2013 review and 2014 begins!

My goals for 2013 included:

• Running a marathon
• Completing the Coast to Coast
• Doing 2 half marathons in under 2hrs 15mins
• Getting a degree
• Find a weight I am happy with

Well I am proud to say I did them all apart from the half marathons in under 2hrs 15 but I DID do TWO half marathons, one without much training, awful weather and obscene hills, and I still managed a decent time! Oh and finding a happy weight didn't happen, in-fact I have gained 1.5stone since my smallest weight. But don't fear, that is changing this year! Aside from my goals I even tried pole dancing something I defiantly want to continue!

My marathon went well getting a less than decent time but one I am proud of considering again my lack of training. 

I am now a fully qualified mental health nurse with a 2:1. I am graduating this month! I can't wait!

2014

I started Insanity on Monday 30th December (who needs a new year to start something good?)

Holy WOW. It is tough but defiantly do-able! I am almost a week in and enjoying it! I am also following the meal plan although over the last 3 days that has been on and off with dipping into the Christmas chocolate stash. Damn cravings.

I also have plenty of races planned for this year! So onto my goals for 2014..

• Brighton Half in under 2hrs 20 (it was under 2 hours but I'm unsure)
• Finish The Nutty Challenge! 14k of obstacles!
• Complete the 2nd Yorkshire Marathon in under 5 hours (previous 5hrs 40)
• Finish the Beachy Head 10k
• Start my first nursing job!
• Begin pole fitness again
• Get to my goal weight of 53kg
• Do a pull up!
• Plan a wedding!!

So just a few things to keep me occupied! 

Vegan Challenge Week 1

Total time vegan 2weeks! BOOM. *Proud*

This time round it has been considerably easier then when I last attempted the challenge. Why? I think this time my heart is fully in it and knowing that I am going to an animal sanctuary at the end of the month is added motivation. I even went out for a 3 course meal at Pizza Express last night - all vegan! I had:

Starter: Dough balls with garlic oil rather than garlic butter

Main: Superfood salad no cheese
Dessert: Raspberry sorbet

OMNOMNOM. :)

I have also made these beauties:

Vegan Cinnamon Rolls and leftover Vegan Banana Bread

The cinnamon roll recipe came from Chole's Kitchen cookbook full of amazing vegan recipes! (All views my own, not being sponsored by the book)

Looking forward to the coming week with other new foods to try like vegan pizza from VBites. Can't wait for that to arrive!

In other news next week I'm starting a pole fitness course! 6 week beginner class. So glad I have finally managed to pluck up the courage and go for it!

I also went back to Spinning after a lonnnng time of not doing it. OUCH. But a good ouch...

November Vegan Challenge and Pile on the Miles 2013

First of all, October:

I completed the marathon in 5hour 41mins and 39sec. Not a fast time but considering I only did up to 15miles in training I'll say that went pretty well :). Multiple times during the race I just felt like crying, not necessarily from pain but from exhaustion! Would I do it again? Probably!

All Finished!

The losing weight didn't happen.
I didn't do any Yoga.
But I did get back to bootcamp :)


November Challenges

30 day Vegan Challenge
Yep! That old chestnut! This time its official, done by Animal Aid, you can check out the challenge at govegan.org.uk.
From this I have been invited to an open day down in Kent for one of the animal sanctuary's that save animals from harm, I am really looking forward to this and it is taking place at the end of the month!
I have already started eating vegan and have been for about a week now. I am loving it, despite the fact that I am currently eating more than usual, probably due to my mind subconsciously thinking I wont eat much food but in reality of course I will. I am hoping it will calm down once I am more confident with knowing what I can and can't eat.

Pile on the Miles 2013
A challenge over at runeatrepeat.com, where you set a mileage goal and get there beat it. Since I am still trying on keeping runs easy I have set myself a target of 80miles over the month of November.

Other November Goals:
Attend Spin class, I have found one that is pay as you go, one problem, it is at 06:30am! Yikes! I will try and get there at least once before the month is over.
Go swimming! I have been wanting to do this for a while just never had the confidence!

Right! Lets get on it!

October goals

I thought I'd get this one in early. I have had some new found motivation to lose the regained pounds oer the past week. Me and my friend are going to Costa Del Sol in Spain. Its official, it has been booked!

She was saying that she would feel bad if one of us ended up going without our ideal bikini body and since she is doing really well in her weight loss I really need to step mine up a notch. However, I did lose 1.6kg this week (wooo!) but I need to remember that it doesn't mean I can go all out and eat everything in sight all over again.

So here are some goals to keep me motivated through October:
Complete the marathon - pooping myself over this. I really can't wait till its done!
Lose 3.5-4kg in total over the month - Prize some new Soap and Glory items. I love their stuff!
Add in Yoga once per week
Get back to bootcamp

I have now finished uni and now looking for a job as a nurse. I have an interview coming up so fingers crossed!

