Category: Weight Loss

Healthy June Goals

June 1, 2025 / admin

I’ve been a bit slack at blogging and also keeping up healthy habits – although I have remained alcohol free for the last 82 days and I do run regularly so that’s a huge achievement! However, I’ve developed a bit of a sugar habit over the past few months. It’s crept up slowly but I’ve realised I’m now eating a lot of sweet stuff most days. I haven’t lost any weight this year so I’m still half a stone heavier than when I finished my coaching and I’m not feeling quite as great as I was when I was at the height of coaching last year. I’m doing Sheffield round run at the end of June and that is the perfect reason for me to make a few changes and get healthier in preparation! So here are my goals for June:

Remain alcohol free for the whole of June.
Cut out most refined sugar (to clarify “most” I’m going to cut out cakes, shop bought chocolate, boiled sweets and biscuits but I am going to allow myself to eat my rhubarb cake (which only has 100g of sugar across 16 portions), home made raw chocolate (with minimal sugar) and home made things sweetened with dates and dried fruit).
Run 2 – 4 times a week.
Do 2 strength work outs a week.
Drink more water.
Log my food in MyFitnessPal (and revisit all the healthy recipes that I logged in there while I was coaching.
Blog my progress at least once a week!

I don’t think any of this is too ambitious as I am already alcohol free and running. I have let the strength workouts slip but think that will be easy to get back into. I just need to get back into the mindset I was in last year.

So watch this space! I don’t even know if anyone reads my blog but putting this out there on the internet will make me accountable. Even if it’s only me reading it!

6 months of health and fitness coaching

October 1, 2024 / admin

Today is the final check in with Beth after 6 months on her coaching program (which you can find out more about here)

Beth’s coaching has totally and utterly changed my life. In the last 6 months I have lost over 2.5 stone but that is just the tip of the iceberg. I could not have believed 6 months ago that my life could change so much for the better.

Before I started coaching I used to have an internal battle with myself about which 2 or 3 days I would exercise each week. If I managed 1 or 2 workouts/runs then I saw that as a win. I needed Beth to hold me accountable so that I would exercise. 6 months later Beth is lecturing me about the importance of having rest days as I just can’t get enough of exercising!

I initially said that one of my goals was to try and have at least 4 dry nights a week and to drink moderately on the other nights. I have drunk alcohol moderately on 3 nights in the past month and had several months of not drinking at all. What is most amazing about this is that I have loved every minute of it. Why would I get drunk and not be able to get up for a run the next day?? I don’t recognise myself and this is down to the videos, podcasts and coaching that Beth has shared with me. I haven’t had to be a hermit either – I’ve still really enjoyed sober nights out, parties and several camping trips.

Other positive side effects of this coaching are:

I have more energy
I sleep much better
I am happy
I am calm
I am mindful
I rarely get stressed and if I do then it passes quickly as I am much better at taking control of situations
My blood pressure is normal
I am more productive at work
I don’t usually need to get up for the loo in the night
I don’t hate photos of myself
I don’t have to wear baggy clothes anymore
People keep telling me I look great
I spend all the money I used to spend on booze on clothes (good job I don’t drink much as I can’t stop buying clothes as everything I try on looks great!)
My dogs are getting great walks/runs
I’m setting a good example to my kids
I no longer spend lots of time worrying about my health
I no longer have constant internal battles with myself about drinking, eating healthily and exercising. It just comes naturally.
No food is off limits
I no longer avoid carbs
I don’t get stressed if my hubby puts a huge glug of oil in the pan when he’s cooking
I can run up hills without stopping
I can run 10 km in under an hour

This coaching is the best money I have ever spent and can’t thank Beth enough. Having someone in my corner who is so empathic and passionate about me and my health has been amazing. I’m going to have to carry on attending Beth’s boxercise classes so that I still get my Beth fix every week.

Here’s a before and after shot!

It’s not all about weight loss!

June 26, 2024 / admin

Although I’ve had a really good week of sticking to my calorie allowance and exercising, I haven’t lost any weight this week. So, I thought it would be a good time to remind myself of all the other wins that I’ve had over the last 11 weeks and why I am doing this:

My blood pressure is now consistently under 120/80 after being on the high side for several years.
I don’t wake myself up with my own snoring anymore!
I sleep much better.
I regularly don’t have to go to the loo in the middle of the night (bizarre as I’m drinking more water!)
I have more energy.
I am more productive at work.
I rarely feel stressed.
I often feel happy.
I fit into so many clothes that have been in my wardrobe taunting me for many years.
I’m clearing out some clothes that are too big for me.
I’ve bought some size 12 clothes recently that fit me nicely.
Running is easier.
I don’t hate exercising.
I’ve got some definition/muscles in my arms.
I don’t need chub rub shorts under dresses anymore.
I can have fun on a night out without drinking alcohol.
I therefore wake up with a clear head more often than not.
Even though I haven’t lost weight, I’m losing fat (according to my scales which have some magic way of measuring my body composition!)

So I haven’t lost any weight this week – who cares! It is definitely worth sticking to the programme so I can reap all of those benefits!

Food Diary Monday 24 June

June 24, 2024 / admin

Another example of a food diary to show how I stay within calories!

Food Diary – Friday 7 June 2024

June 11, 2024 / admin

People keep asking me what I’m eating and how I manage to stay within a calorie allowance of 1520 so I thought I’d post some examples of what I’m eating on different days. This was a very chicken focussed day so not so great for my veggie friends but you could substitute the chicken for Tofu or Tempeh to get the protein!

Weight Loss

June 7, 2024 / admin

I started trying to lose weight last summer and got so far on my own then put a bit on after Christmas. In March, the weight was still creeping back on, so I took the plunge and signed up for a 16 week health and fitness coaching program. Look at the results I’ve got 10 weeks in!! 11 st 10 lb is where I’m aiming so watch this space!