A weighty issue?

A weighty issue?



Well, I’ve always been what we could call, a ‘big girl’ or plus size. I was  skinnier once, but at a size 14 I looked ill, being 5ft 9 and broad  shouldered, I just truly looked ill. My dad is 6ft 4, my mam is 5ft 8 and  both are broad shouldered so I don’t stand a chance of being tiny!
 
I lost a whopping 6 stone for my wedding in 2006 and the majority has crept  back on. But enough’s enough.
 
I’m actually happy with how I look, most of the time and have found it  hasn’t inhibited me at all in my life. I don’t follow current fashion so I’m  not fussed the tat in Primark doesn’t fit, or that I can’t wear a string bikini. I go to the gym so I’m reasonably healthy.
 
My biggest issue is portion size. I don’t eat loads of chocolate, fried  foods and other stereotypical fatty food. I do however eat too much of the  good stuff. Do you get me? I’ll have a nice healthy pasta, but I’ll have far  too much.
 
This does come from force of habit from being a chef in my early career. It’s hard to swap from restaurant service to 2 person!
 
For the majority of 2010, I lived away from home in a hotel, alone, for  work. Being a woman on my own in a different city over the darker winter  months I found myself living solely on hotel room service, which let me tell  you is not the most healthy thing going. But needs and musts and by the time I returned home in February I found myself porkier than usual, up a couple of dress sizes and just generally feeling grotty. I am a classic apple  shape. Tall and leggy but carry all my weight around my middle!
 
Now I do have personal reasons this time for losing weight, which to be  honest I’m not in the mood for sharing, but as part of my ‘lady from a  tramp’ ethos I want to be a streamlined Katie by my 30th birthday. I’m being  realistic here and for my frame I’m aiming for a 16/18 dress size… rather  than an ideal weight – Which reminds me, does anyone else find those  pictures of Vanessa Feltz when she was still big claiming to be a slimmed  down size 10? If that’s the case I must only be a 12 😉 tee hee!
 
Until my work load and most recent illness has settled I can’t really attack  the gym and weight watchers with the ferver that I would like to, so for the  last 2 month I have been making healthy packed lunches, introducing more  fruit and veg in to my meals at home and trying to monitor portion size to the recommendations on the back of the packet. I have already noticed a  change in my clothes and I’ve dropped 1/2 sizes in just a short time so I  hope that maintains over the summer months!
 
My husband, Mr Tramp, is along for the ride. When we met almost 10yr ago he  was a mere slip of a boy with a 28-30″ waist and I must say, I do prefer him  more now with his ‘manly’ physique befitting a 28yr old adult and not a  young boy, he is quite keen to support and join in. Not so much to lose  weight but to increase health and vitality.
 
I’m giving myself ’til my birthday to follow this make shift diet (Middle of  May FYI) and then I am going to crack on and really knuckle down. I have  introduced some general vitamin & mineral supplements. I also retain water  like nobodies business which doesn’t help the bloat so I’d really like to look at a more natural cure / aid to this without taking something like  Adios. I’m also keen to give the C25K concept a proper go once I’m back  gymming it. I’ve been following Charlotte of Lipglossiping.com‘s progress and  she’s been doing really well so it’s convincing me to give it a whirl!
 
I’m calling my challenge ‘Fit not Fat’ and I would like to welcome aboard my  new support buddy, the gorgeous Kat from Kats Beauty review. We’re both turning 30 at nigh on the same time and after catching her tweet about her  own journey, it’s going to be good to have some moral support outside my  family & friend circle. Seeing as I’ve mentioned Kat, why not mooch over and  check out her blog. It reminds me of my kitty Lola!
 
From now on, I’m going to stamp all my ‘Fit not Fat’ posts with this little  icon and tag them so everyone can follow my progress and more so, so I can follow my own progress!

 



 
Sorry for the waffle… I feel better for venting so early on a Monday morning!
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OOTD – 13.05.11

OOTD – 13.05.11
13-05-11

As always, brands not exact but all styles & colours represented

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Sunday DIY : Treatment for dry hair

Being the frugal diva that I am, I got sick of spending my pennies on deep conditioners that just didn’t seem to work. Lord knows my bathroom is full of products I’ve tried.
I am even writing this while wrapped in clingfilm, as a deep treat before I go out tonight!

After a holiday in Marrekech (and stocking up on pure Argan Oil!), I learnt about just using a good, pure, olive oil to make a DIY treatment which nourishes and conditioners where it’s needed most. – I mentioned it a little bit here – Moroccan Oil Review

I hotfooted it to the local supermarket and picked up a small bottle of olive oil for <£2 and followed the instructions I’d cobbled together from Google.

.Apologies if this is something everyone knows, my mother says she used to do it in her youth too, but a lot of people I have spoken too are oblivious… This is my how-to :

 

You need :
Old t shirt / vest
Olive oil
Shower cap / cling film
Hair dryer
Hair bobble (optional)
 
1. Fill a sink with hand-hot water and put the bottle of oil upright in the sink to warm up. It needs to be warm but not chip-fat hot! I feel like it penetrates better when warm but that could be all in my head!

 2. Start with small amounts, apply to DRY hair, starting with the ends and working your way up the hair shaft. I personally find it easier to put my hair in to a pony tail to coat the ends, take it out then work a small amount of oil in to the roots – mids. You can skip the roots if you feel its better suited to your hair


3. Once you have oiled up, I usually put a shower cap over my hair to keep the heat in and contain the mess or wrap my hair in cling film. I always follow up with a gentle blitz with a hairdryer to increase the warmth and in theory the penetrating power.

4. I leave the oil on for as long as physically possible, usually 2hrs +. I get better results if I can leave it on over night but any length of time is better than nothing right?! I wouldn’t recommend this as a 5 minute jobby, it needs penetration (oo-er) time.

 5. When its time to wash the oil off I have a huge tip here – put the shampoo on before you add water (oil repels water!) and make it in to a lather before you wet it. It might take you 2 washes depending on the strength of your shampoo.



I find that doing this to your hair every 3 or 4 weeks leaves the ends so sleek and silky soft and for the price it’s natural and cost effective as I’d guess you’d get about 10 treatments out of a bottle for shoulder length hair.

I tried to do this once a week when my hair was in dire need but the 2nd week made no difference which to me would suggest the shaft is still full of the original oily nutrients!

I have yet to try almond oil, which is also meant to be good for a sore scalp as well as nourishing the hair.

Has anyone else tried a DIY hair treatment?

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OOTD – 27/03/2011 & shopping!

OOTD – 27/03/2011 & shopping!
OOTD - 27/03/2011




The outfit of the day!


Today I also picked up a stunning Becksondergaard scarf i’d had my eye on for a while and it retails at around £85.  It’s a beautiful coral peach colour with plum and gold stars on. It’s thin yet voluminous so will be perfect to see me through. It would also look lovely as a pashmina


The iphone camera washes it out slightly but it just reminds me of vintage tea rose coloured dresses







I also managed to snaffle some beautiful tan leather wedge courts (half price) and some gold and bronze gladiator style scholl inspired sandals… which will be perfect for holiday glam on an evening!


Good day shopping… out less than an hour too!

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OOTD – 26/03/2011

OOTD – 26/03/2011
Todays outfit of the day for a lazy saturday mooching around.

As always, the brands are not the same but the colours and styles are exact

OOTD - 26/03/2011

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