Since last September I have lost nearly 2 stones in weight and dropped from a size 14 to a size 8-10 and of course everyone is asking me how? So many of you are asking me “what’s your secret?” It is no secret. But how did I do it? 
We all know that if we want to lose weight we must eat less and do more. But let me help you! First of all I set about changing my diet. I had many bad habits which were created by my busy lifestyle. I would teach a class at 6pm and not eat before and then when I arrived home often at 10pm I would need food but be too tired to make anything so I would eat pizza! I also used to eat a lot of carbohydrates believing that I needed them for energy. We all need carbohydrates but to be able to lose weight I need to cut a lot of them out. Habits had to change. No more fast foods, alcohol and sugary snacks but lots of fruit, vegetables and WATER!
I was also advised to increase my activity. I know you are probably surprised by this! But, the exercise classes I teach are for the customer YOU not me. I am exercising whilst teachings don’t misunderstand me, but I needed to incorporate something for myself. So, I began running and going to BOKWA classes and I added resistance training into my weekly schedule. I also now walk the children to school as often as I can and take them swimming once as week. I am always thinking of more ways to get moving and not sit about.
Rest is very important. Whilst I taught boot camp I was getting up very early but not going to bed early enough! I became tired and tiredness can sometimes translate itself as hunger. Any new mum will agree that when you have sleepless nights you reach for the digestive biscuits to keep you going. So I realised that I must take care of myself and make sure I was getting enough sleep.
Eating well, resting and getting enough water helps your body to work correctly. Because I did this I lost weight.
Here are my top ten tips!
1. Limit Alcohol. Empty calories… I drank fizzy sugar free flavoured water in a wine glass instead.
2. Eat fruit but make it interesting. Chop it up or make it into a smoothie.
3. Mix up your diet. Try something new.
4. Portion control. Use a tea plate for your meal. You can always have more.
5. Control the carbs. I used to pile my bowl high full of pasta. Now I may have some rice or potatoes but not all the time and not a lot.
6. Try something new … Bokwa is the new craze and it burns calories like crazy. If an instructor wants to work out they do bokwa : it burns!
7. Treat yourself. Perhaps save the money you would have spent on wine and have your nails done or buy those new skinny jeans in a smaller size.
8. Write down what you do and what you eat. If you don’t have the time, take a photo on your phone of everything you eat in a day, you would be surprised.
9. Learn to say NO! Once you have said no it gets easier. REALLY!
10. Use all opportunities to exercise. I recently went for a 4 mile run and ran to my son’s school, collected him and we jogged home together. He loved it!
New Bokwa classes…
Monday 8pm Hetton Centre
Wednesday 7.15pm Silksworth Community Centre
Thursday 12.15pm Sunderland City Space University Campus
Remember be happy, have fun and keep smiling! It works for me xx
