And so we begin.......

Hello!

The purpose of this blog is I am one of those new found fitness freaks!! You know the sort, just started out and its all they talk about!!

I have been boring my friends and family on Facebook for the past 3 months and I am guessing they are quickly losing interest, fair enough!

So, I thought I would do a blog instead and bore those who actually are interested in it and want to read about it and 'hopefully' get some inspiration from it.

My name is Jo, I am 40 years old and it is fair to say I have been a continuous yo-yo dieter over the years, without much success, or long term success anyway.

About 3 months ago, after trying yet again with slimming world this time, I decided enough was enough.

The constant beating myself up everytime I got on the scales if they didnt say what I wanted was ridiculous. Listening to myself saying 'I can't have that' when eating out or whatever, or 'do you know how many syns, points, calories, grams of fat etc etc' are in that!!! I hate hearing others say it, but I hate it even more when I hear myself saying it.

So 3 months ago I threw away my scales! What a fab feeling, I thoroughly recommend it. I don't know what I weighed when I threw them away, and I don't know what I weigh now, so I cant share that with you. I just bit the bullet and chucked them. 'I am not a number'!!!






I then made what I consider to be one of the bravest decisions of my life .... I joined the gym!

I have never been a big lover of sports. I was good when I was younger, before puberty and boys took over. I used to be brilliant at gymnastics, my Dad used to take me every Saturday morning to the gymnastics club where I would leap and flip and double somersault hands free to my hearts content. Now I struggle to do a handstand!! My Dad says he was told if I kept at it I had I could go all the way, not so sure about that myself, but I did used to love it, and don't really remember why I stopped.

I always loved swimming, but again, once puberty kicked in and the female form took shape I became so conscious and hated the thought of anybody seeing me in a costume! See, as soon as puberty hit, I developed these MAHOOOOOSIVE breasts, literally just sprang out overnight ... and continued to grow!! Maybe that is why I stopped gymnastics, would have knocked myself out!!

I hated most sports at school, mainly because most of them took part outside in the freezing cold and involved running of some sort ... always hated running, still do.

I was pretty good at netball, and rounders, but had no interest in anything else.

Over the years I have made various half hearted attempts at getting fit and active, but always been exactly that, half hearted and never found anything I really loved.

I started squash last year with my husband, and we did really enjoy it, and were up to playing it 3 times a week, but then he had to start working longer hours and that went out the window. We both like golf, him more than me, I can only manage 9 holes then the boredom sets in, but again, with work we never get the time for that either. We bought bikes, I quite like going out on a bike ride, hubby hates it!! Its ok for him, he is as slim as they come and firm with it, without even trying!! We both do a lot of walking, mainly at weekends and sometimes in the evenings. We are into wildlife and photography so combine that with walking and we love it.

But I decided I had to do something on my own, and not rely on hubby to help/participate/encourage.

I only work mornings, normally finish by 1.30 latest, and on the estate I work is a Bannatynes gym, I drive past it everyday on the way home. But instead of just driving past it I actually found the courage one day to stop and go in.

It has a pool, that is the main draw for me, as soon as I knew that, I was going to join whatever. It also has a pretty fab equipped gym, various workout rooms and they do all sorts of classes. But the pool was the big attraction, and I joined.

The next day my bag was packed and straight after work I was there, changed, and in the swimming pool. The first step through the door to the pool was nervewracking, I hardly dare look up thinking everybody would be staring at the tub of lard that just walked in, but when I did eventually look up, nobody was taking any notice. There were people in there of all ages, all sizes and all levels of fitness. And they were all there for one thing ....to get fit.

I haven't looked back since. I go every weekday straight from work. Monday and Wednesdays I do swimming ... now up to 100 lengths, Tuesday and Thursday I do an hour in the gym on the weight resistance machines, and Fridays I do an hour of both, gym followed by swimming.

I love it, I bloody love it!

3 months is the usual duration for me and then I get bored, well, its been 3 months now and I am still loving it, no hint of boredom, just more enthusiasm. I have found something I love, that works for me, and I am loving how it is changing me. Slowly, but surely, and for the long term this time.

So thats a brief introduction of where I'm at.

I love cooking, absolutely love it, and am told I am very good at it. I love creating, always have done. After years of following fad diets, I decided I am no longer going to do that. I know what is healthy, what is good for me and what isnt. I'm not knocking anybody who does them and does well on them, hats off to them, each to their own and what works for one may not always work for another, I admire anybody who tackles their demons in any way and finds a way that is right for them.

But my mantra has become 'Eat Healthy, stay fit, live well'.

So, the main purpose of this blog is for me to share what I am eating, and how it is working for me. Some of the recipes will be my own creations, or adaptations of others, or simply copied from others, in which case I will credit them.

I will also at stages put some pics up of me to share with you how I am changing.

I will continue to push myself with my fitness and try new things, but they have to be things I know I will enjoy, or they won't last.

I hope you enjoy this journey with me, its not about restrictions, its about creating new habits!