Fitness Challenge: Final Week

Well it is the final week of this fitness challenge and I am really pleased with myself, even though I may not have stuck to my original plan I feel that I have done pretty well. Not only with losing weight and inches but actually understanding my body more.

With the holidays been and gone I am surprised that I don't feel guilty or that I have gained a lot of weight, for a change I feel really good about myself throughout these past few weeks. I did have chocolate and ate more, which is normal as it is the holidays, but I ate sensible. I still have some chocolate left, which in the past would have been gone within a week.
I feel healthy, I am starting to understand my body much more since being on this challenge. I know when I should do some exercise and when I need to stop, I am drinking so much more and my skin feels more hydrated with doing that.
My clothes are not clinging to me anymore they are just hanging now, my family have even noticed a change in my body and are encouraging me with losing more which is giving me the extra boast to continue.

Before this challenge, all I really wanted to do was lose weight and be at a certain number, part of me thought it was gonna be easier than it has been, but my real challenge (other than losing the weight) is losing the weight and inches around my hips.

Anyways, onto the final results
Fluid intake - 5/6 cups
Chest - 50.5" (-0.15")
Waist - 50.8" (+0.5")
Hips - 59.11" (+0.13")
Weight - 19st 2lbs (+2lbs)

Before (front)

After (front)

Before (side)

After (side)

Ok so my final results show I have gained a bit in weight and inches, but I am not that upset about it. I have managed to lose 5 pounds and 9.3" through my chest and waist. Which for me is pretty awesome, plus I haven't gained another 7 pounds which is normally what happens when I lose some of my weight.
Even with my before and after photos I can see a difference, I don't look so round.

So overall I am so pleased with myself, I am glad that I joined in this challenge as well as it has helped me to understand things and actually give me more confidence to lose weight but still be healthy.
Thank you for that and I hope everyone has a lovely and healthy new year :)

Fitness Challenge: Week 11

I did it! I managed a whole week with no problems when it comes to doing any exercise..No pulled muscles, no toothaches which cause headaches which hurt more with any movements..Other than my usual joint problems.
I did forget to fill up the litre bottle and drink it during the day, although this week I drank a bit more than these past few weeks and it worked out that I did drink a litre and a bit, so that was good.

I am doing somewhat good for when it comes to snacks, I used to only want to snack on anything which had chocolate on, now I am being more healthier with not going for anything with chocolate. I make sure I tell my partner to put things like that on a higher shelf which I can not get to, because I know if I see it I will want it, so doing that does help a lot. I have swapped the chocolate for cheese, yogurt or carrot sticks or fruit.

Week 11 results
Fluid intake - 5 cups
Chest - 51.4" (no change)
Waist - 50.3" (-0.13")
Hips - 58.14 (-1.2")
Weight - 19st (-2lbs)

As week 11 mini challenge what to do some research on what it is to be healthy, I have tried to look through some sites. And from the ones I have looked at they have said pretty much the same thing. It is not just about eating the right food or doing the right amount of exercise that makes you healthy, its taking everything in life and having a balance of it all.
If you are working too hard, that may effect your sleep or your social life and you may get run down because you are wearing yourself out and not taking time to rest and get away from that sort of thing.
This is pretty much what I feel that being healthy is, its not just about being a certain size, its about making sure that your lifestyle, your mind and soul is healthy as well.

Fitness Challenge: Week 10

One of these weeks I will manage to actually  post on here that there has been no bumps in my week when it comes to this challenge!
I stupidly did some new exercise which I had found that was supposed to be good for losing inches on your hips - squats. And I didn't take it slow or easy I tried to do it the way that someone on a video had said was good for beginners, turns out it isn't that good if you haven't done these sort of exercises before.. I found that I had pulled a muscle in both of my upper legs and that I could hardly walk for most of the week.
I have defiantly learnt not to do that again!

Once my legs were back to normal I went straight back into doing a DVD workout and this time I pushed myself that tiny bit further of doing most of the DVD, about 3 different exercises - the last one I did, Rosemary Conley said this will help lose inches of your hips & thighs... Why didn't I read the info on the DVD in the first place, then I wouldn't have had that problem all week!

This week I am praying that nothing goes wrong and that I can actually get on and do more exercise. Apart from that this week has been ok.

