Two months in to my attempt to be healthier and it’s been a total game of two halves. There have been weeks of pure determination, exercise, good food, decent sleep, and then weeks where I couldn’t muster the energy to care much at all.
Despite my inconsistency though, it looks as though it’s been more good than bad as I’m starting to see some results. I know I said in my last post that weight wouldn’t be the only measure of success, and I know it isn’t, but I’m a child of the 80s, Jane Fonda workouts, leotards and constant visits to the scales, so it’s still ingrained in me to jump on most mornings. I can’t help it. And I’ve managed to lose 1stone 8lb in total, which I’m so chuffed with.
As a result, I’m back in most of my pre-pregnancy clothes now and am starting to feel a little more comfortable and confident. My tummy is shrinking back very very slowly. It’s still resembling the early stages of pregnancy, so I’m certainly not there yet, but it’s going in the right direction.
I’m focussing on the positive days/weeks/moments for the purpose of this post, and I think some ‘clean eating’ has really helped with those results. I’ve been replacing toast with fresh fruit and green smoothies (the nutribullet has been rediscovered) for breakfast, or yoghurt and fruit, sandwiches have been sidelined in favour of tomatoes or avocados on rye or superfood salads. Dinners are as fresh as possible, but that’s often tricky to do quickly. But we have ditched the pizzas, pies, etc in favour of stir fries, vegetable skewers, etc. Dairy milk no longer has a dedicated space in the cupboard. But I’m no saint, I’ve been treating myself to a few squares of dark chocolate when I have a sweet tooth. But I’m trying to do that, or have fruit, rather than stuffing biscuits and Dairy Milk.
I’ve also cut down on the wine. That’s no mean feat when you’ve got kids. I know not everyone is the same, but I do look forward to a glass of wine after they’ve gone to bed. But I’m trying to drink less in the week and keep it as a treat on the weekends. I’ve also been trying to drink more water but I find it really hard to remember to be honest. I’m sure that helps with all-round health, so I’m setting it as a target again for the next few months.
Despite still not drinking as much as I should though, I’ve seen the results of increasing it, and my skin is so much better. Post-birth, the skin on my arms was all bumpy and I was getting a lot of excema and all that has evened out quite a lot now and is so much more comfortable. I wouldn’t say I’ve got glowing skin quite yet, but it’s definitely not quite so bad.
I’m not enough exercise yet. I’m finding it really hard to fit in with two children. I’m walking as much as possible with the girls in the buggy, but Lottie is not a fan of the buggy any more and would far rather be walking and exploring the world. I think I’m being a bit all or nothing though and thinking that if I start doing more exercise, it needs to be every day. But in reality, even if I did something one or two evenings a week, it’s better than nothing. I just need to find the motivation to start.
I started off the month really well with finding a bit of time to look after myself a bit more. I finally had my hair done and got rid of the grey. My friend came over and did my nails with some fab new wraps. I’ve had two evenings out with friends too. It’s been really nice to focus on myself a bit, which often comes last when you have little people to prioritise. I think it’s really important to have a bit of space and gives you the energy and enthusiasm to come back to the kids with.
It’s been a good start, but there’s still a mountain to climb.
