New Year, New Me!

New Year, New Me!

I have never believed in New Year, New Me mantras before. However, this January signals a career change for me and also addresses some body issues I have been harbouring for the past 12 months. In 2017 I tried a variety of lifestyle changes. I joined the gym at the beginning of the year. In the past I have used the gym to loose weight and I had been successful, however, this time, I gained more weight than I lost. Now, I am aware that a lot of this would be muscle, but as my legs and bum grew so huge I couldn’t fit into my jeans, I didn’t feel great. I decided to focus on my food and so I joined Slimming World. Perhaps it was bad timing, but the food restrictions exacerbated my depression and although I lost 2 pounds in the first week, I decided to ditch the diet.

Lifestyle Changes

2018 will see me returning to what I know works! In 2016 I lost a total of 3 stones, all of this has been put back on again now, but I know what works best for me! A careful combination of diet and exercise.

In January 2016 I started the Slim Fast diet. I did this for a total of 2 months and found it really easy to follow. The shakes were surprisingly filling and whenever I was hungry I snacked on fruit. My family enjoyed the healthy evening meals I cooked and I drank plenty of water each day. I only plan to use Slim Fast as a short-term ‘kick start’ in order to control my currently uncontrollable eating habits. I have read many bad reviews about the Slim Fast diet and I can only say that it worked for me, but please ensure you do all the necessary research before starting any diet for yourself. For my exercise, I walked. I have a chest injury and find some exercises difficult to do, so 5 days a week I would walk around my local park, or the streets, or wherever I fancied. The health benefits of walking were noticeable – my breathing became much better and my general fitness levels significantly improved in a relatively short space of time.

So in preparation for returning to this healthy lifestyle, I’ve decided to do some shopping in the sales. January is always a great time to grab some weight loss bargains and here’s what’s on my shopping list:

1. Slim Fast Shakes

My favourite Slim Fast meal replacement shake has to be Summer Strawberry flavour. I prefer to use the tins and mix the powder myself as opposed to the pre-mixed bottles that are widely available (this is a preference in taste and these tins are more cost effective. Boots always have an extensive range of Slim Fast products in store and online.

Boots – £7.30

2. Hoodie

Since I’ll be spending a lot of time walking outdoors, I guess it’s time to invest in some proper outdoor gear. I recently visited my local ‘Decathlon’ for the first time and I am incredibly impressed not only by the extensive range of products but also the quality of their clothing. I spotted this hoodie which will be great for keeping me warm during my winter walks.

Decathlon – £10.99 

3. Trainers

The next item on my list is a decent pair of trainers suitable for long walks. For this sort of exercise, I need comfort and durability. Having always worn Adidas trainers for gym and exercise, I find their trainers functional yet stylish. I found these bargain trainers from Sports Direct.

Sports Direct – From £39.50 (My size (8) – £53.00)

4. Scales

At the risk of becoming too obsessed with checking my weight, I am going to invest in a decent set of scales to track my progress. I prefer digital scales which give a more precise reading. These Weight Watchers scales from Argos are ideal.

Argos – £16.99

5. iPhone Armband

My lovely family bought me a new iPhone 6 for Christmas this year and it’s loaded with tunes. Personally, I hate holding my phone whilst I’m walking, so I found the perfect solution – an armband. I have seen plenty of walkers and joggers using these, what a great invention! I found this one at Clas Ohlson. These bands are also available for Smartphones too!

Clas Ohlson – £12.99

I hope this new gear encourages me in this ‘new year, new me’ mode! Happy New Year to you all!!!!!

For a similar post, see Weight Loss-Friendly Foods to Kickstart Your Diet.

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