So here are my results for Week 10
Fluid intake - 3/4 cups
Chest - 51.4" (-0.8")
Waist - 51" (-0.12")
Hips - 59" (+1.8")
Weight - 19st 2lbs (+1lbs)

Not that pleased with the results, mainly frustrated because of my hips - they will not lose many inches around there and I am going to try and focus a bit more on doing exercises for that area, also I am going to fill a litre bottle up and try to drink at least 2 of these.

Fitness Challenge: Week 9

If you read my last "My Apologies" you will know why I haven't been updating my fitness challenge.
It was difficult to stay on this challenge when I made the slightest move my whole face hurt and once the tooth was removed I wasn't allowed to do anything that would get my blood pumping in case it irritated the blood clot.

I am very pleased with myself for last week as I did so much walking, I was paying for it then and there as well as now but I am still proud of how much I tried to do.

I am eating so much more salads with my meals I can not believe that its me who is eating it. I don't give myself huge amounts because I don't want to "scare" myself or get bored of eating that amount, I am not used to eating salads and when I have done in the past, the lettuce normally chokes me so I feel that taking small steps will help me in the future with making sure I have something like a salad or something similar on my plate.

Week 9 Results
Fluid intake - 4 cups
Chest -  51.12" (+0.12")
Waist - 51.12" (no change)
Hips - 57.8" (-1.3")
Weight - 19st 1lbs (+1lbs)

I am so happy that I have finally lost something around my hips!
I never used to care what my measurements were and only cared about losing weight, but now that I am seeing that they both need taking into consideration I am trying to make sure I do some sort of exercise to help lose some inches.
This has made me very happy and I am starting to see a very small change in my body shape. :)

Makeup Buying Ban Week 60

I can not believe it has been over a year since I first started this challenge, I have managed to finish one item completely and there is 2 items which is almost finished.
Not really that happy that I have only managed to use up only 1 item through a year.
I think this is just because I am starting to really want to buy makeup now.

But there is no way that I am going to quit this challenge now, I am determined to get most of my makeup used up.

The item that I managed to finish was Maybelline Dream Mousse, 04 Heavenly Blue.
I was so disappointed with this as it was not what I was expecting. When I first saw this I thought it was going to have this lovely pigment, wouldn't have that heavy feeling on the eyes and would be smooth to apply. While it was not heavy on the eyes, the pigment was hardly there, it would take about 3 swipes to actually get some sort of colour and even then it wasn't really that flattering as it had some shimmer to it and so with each layer I was adding to try and get colour I was adding more shimmer to my eyes, which I didn't really like.
I couldn't apply it with a brush and my adding it with my fingers wasn't working either. Plus it didn't apply that smoothly for me.
I am just glad that I had bought this when it was only a £1, I would never have payed the full price for it and I would never buy this again to be honest.
The only good thing about this is that at the end you can keep the empty jar and adding some other product to it.

1 Swipe of Maybelline Dream Mousse

2 Swipes of Maybelline Dream Mousse

As I was search through my makeup bag to see what eyeshadows I had to start using, I found some Face UK eyeshadows, I had to throw these out as they were over 5 year old and when I was trying to do swatches of them, it was going clumpy and I didn't want to take a chance of applying that to my eyes.
I am trying to hold back on using my ELF eyeshadows as I want to save them to last, just because I love them.

So the eyeshadows that I am now starting to use are Go Cosmetics and W7 Cosmetics.

(L-R) Go Cosmetics -05 & 14. W7 - 03 Toffee, 06 Bamboo

(L-R) Go Cosmetics -05 & 14. W7 - 03 Toffee, 06 Bamboo

From the first look at these swatches it doesn't really seem like they are going to be that pigmented, but the two more neutral colours would probably be good for a highlight. I did swatch 06 Bamboo a few times but it wasn't really changing with each layer.
Go Cosmetics 14 would probably be a good duplicate for the Maybelline Dream Mousse.

For the rest of the face I am using; ELF Natural Radiance Blusher in Glow, Collection 2000 3 in 1 foundation, Avon Lipstick and Rimmel Glam Eyes mascara (couldn't seem to find a name for the colours on the foundation and lipstick)

Fitness Challenge: Week 5

These past few weeks have started to get rocky for me, things are starting to make me not concentrate as much on this fitness challenge as much I was at the beginning. This is where the hard work really starts and I am realising this was my problem in past attempts to lose weight.
I just to get side tracked or just get bored with it and go back to the old way of eating with hardly any exercise.
I am really trying to stay focused and I am always pleased with myself for not giving in to have huge amounts on my plate or having a lot of treats. To be honest I have been nibbling on the treats all this week, sometimes I have more than one..But it was my fault considering I made some chocolate fudge, to see if I could make it and see if it would be good enough for a present for my father. Having it in the fridge and seeing it all the time my mind keeps telling me its ok, you can have one small piece it wont hurt. But that seems to be happening every single day at this moment.
Normally these sort of treats would probably be gone in 1/2 maybe 3 days, at the moment they have lasted a couple of weeks which is pretty awesome.

