climbing two flights of stairs to go to bed in the evening, but I go jogging 3-4 times a week, each session lasting 60-90 minutes. I go on my days off, so obviously had more opprotunities over the Easter weekend, and the upcoming Bank Holiday weekends. I go for a walk most evenings with my fiance and the dog, and I have been walking to work more often too. I really want to try the 30 Day Shred, but am just stuck for time at the moment. I thought that I had ordered it from Amazon but I managed to balls it up somehow, and just haven't got round to re-ordering it. We recently bought a Wii Fit though, but Mr L uses that more than me at the moment. I get a belly-workout from laughing at him doing the silly games like Hula Hoop. I haven't attempted it yet as I'm happy enough jogging for now!
Some advice I can give to anyone who wants to start running/jogging:
- If you can, find a partner to go running with. I run with my wonderful Mammy. She has been jogging for years so is used to all weathers and terrains, but she is fantastic with words of encouragement for me, the beginner. If there's a hill coming up she slows down to my pace, goes through it with me, all the while telling me to breathe deeply and encouraging me. When we get back home she always tells me she thinks I've done a wonderful job and she's very proud of me - even if we don't go as far, or if the pace is a bit slower. If it wasn't for the Mothership, her enthusiasm and confidence in me, I'd have given up after the second day, but as it stands I am thoroughly enjoying it, and actually find myself looking forward to my day off so I can go for an early morning jog along the beach or docks with the best running partner (and Mother) in the world.
- Don't try and compete with others. My cousin sometimes joins us for a run, and she is fitter than both me and the Mothership put together. She wears little pink shorts and has tanned legs up to her armpits, whereas I look like a beetroot who has broken into a sweat by just bending down to tie my laces up! I'd have given myself a heart attack if I had tried to keep up with her from the start, not to mention I'd look like a right plonker squeezing myself into her little outfit. I'll stick to my sweaty jogging bottoms and hoody thanks!
- Set yourself realistic goals. My strategy is alternating running with walking. So, at first I would walk two lengths, jog one length, walk two lengths, jog one length etc. Then I progressed to alternating one length of each, and next I'm going to walk one length, jog two. My ultimate goal is to jog the length of the beach and back home again, but I know that's a long way away yet! Ogling the surfers make it a little easier though haha. Oh, by the way, a 'length' for me is the distance between one set of steps on the beach to the next. Of course, you judge yours by your route, maybe by lampposts or houses. You should time yourself (eg. alternate 60 seconds of jogging and 90 seconds of walking), but I don't wear a watch or carry anything with me, and it would just be too boring counting in my head. This strategy has worked for me so far :)
If you are embarking on healthy eating or exercise plan - good luck! I hope you found my advice okay, but please remember I am by no means an expert! This is just what works for me. And thank you all for your words of support in my original post. I love this community as there's always somebody to motivate, inspire, and boost morale - so thank you xx
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