So…… I have bitten the bullet. I have joined the club. I have jumped out of my comfort zone and am publicly announcing my intention to get healthy. And I have decided to take you with me to keep me honest.
I have joined our Healthy Lifestyle Guru from New Leaf Nutrition – Bridget. Bridget writes a health blog for Women’s HQ and I read it always with interest wondering where she gets her energy and passion from. Well, I’m starting to ‘get’ it.
I always hovered around 70 kilos pre kids and was at 63 pre first baby at 35. I used to walk and swim daily and way into the cooler months I was always the last in the surf. I didn’t really eat healthily intentionally; I just didn’t eat a lot but I drank and smoked far too much and worked long hours because I enjoyed it and I earned good money. When I fell pregnant I had to give up wine, cigs, camembert, pate and changed it for cakes, biscuits, chocolate, and really anything I could get my hands on so I gained 36 kilos. I have basically been unhealthy since 1997 so now I want to feel great and so the journey begins.
It appears I am a very common female model, post kids giving everything to everyone else and caring little about myself. It appears there are a huge amount of ‘us’ out who can’t move the weight post kids. And it also appears we don’t give ourselves much credit.
Already I have learnt more about myself, my habits, my triggers, and my motivation than I expected and I am genuinely surprised. I consider myself pretty self- aware and fairly analytical but it wasn’t until I started writing it all down- and it was READ, that things were pointed out to me by Bridget and I started to ‘get’ it. Like most overweight 40 plus women, we have tried lots of ‘diets’ with no success. This is not a diet.
I will publish an update on my results weekly on my journey. This morning after one week – I am down 2 kilos but its not about the weight primarily -its about the big changes I have made in my lifestyle already with the overwhelming support of my partner and sons. I am keeping a detailed journal on how I feel, how I eat, what is happening to my body and soul as I take this journey and this I will publish in the future. It will have my daily food and exercise, plus the changes daily to my psyche – this is where the big changes will take place and as I said, it has already been a delightful awakening. I feel good. I feel determined. I feel different. I feel strong and I feel wonderful that it is finally about me and my health and body.
I am in the company of a group of like-minded girls who also started last week with me. We come together on Facebook daily to discuss our ups and downs and ‘aha’ moments with Bridget as our moderator inspiring and guiding us as we go. We are not on a diet –we are changing our ways – it is not a quick fix – it is a journey – it is not a competition – we are doing it for ourselves – it is not a gimmick – it is just a group of women who have had enough of being overweight and feeling bad and have chosen to now make the change. If you want to join us on our journey, or join the next team you can connect with Bridget on our website – www.womenshq.com.au See you next week. xx
(pictured: this is truly my breakfast this morning and it literally took me 2 minutes. It is Bridget’s recipe of oats, fresh fruit and seeds and I have found it a beautiful start to the day. Everything I eat now is nourishing and giving my body and mind what it needs.)