I haven't been doing that much exercise, the cold weather is starting to come in and there is ice covering the paths and so I am a little bit worried of leaving the house, but I have been taking the dog out most days so I have been making sure I am doing a little bit of exercise. This is where I know that the DVD workouts will come in use more often now.

I haven't been able to do the mini challenge for week 5, but I will be hopefully doing that for week 6 along with the new mini challenge...Although my fruit and veg intake has increased and I am starting to enjoy the stuff as well :)

So here are my results for Week 5:
Fluid intake - 1/2 cups
Chest - 51" (+0.06")
Waist - 51.12" (+1.01")
Hips - 58" (-0.10")
Weight - 19st 0lbs (no loss)

Really not happy with my fluid intake and really need to make sure that I start to drink more again. I am really pleased to see that I have not gained anything this week within my weight. I know it isn't all about the number of the scales but for me I really need to get that number down and safe as possible as it shows that I am way over what someone my height and age should be, and I could be in a danger zone.
This time with this challenge I will get to the goal I have aimed for or at least learn and become more healthy so I can continue on with this to lose more, so I am in better health and shape.

Fitness Challenge: Week 3 & 4

These past two weeks have been a bit difficult for me to do any exercise, as my medication for my joint problems had ran out and I had to wait a week to get some more, so my body was all over the place and I tried to check in for week 3 but half way through writing I just couldn't type anymore and didn't feel up to it.
I did weigh and measure myself.

Week 3 results
Fluid intake - 3 cups
Chest - 51.12" (-0.4")
Waist - 52" (+1")
Hips - 58.5" (-0.3")
Weight - 19st 1lbs (-1lbs)

And for Week 4 results
Fluid intake - 2/3 cups
Chest - 50.10" (-1.2")
Waist - 50.13" (-1.3")
Hips - 58.10" (+0.5")
Weight - 19st 0lbs (-1lbs)

As this week has been a bit iffy due to my health as well as it being my time of month. I am very surprised I haven't put that much on, when normally it all piles on.

There hasn't been a huge change in what I eat, except for having more fruit and veg, making sure how much is on my plate and keeping an eye on how many treats I have do have.
The big change is changing our weekly treat of a take away to monthly. We both have noticed a difference, in how we are as well as our money. Plus I know that I have earned it and don't feel as bad than what I did do when having it weekly.

How do I involve my spirituality into this fitness challenge?
The main thing that I do is when I go for a walk, I look out for any signs or messages and just take in what what is going on at that moment with the seasons.
That is pretty much all I do, I am trying to think of more things but this is the one thing that I have always done even before this challenge.

Fitness Challenge: Week 2

Its the end of the second week and although I have managed to keep to a good portion size, fluid intake and doing exercise everyday; I feel as if I was more lazy this week.
This is pretty normal for me and I assume for most people, their first week they are head strong they will continue to do it and the second week comes along and they just don't have it in them. Maybe it is because I used a lot of energy in the first week and now I just want to rest and catch up on myself? But I did keep going, I made sure I got out and done some exercise and pretty much forced myself to drink (I have never been keen on drinking throughout the day so this is a huge challenge for me in itself).
I did have a few treats as well, a quarter of a pork pie and two chocolate treats, not in the same day but through out the week. Part of me feels guilty because of that but the other part of me doesn't and keeps telling me that I deserve it as I haven't had a treat for 2 weeks.

Week 2 Mini-Challenge
(The mini challenge was to find out why we emotionally eat and how can we change that)

All week I have been trying to figure out why I eat, of course for survival but why do I over eat?
I believe that it all started when I was little, I wasn't big when I was little..Well ok I had a little bit extra then everyone at school but I wasn't huge. But then I started to get bullied by most of the kids at the school and sometimes by the teachers. This continued until I was 16, once I got to high school the teachers didn't bully me but there were new faces and they would laugh and me or call me names and I just got sick of it and decided I couldn't go back to school, I left school without any grades..
Through all my school years I would turn to food to help, it seemed at the time to have all the answers for me but at the same time it was the problem. So I basically ate because I was unhappy, and I was unhappy because I ate.

