Just coasting along…

Haven’t been here for a while. 

First I went to Jamaica and renewed my vows to my hubby on our first year anniversary. It was gorgeous and we made some lovely new friends. 

It was amazing the weather was glorious. The sandals experience wasn’t a good as our wedding year before, standards had slipped it seems but we still had fun. Even climbed up a water fall this time. 

Felt good to return with a new tummy and boobs! 

I went to Portugal with my best friend Hannah two weeks ago too so I’ve been pretty busy lately.

As you can see I’ve still been eating healthy and actually have started to follow macros. I’m finding its working a treat and I’ve already lost over 10lbs bringing me down to 12.4 today. I’ve been working hard in the gym recently and have been in touch with a professional coach whose going to be giving me a structured workout plan and nutrition to follow for my dream body. He’s helped a woman I follow on Facebook whose been through the same journey as I do expect to achieve similar things! 

Amazing results in 16 weeks. She’s very committed and so will I be. I can’t wait to start! 

I’m currently looking like this. 

Hoping to slim down and get more muscle definition in my legs and tummy area. Will do progress photos and keep blogging along the process. I feel recently although I’ve worked hard I’ve been coasting along a bit so this is why I’ve got myself a coach. One day I hope to even compete like Claire has. 
I think realistically it will takes years to achieve but I’m hoping to eventually look as good as celeste Bonin! Absolute body goals. Not everyone likes this look and that’s okay. I’m not doing it for everybody else. I’m doing this for me. To compete against myself. To improve my body for my own personal satisfaction and approval. I don’t judge others on what they like and I’m far too busy and concerned with my own goals to critique others.  Different strokes for different folks 🙂 

Macros have been really good for me to follow recently as my weight has gone down by 9lbs and be been able to eat sort of what I want within limit. 

Anyways. Start of a fresh week tomorrow. 

Have a pt session on my legs and bum to do and dropping Charlie our cocker off to his first grooming session! 😉 

Have a great week everyone. Xx 

Ps: I love a Monday since being a game of thrones addict. I do some fasted cardio on my spin bike whilst watching it. Makes time pass so quickly! 

5 sleeps until holiday and baby abs?

I’m super excited. 5 sleeps until holiday in Jamaica at the Royal Caribbean sandals. It cannot come soon enough. We are renewing our vows on the 20th too. It came in a nice package deal at sandals and thought it was perfect for our special first year anniversary there. 

I have a lovely dress picked out to wear but unfortunately it was see through! So I’ve had to get a wedding dress seamstress to sort it out before we go! 

I love going on holiday and getting dressed up at sandals. I have so many beautiful dresses I don’t get to wear anywhere else so I love going there. 

I bought this gorgeous lipsy one from eBay for a bargain! 

  I really love the way it wraps around my curves. I feel like it was made for me! I’m planning to wear it on my anniversary dinner. 
 I’ve been working hard and I’m sure I can see baby abs coming through  

   
    
   
  I love this little mermaid costume. Absolute bargain for £5 off eBay.  I’ve been working really hard recently on leaning out and trying to get some abs popping. I think I can see baby ones! Last year I felt so uncomfortable in my bikini with my excess skin hanging out my pants. I’ve bought ten bikinis one for everyday I’m there I’m so happy! I’ve been doing weights with steady state cardio because the hiit training was making me bulk out in my legs too much. I have a training session Monday with a PT going to be doing a pulling session. I’ve learned my glutes are extremely lazy. I overcompensate and use my quads for everything. I went to see my friends coach last week. She power lifts and he taught me to properly squat. It’s actually pretty hard. I have no flexibility in my calves which makes it a problem to go low. I’m working on stretching them everyday to help this improve. I would love to compete one day! 
   
 I took some comparison photos the other day to remind myself how far I’ve come. Sometimes I look in the mirror and I swear I can’t see the changes. Shopping was a nightmare last week. Nothing fit right and I actually cried at my fat legs in shorts. Shorts just don’t suit me at all. You have to find what compliments your body and stick with it. My legs are my biggest problem.. Well my thighs actually and shorts just highlight this. I’ve gone for some loose longer style shorts and a lot of casual play suits and dresses. 

