Hello everyone!
Recently I've been
tweeting about my weight loss and I asked if any of you would like to see a post about how I'm losing the weight etc, lots of you said yes so here it is!
Before I start I just want to say, I know it's cliché but everyone is different, different things will work for different people and you should only
ever attempt to lose weight in a healthy and safe manner, and to make yourself happy :)
My journey has been an absolute lifestyle and mentality change for me, not just 'another diet'. I'm enjoying it so much that it doesn't feel like a 'diet' and doesn't feel like any effort at all! Obviously I have crap days where I moan and whine and maybe even have a little cry, but i'm only human... and I'm a girl! ;)
Oh, and I've sprinkled this post with various photos from my iPhone that I've been taking along the way!
So, how much have I lost so far?
When I weighed myself this morning, I took my total to 22lb lost (1 stone and 8lb)!
How much more do I want/need to lose?
I'd like to lose another 3 stone (42lb)
How have I been losing the weight?
I've been using
My Fitness Pal and the
Weight Watchers Online Programme. At first, my weight loss was incredibly slow so I took
Capsipure tablets for a month as recommended by one of my friends who has recently lost 6 stone.
I REALLY want to stress that diet/weight loss tablets
ARE NOT the key to success. They can be extremely risky and can cause you serious problems if they aren't used properly. They're also really bloody expensive and you're better off going out for a run!! If you are considering using any type of weight loss aid then I would URGE you to go to your doctor first. Some of the tablets out there are seriously dangerous if you don't know what you're doing.
The Capsipure tablets did work for me, and did appear to boost my weight loss but I'm not sure if it was a bit of a placebo effect...
As well as counting my weight watchers points, I also count calories... It's very easy to overeat on the new weight watchers pro points plan as 99% of fruit and veg is 'zero' points... but NO fruit or veg is zero calories... Think about it this way, if you eat three bananas in a day... its no weight watchers points. BUT it's 300 calories which is the same as a Boost Bar!! Those extra calories can really add up and can hinder your weight loss.
What exercise do I do?
I've recently re-started the 'Couch25k' programme which has been re-named and re-designed as
'Ease into 5k'. I also use the Nike+GPS app every now and then if I'm road running instead of using my treadmill.
On top of running, I do strength training (star jumps, sit ups, push ups, crunches, leg raises, bicycle moves, reverse crunches and squats). I do these quite randomly and just do as many as I need to until I'm exhausted and my muscles feel like they've all been worked to within an inch of their life!
How often do I work out?
Between 3 and 6 times a week depending on my work hours (sometimes I work late) and plans at home. Exercise in itself is a huge commitment without the healthy eating/diet aspect of weight loss. You just have to keep pushing and pushing and eventually exercise won't be a chore, it will be something you'll look forward to every day!
What else do I do?
Without fail, I drink 2-3 litres of water a day. This is absolutely CRITICAL to weight loss success as your body can only get rid of fat three ways, sweating, wee'ing, or pooping (gross haha!). Drinking lots of water flushes out the digestive system, activates your organs, and just generally keeps your body in full working order. It is VITAL that you drink an absolute shitload of water if you want to lose weight.
Do you have any tips for me?
My main tip is to set yourself weight loss goals. I have a list of 8 small goals/targets that lead up to my 'Ultimate Goal Weight'. When I weighed myself this morning I had hit goal 1! That was such an amazing feeling I'd really recommend setting yourself lots of little goals so you can feel proud every single hour of every day and won't feel like you're 'not getting anywhere' so you're less likely to give up! Here's a little example goal list:
*Goal 1: lose 7lb
*Goal 2: drink 2 litres of water a day every day for a week
*Goal 3: lose 10lb in 10 weeks
*Goal 4: run for 10 minutes without stopping
*Goal 5: try to lose 3 lb this week!
and so on and so forth! I actually set myself a little goal
every day now because it's become my lifestyle, and not just a diet. Today's goal was to only drink one cup of tea, in case you're wondering... and yesterdays was to do 50 sit ups without stopping!
Another tip is to record EVERYTHING. I have all of my weight loss stuff on my phone including a detailed list of all of my weigh ins (in pounds, stone, and kilograms), my feelings on certain days, measurements, my BMI score, and anything else you can imagine weight loss wise!
for your reference
here is a BMI calculator (although in my personal opinion, BMI is a load of bollocks... its another way for you to feel proud of yourself when you're lacking motivation. I like to check how many 'points' my BMI has gone down every now and then to give me a boost!). And
here is a 'healthy weight chart', again it's probably extremely inaccurate BUT its a good tool to use to set yourself goals. Why not print the chart off and put stickers where your goals are as a visual reminder?
What have you achieved so far?
Like I said earlier, I've lost 22lb!
My BMI has dropped by 4.5 points.
I've lost 10% of my body fat.
I've dropped two dress sizes and
almost two jeans sizes.
How can I follow your progress/contact you/ask you for some advice?
You can
tweet me
You can email me at cat.west[at]hotmail.co.uk
You can follow my Instagram to see photos of what I'm eating etc... My username on Instagram is yourenemiesaremine.
You can follow my
Tumblr to see LOADS of inspirational images and quotes, break downs of the work outs I've done, and lots and lots of content from other fitblrs (fitness-tumblrs). I honestly don't think I could have gotten this far without Tumblr!
If you're trying to lose weight, or thinking about it... Please remember to do it the healthy way. I am
always on hand for motivation, advice, or even just to listen. The most important thing for you to remember is that fit and healthy is
always better than just being 'skinny' and your health is the most important factor to consider.
Oh and one last thing.
EVERYONE is capable of weight loss success. Whether you have 7 pounds to lose or 7 stone to lose you absolutely, 110%, definitely CAN do it. A 'can do' attitude and a PMA (positive mental attitude!!) will get you a very, very long way!!
Thanks for reading this, I really hope it was useful!
xoxo
