The rumblings of discontent have been present for several years now. In my mind, I blame university for causing it. And work. And, well, my general disdain for anything that involves moving. Yes, when I think about it, the subject of my weight has been an issue for a while…
Wind back 7 years ago when I was just 18 years old, and I hardly had any trouble keeping the pounds off. Hours of traipsing around shops on the weekend and running around school for classes helped me stay a healthy 10 stone, and a size 10/12. Perfect for my 5’6″ height. But years of becoming addicted to afternoon teas, Netflix and convenient lifts in the car had taken its toll. By the time I reached 25 this year I was 13 and a half stone. Or, rather, a size 14 going onto a size 16. That’s 49 pounds I’d put on in seven years. 
Yikes indeed.
All things considered, it could have been a lot worse. I could quite easily be several sizes bigger right now thanks to my love of cheese and fizzy drinks. Plus, when you think about it, a size 14/16 is hardly obese. But earlier this year I had several big wake-up calls that made me realise that losing weight wasn’t just a, ‘Oh, one day I’ll do that’ hare-brained idea. It was actually something I needed to do ASAP – for my health, my energy levels and my confidence. 
Me in Cyprus and LA in 2015 – times when I felt ridiculously self-conscious about my body.
I can pinpoint 3 moments that made me realise I needed to lose those 49 pounds…
1. Walking up Gellért Hill in Budapest with my boyfriend and being completely out of breath just a quarter of the way up. My boyfriend, with all his 5k fitness, waltzed up the hill without breaking a sweat. I, on the other hand, could hardly breathe with the sheer exhaustion crippling my body. It was like someone was standing on my chest preventing me from breathing normally…so embarrassing. 
Budapest: Beautiful views. Bloomin’ hilly.
2. Realising that my BMI was classified as “obese”. I know that BMI is a source of contention for people, and there are some who say you shouldn’t pay a blind bit of notice to it. But realising that my weight was classed as obese gave me a shock and a half. I realised that by not looking after my body I was putting myself at risk of various diseases and illnesses, many of which run in my family. To give myself the best shot at leading a long, healthy life, I need to monitor my weight and get down to a healthy size.
3. I felt like crap, so I let people treat me like crap. This was something that I’ve only started to realise as I’ve started losing weight: a few months ago I had such bad body-image and zero self-belief that I let people treat me however they wanted. Now, I’ve started to have more confidence in myself. Whether that’s because I feel better for eating more nutritiously, or whether it’s because I’ve started to feel like my old self again, I honestly do not know – but I’m enjoying it, so it’s a big motivator.
It was this triple combination of things happening in such a short succession that gave me a big kick up the backside. With the help of a nutritionist friend (honestly, she’s a Godsend) I replaced all my microwave meals and garlic bread for three solid, nutritious meals a day. I’ve had to re-learn from scratch what foods I should be having, what drinks I should be focusing on. And slowly, I binned the fizzy drinks, and replaced them with water. I refused lifts to places just round the corner, making my feet do the job they were made for. I, a self-confessed sofa addict, swapped my Netflix evenings in favour of doing the NHS couch to 5k run in the park near me. I’ve basically undergone a whole life overhaul.
And over 2 months on, I’m pleased to report I’ve now lost 29lbs! I now weigh in at 11 stone 6 pounds. But, more importantly, I now have more drive, more focus, more energy and more confidence in myself. 
But there’s still a bit of a way to go before I reach my 10 stone goal and reclaim that ‘Healthy’ BMI. We’re talking 20lbs…
The Plan of Action
A couple of weeks ago I attended a #MyWorkoutFor session with fellow bloggers at a Virgin Active gym in Central London. Organised by super blogger/vlogger Helen Anderson, a group of us (including Sophie from Luggage Tags and Ticket Stubs, Flora from Flora the Explorer and Ed from Rexy Edventures) were put through our paces in a 45-minute class involving various workouts. Quite honestly? It completely floored me. I gave it my best shot – horrendous burpees and mountain climbing included – but it was all a bit overwhelming. It made me realise just how unfit I really was. Sure I could run for 5 minutes at a time, but bah. My technique was all over the place, I was red and sweaty when everyone else was just breaking out into a light shimmer, and I had absolutely zero levels of perseverance. 
Struggling to exercise? Just break out into hysterics. Great excuse.