   
   I changed my hair colour again. I wanted to go more blonde for holiday and my lovely friend Peta popped some highlights in for me. I don’t think I could go fully blonde it wouldn’t suit. 
This week I’m concentrating on full body work outs and more boring steady state cardio 😭😭 I’m going to stick to lots of protein and low carbs for 3 days then 2 days higher carbs. My pt told me to try carb cycling for abs. I’m hoping by Friday il be bikini ready. Dreading the 10 hour flight… Having adhd and low attention span makes for a difficult journey.

Anyway roll on Friday! I need some sunshine in my life. 
Aime. 

Let’s talk honestly about excess skin

Now anyone that’s had a huge weight loss will have the dreaded excess skin. The baggy tummy that you have tuck into your pants. The mummy tummy that you just fear will never go. The flappy bingo wings that wobble away as you dance. I’m going to be open and honest and show you my skin.
Yes I look a million times better in my clothes since my weight loss but how do I look underneath. The health and fitness magazines, the diet magazines like slimming world will show these amazing weight loss stories… Oh amazing she’s done you can do this too, but they never show the dark side to the loss which is the excess skin. You never see inspirational weight loss story with mummy Tummys gracing the cover. Just muscular or tiny girls fully clothed.
Here is my skin in the summer

.

I was a stone heavier here and I hadn’t hit the gym as much as I do now. Everything is wobbly and baggy.
Here is two months ago.

And this is my skin currently today after losing a stone and working very hard.

I can see some difference since weight training. My abs underneath my skin are starting to emerge and my legs and bum are far more toned. My actual inner thighs that used to be jelliod wobbly bags of fat have tightened up and actually nearly gone.

Yes my butts on show. But I wanted to show you accurately the changes.
It’s hard work and slow but it’s all changing. I never thought the excess skin on my under arm the dreaded bingo wings would ever tighten but with things like body pump, kettle bell and weight training they have really toned up. I moisture daily and I find this has really helped with my scarring and stretch marks. I know my tummy will never be 100% back to normal. It’s too scarred to ever go back completely but it’s changing and I have hope. My pouch is a lot smaller and my shape has changed so much. If you excess wobble and skin gets you down please know that you can do something about it without surgery. It will take you a long time but you can improve it.
I hope this hasn’t put you off your dinners and offended anyone with my bum. I just felt like I had to get it all out there to show others they are not alone. I’m starting to become proud of my battle scars. They are a part of me.
There is always hope for those willing to change and work hard.

Thank you. X

Why am I awake right now!

It’s 5am and I’m wide awake why? The mix of sharing a bed with my snoring partner and wriggly ill toddler just doesn’t make for a good combination.
I debated going to the gym but it doesn’t open until half six, I considered a run but it’s ever so dark and cold around here. So what should I do? Il write my blog stay warm in bed and exercise later.
Meant to be going to a body combat class but with the little one feeling so rough I might exercise from home. If you ever miss a class at the gym and need a work out you can always youtube workouts.
Body combat is on there, kettfit, weight routines, everything so there’s never an excuse not to exercise from home if you can’t get to the gym. I’ve set up a mini gym at home. I have some kettle bells, Dumbbells, an exercise ball, trampette and a step up board. Really the basics but sometimes that’s all you need. I like to do a lot of body weight exercises and cardio so I don’t feel the need to buy expensive equipment. Hell, I don’t even know why I needed the gym membership my partner bought for me as my early Christmas present! I do like the classes at the gym though the pool and jacuzzi help too 😉 I don’t have one of them at home! Here are just some simple at home routines you can follow at home right now.

I love using kettle bells as I feel they really help change your shape. Women who do weights don’t bulk up they become lean and strong. This is what I’m aiming for. I’ve never wanted to be skinny. Strong is the new the skinny they say.

I’m rather impressed with myself as my whole life I’ve never been able to do a full press up. No matter how fit I have been I’ve never had the strength… Until yesterday I managed 3! Which is a start. I’m going to build on it every day now I know I can do them.

Here are yesterday’s eats.
Breakfast was cottage and egg white scrambled eggs.
Lunch was by morrisons I was shopping and starving so popped into the cafe and managed to still eat clean with a greek salad.

it’s always good to see more places offering more than just your basic chicken salad with hidden calories in it.
Dinner was piri piri chicken with chilli Halloumi and slices of roasted sweet potato and a side salad.

I’ve always considered going Paleo because I love meat so much, but I couldn’t do without my cheese. It’s the one thing I’m not ready to give up yet. I’ve given up everything else but you will not take my Cheeses!

Anyways here’s Tuesday and I hope you all have a great day. Thanks for stopping by 😉 x