It's Full Steam Ahead!

So Chirps, since writing my recent post "Updating the signage" there has been some developments and all is looking good! So let me fill you in on what has been happening! 

Taking care of me! 

As I'd mentioned it was time for me to take control of myself and my weight. Last week I had the chance to meet with Jonathan at Marron's Pharmacy where I had a full cardiac screen. So what did this include? Well, I'd my cholesterol, hemoglobin and diabetes screened along with my blood pressure being checked. I'd a lifestyle exam and I was weighed (hanging head in major shame!) and from that then my BMI was calculated! 

Before I reveal these results as I've said before I know I could beat myself up about how I've gained back the weight I'd lost but there is no point as it will do me no good. Whats important is that I'm doing something about it!

Results

Weight - 80.5kg (12.68 Stone)

BMI - 33.1

Blood Pressure - 126/97

Cholesterol - 5.54 (This was also broken down as to the figures for types of cholesterol)

Blood Glucose - 5.69

Haemoglobin - 13.7

From above results overall considering my weight they were not too bad. The areas I need to focus on is my weight to bring down my BMI and my blood pressure. I would normally have a low blood pressure so it is important that I keep an eye on this.

As much as I've known Jonathan for a number of years as a Healthcare Professional he is exceptional at what he does along with all the staff at Marron's Pharmacy. I'm looking forward to working with Jonathan in tracking my progress and sharing the results with you also.

Some added help!

Since I'd written "Updating the signage" I followed up on an opportunity that arose via the Irish Parenting Bloggers Group which was for XLS-Medical Max Strength.  It was funny how well timed it was as myself and Jonathan had spoken about possibly using something like XLS-Medical to help me on my weight loss journey. If I'm honest, I would have been skeptical of using an aid like this in the past but on hearing the successes that Jonathan had spoken about of people he had worked with I became more open to the idea. The last few months have been crazy in the coup and my weight has not helped me to be my "Chirpy" self and to keep me motivated. So after some emails, phone calls and some hearing more success stories, I was delighted to be accepted to take part in a 12 week program with XLS Medical Max Strength.

Part of the criteria of being accepted was to have my GP's approval which I received last week. I love my GP as she is very thorough. I showed her the results I received from Jonathan and she is also going to do Full Bloods and go through the results hopefully next week. She believes that with losing at least a stone this should help in bringing down my blood pressure.

Not only will I have the support of Jonathan at Marrons Pharmacy and my own GP, XLS-Medical will have their dietitian, Jodie Relf working with me too, to help me keep on track! I was speaking with her on Thursday afternoon and and will be again on Monday which I'm looking forward to and the advice she has to offer.

Bring it on!

As we all know, life can get in the way of our goals and when we meet these bumps in the road we have a choice as to what we want to do - Do we want to stay on a bumpy road or choose the path that leads us to our goals? 
The next 12 weeks I know are not going to be easy. This week alone I've a Black Tie Dinner to attend and my birthday both of which I'd like to enjoy. The choice I can make though is to be sensible in how I enjoy myself! 
I know that XLS-Medical Max Strength will not do all of the work. I need to ensure I'm on top of things with my diet and exercise. I'm very lucky to have great support with XLS-Medical, Marron's Pharmacy and my GP. With this support and my motivation I know I WILL achieve my goals!

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Follow me on my Facebook Page here, Instagram here and Twitter here where I will share with you what I'm up to on a daily basis! 

You can learn more about XLS-Medical Max Strength on their webpage here. Follow them on Facbook here, 

You can follow Marrons Pharmacy here on Facebook and on Instagram here

#BeTheBestYou - The Results!

Wow, already the 6 weeks of the #BeTheBestYou Lifestyle change is complete and I cant believe how quickly it flew! 
So, lets not "beat around the bush" and get straight to it! The results, how did I get on?!

Date: 3rd March		Date: 16th March	Date:     30th March	Date: 13th April	Date: 20th April
Body Part	Inches	Inches	Inches	Inches	Inches
Bicep	11.8	12.2	11.61	11.81	11.81
Thigh	21.65	21.65	21.25	21.65	21.25
Calf	14.17	13.77	13.77	13.77	13.77
Waist	40.55	39.37	37.79	38.58	38.38
Hips	42.51	40.15	38.77	38.97	38.38
Chest	41.33	39.76	40.15	39.37	38.77
Weight lbs	166.5	165	162.4	161	161

So, as you can see from the results, overall I lost 5.5 pounds and about 9 inches all over which I must say I'm quite pleased with considering the last few weeks I've had which you can read about here and here

A little refresh!

Some of you may already know I'm not one for fad diets. While I've tried some in the past with no success due to restraints with foods and also collapsing on my last "Fad" attempt (That's another story!!) to me it's always been important to make changes that will help you achieve your goals but also maintain your goal weight.

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After starting my weight loss journey in June 2014 I began by making changes in my life and I could see a difference quite quickly. As time progressed though and through different challenges along the way I could see myself falling back into traps and and wasn't sure where to turn to boost myself. When Claire from Volta Fitness was seeking some volunteers to take part in #BeTheBestYou, I knew that this was for me. I was already following Claire on her Blog Volta Fitness and also her Facebook page, so I was looking forward to the information I would receive from her and the journey that lay ahead. 

