What a difference a year makes // Losing a stone

I usually post health and fitness related content over on my fitness blog, but I wanted to share this here on the main site as I get more views here.

This time last year I was 1 stone and 4lbs heavier than I am now. I was just recovering from my second episode of vertigo that left me unable to move for weeks. I was almost a year into a relationship and we had just moved in together so we were drinking and eating more than I’d like to admit. I was struggling to get into a routine after moving from Leeds to York. Still figuring out when I’d be able to go to my new gym on top of my new hour commute to work.

There was just lots going on and I let my health slip. If you follow me on Instagram and can be arsed to click on my stories, you’ll know that I’ve been going to the gym regularly since I came back from Australia last December and I’ve been seeing a PT.

I just wanted to share some photos of how I look now, vs a year ago.

I lost the weight very slowly from around December – June. I’ve spent a couple of months maintaining my current weight which I’ve been okay with. I’ve been on holiday, been eating more and also trying to gain some muscle mass.

When you break it down, it was pretty simple. I just ate less and moved more.

I was going to the gym an average of 6 times a week. Around February I would replace the gym once a week with running or cycling outdoors. I followed the plan my PT gave me which was mostly circuit based on my lone sessions, with my PT sessions being a mixture of circuits and strength building.

Circuits are great because you get your heartbeat up and burn lots of calories while also engaging muscles which helps to build strength and add tone. Cardio is great for weight loss, but by just burning calories you are not going to build as much muscle.

I tracked my calories on myfitnesspal and stayed within my target calories. For tea, I made a lot of the low carb meals from the Joe Wicks Lean in 5 books. I didn’t go fully low carb, but I tried to reduce them for my evening meal at least.

I still went out once or twice a month and drank beer, wine and ordered a steak. I still have a few drinks once or twice a week. I found balance and it made me feel like I wasn’t restricting myself.

Now I am working more on strength than cardio. I’m making great progress with my upper body strength and my goals are related to how much I can lift, not how much I weigh.

So yeah, this is me: