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!