Over the last 6 weeks through Claire's plan and guidance and the support of the other fabulous ladies who took part, I can see how I can still have "my cake and eat it". When you actually see the plan and understand the "Do's" and "Dont's" better, it all makes sense. 

When I began my goal was to loose 10 pounds by the end of the 6 weeks. While I didn't reach this goal I achieved a lot more. I learned a better way to balance food and exercise in my life. As we all know life can throw some challenges our way which in turn can throw us off course when it comes to our healthier lifestyles. I'm now better equipped to try and make better choices for myself when these challenges arise and know too that even if I do go off course, its ok, I can get myself back on track. 

If I'm honest, I'm never going to be a salad eater on a daily basis, I'm not going to stop having a drink at the weekend and when I'm out (which is rare) I'm going to have what I want. As a stay at home mum of two, sometimes its these little indulgences that get me through the week so if I'd like a night off sometime, I will still treat myself to the odd takeaway!
In saying that, I do want to maintain following #BeTheBestYou. All along this was about a lifestyle change and that is what I've always believed in since my weight loss journey began. 

For me I still have goals I want to reach the first being to get myself under 11 stone / 154 pounds! I would like to do this 8th June 2015. That gives me 7 weeks to lose 8 pounds putting me under 11 stone! I know that this is very achievable and it allows too for life's little tumbles to get in the way such as my children throwing me off course with sleepless nights and the bank holiday weekends!!  

I would,like to thank Claire from Volta Fitness for this opportunity. It has opened me to a new way of thinking and taught me a better way to follow a healthy lifestyle to lose weight and maintain into the future. 

If your not already, please follow Claire on her blog Volta Fitness, Facebook, and Twitter to get some great tips and motivation to #BeTheBestYou

Follow me on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram where I will keep you updated on how I'm going. 

#BeTheBestYou - Week 2

Week two has begun of me taking part in the Be the Best of you Lifestyle Clinic. I have to say, I'm very positive this week! So lets see how did week one go?

Week 1 Review

Like many of us, taking care of myself is important and being a busy mum of 2, I'd like to try get myself back in shape. 

As many of you know, I began my journey 1st June 2014 and took part in the Today Show's "Drop a Dress Size" challenge which I completed mid November. During this time I lost 23lb with 12lb of this being lost during the "Drop a Dress Size" challenge (approx 5 weeks long). I was delighted with the weight loss and was so focused on losing the same again over the months to follow. 

As one thing led to another with the festive season and me losing my motivation my weight soon began to creep back up.

When I began my journey in June, my motivation was for a lifestyle change and something I could sustain. While the "Drop a Dress size" challenge helped me add to my weight loss, it wasn't a sustainable plan for me and my family. 

For me, I wanted to get back to where I was on 1st June 2014 when I began my journey and Be the Best You, gives me that and more. 

You can read about some some of my weight loss journey here. 

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Exercise

So overall week one went pretty good. The exercises set out for me for the week were set for 5 days and included training for the BK5K I'm taking part in on the 4th April. I like that Claire takes into consideration what you already have in place such as Gym membership, equipment at home or Classes you might be taking part in. 

For me, while I don't have a Gym Membership I have some equipment to use at home. 

While the start of the week began well for me with the exercises, I let the the 

"Clucks and Downs" of Mother's Day takeover towards the weekend.  

Food

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With Claire's plan, it ticks all the boxes for me. There are no set meals to follow. I've been given a list of foods to work from where I can cook what I'd like. This to me is perfect as I can tailor it to suit our families meals. No more one dinner for me and another for them! 

There are times where I need to hold back on the "flowery spud" but I'm now understanding better how to balance my meals. 

Claire explains when and why we should eat certain foods such as pre and post training. For instance today I will be holding back on my carbs until after my run this evening. 

In general, I'm still eating the same foods as I always did, I'm just eating them in a different way. 

Week 1 Results 

Date: 3rd March		Date: 16th March
Body Part	Inches	Inches
Bicep	11.8	12.2
Thigh	21.65	21.65
Calf	14.17	13.77
Waist	40.55	39.37
Hips	42.51	40.15
Chest	41.33	39.76
Weight lbs	166.5	165

So, looking at the figures above, you may think its not a massive change. If I'm honest, I know the figures could of been better. I could of worked harder with my exercises. I could of refrained from eating the chocolates my children gave me for Mother's Day. I could of said "No" to a second cheat meal which was an Indoor Pizza Picnic with my kids for Mother's Day. I could of even of held off from the 2 slices of wholemeal bread I had with my homemade soup at lunch. 

While I didn't do those things, there is still a change and that is what I am focusing on. This programme is about making lifestyle changes and each day I am making them for the better of me and for the better of my family. 

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I must say, I looking forward to seeing what changes are awaiting for me next Monday! 

Are you currently trying to make any changes within your lifestyle? I'd love to hear any tips you have. 

