I know I’m always going to have to think about what I eat in order to maintain a ‘happy’ weight. I had a lot of success and lost nearly 3 stone with Lighter Life as has been much documented on this very blog. Since reaching my lowest weight in May last year I have gained and lost the same stone and a bit quite a few times. I know I’m always full of grand plans but this time I’ve got a new one and it’s really really simple…


Eat Better
Eat Less
Move More


I don’t want to be ‘on a diet’ again because at some point that ‘diet’ has to end and that’s when the weight goes back on. So the new plan is pretty straight forward and hopefully sustainable in the long run. On a day to day basis I (and the boy) are cutting down our portion sizes, with the aid of smaller plates, but if we’re going out for a meal, or really fancy a pizza or some chocolate, then we’ll have it but just not every week. 


And as for the moving more – I am almost at the end of my third week of Fitness Bootcamp. It’s just half an hour of exercise, four times a week, outside in the cold and dark of a Scottish winter and it’s hard going, but bloody hell it works! After the first two days I could barely walk, I even had to use the lift at school because walking up and down stairs was so painful. But by the end of the first week most of the muscle pain had gone and now I’m just getting fitter and the pounds and inches are dropping off me. 


It’s not like one of those military fitness camps with lots of running and shouty drill sergeants either. Brian, the trainer is a very encouraging Geordie man who just shouts things like ‘good squats’, ‘keep going’ and ‘nearly there’ even when you’ve still got another 30 seconds of thigh burning squat hold to go. It is really hard while you’re doing it but the half hour is over before you know it. On a Tuesday I’ve even been managing to go to the 6.15am(!) workout because my Spanish class means I can’t go to the evening one. And for a person renowned for her dislike of mornings (early or otherwise) that’s not bad going.


Anyway, each camp runs for 4 weeks (with a free taster week before that) so I’ve got another 2 weeks to go of this one. I’m not sure what’ll happen over Christmas but I’m planning on going back in the New Year so I’m in tip top shape for the wedding in April. The other good thing about it is that once you’ve been going for a while and know the exercises there’s nothing to stop you doing it in your living room –  although I imagine I will be slightly less motivated without a Geordie man shouting encouragement at me. Still I really hope I can stick with these recent changes and that this really is the beginning of a new life. I’m certainly feeling good.