So yeah – that dabble with exercise might not have been the most productive for me. BUT, I absolutely loved it, from the community spirit going on in the studio, to the swanky features of the gym that left me in awe. It made me want to sign up to a gym and get my backside moving on shifting that last 20 pounds!
Well, very kindly, Virgin Active have offered me a six-week gym pass so I can get my fitness regime well and truly into gear. I don’t think I’ve been this excited since I got my last ginger cat, ahhh! I’ve signed up to the Virgin Active gym nearest my work so I can squeeze in work-outs in the evenings (wherever possible). So far I’ve only managed to get there on a Sunday when the gym is virtually empty – just the way I like it! I can run, flounder and sweat to my heart’s content, all with only a handful of others around me. 
Even though I’ve only been twice, I’ve got a real feel for the Virgin Active gyms. My gym has got a sauna, a swimming pool, cardio equipment, weights, rowing machines, a jacuzzi, a cafe/lounge area! I’m absolutely in LOVE with it. I feel like a kid in a super-fancy candy shop every time I go.
What I love most about flying with Virgin Atlantic is that they go above and beyond with little extras that make you feel like a valued customer. The same is true at Virgin Active gyms. Each item of cardio equipment (treadmills, cross trainers, stationery bikes…) has its own TV screen which is pure LOVE for someone like me with a television addiction. You can access digital TV channels, YouTube, the radio…and you can even get statistics of your workout to let you know how many calories you’ve burned off, and how long you’ve been at it for.
With the TV screens to hand, I find myself exercising a lot more than I would usually. Just the other day I was watching Casper the Friendly Ghost and 30 minutes had passed! (OK, more like 3 minutes. But still, that’s 100% more exercise than I would have done a few months ago…). And just today I was using the stationery bike, while watching a POV outdoor video of a cycle through San Francisco, the route of which I cycled just last November when I was in California! 
So this, for now, is my plan of action.
- Keep on with my low calorie, nutritious diet.
- Run at least 2-3 times a week in the evenings.
- Visit the Virgin Active gyms as much as possible for all-over body workouts.
Will I be able to lose those remaining 20 pounds? Follow my weight loss journey over on Twitter, Facebook and Snapchat (username: cosytraveller) to find out!
Do you have any workout tips? I’d love to hear your motivational tricks too!
I just want to give you a big hug after reading this. I’m so happy for you taking your life and happiness into your own hands and doing something which is making you feel so much better about yourself. People can talk all they like about weight in numbers but the real measure is if you are happy and feel confident about your body. If I wasn’t going away for the summer I would totally keep you company on a run or too. Maybe in September…
xx
Oh Jodie, thank you so much <3 I know – I used to think I had to wait for change to happen, but nope, I'm making it myself now. As I get back to feeling more like myself I'm starting to feel happier and more confident, which is motivation enough for me. And ooh, I'm not sure about going for a run with you, Mrs Marathon! I'd need first aid before long! x
Haha! Promise I’ll run at your pace 😀
Great work lady! The first steps are the hardest and it’s great you’ve been consciously made the decision to take steps towards a healthier you *high fives*
Your point three really stuck out to me – “3. I felt like crap, so I let people treat me like crap.” Totally what I do but hadn’t actually realised it until I read that.
I’ve been using my job as an excuse for not working out despite enjoying it (“Oh, I’m too tired… I’ll go tomorrow” had become a mantra.) But when my contract finished, instead of choosing to have a pity party for one, I decided I’d go to the gym since I finally didn’t have a good excuse not to go. That was only two weeks ago but slowly, slowly I’m feeling more confident.
Have fun at Virgin Gyms! My friend just signed up – despite hating gyms – and has been RAVING about it, but currently they only have three locations in Melbourne. When they expand, I’ll be there! 🙂
Looking forward to reading more about your journey, and your usual awesome travel articles!
Ahh thank you so much Nicole 🙂 I’m so glad to hear that you’re already feeling the confidence boost from getting back into the gym routine. Just a little bit of exercise each day has me feeling a lot better now that I’m not stuffing my face with carbs either!
