There is nothing more motivating, weight wise, than being dumped. Actually there is, being dumped by a 21 year old. Khloe Kardashian works on her 'revenge body', other girls slip into post-break-up anorexia for a couple of months. My weight loss actually started before I had even broke up, my heart ache only helped me stick to the plan even more.
I joined Slimming World back in July. I was at my heaviest weight and had been for nearly 18 months. I had not been happy with my body for a long time. When I was 21 I found myself in a similar situation, I joined Slimming World and lost a stone in just 3 months. I managed to keep the weight off for a few years, but graduating, working an office job and then eating everything in sight whilst dating various guys really didn't do me any favours.
By summer 2015 I hadn't seen a full length photograph of myself in months. I had taken belfies in my undies, really with two aims. 1: to act as a confidence boost - maybe I wasn't as fat as I thought I was and 2: evidence of myself at my heaviest once I lost all the weight.
Within 2 weeks I had lost over half a stone, my aim was a stone and a half weight loss in total, getting me down to the weight I was at 21. The plan itself I find relatively easy, it's all about portion control and eating less of the wrong things and more of the right - all of the emotional drama I found myself in towards the end of last year helped me focus and the weight literally dropped off.
It wasn't long before the compliments started - those are always sure fire motivational moments. It makes you feel so good when you notice your clothes are loose but when other people start to notice too, you know you are on to a good thing. I had been feeling so uncomfortable in my own skin for ages, the body I had didn't feel like mine. I looked so different in pictures to what I did when I was younger, I avoided clothes shopping for a while, probably in denial about being a size 14-16.
I have always been body confident with guys. I am all about the lady curves; boobs, bums and flesh. I would never aspire to skin and bones. Also, any guy I have ever been with has always loved the curves too - I have never been made to feel gross about carrying a few extra pounds, I just did not feel great, I didn't feel like me.
At the end of November I reached my target weight at group and I can now maintain at Slimming World for free. I had always said that when I reached my target I was going to get on the exercise bandwagon - up until now my weight loss has all been diet control.
Over the last few weeks I have accounted for the extra Christmas eating with exercise. I even publicly set myself a challenge to get abs for my 29th birthday at the end of February, with #29ToneUp. I am deadly serious about it. I have been running 3x this week, doing yoga and a sit up, squat and plank routine every other day. I am determined to celebrate my last birthday of my twenties with the hottest body I have ever had. I plan to wear the same playsuit I wore for my 22nd. I have been starting my days with smoothies, thanks to a favourite Christmas present. I am definitely on it.
I have said many times over the last 5 months that I wanted to take of myself and treat my body a little better. I definitely feel 100x times better for it, my running and strength exercises have more recently helped me feel even better. I am hoping this new found love for my body and health will only continue and become one of my new hobbies that I so desperately want.