My mum and dad would always cook our meals, we would normally have home cooked meals with veg and a decent portion. But my parents were getting tired and hurting more so we ended up having more processed food rather than homemade, but always making sure there was some sort of veg on our plates.
After meals I would sneak back in the kitchen and take a bit more food or get a biscuit or chocolate.

My mum and sisters would try and help me with losing weight, but it would pile on, even when I was eating the right foods and doing the right exercise and not cheating I would just put more and more weight on. And in the end I couldn't understand why.


I don't want to blame this on my health problems, but I do think that they do have some sort of role in this. Some of the problems I have and the medication that I have been on in the past and current say that one of the side effects are gaining weight, so this is something that is going to make losing weight even more tricky.

I am also not smoking as much as I was (used to smoke 40-60 a day) and so I am eating more because of that, I don't know why that it is but I think that happens with everyone.

My partner did have some influence for me gaining weight, as he would buy me chocolate treats and add extra to my plate, we would be playing more on the computer than going out walking the dog or just going for a walk. So he was adding to my problem, but after talking to him about this he helping me so much through this, he is even taking part in this without blogging about this and with these two weeks he has lost 4lbs, so we are now working together to be more healthy.

I guess the whole reason why I eat is for comfort, I haven't been able to get over the whole school problem fully and I still comfort eat because of that reason, or I think I am hungry so I will eat.
To stop this from happening I am going to try and switch this to drinking, if I think I am hungry get a drink or get some fruit, or even take the dog for a walk. Which I am starting to do.

Week 2 Results:
Fluid Intake - 4 cups per day
Chest - 52" (+1.8")
Waist - 51" (-1.6)
Hips - 58.8" (+0.2")
Weight - 19st 2lbs (-1lbs)

I am pleased I have lost some weight I thought I would have gained it with those treats I had.
I am slightly surprised with gaining a few inches on my chest and hips considering they look smaller, but my partner seems to be happy with me gaining an inch or so around the chest area, lol!

Fitness Challenge: Week 1

Well, it has been the first week of this fitness challenge, it has been a good week, I have managed to cut down on my food portion. I haven't went back for seconds plus I have said "no" to any extra food on my plate which is I am extremely proud of.
For snacks I have cut up some carrots and put them in the fridge so I can eat them whenever I feel like I need to eat something, plus I have some natural yogurt (fat free) and add some spice to it and have that as my dip for the carrots. Also eating a lot more fruit, well whatever I can get in the shops which is mainly kiwi fruit, pears and apples.
My fluid intake has been really good as well, I am now drinking about 4/5 cups a day which is pretty good.

It has been a bit challenging for my first week, the time of month. So I am normally craving all pasta and cheeses, funnily enough I go off chocolate slightly when it comes to this time, but I have managed to keep my cravings under control by mainly eating the carrots.

I have managed to do half an hour of exercise a day, whether that is a DVD workout or just walking the dog. It has been painful on my knees and so I may walk the dog more during the week and only do the DVD workout for 2 days a week, so it is a bit more gentle on my joints.

And here on my results for Week One:

Chest - 50.8" (-4")
Waist - 52.6"(-3.12")
Hips - 58.6"(-0.4")
Weight - 19st 3lbs(-4lbs)

I am very, very pleased and hope that I can continue to keep it off and not put it back on.

Fitness Challenge: The Plan

Each week of the Fitness Challenge the host will be giving us all a mini challenge to do, and as it is the first week she has done just that.
Basically there were 3 things to do in this mini challenge, the first to take a before photo (which I will post at the end of the 3 months), the second was to weigh and measure ourselves and lastly was to make a plan for our self for the 3 months.

Which I have done and it is:

• Eat more fruit and veg
  I hardly eat any veg or fruit at all, I have always found it boring and I am not too sure why. There is one veg that I will always eat and that is carrots, we always have some in the kitchen, always. But when it comes to fruit, I hardly have it in.
  
  
• Try to do an half an hour - hour exercise a day
  Whether that is half an hour walk and then do some exercise on the Wii. I do have to be careful with myself because of my conditions as well the size of myself and I don't want to rush things, so I am taking this steady with no running or anything similar to that which could really hurt my knees.
  If I cant get on the Wii I will try and make sure that I can do one of the exercise DVDs that I have.
  
