Friday, 20 April 2012

How important is it to wear a sports bra?

How important is it to wear a sports bra when you go out power walking?

The simple answer is very important indeed. Since I set up Walking for Weight Loss in 2006 I have tried all sorts of sports bras, hoping to find one that minimised the bounce, gave me a good shape (as opposed to a sausage) and didn't cause any rubbing or chafing.

When you're power walking your bust moves in a figure of 8 shape rather than just up and down. Also when power walking, you have to pump your arms for momentum and this can cause the bra to move backwards and forwards under your bust. All this movement can cause uncomfortable and unsightly friction sores which can be very painful.

I have endured these "injuries" because I was advised that I was wearing the right size for me. And then I found www.boobydoo.com

I went on their newly revamped website and looked at the extensive ranges they have available. There was no question that they'd have something that would work for me. I have not been disappointed. I started wearing my Panache bra for power walking and I haven't looked back. It's attractive, comes in different colours, is underwired and is extremely comfortable. For this particular make I needed a 32F and yet in another brand I was a 34DD so it's a good idea to buy a couple of size options. They’re totally comfortable with sending the wrong one back.

Now when I go out, I feel so much more comfortable. I don't bounce so much and I don't get the horrible friction sores that have plagued me in the past. Apart from your shoes, I'd say your sports bra is the second most important item you can buy for doing exercise so make sure you buy what's right for you.

Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 11:09 am 0 comments

Saturday, 24 March 2012

The sun is shining but I can't face going out. Is that you?

The sun is shining but you just can't face going outside. Does that sound like you? It was certainly me back in 2005. Just crossing the road made me feel so ashamed because I could see my reflection in the shop window and I loathed what I saw so I had to always have my head down.

I felt the same about clothes shopping too so avoided that at all costs and only shopped online. Or if I did go shopping, I never tried things on because it would mean having to look in the mirror. I'd take a chance on sizes and buy items and if they weren't right I could take them back. Does that sound like you?

If it does, I absolutely know where you're coming from and I can empathise with your pain and discomfort.

So how do you go about making changes so that you don't feel like that anymore?

Having lost eight stone myself, I can certainly help you.

The most important thing is to recognise that you no longer want to feel this way. The only way it's going to stop is by making changes to the way you live your life, what you eat, doing exercise etc. But these changes won't just see you through your weight loss, they stay with you forever. After all, what is the point of putting in lots of effort, losing weight, feeling fabulous and then going out to celebrate with a big meal? Before you know it, the pounds start piling on, you start feeling guilty and a few months later you're back to square one. It doesn't have to be like that.

So instead of dreading the summer, start making those changes today and begin to enjoy the world around you by going to www.walkingforweightloss.co.uk

Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 5:04 pm 0 comments Labels: body image, eating habits, healthy, weight loss

Monday, 19 March 2012

What is a unit of alcohol and how many calories in a glass of wine?

What is a unit of alcohol and how many calories in a glass of wine? Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 3:29 pm 0 comments Labels: alcohol, weight loss

Thursday, 8 March 2012

You lose weight when you change old habits.

You lose weight when you change old habits ..it doesn’t sound exciting and we all know it is not rocket science but it can be hard to you!

After a lot of psychotherapy and counselling sessions the penny finally dropped that I had to make some drastic changes. I was 18 stone.

What are the old habits you might have to break?

For me it meant changing the way I look at food. I was a compulsive eater which was hard to stomach. Food was a constant in my life where other things may not have been. Food was a comfort, food was a friend when things went wrong, and if things were going too well I often sabotaged my success by eating.

Looking back now that I have lost the weight that person is almost unrecognisable.

My whole outlook on life and my opinion of myself is completely different today. I didn’t realise it at the time but I had become quite a negative person. I now believe in myself, and my ability to see food as a fuel and not as a comfort and the answer to emotional problems.

I needed to change my habits. I can help you discover what habits are holding you back. Go to http//www.walkingforweightloss.co.uk for more information.

Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 2:59 pm 0 comments Labels: eating disorder, eating habits, mindset, overweight, weight loss

Friday, 26 August 2011

In Today's News

Hi everyone

Have you read the news today? On BBC Breakfast, Radio 4 and BBC Radio London they were talking about the rise in obesity and what the government are proposing to do about it? They mentioned the cost to the NHS for obesity related illness such as Diabetes, stroke, heart disease and certain cancers. I'm surprised no-one heard me shouting at the TV/radio or saw my emails to said programmes!!

It made my blood boil. What the government be doing to curb obesity? Do we want to live in a nanny state? Really. What we put in our mouths is down to us surely? OK so perhaps the retailers could help out here. They could go back to five and half days trading like we had in the 60s and 70s. For any young things reading this they'll wonder what on earth I'm talking about. Shops used to open from 9 am to 5 pm Monday to Friday and there was half day trading on Saturday. But would this really help? On it's own, I don't think so.

There is not one single thing that needs changing, but several things. We need to look at how we live our lives; we need to look at how we perceive ourselves within our family unit; we need to stop using food as a reward; we need to ask ourselves if we like who we are; we need to ask ourselves if we are "happy"; and we need to ask ourselves what food is giving us that the people around us don't seem able to give. That's just for starters.

Unless we change the way see ourselves, we will never succeed at losing weight and keeping it off. I feel so passionate about this and I know I sound like I'm on a soap box but it's precisely because I've been morbidly obese and I know what that feels like and how I was perceived by society that I want to help.

I once went to a pop concert with my kids and I sat down in my seat which was on the end of a row. The kids sat next to me and there were some unoccupied seats next to them. The guy sitting behind me shouted at me to "Move my f*****g fat a**e because he couldn't see and neither could his child beside him! I was so embarrassed, angry, hurt and humiliated and I refused to move. But stories like this happen every day to the 25% of the population who are morbidly obese.

There's a quote on my website which is from Abraham Lincoln which says "That some achieve great success, is proof to all that others can achieve it is well". And do you know what, the best way to tackle our obesity crisis is to start now by believing in yourself and focussing on all the positive things you can do.
Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 5:52 pm 0 comments Labels: fat, healthy, obese, overweight, weightloss

Tuesday, 12 July 2011

On Monday I did another hour and a half in Black Park. It really is wonderful
to have these things on the doorstep.

Last night I went into London to attend an awards ceremony for Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation. This charity is very dear to me as my eldest has diabetes. I raised nearly £3000 for them when I climbed Kilimanjaro earlier this year.

Well you can imagine my surprise when they announced that I had won "Fundraiser of the Year" award. I certainly wasn't expecting to win anything. I just thought they'd invited me to say thanks for my support. I'm planning on doing the 300K cycle ride from London to Paris in June next year for the same charity. You read about it here first.

Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 9:06 am 0 comments

Saturday, 9 July 2011

A joke for the weekend

One of my clients sent me this joke so I thought I'd share it with you:

An Irishman was very overweight so doctor put him on a diet.
"I want you to eat regularly for two days then skip a day, then eat regularly for two then skip a day and repeat this for two weeks. When I see you in two weeks time you should have dropped 5lbs.

Two weeks later the Irishman returns to his doctor and he stands on the scales. The doctor is stunned as he's lost 60 lbs.

"That's amazing" said the doctor. "Did you follow my instructions?"

"Certainly did," replied the Irishman, "but I taut I was going ta drop dead on dat terd day."

"From hunger?" enquired the doctor.

"No, from the feckin' skippin'"

Well that might be a joke, but there is a message here and that is that if you want to lose weight you have to combine a good eating programme with an exercise regime.

Have a great weekend and make the most of today's sunshine. Posted by Walking for Weightloss at 8:01 am 0 comments
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