I saw a picture of myself earlier from a couple of years back and was shocked by how different I look now I’ve lost weight. I didn’t think I’d lost a huge amount, but yet the difference is very noticeable.
So…here’s a before and two afters.
I was a size 16 in the first picture. Now, there is absolutely nothing wrong with a size 16, but for me, I felt as if I was too unhealthy and looking at that picture, I was certainly chubby! That picture is about two and a half years old. I started toning up whilst I was dating my ex as I started using the gym at my old flat, but the enthusiasm never lasted. Although I was maybe a little more defined, I was still big. Then we split and through sheer heartbreak and crying and literally not eating anything (seriously, one apple and kit kat a day) I lost a stone and suddenly slipped easily into size 14s. Now, as we all know, losing weight through heartbreak never lasts and I soon put half a stone back on again after I regained my normal eating habits. By this point, I’d moved flats and I think the extra bit of walking each day to and from the station helped to keep off that other half stone.
So, come May 2010 and I’ve just completed the BUPA London 10k on about 4 weeks training and I decided that I actually really enjoyed the race and wanted to do another one. I also felt a little bit better being a size 14 and decided that I would try to lose a little bit more weight and try to stick with the running. Now, a size 14 is not huge by any means, but I did weigh nearly 12 stone 7 and at the height of 5’5, this wasn’t ideal, even if I do have big boobs!
I weighed myself yesterday, having fully expected to put weight on over Christmas. Perhaps I did put on a few pounds, but I was still pleased when the scales came out at 10 stone 10. I’ve lost over a stone and a half over the past 6 months. I’m now wearing mostly size 12.
I haven’t done in quickly and I haven’t done it by cutting out food. I still have bad food days and eat crap, but I do believe that if you want cake, well, you should bloody well eat it as to deprieve yourself will only lead to you craving it more later. Eat cake, go for a short run – it’s a trade off. Some of what you enjoy won’t kill you. I eat three sensible meals a day (well, most days – I still have junky days sometimes) and try not to snack too much. If I want chocolate, I’ll eat it. If you exercise, it’s not the end of the world. And that aside, we have a fairly generous amount of calories to enjoy on a daily basis. If you’re sensible for the rest of the day, why not have that chocolate or cake? Just don’t eat it every meal. For me, the weight loss has come from trying to be sensible and running. It hasn’t been quick, but by it being gradual, I believe it’s more likely to stay off.
I would like to lose another half stone to a stone. I have been told I don’t need to, but this is for me and no one else. I don’t want to lose my curves – I love my hips and boobs and think it’s healthy to have curves. But I won’t be losing it through crash dieting – I’ll carry on doing it my slow way. It’s working for me – be sensible and have patience – it works.
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