  
• Drink more fluids
  Now this is something I really, really need to do. I am lucky if I have about 3 cups/pints of fluid a day, some days I can go with only 1 cup of fluid. I don't want to force the drinks down me so I will be taking this steady, but at the end of these 3 months I do want to be able to drink a lot more than 1 cup.
  
• Eat smaller portionsAlso if I feel as if I am hungry have a drink or get some fruit. I also need to learn to say "no" when it comes to extra added to my plate. I love food and I feel like I have a close bond with food after always going to it when I was younger when I was upset. I need to learn to distance myself from it, but at the same time enjoy what I eat without feeling guilty.

My measurements and weight:

Chest - 54.8"
Waist - 54"
Hips - 59"

Weight - 19st 7lbs
Goal weight - 18st
It may be only a small amount that I am wanting to lose, but I feel that it would be safer and easier for me to make sure that I am going at a steady weight loss. I don't just want to lose weight and be able to fit in smaller size clothes, I want to feel and be healthy.

Fitness Challenge

A blog I follow has started a fitness challenge which I am taking part in, so I hope that will be some success from this.
Trying to lose weight and get healthy on my own has been a challenge in it self and to be honest I haven't been that successful with it. I did manage to lose a few pounds but that I would gain over a stone. This is very common for me and I am not sure why this happens, I make sure I keep doing the same exercises and even try to up my exercise amount and make sure the food amount is the same as I had done from the start. It just seems to always happen that I lose a bit and gain a lot.

But with this fitness challenge which a lot of people have signed up to (so far 93 people) I am hoping it will encourage me to keep going forward with this weight loss journey.






Please do not comment on here or on that persons blog saying anything negative about paganism or witchcraft, this is my personal choice and I am not trying to force it into peoples faces. I have a separate blog for that all together, this blog is mainly for my weight loss, makeup etc. The reason I am putting this here is to tell you what challenge I am going to be taking part in.
And if any of you would like to take part in this as well then please just click on the picture and then sign yourself up for it.

Makeup Buying Ban Week 41

This ban is taking even longer than what I first thought it would, I am starting to feel the cravings creep in even more now, especially when you see some great offers on from ELF. But I have been very good and not bought anything.
I have also noticed that most of the brands that I am using are tested on animals, I am against this and wish to throw these products away, but I know that I will be cheating with this ban so I will try and use these them up as much as I can and will not use them again.

Make up buying ban update 3

It has been about 4 months since I started this ban and I am no where near finishing it and it feels like none of the products are going down either.
The last couple of weeks I have been very tempted to buy make up, I managed to stop myself so that was good, but I do feel like I am gonna crack and buy something.

I think I have done pretty good for not buying makeup for 4 months and I am finding things in my make up bag which I didn't realise I had, some of the products I have I wonder why I even bothered as they are that bad of quality, but never mind, I will learn for next time not to buy it.

That is all I have to update on really, but until next time - hopefully I will still be good and not buy anything!

Make up buying ban update

2 months have passed since I posted about the make up buying ban and I thought I would make an update post to see what has been happening with it.
I am actually very surprised at myself, I haven't caved in or got bored of doing this like I did with the project pan. In fact I am really enjoying this ban, I am remembering the products that I loved but at forgotten about, although I have had the occasional craving to buy some make up (damn you ELF for the lovely deals you have at the moment!) But Ive been good and not bought anything (well except for Christmas pressies but that is allowed - I just cant buy things for me), most items that are being brought out seem rather dull and not that interesting to me at this moment. Which is rather strange as I normally want to buy it all.

I guess doing this ban has helped me to calm down my habit for buying make up which I don't need. (Seriously, I have never seen that many eye shadows in one make up bag before in my life - apart from the make up artists.) I am understanding more about what colours suit my skin tone, how to apply colour in different areas on the eye area to make my eyes stand out more etc. It is all very interesting and very spiritual I guess, helping me to learn more about my skin, my body which I didn't know of...How it can help me to embrace my beauty instead of hiding it behind all the make up. :)

Make up buying ban

Yep, the title is right.
I have set myself a challenge to stop buying make up, until I have used up most of the make up that I own.
That includes no entering for freebies/competitions - which I have gotten most of my make up from.

So yes this is gonna be a real challenge, one that I have mixed feelings on. I am really excited for it, to see how well I can do but the other part is trying to hold myself back from entering competitions. (Sad and bad I know but it is true, I so like to enter comps..)


I will hopefully do an update blog to this in a couple of months time or so..Just to see if I am still on this challenge or not :P