Friday 26 December 2014

Tubby Girl on the Run to be a Fit Girl

Tubby Girl on the Run to be a Fit Girl
My Journey so far!

Back in School I used to be good at PE, I was always involved in lots of different sports right from a young age. I used to be on the Netball team, go swimming, was on the Athletics team-I was a good sprinter and long jumper and even took GCSE PE. I always had a slim physique, I could even say I was fortunate enough to have a rather Athletic one. But once I went to Sixth Form and University I don't really know what happened...I guess I lost my Mojo with exercise.

I stopped exercising and started eating a lot of junk food, fast food, easy food!!!
I got what I like to refer to as Tubby!!!
I was sluggish, tired and felt horrible in everything I wore and generally unhappy with my body!
This went on until the summer of my 1st year of my Undergrad.

I got sick (swine flu or something) and had no appetite and was in bed for a week. This kick started a spiral of unhealthy habits. I stopped eating virtually anything for the next 6 months, I guess you would say I was anorexic! I also began to go the gym and developed an unhealthy relationship with exercise! This coupled with a poor diet meant that I may have looked a lot better than I had done but in effect was probably just as unhealthy as I was when I was a little Tubby. I lost over 5 stone in the space of 4 months! I would not recommend this!

Eventually I began eating again and stopped exercising; this meant I piled the pounds back on and was back to were I started! Tubby and sluggish.

It was a couple of years later when I chose to go back to University to complete my Masters. I decided I needed to make a change! If I had any chance of doing well in this degree I needed to be in a healthy place both physically and mentally. I have learnt over the years these come hand in hand.
I did it properly this time round, I didn't set a deadline of when I needed to be a certain weight by like I had in the past and had always ultimately failed. I just made small simple changes to my diet and lifestyle which were manageable!

I started cutting out the unhealthy food and replacing it with wholefoods. I got rid of the junk food and the fast food and replaced it with wholesome unprocessed meals!
Eventually this lead me to follow a Clean Eating Diet. I use the word 'diet' to refer to the food I eat rather than a meal plan to loose weight on, as it is a lifestyle rather than a 'diet' .

I also decided to take up running again, i'd run a few 5km and 10km races and a couple of half marathons through the last couple of years. Never trained for them, but always managed to do ok in them. I wouldn't recommend that either though, you always finish knowing you could have done better, not picked up the injury's and enjoyed the race more if you had actually trained for them!

When i'm running it always makes everything seem better somehow, the exercise does me good both physically and mentally along with lots of fresh air!
Plus the excess Tubby Girl weight literally drops off me!
I have so far lost 3 stone since starting to make the few small changes to my lifestyle and diet. 
Everyone's noticed the difference, I have more energy, my complexion is better and obviously I look a lot better physically.
I noticed the changes too; less lethargic, fitter, better breathing and sleep!

Second time round now and i'm determined to do it right and keep going...its a marathon not a sprint! A lifestyle choice not a diet!
I have chosen to pursue a diet which is as clean as possible, this means to me a wholefood and unprocessed diet! 
Along with regular exercise...even if i'm not training for a half Marathon! It means i'm able to keep   fit and healthy!

I'm about to start training for my next half marathon, the Liverpool BTR half marathon in March. I'm excited because ill be ready for it this time!

As a student for me it's important to be fit and healthy, so I can do well in my degree but also to be well in myself.
To keep that Tubby Girl on the Run to being that Fit Girl!

So, here's to that sub 2:00 half marathon and that Distinction in my Masters!

Remember, It's Your Mind, Your Body, Your Choice!