My health journey so far.
If you’ve been following me on Instagram, or receive my emails, you’ll likely be aware that I’ve been on a bit of a health kick lately.
The Covid pandemic was not kind to my waistline (it didn’t help that I was confined to my home as I was in the shielding category due to the medication I take for Crohn’s Disease… oh, and also that I was ordering Creme Eggs in bulk online and inhaling them on receipt!).
I’m no stranger to a fitness journey, my first being when I was a new mum. You can read about my experience and see the transformation photos here on my other blog, Glasgow Mummy.
Since then, I’ve been on & off with exercise and healthy eating; I’ve worked on & off with a variety of coaches; and my weight has fluctuated somewhat… until it reached an all time high during lockdown.
I tried to motivate myself to change my lifestyle, but I was finding it difficult. Enough was enough…
Hiring a personal trainer
A year ago, in June 2022, I enlisted the help of local personal trainer Joe, The Plant PT. I know that I work better with a trainer, and I felt that this was a very worthwhile investment - of both my time and money. I chose Joe because one of my favourite forms of cardio is boxing; Joe is a boxer and does pads with his clients *ticks box*. The gym is also near-ish to my home, so there’s no long commute to get there (when I used to do Cyclebox, it took me an hour of driving in the car to get there and back!). I think it’s super important to find something that you enjoy, because it certainly makes it easier. I’ve written previously on this blog about making time for exercise, and if you can make it fun you’re more likely to stick with it.
A big turning point for me has been the realisation that although I might feel young, my body is aging. And I want to be fit and healthy when I’m older… so I need to be doing something about that now. There’s also the fact that I have Crohn’s Disease, and so I want to ensure that I’m doing what I can to keep myself well. Exercise and nutrition are very much in my control.
We’re now a year down the line with training… and I’ve come on loads! There were lots of exercises that I couldn’t do at the start, that I now manage (not always with ease, but it’s getting easier!). I have started running again, and have instilled a habit of running twice a week. I’ve managed to get back up to 8km, and I’m regularly running a 5km (a far cry from when I used to run to and from work!! But I’m getting there!). I’ve also dropped 1.5 stone, which I’m really pleased with. I’ve still a bit to go, but that’s ok.
Nutrition
Of course, a big part of my health kick has been what I’m eating too. it’s not just the exercise.
I actually started eating more, but just better quality food and less processed junk. I increased my protein intake as well.
I started using a local meal prep service, Prep 2 Plate, which was fantastic. I knew that I was getting a nutritious meal, they have a fab selection of meals to choose from, they are quick to reheat and much healthier than take-out. If you don’t have the motivation to cook healthily for yourself, then this might be an option. It certainly was helpful for me as I started out down this path.
More recently, I’ve changed my diet to remove gluten and dairy under the supervision of Clare at Tingle & Glow. Clare has been advising me on supplements as well, and I’m feeling much less bloated and have more energy than before too.
I feel great!
One of my 8 P’s of conscious time management is Plate, which is ‘mindful consumption’. This includes not only food but also alcohol, caffeine, media and also our use of technology. I knew that how we fuel our bodies can impact our energy levels, but I don’t think it really hits home until you feel the difference yourself!