Holiday motivation!

First of all the Coast to Coast walk, all of 192mile was amazing! Getting Sherpa van to move our stuff around was soo helpful and really added to the enjoyment, I would have hated to carry all out stuff around but now we have done it once I would like to do it being totally self-reliant. Something for the future.

Marathon Training
Not going well. There are times when I wonder if I should give up running the marathon all together, but there is still hope and I may be able to still run it without feeling like death (HA...yeahhhh..). So far my longest training run has been 10miles. Given its further then I have ever ran during training but that's not even half a marathon. I have attempted to go out for longer runs only to be held back by a really sharp pain in my ankle. I have now (eventually) been to the doctors about this and they have put me on a weeks course of strong anti inflammatory. He also recommend new shoes which is a given. Anyway I'm going out tomorrow with the attitude to run as far as I can above 13miles without causing damage, followed by a lovely ice bath.

Nurse Training.
I qualify in 2 weeks. Holy poo.

Holidays.
My friend and I have decided to go on a holiday :D. Not one of those 'Oh yeah we should really go on holiday together' but a get booked at the end of the month holiday!
This is just the PERFECT motivation I need to lose the extra weight I have gained!!
My goal weight 8st 5lb, 117lb, 53kg.
I have 6months
That's an average of 1.5-2lb or 0.5-1kg each week. Seems like a lot but I am determined to do it and I am doing all I can to keep my eyes focused on that goal. We are going to look amazing in out bikinis!
Time for some new weight loss goals which will be changed over there ----->

Ups and downs

...we all have them.

Ups:

• I have finished all academic work for my nursing degree and came out with a good result, just placements to finish and I will be a REAL mental health nurse!
• I am continuing with bootcamp and it is making my runs faster and my body stronger.
• I am doing the Wainwright Coast to Coast walk in a week today! 
• I have two very cute chinchilla who never fail to make me giggle.

Downs:

• I am well aware that I have put on over a stone since my lowest weight of 9st 7lb. I got lazy and thought I could eat anything. I began saying that I will lose a stone in 'x' amount of time and it never happened, and I get disheartened.
• It's freakin HOT here atm. My poor chinnies. They don't do well in over 23c heat and in our flat its getting over 25c! We are doing out best to keep them cool, such as putting frozen bottles of water in a sweet tin in there cage to act as a cooling seat, keeping the window open during the night and not letting them out for play if it is over 23c as they will run around like crazy things and get too warm! Here in the UK we don't have this kinda weather that often so it wouldn't be worth the £250 on an air con unit, at the mo anyway...
• Plus I don't do well in the heat either. I'm much more of a Spring person!
• Not sticking completely to my marathon training plan. Just missing some mid-week runs.
• Eating too much. Simple.

Well over the past few days I have solved my weight loss problem. Well, sort of. I have decided that setting a goal time is not a good thing for me. If there is a deadline, I will not make an effort until the last min and try everything possible often with a bad result. This applies to everything from assignments to weight loss.

My final placement is almost over (no more 1.5 hours of travelling!) then after my 3 weeks off I'm back for my elective placement in York. Phew. This will allow for more time for training.

Eating wise, I am going to try and add more fruit and veggies back into my diet again, avoid dairy where possible and try and cook for myself and Nick as much as I can. At the mo with all the heat, I can't be doing with cooking!

I have refocused my goals which do not have a time scale.

cw: 150lb BMI: 26.6
lw: 133lb
gw: 118-124lb BMI: 21.1

I'm not a fan of BMI, I am only using it as a guide.




Arg. Its just too warm in our little flat atm! I feel sick with the heat, either that or all the water I'm consuming! Boooo!  :(

Frustration

during any weight loss journey, we have all felt it.

I felt it today.

Gained 1.5lb.

It may not seem like a lot but when you're only losing 1lb per week putting on extra really stings. I can see where it came from. Having pizza on Friday after a (ironically) frustrating day at placement was probably not the best idea in the world. The frustration mainly focused around how I had been 'clean eating' all week doing this 'toxin detox' thing they recommend at bootcamp. No bread, pasta, potatos, caffine, tofu etc. I was sick of quinoa and veg buy the end of the week. Part of me thinks that eating mainly fruit and veg actually slowed my metabolism, could that be possible? I was (still am) running 4-5 times per week and have bootcamp 3 times a week. I never got that 'energy boost' you with people who report eating meat, fruit and veg. Not for me!

I have decided that calorie counting is the best and only real way I will lose weight and keep it off. So back to myfittnesspal. I have 1,500 kcal on a rest day and extra when I do exercise. God I hope this works...

It will work.

On the up side, my speed is up. I ran my best 4 miles in 40:50 the other day and my first 5 mile of the training plan in 51:14. I love myself for that. :D

I am loving bootcamp too. I always leave feeling happy and strong. The people who go are really supportive, and it's getting easier!