My Fit Life Journey

Hello! For my first blog post I thought I would let you in on my little fitness journey. It’s bit of a long read so make sure to get a warm cup of tea, and relax on the sofa!

Past

Until the age of 20 I was not conscious of how I was fueling my body, most days I ate very little or unhealthy processed foods. I was always skinny but weak.

When I moved to the UK for university I met my now husband a total foodie and I started loving food. That is precisely when I became skinny fat or that is how I saw myself. You’d think a girl could workout, instead I tried many diets that were not maintainable.

I remember thinking that I could do the ‘South Beach Diet’ for life. boy was I wrong. This ‘gurl’ totally loves carbs and cannot imagine a life without it, it’s just not natural to me.

In 2011 I started working out, mainly power walking and rowing at the gym. My husband would always say “you should try running” and I would always say “I can’t, my body is not made for running”. I was literally scared to trip off the treadmill and die I guess. Eventually I convinced myself I can run; within a few months my power walking status went from light jogging to sprinting. I fell in love with interval sprints which I did 4-5 days a week. It was totally my thing! I started eating semi-healthy and was super proud of what I had achieved.

When I got engaged at the end of 2013, like every bride I wanted to achieve that “dream bride body”. I came across Kayla Itsines’ Bikini Body Guide and I started doing that along with interval runs and Body Pump classes. I got married in 2015 with quite a petite frame and I was ecstatically happy.

After my wedding my mind shifted, I didn’t just want to be skinny, I wanted that “shredded life”, defined abs, toned arms, and above all I wanted to be strong. In all honesty, throughout my fitness journey I yo-yoed a lot, because my diet was not always the cleanest. I would have two weeks of super clean wholesome food followed by one week of eating whatever I wanted. At one point, I felt like I was making zero progress, which led me to do a lot of research on clean eating.

I then completely overhauled my diet and changed my mindset about food. I cut out alcohol, refined sugars, and processed foods. I searched nutritious alternatives to keep me satisfied. I started cooking more, enjoying whole foods, meal prepping, and most of all I cared about what I put in my body. This shifted mindset along with working out 5-6 times a week really made a major difference to the way I looked and felt.

Present

Today, do I have the occasional burger with fries, or a couple of glasses of Prosecco? Sure, I definitely do but in moderation when I go out for dinner with my loved ones, or celebrate special occasions but I plan ahead and make sure I eat right before and after. This has brought more balance to my life whilst being able to maintain a healthy body and mind. Do I fall off the wagon sometimes? Yep, I def do but I am able to snap out of it quicker than before. I have trained my mind to choose healthier options over processed foods, or pick water over sugary drinks. The key is balance and to not feel overly restricted.

The bigger question, am I shredded AF now? Absolutely not, I am not a body builder in any shape or form, but my body is more defined. I feel more energetic and I am stronger. The girl who couldn’t jog can sprint now. The girl who wasn’t able to do one proper push-up can lift weights now.

Fat loss/gaining muscle is a work in progress, it’s important to have a can-do attitude and always keep a positive mind. Progress is slow and every body is different. I have experimented since 2011 with different diets and styles of training. Now I finally know what works for me.

In a nutshell, that’s my fit life journey and I am happier than ever!

Naturally,
Sweebs xo xo