Would definitely recommend Virgin Gyms if you get the chance to when they expand. It feels so good to have a state-of-the-art gym to hand so you don’t feel bad for catching up on TV haha x
I also want to give you a big hug after reading this brave and determined post. You’re one of the loveliest people I’ve ever met in my life, and the joy which you bring to my life will never be measured by a weighing machine or a tape measure – but that’s not the point. This is all about your wellbeing, your energy and your self-esteem, and I’m thrilled that all of these are getting a great boost. Your weight loss so far is a sparkling achievement which owes everything to your willpower, and I’m certain that you won’t stop now until you’ve reached your goal. Your plan of action sounds excellent, and I’m so looking forward to celebrating with you when your fitness regime hits the target.
Thank you so much my lovely Christopher, and it means the world to hear such motivational speech from you. As I’m sure you’ve gathered with your walking, a little bit of exercise goes a long way in boosting your wellbeing! Let’s hope we’ll be celebrating reaching my fitness target (with low-fat cakes and water, obviously..!) together soon xxx
Hi Emily,
Firstly bravo, it’s wonderful to hear you have acknowledged your situation and done something about it. When I was 19 I went traveling around the world and partied everyday because I was having the time of my life. I left home weighing 8 1/2 stone and pretty drained after working 2 jobs for 18 months saving up. When I returned briefly to England, I was just over 11 stone. My parents were mortified, they knew my 5ft 4 frame was not built for that much weight & it wasn’t good for me.
I left England for Greece a few weeks later having a little weight but had a long way to go. I had no confidence with speaking to guys because I wasn’t happy with my appearance. Thankfully, that changed one afternoon when I met Dave i lost the weight became healthy again (mostly due to sun, working many hours on my feet, sex and Greek salads) and as you know 12 years later Dave is now my awesome husband.
What I want to say is, you need to go through these dips in life to appreciate abs recognise what is good for you. Since coming back from Greece I’ve been careful to never return to that weight. Dave and I try to keep ourselves in shape and run a half marathon last year, which was amazing. But even now we’re on a diet and kick starting a new exercise regime. It sadly needs to become part of your life, but I can see you’ve got the bug and passion to achieve this already.
My advice is keep moving, even if it’s a short run or long walk – moving is better than doing nothing. Book in some fun runs, just short ones to begin with but it gives you a target and it’s fun. And finally listen to your body, when it’s beaten & tired take a break.
Good luck with your last 20 pounds Emily, I’m super proud of what you’ve achieved so far.
Love Jen xxx
I am soooo proud of you Emily!! This is an amazing achievement and you looked beautiful before and after starting on this project but I am thrilled to hear how much better you feel about your health and your confidence after taking this on. I have no doubts that you’ll reach your goal and you’re an inspiration for all those out there who feel like it just can’t be done. Well done! x
Emily – what a wonderful post. And truly such an inspiration. It’s so easy to get into a routine of desk during the day and TV in the evenings and it’s super that you’re making such great progress on your fitness goals (and that flowery dress and hat combo looks gorgeous on you, btw)
I came to a similar realisation recently when in Wales that paths that I would have taken on without a second thought before had now become just a bit too much effort – and even worse, that my energy is so low that I didn’t feel I was getting the best out of my trip at all. I’m not near a decent gym, and I’m not sure I’m enjoy running, but I have tracked down some of my fave YouTube exercise channels and will be dusting off my exercise bike forthwith! We can be virtual exercise buddies 😉
Are you planning on posting anything on what your new diet looks like? That’s a major struggle for me so would love to read some tips!
Much love! Emma xx
Emily this post has made me feel so warm and fuzzy inside! Weight is just a meaningless number but feeling happy, healthy and confident in yourself means everything! Well done for all your hard work getting to where you want to be <3
Love Kate xx
Wow, congratulations! That is such an amazing achievement. It’s so, so easy to put weight on and so flipping difficult to get it off! Looking forward to seeing how you get on. I think blogging about things like this is a great idea – it keeps you motivated and it’s so nice to know you’ve got people cheering you on and learning from you.
Well done Emily, that’s incredible that you’ve lost so much so quick. Well done. You must’ve really worked hard so I’m happy you’re feeling good about yourself. So damn hard to lose weight, especially with all the temptations of London. Next post a how to please. I’m looking for some sort of magic formula that means I can eat and drink and sit down, while losing a few stone. Not just healthy eating and exercise :).
I know I’m slow to the party with this, but GO YOU! You’ve done so well and I have no doubts that you’ll reach your goal. I love a good life overhaul – it’s so empowering!