Stop wasting time and energy

I saw something the other day which made me think and so I thought I would write a blog post about it. It was a picture on the internet which said something along the lines of:

'If you are upset, say what's bothered you.
If you want to go out with someone, ask them.'
Etc etc etc

Too many people don't speak their minds and it's just wasting everyone's time. Time is too precious to be wasted on wondering something. If you ask someone and you don't get an answer. Such as 'is something wrong?' if someone is being a bit off with you, then you get a response of 'nothing'. Move along. There is no point wasting your time wondering what their problem is because at the end of the day... It's their problem, not yours.

You don't NEED anyone. I have, like anyone, had friends in the past who I thought I'd be friends with forever. Then we go our separate ways and guess what? You make new friends. There is a reason certain people walk out of your life. If you needed them there, they would stick around.

Same goes for if you like somebody, don't waste time wondering if they like you back. That is time which you could be spending getting to know somebody else. Ask them out. If they aren't interested, it wasn't meant to be and move on.

Looking back on my life I have absolutely no regrets, except for the things I didn't do that I wish I'd done. The amount of times I was annoyed about something and I didn't say. This is something I am now avoiding. Sure, it might be awkward at the time, but people will respect you more if you're honest. Say what you are thinking. Say what you want because you're only wasting your own time of you don't do it.

Thanks for reading!

Mel x

Marshmallows to Marathons

In 2011 I was my heaviest at almost 16 stone. I was wearing size 18 clothes and avoided leaving the house as I was so uncomfortable in my own skin. I was never really an active child. I hated P.E. I avoided any sports hobbies or classes and I just loved to eat (who doesn't?!) I guess I have turned my life around in the past few years. I exercise a minimum of 4 days a week and I really enjoy it. My diet is still not brilliant, but it is definitely much better than it used to be.

To give you a brief background of my diet in 2011; I loved chocolate and would eat at least 1 bar a day. Crisps and fizzy drinks were also a huge part of my diet and I probably had at least one meal from a fast food restaurant a week.

Photo of me then (left):

What changed all of this was one afternoon back when I was working for Debenhams as a Sales Assistant. I was chatting away to a customer who seemed really friendly. Then​ she asked me 'when is it due?' I still cringe thinking about this today. It was mortifying. I was not pregnant, but clearly I looked it. She was just as humiliated, probably even more so. After that I decided something needed to change. I cannot be mistaken for a pregnant lady again. I was 18 and I should have loved going out clubbing and wearing outrageously revealing clothing like all my friends were, but I was too uncomfortable to do so. 

So I decided to diet. To begin with it was a case of cutting out the obvious things. I gave up fizzy drinks, fast food takeaways, unnecessary snacks and the main thing was chocolate. I gave it up for good. Cut it out of my diet forever. It has now been 6 years and I have still not had any chocolate. I am a recovered chocoholic! 

By 2012 I was a comfortable size 14, weighing about 13.10 stone. This was a plateau that I couldn't get past though. I tried everything. I joined the gym, I carried on eating healthier but could not shift any more weight. It was annoying to say the least. Then I heard about Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. 30 minute hit workouts for 30 days. I then did Jillian's Ripped In 30. I shifted another two stone. 11 stone is the recommended weight for my height. I would recommend Jillian's DVDs to anyone.

Photo of me now (left):

I'm 24 and have just done something I never in my life thought I would do. I have signed up for the 2018 London Marathon. I may not get in, but this is a huge challenge and something I will be working towards for the next year. I have just over a year to train and practice and I am so determined. My diet is still not brilliant. (I have eat two bags of marshmallows in the past two days!!) so this is something I am really going to have to work on over the next year. I will be documenting my training weekly on my blog. So check back for updates on my progress and if you do have any questions I would be happy to answer them.

Thanks for reading!

Mel x