L.F RAMBLES - LIFESTYLE CHANGE

Something I used to do when I first started make-up (just do one eye). Flatmate said I looked like a panda.

Hey guys, so not my usual sort of post, but I feel kind of comfortable talking about it since I've been pretty dedicated for a couple of months and for life now!
I've always been overweight/chubby/fat from a young age (I've never been at a healthy weight for my height and age) and to be honest I wasn't kind of fazed by it.... I got used to it and kind of in denial with it. And that's NOT normal or healthy.
I've strangely not been *that* insecure with my body image (didn't hate or love... just meh about it) and that's with me being friends with people who can literally eat tons of shit and not put on any weight. My best friend (born couple of days after me) is a natural size 4/6... FML. BUT this summer I caved in to my parents persistent nags to do something about it. I usually just shrugged off any weight comments from them, but I did put on weight during uni (my downfall is I tend to binge eat when stressed..... uni IS stress) and I was at my heaviest. Changing my eating habits wasn't going to be enough. I HAD TO MOVE. There I said it.... EXERCISE. I'm just lazy. It's not that I didn't enjoy it, I was just lazy.

Anyway I bit the bullet and joined the gym for the first time ever during the summer. I'd say the first month didn't really count because I was stupidly unfit so I didn't do as much as I'd like because of aches and pains. Second month the aches literally vanished. Or I just got used to it. I also fine tuned the classes (approx 45 min) I liked and built up a weekly routine. Generally the minimum was 1 class and 1 hour at the gym 7 days a week. Sometimes I'd have a day off which was usually when I did  2 classes/tired. I know it sounds a bit extreme but once you start going to the gym I felt guilty if I didn't go. PLUS I only had to work 3 days a week (in the evenings) and rest of the time I was free. Obviously if I was in pain I'd rest but if I felt fine I'd go.
The good thing about me is I am a dedicated person, so I didn't feel or want to slack off. It's go home or go hard mentality with me. My favourite classes were Kettlercise and Les Mills Bodycombat. I tried not to miss these classes because - they were fun and make you work your ass off.
Funny story is me doing a spin class during my first week at the gym. Somehow in my head it didn't look so bad......wrong. SPIN IS FOR BADASSES. My legs were literally like jelly the day after and that's with me not doing all the resistance changes they were doing.

This might be highly anti climatic but I've NOT lost a *huge* amount of weight in terms of on the scales. No ones actually noticed much but the main thing is I CAN TELL. I can fit back into the jeans I was wearing 7 years ago *and* they are getting baggier. That was a hallelujah moment. I've lost more in terms of inches and that's fine but I've still got a long way to ago. Ironically, I'm more conscious of my body now then before. 
I know most people have goals but mine is literally as long as I'm happy in front the mirror. Most 'Asians' are usually a size 4/6/8, but I don't know if I'll ever be like that. I've got a bit of a bust for starters, which is unusual haha.

Anyway I thought I'd share some tips if anyone is in the same boat. Take these with a pinch of salt. If your  weight is 'normal', ignore these. I'm a bit of an extremist when I get into things.

• IT'S NOT A DIET, IT'S A LIFESTYLE CHANGE. 
• DON'T BUY 'TEMPTATION' FOOD AT ALL. IF YOU BUY IT YOU'LL EAT IT SOONER OR LATER.
• KEEP THINGS SIMPLE. CUT OUT ANY 'EXTRAS' LIKE CHEESE, CHIPS, BUTTER, OIL, MAYO, KETCHUP ETC. IT'LL ALL ADD UP IN THE LONG RUN
• AVOID UNNECESSARY LIQUID CALORIES SUCH AS JUICES/CORDIALS/FIZZY DRINKS. TRY GREEN TEA OR WATER.
• JUST SAY NO. EVEN IF YOUR FLATMATES ARE ALL HAVING PIZZA,  I RATHER JUST SAY NO (THANKS) THEN TO TEMPT MYSELF AND HAVE A BIT. 
• LET OTHERS AROUND YOU KNOW YOU ARE IN A HEALTH KICK. I FIND THIS KEEPS ME ON TRACK IF I WANT TO EAT BAD* STUFF. 
• READ THE RDA/CALORIE LABELS. THIS HELPS ME TO DECIDE WHAT TO BUY/EAT.
• BE COMMITTED. THERE IS NO POINT EATING HEALTHILY BUT STILL HAVING THE ODD JUNK FOOD REGULARLY.
• EXERCISE AND EATING HEALTHY WORK IN SYNERGY. YOU GOT TO DO BOTH.
• YOU ARE DOING THIS FOR HEALTH REASONS NOT JUST FOR AESTHETIC REASONS.
• DON'T HAVE REGULAR 'FUCK IT' DAYS/WEEKS. THINK OF THE HARD WORK YOU'VE PUT IN. THE FIRST COUPLE OF WEEKS IS HARD. 
• TRY NOT TO HAVE FAST FOOD/GO OUT FOR MEALS TOO OFTEN. HOME COOKING = KNOW AND IN CONTROL OF WHAT YOU PUT IN. 
• SWEAT= WORKING HARD. PUSH YOURSELF.
• HEALTHY EATING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE EXPENSIVE. GO TO LOCAL MARKETS FOR FRESH FRUIT/VEG.
• HEALTHY COOKING = BOIL/STEAM/GRILL.
• YOU HAVE TO WANT TO DO IT. 
• YOU CAN HAVE CHEAT FOOD/DAYS BUT IN MODERATION.
• START TODAY. NOT TOMORROW, NEXT WEEK OR NEXT MONTH. 
• TRY TO CUT OUT CARBS IN THE EVENING. YES I LOVE IT AND MISS IT TOO. 
• GO TO A GYM WITH CLASSES, I FOUND THESE TO BE REALLY FUN AND MOTIVATING. I WENT TO THE VILLAGE IN LEEDS AND THE STAFF (HI ANITA AND IZA)/FACILITIES WERE MINT. 
• STARTING OFF CAN BE DIFFICULT BUT DON'T GIVE UP ESPECIALLY WHEN YOU SEE ALL THE GYM BUNNIES AT THE GYM.
• GET A GYM BUDDY! YOU CAN GOSSIP AND WORK OUT.
• HAVE FUN! OR GROW TO LOVE THESE CHANGES. IT SHOULD BECOME SECOND NATURE.

Hope you guys found this post interesting. If I lose any major significant weight I might do another one of these but for now I'm just going to stick with what I'm doing. Feel free to leave any suggestions/recommendations you find helpful. If you ever see me eating bad stuff give me a good evil stare!
  
*My current 'bad' food is sushi. I used to love eating M&S cheese puffs (like wotsits) too... OH THE GOOD DAYS.