Pop by to Claire's Blog, Volta Fitness for great tips and also follow Blogging it Beautiful who's also taking part in #BeTheBestYou

Becoming the Best Me!

While I've got a head cold and two over tired little ones, today is the beginning of something quite exciting! Today is the start of a new fantastic journey thanks to the lovely Claire from Volta Fitness. 

For some time I have been following Claire via her Facebook page and Bloglovin. As you can guess from the title Volta Fitness, Claire's blog is all about fitness. She is a FETAC qualified Sports Nutritionist and Fitness instructor. I love her honesty and attitude when it comes to fitness and a healthier lifestyle. When I saw then a recent post she had on her blog, I knew I'd to take a chance.

Claire was recently seeking five volunteers to trial her 6 week online weight loss and lifestyle clinic. After gaining back some of the unwanted pounds I had successfully lost last year, I knew I'd to apply and hope I was successful. 

I've found it very tough the last few months to get my momentum going again. After losing 23 pounds from 1st June to Mid-November last year, the slippery slope of weight gain seemed to be getting bigger and I wanted to get myself back on track so I can achieve my long term goals. 

I was so grateful that Claire had picked me as one of the five and I must say the four ladies joining me on the #BeTheBestYou journey seem a great bunch. I think together supporting each other and with Claire's expertise, we will have a fantastic journey. 

What's the plan!

So, Claire being very much on the ball has sent the information we needed last week. getting the information in plenty of time means we can plan so we don't fail!

I've received a personalised training plan for the week which also incorporates my training for the upcoming 5km in April. 

Guidelines to foods I should be purchasing on my journey and tips on training for both the program and my 5km / 10km training.

Claire has also set up a Facebook page where we can all come together and get hints a tips on a daily basis and receive weekly clean eating recipes. 

What do I like so far?

While this is only day one, what I like about the plan is that the meals are up to me using the guidelines given. This is important to me as I want to be able to incorporate the foods into our family lifestyle. 

The plan encourages you to have a cheat meal once a week .... yes, encourages! Now, this of course isn't a cheat day, but a meal. Knowing this makes the plan feel that bit easier and achievable. The plan is not about deprivation, its about making better lifestyle choices. 

With the exercises, it has been personalized to take into consideration any exercise equipment I have and the training I'm doing for the 5km and mini marathon. 

While I know the coming weeks will have it's up and downs. Some I can control and others not so much, I look forward to sharing my journey with you. 

You can follow Blogging it Beautiful's journey too on her blog

Refreshing Reminder of Music to Motivate!

So as some of you are aware, the last couple of weeks I have been following the Operation Transformation plan. In my update last week here, I wasn't doing too great, with the January Blues taking over and I set some plans into place for the week ahead. 
Those of you who know me and those who've read my recent posts will know I'm not going to lie ... the truth of the matter is, I didn't do great! 
I can start by giving excuses and tell you how I didn't feel well at the start of the week and that I'd early starts with my daughter but I don't believe in excuses. The fact of the matter is I didn't give it my all. While I may not have been well, I could have tried harder when I picked up to fight those pounds but I didn't. 
So here it goes, as we say in our home "New Slate Never on a Man's Back"!

New Slate

So why a new slate? Why not trudge along as I've attempted to do the last few weeks? Well the reason for my "New Slate" is because I've been reminded of some things the last 24 hours. I needed to remember why I was doing this and take a step back and remember how I began my journey to loosing my first pound back in June 2014. 
I'm not going to scold myself for not doing well the last couple of weeks as that will get me nowhere and just demotivate me and take away from the goals I set here

What was I reminded of?

Since I began my journey in June 2014 I've had fantastic support from my husband, family, friends and even virtual ones via #MummyPagesChat and this support still continues. I found though while I have this amazing support, I needed a kick up the bum and I got this from wonderful inspiring ladies. I'm lucky enough to be part of a group via Women's Inspire Network and we are all on a journey to get ourselves mentally and physically healthier. 

Over the last 24 hours they've reminded me as to why I'm doing this and the music that motivates me on my journey! 

So what better way to explain these reminders and motivations than to share the music! 

Firstly!  

Well, need I say more! 

Then! 

To get rid of that demon that tries to tell me "sure you can exercise tomorrow" ... which we know never comes! 

This song says it all! 

(It's my anthem & reminds me of the size 16's I used to wear!)

Well, ya have to have some "Cheese" otherwise its no fun!

And lastly! How I feel, when I get out there and just do it! 

 

So I'm not going to bore you with what I'm going to do over the next week, I'd rather leave that as a surprise for next Monday! 
Don't forget to check out how my "Training Buddy" Denise is doing at Dee-Termined to Glam and Glow 

THANKYOU

I just want to say a special thank you to the ladies who've given me that extra push I needed. 

Linda Flynn - The Ring Leader!!

Samantha Kelly, Helena Gilhooly, Anna de Marigny, Jennifer Egan, Niamh Hogan & Catherine Richard to name just a few. 

Click on their links to learn more about these fab ladies ! 

Weekly Tip

Remind yourself of your goals and surround yourself with those who are there to support you!

And remember!