Regular readers of my blog will know that I have had a pretty-much-constant battle with my weight since the birth of the boy. (Just search fitness, weight-loss or baby-weight on this site to see how much.) Prior to being pregnant that first time I had been somewhat of a skinny-minnie most of my life. Which I liked. Post pregnancy I have struggled to get anywhere close. Following a c-section I found it enormously difficult to recover both physically and mentally. Exercising was pretty much entirely out of the equation for a good six months and, even then, I struggled. I honestly ...
5:2 Diet: Courgette-Curry Soup
It is now week two of my 5:2 diet and I am once again relying on a soup recipe of my Mum's to get me through lunch. This week I am having this delicious courgette-curry soup. To make this you will need: 2 sliced shallots 1 garlic clove chopped 10g olive/low-fat spread 1 tsp curry powder 1 tbsp white flour 1 chicken stock cube...you could use vegetable stock cube if preferred or if vegetarian 150ml water 450g courgettes sliced 300ml semi-skimmed milk Salt and pepper to taste Basil leaves to serve Put shallots, garlic and olive spread in a large ...
Belly-busting with the 5:2 diet and a little bit of shredding.
Desperate to lose some of the baby-weight I have recently embarked on the 30 day shred once again. Whilst it feels great to be exercising again I am not too happy with the rate of weight loss. Patience is not a particular strength of mine. Not being one to let any new diet or exercise fad pass me by I have decided to give the 5:2 diet a go. I know several bloggers have had great success with it, the lovely Steph from I'm Counting UFOZ and Lucy from The Mummy Returns to name but two. Today is my first day and this is what I have just had for lunch. The recipe is actually one I got ...
30 Day Shred: An update
So I am now onto level two of the 30 day shred. I managed to complete level one ten times in total over a two-week period. Two days were missed due to work commitments and two due to sheer laziness other things. My legs were in absolute agony for the first three days and even walking up and down the stairs was like torture. Then, around about day five it stopped hurting. By day seven I was even beginning to enjoy it hate it slightly less. By day ten I was completing level one and rather than feeling sick and dizzy I actually still had some beans left and was feeling great. I figured ...
30 Day Shred: Belly-busting time again
I simply cannot resist a new exercise fad. Correction, I simply cannot resist a new exercise fad for brief periods of time until I: a)get tired, b)lose interest, c)decide wine and chocolate and collapsing on the sofa is a preferable way to spend half an hour. Pick at will. They have all applied at one time or another. This is perhaps how I have ended up where I am now. Nine and a half stone. Some of you may think that doesn't sound too bad. But I am only just 5'3" standing REALLY straight. That image of a slightly flabby oompa-loompa forming, that's about right. I am RUBBISH at ...
Davina for Next: Mum of One hits the road
Ok, so it would seem that the fates are conspiring for me to get fit this year. First, the wonderful folks at Next gave me the lovely Davina for Next gear to try out. Then, the two people I know who actually HATE RUNNING MORE THAN ME, namely my lovely mum and the wonderful Cat from Yellow Days, BOTH suggested running the Race for Life with me. This is on my Day Zero Project list to do again so am keen to get it ticked off involved. Then, yesterday, my lovely friend Pam who used to drag me out running in order to get me in shape for my wedding, but sadly moved away shortly after, is ...
Belly-busting time again, with a helping hand from Davina for Next.
I have very exciting news ladies, oh yes. Exercise is about to get easier, and prettier than ever before in 2012 as the lovely Davina herself has teamed up with Next to help us on our way with her new 'Davina for Next' range. She has designed a range of fitness clothing and shoes that provide both practical, pretty and pound-busting solutions that will knock almost all of our "I can't do anything today because..." excuses right out of the park. Once again my New Years Resolution, like many Mums, is to get fitter, slimmer and more toned. I aim to be realistic here though. I KNOW that I ...
Belly Busting Countdown: 57 days left
Ok, so Thursday again. In my house this has now become known as weigh-in day, cue scary music. In the interests of honesty, and avoidance of self-denial, I have been asking the lovely Mr B to check the scales for me before he potters off to work. But this morning I just could not be bothered to get out of bed, let alone stand naked in the FREEZING cold bathroom. So warmly snuggled up in bed I stayed. Feeling guilty. Not sleeping. Thinking it is unlikely possible that I may have lost a pound or two. More guilt, until just now I figured I may as well get up and just go do ...
Belly-busting countdown…..1 day left!
Well, this is it. We leave tomorrow. Am I my target weight? Am I hell as like! The bikini will be staying at home this year and have opted for a less revealing tankini instead. It's not all bad news though. Since monitoring my diet and doing regular exercise I have managed to lose 6lbs in the last six weeks and 7cm around my waist. I also feel much better even if my appearance is not yet what I am hoping for. I think the sheer fact that I know I am doing something to tackle this is also bringing with it a certain degree of acceptance of who I am now. Things have changed. I'm a mum ...
Belly-busting countdown…..9 days left.
1lb. Gained. Sob. This week I will be mostly hiding under duvet.....weeping. Shhhhhhhhhhh. ...