So I started the whole ‘fitness thing’ at the start of November…
I’d been reading alot of blogs that inspired me and after taking alot of migraine medication I realised I am heavier now than I have ever been…it was time to cut the crap.
Anyone who knows me, knows I’m a foodie. I love to indulge. Especially in cheesecake.
Although this hasn’t always been the case.
The lightest I have ever been was around 38kg. (No, that is not a good thing, especially when you’re 173cm tall.) The heaviest? 75kg.
My life’s weight could be explained in one word. Fluctuating.
I’ve been on fad diets before…or should I say, ‘starvation diets’… I’ve struggled with eating disorders and body-dysmorphia my entire life and I guess this started out as ‘another fad diet’, but it’s become something more.
I started by not being happy with my weight…heh, who am I kidding, I have NEVER been happy about my weight. But this spanned from the realisation that the medication I’m on makes it almost impossible for me to lose… I don’t like the word ‘impossible’…in fact, that word might as well mean ‘challenge accepted’.
So I started by dropping carbs. Oh, dear, sweet, lovely, delicious carbohydrates… My biggest downfall. Although when I say ‘carbs’ I mean ‘bread, pasta, rice and potatoes’. Or really, anything with wheat in it…
And after talking to the school Mum’s that live and breathe treadmills, I realised it was time for me to get off my butt and chuck in some exercise too…
I started walking with the school Mum’s every Monday…around a park that is around about 5.5km long. Not bad.
Then I read a few blogs and about the goals that people were setting themselves exercise-wise. A few people mentioned that their goal was to walk at least 50km a month.
Which got me to thinking… “Wow, that’s a HUGE goal!” But then…
I calculated, if I walked every Monday with the school Mum’s for a month, I would have clocked up 22km in a month. 22 KILOMETRES! That’s almost half of the ‘healthy bloggers’ goals…
So, I thought, what if I started walking, not only on Mondays but Tuesdays and Wednesdays too? I’m not always free, but I could swap and change and work around the huge list of appointments… I could make it work…and within a month, I could quite possibly clock up around 60km… Better than those fitness fanatics?
So, in the spirit of competition (with people who have no idea who I am and have no idea I’m competing…) I began my life of being one of those ‘healthy people’.
Cutting carbs….went alot more smoothly than it has before… But it’s not enough. I wasn’t losing weight even though I was walking like a maniac and doing all of the sit-ups, push-ups, star-jumps and ab-circles I could muster…
And then one of the Jays mentioned that he had an app on his phone that counted calories.
Now, I don’t have a smart phone. I’m really not in the financial position to own one just yet either…but it intrigued me…
How many calories was I consuming AND burning off?
What did people do before apps?
Oh, that’s right, ye olde internet. (uhuh, if you’re still only using the internet and not apps, you’re living in the past…sigh)
CalorieKing.com.au to be exact.
So, as you fitness gurus would be seeing…. I am quite possibly going the wrong way about this… I have absolutely no idea how to lose weight healthily, but I’m making a start…?
And so far, I have kept to my word… No bread, pasta, rice, potatoes, muffins or cheesecakes…
I can still eat the top bit, right?
I have walked over 40km in 21 days. Only 20km to go?
I am kinda proud of that…and my new favourite word? ‘Dedication’.
I am dedicated to being healthy…dedicated to keeping this up for the rest of my life instead of for as long as it takes me to get down to my goal weight. Dedicated to ‘getting skinny the healthy way’.
Any clever suggestions would be much appreciated… 
I’m not in a place to give advice, seeings as I’m yet to lose much yet (0.3 of a kilo! yeah! haha) but I always look at my mum to realise how much dedication and work it takes – though she is in her 50′s, so it probably takes longer the older you are.
It’s taken her about 3 – 4 years to lose all the weight she wanted, and she now fits into the pants she wore before getting pregnant the first time 23 years ago – and she doesn’t look too skinny.
She goes to the gym twice a week (weight training, cardio, those exercises you do for a couple minutes then switch) walks 3 times a week, and only eats 2 meals a day, replacing the 3rd with a protein shake made of the powder, light soy milk and berries. She eats pasta or rice once a fortnight, and sometimes has take away, but that’s about it for her her indulgence.
Oh, and a glass of red wine in the evening she swears by
This comment got long quick, whoops. Good luck and well done on all the walking!
Haha! Thankyou! Except I refuse to replace a meal with a shake…doesn’t seem natural…you know, unless it’s a natural-homemade-shake (even then, lotsa calories), who knows what the future will hold though…. I know how to eat healthily, just not too good with portion sizes and cheese…I can’t give up cheese… I’m allowed to consume up to 1200 calories a day (according to CalorieKing) and I’ve been exercising every day that I can (at least 5 days a week), as best as I can since I can’t afford a gym membership… So you think calorie counting is the way to go? I’m not convinced as yet… Hopefully I’ll see some progress sooner rather than later
Also, red wine (about 100 cal in a small glass) …I think I love your Mum
I feel the same way about shakes sometimes. Then I think maybe they’re okay. Then I go back to thinking they’re weird. We have a love hate relationship.
My friend has recently lost 10kgs and uses a calorie counting app, so I think it must work! You just don’t really, reeally, know how many calories you’re eating otherwise. She has a post about her weight loss http://milkshake101.wordpress.com/2012/07/31/millys-top-5-ways-to-lose-weight-without-starving-yourself/
If you wanted some inspiration. But yeah, 10kgs+ in the last few months and she looks awesome!
For some reason it won’t let me reply to your post below…bleah…thanks for the link to your amazing friend! She has some awesome ideas that I’ll keep in mind from now on
But it worked that time… Nevermind me
I swear by calorie counting! On the other hand, sometimes it’s better to focus on health and happiness rather than weight loss – but I’m sure you’ve heard that before. Do what makes you feel good about yourself, and good luck
Hi, take a look at my Blog, I’ve lost nearly three stone since May, firstly on the Wii, counting calories with an app on my phone and now my daily walks, I walk about 100km a week, at a very quick pace, I love it, but it means I can relax a little with my food and enjoys, oh but I guess quitting drinking and saving 8000 calories a week helps too (for me anyway).
Wayne
100km!! Now you’re making me feel bad!
That’s almost double what my monthly goal is! Well done! I suppose I should readjust my goals now that I’ve lost 2 kgs in the last week… It’s great to hear that it’s working for people and after seeing results I have alot more motivation! I’ve walked (at a brisk pace) about 46km so far this month, time to up my game! And the drinking….well, I’ll work on that…. 
Thanks for stopping by 
Sending you loads of support from Belgium!
i’ve never been able to keep it up to be honest, but it must be possible. You can do it, put your back into it! Tum tum..