I think the hardest thing about any weight-reducing and exercise regime (still can't bring myself to use that hateful word 'diet') is keeping the momentum going.
The first week you may be full of resolve, what you need to achieve is clear and besides, it's fun to have a new project, something to direct your attention towards.
Similarly, during those weeks where the weight has demonstrably and undeniably dropped, it is easy to keep going with it, the results are in, it's paying dividends, and you are happy to keep on going.
The trouble is those weeks when nothing happens; your weight either stays the same or even creeps up a little and frankly you're bored of doing stomach crunches and jumping jacks. You're heartily sick to the eye teeth watching 'Two Greedy Italians' without a glass of wine in your hand. You are tired of being this person whose whole life has been hijacked by this 'self improvement' bullsh*t and you just want your old life back again (even if you know damn well that your old life meant being immensely dissatisfied with your appearance).
So yeah, last week was a bit like that. Belligerently I bought wine mid-week and ignored any form of exercise, telling myself that life is too short and besides, who cares what I look like?
I think we all have these sort of weeks so I'm not going to beat myself up about it. But it's important to keep the eye on the prize and that's where inspirational stories really help.
I met my friend P when I lived in the desert city of Al Ain, close to the Omani border. We both hung around in the same group of expat women, all of whom were relatively new to the country, and all of whom were dealing with the bizarre, frustrating but quite often hilarious way of life in the UAE.
Collectively we would meet up at the mall for coffee, or get drunk at the Horse & Jockey, or at each other's villas (remember that 80s party? I wish I had more pictures...)
P was a bit of a yo you dieter and as far as I knew had battled with weight on and off over the years. Funny thing is, it's only recently when she posted photos on Facebook of herself back then, that I realised how overweight she was at the time. It might sound a little disingenuous but I didn't really notice, mainly because she was smart and beautiful and a good laugh.
She's been on a weight loss journey of her own, with the help of Slimming World, and she has been steadily losing weight over the past three years. Like everyone's her life has had some dramatic ups and downs over this time, but she has stuck with it and kept going and simply not allowed anything or anyone to stop her.
I'm so impressed with her resilience and feel - and sorry to come over all American here - but humbled by her journey. I've had a lot less to lose and yet have figuratively and actually stamped my foot, pouted my lips and made a big deal about it. Compared to what P's had to go through, my journey is hardly worth mentioning.
To date she has lost almost 80lbs and is half a stone away from her goal. She looks amazing, more beautiful than ever, full of youth and vigour and has a wonderful future to look forward to. I'm dead proud of her.
P, I hope you don't mind me mentioning you in this blog post, but you gave me such a shot of inspiration into my arm this morning, I simply had to.
Race you to the finish line!x
The first week you may be full of resolve, what you need to achieve is clear and besides, it's fun to have a new project, something to direct your attention towards.
Similarly, during those weeks where the weight has demonstrably and undeniably dropped, it is easy to keep going with it, the results are in, it's paying dividends, and you are happy to keep on going.
 |
| It has been scientifically proven that you can't watch watch this programme without a glass of wine in your hand.. |
So yeah, last week was a bit like that. Belligerently I bought wine mid-week and ignored any form of exercise, telling myself that life is too short and besides, who cares what I look like?
I think we all have these sort of weeks so I'm not going to beat myself up about it. But it's important to keep the eye on the prize and that's where inspirational stories really help.
I met my friend P when I lived in the desert city of Al Ain, close to the Omani border. We both hung around in the same group of expat women, all of whom were relatively new to the country, and all of whom were dealing with the bizarre, frustrating but quite often hilarious way of life in the UAE.
Collectively we would meet up at the mall for coffee, or get drunk at the Horse & Jockey, or at each other's villas (remember that 80s party? I wish I had more pictures...)
P was a bit of a yo you dieter and as far as I knew had battled with weight on and off over the years. Funny thing is, it's only recently when she posted photos on Facebook of herself back then, that I realised how overweight she was at the time. It might sound a little disingenuous but I didn't really notice, mainly because she was smart and beautiful and a good laugh.
She's been on a weight loss journey of her own, with the help of Slimming World, and she has been steadily losing weight over the past three years. Like everyone's her life has had some dramatic ups and downs over this time, but she has stuck with it and kept going and simply not allowed anything or anyone to stop her.
I'm so impressed with her resilience and feel - and sorry to come over all American here - but humbled by her journey. I've had a lot less to lose and yet have figuratively and actually stamped my foot, pouted my lips and made a big deal about it. Compared to what P's had to go through, my journey is hardly worth mentioning.
To date she has lost almost 80lbs and is half a stone away from her goal. She looks amazing, more beautiful than ever, full of youth and vigour and has a wonderful future to look forward to. I'm dead proud of her.
P, I hope you don't mind me mentioning you in this blog post, but you gave me such a shot of inspiration into my arm this morning, I simply had to.
Race you to the finish line!x
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