Changing My Body... in a Good Way

As a follow up to my brief #transformationtuesday post on Instagram, I wanted to share with you why I actively began to change my body and how I ended up in the state that I was in. 

Since the summer of 2016, I gained a lot of weight; partly due to my diet at the time but mainly as a result of my contraception. The side affects of contraception is a subject that I feel very passionate about, I don't believe that women are educated enough about what they're putting into their bodies and the consequences of it; but that's something I will write more about when I feel ready. 

Today's post isn't about that. Today I want to document my journey in more detail to aid any girls who have suffered the side affects I had suffered then and help put them on the path to put things right. You can reverse the weight gain; it takes a long time but it's possible.

I saw bloating in my face a lot which is something I am extremely affected by but unfortunately not something I have reversed just yet. However, I have figured out a fitness plan that is really helping me reshape my body and feel comfortable in my skin again. I thought I'd share with you what that is and how I keep myself motivated.

Here is a picture of what my body looked like when I first starting using the gym at Uni. I try to do an hour of cardio at the gym; usually starting on the cycling bike and finishing on the cross trainer. I then use the mats (if they're free, they're usually not) to do some circuit training exercises. I have also starting dabbling with weight machines but I don't really know what I'm doing and my social anxiety begs me not to make a fool of myself in front of the 'hench gym rats' so I save muscle stuff for home workouts. 

I noticed a huge change almost weeks after I started using the gym; mainly in terms of how I felt emotionally rather than physically. Even though I still wasn't happy with my body, I found comfort in knowing that I was doing something about it and I was getting healthier. 

I knew I needed to build muscle having started to loose weight; one YouTube account has really helped me to get a good home workout regime sorted. Lucy Wyndham-Read creates amazing home workout videos ranging in difficulty level and covering all sorts of weight loss concerns. I have used her videos to put together a bum, abs and bust workout that really makes me feel like I'm getting stronger and fitter. I use 1.5kg weights just to stretch myself further; I'm hoping to up to 5kg by the summer. I have noticed a bigger change from home workouts than actually using the gym. This is mainly in terms of how I feel the next day; my muscles ache more from home workouts which is how you know it's working. I still go to the gym at least once a week but I workout every other day; the other days being at home.

My diet has remained pretty much the same; I still snack... a lot. The main change I have made is being more conscious of protein which is so important if you work out. I am no longer exclusively vegetarian; a long battle with the flu and brief bout of depression made me suffer a complete loss of appetite, I added chicken back into my diet just to get me eating something. I planning on this being temporary; I hope to cut meat back out of my diet as a learn to cook and expand my pallet a little more. 

I know I could never cut out the treats that I love, and I don't particularly want to. I am not planning on becoming a complete fitness advocate; I believe in enjoying food the way that works for me. However, eating a little healthier is always good. 

This is a picture I took recently when shopping for new gym clothes that illustrates the changes I have made already and hope to continue developing. It's honestly so easy to make a change, the sooner you start, the less you have to reverse. It makes such a difference to your confidence and mood if you know you're actively trying to change. I hope this has been helpful; good luck!

Body positivity is not vanity or over-sharing.