It’s January 2019, I weigh almost 11 stones (at 5’1” that is overweight). My brother is due to get married on 1st August 2020. I have 20 months. I have never been slim, always seen myself as overweight but love going to the gym before work.
I have a vision; a vision of being at the wedding, in a gorgeous outfit and feeling amazing. I can hear people saying how great I look, and I know it is true. The vision is so strong that it fires me up. I want it. I want the feeling it gives me.
My issue lay in my relationship with food and alcohol. My vision changed all of that.
I got to work. I decided to take control over what I consumed. I could say no, so I did. I looked for quick fixes, hacks, anything that could get me there fast. With 20 months to work on my vision, I settled on ‘slow and steady wins the race’.
I tested things; if I liked them and they worked, they stayed. If they were too difficult or not for me, they went. The effort started to pay off; most weeks some weight would come off. I was not super strict, but my vision was so intense that it gave me an inner strength, the likes I have never experienced before, and it made me bulletproof.
As the weeks went by, I would switch up the training regime, try different things to keep my body guessing. The overall routine was set, and applying it became easy. I could feel the difference in my body. The pride I felt in myself far outweighed any want of something that would destroy the good work.
In the comparison image, on the left is 6th January, on the right is 21st December. The difference is 19lb. I went from a size 14 to a 12. Right before the pandemic, I was at 9st4lb and wanted to be 9st.
Then the pandemic hit. My routine moved to home working. A lot of my walking was lost. I worked out as best I could in the living room, ran around the village, walked around the village, biked around the village. Then the wedding was cancelled.
What I learned on the journey was massive. I understood how to get the best out of my body, what I enjoyed eating, and saw a huge effect on my energy levels. I was so very proud of my achievement. I praised those around me who would help and support me. I did it for that feeling, the one that was SO strong.
My biggest takeaway – anything is possible when you try and don’t give up. It is your journey, your vision and your success; no one can do it for you. Own it, enjoy it and feel empowered for doing so.
