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