76 lbs Lighter and feeling AMAZING!!!

During a trip to France last year I realised that I actually felt like how Gwyneth Paltrow looked in Shallow Hal. LOL ...

The thing that kicked that feeling off was when the lady with whom I was lodging, suggested I don't eat any croissants for breakfast because my body certainly did not need it! Well.... that was it for me. I just had to do something about this as I had physically become someone I didn't really like. I didn't loathe myself... I've always taken good care of myself from an appearance point and believe it or not, junk and processed food was off my list of things to eat since 1997. So why did I look like this? What happened I kept on thinking. Well, I can blame it on stress, lack or exercise, having children, wrong portion sizes even when eating the "right" stuff...

On my return home, a friend challenged me to eat raw for a week. Only fruit and veg. Being game for anything, I did it. Only I loved the idea so much, I researched RAW FOOD and et voila! The postie delivered a Dehydrator and I was experimenting with all sorts of raw food recipes. I weighed myself and to my absolute horror, the scales read 244lbs! Holy crap'a doodles.... Well!
New Year came with a bang and I joined the gym in January. I managed to maintain my weight over Xmas and when I weighed in on the 21st of January, I was just over 230lbs. I signed up for a weight loss challenge at my local gym. I continued to eat primarily raw but added cooked meat to my diet. The programme lasted 3 months and I managed to lose 43lbs in that time. I trained with a personal trainer 3 times per week and also took up spinning, zumba and step aerobics. 10 months down the line I still enjoy the same classes except that I have replaced Spinning with Boxercise !! I also teach two Zumba classes a week... a fantastic way to keep fit!

Since the challenge, I have continued with exercising at least 2 hours per day. I eat as well as I have always done but because of my high calorie burn, I do eat some of the calories back. ( Something I hadn't done during the challenge.) I never ate under 1200 calories and if really hungry, would snack on raw nuts which in itself would up the calories consumed. I was aware that I had to fuel my body properly during the challenge and also do so now. I remain strict Monday to Friday, but when the sun sets on a Friday afternoon, I pour a lovely glass of wine and chillax for the weekend. To me that does not mean pig out, but I do enjoy a slice of cheesecake from time to time. :happy:

From a "jaw drop" point, so many folk have stopped me in the street to chat about my transformation. They simply can't believe that I have done it the good old way (sweat & tears). Well, I love the new me. I haven't been "me" for at least 8 years but now I'm back and loving the fun I'm having with clothes and all the girlie bits. My husband has his old wife back (or young wife back) and loving the fact that I have the confidence to enjoy my life even more.

I have a few more pounds to shift, but I know that will come with time. I don't have any problem with loose skin (everyone wants to know about that!) and perhaps it is because I am working so hard to tone my body. I just look at the contour of my arms now and realise that exercise is CRUCIAL whilst losing weight. I don't think my body would have adjusted well by just eating correctly. Everyone is different and I am very lucky that I can juggle my time to spend 2 hours a day in the gym.

Last by not least..... MFP! The friends I have made here, the advice and motivation - I would've been lost without you! Thank you so much for being part of my journey in transforming myself from a size 22 to a size 12/14.