Getting Back to Fitness | My Long-Term Plan For Future Health (New Series)

So the time has come: My plan for getting back to fitness following my back/leg injury last year is underway.

This is no short-term thing just to shift the pounds I inevitably put on over Christmas whilst being completely laid up and immobile – this is my long-term plan for my future health.

I want YOU to be a part of it – I’m sharing everything, warts and all – and it starts right here!

A couple of weeks ago I wrote about why you should never take being able-bodied for granted. It struck a chord with so many people who had suffered similar injuries or were struggling with illnesses, and I was touched by the fact that so many people shared their stories in the comments and on Facebook. Although I already knew it, it made me realise that I am very, very lucky to be in reasonable health and that my injury was only temporary.

(It didn’t seem like it at the time – at one point it was so painful I honestly couldn’t imagine being able to walk with ease again.)

But gradually it did get better, and I’m back walking daily and looking forward to building up my fitness. I’m about 98% better, and it’s my drop in fitness levels that’s now more of a concern than the residual pain from the injury itself.

 

The plan for getting back to fitness

So! Here’s the plan. Every day from Monday 29th (tomorrow) I am going to document what I do, as I do it, in terms of my walks, workouts, food intake and sleep on Twitter via my hashtag #notlambFIT. I am making myself accountable in a very public way, so there will be no excuses.

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The use of the hashtag will effectively create an online diary to track my progress. Then, every second Sunday, I’ll sum up the previous two weeks of diet and exercise as well as (gulp) my weight and measurements in a #notlambFIT update post on the blog. I’ll share one of those hideous “before” style photos standing in just leggings and a tight top looking uncomfortable. (It also has to be done looking unhappy – you only smile for the “after” picture because, by then, you’re just too fabulous…!)

I just want to mention a few things before the first post in two weeks’ time: Namely what my motivation is, why I’m doing it, what sort of shape I’m in right now, etc., etc.

 

Getting back to fitness – my motivation

Firstly, I am doing this for the following reasons (this is not necessarily in order of priority):

1. I want to build my strength and my immune system in order to give me a better chance of living a long, happy, healthy life
2. I want to sleep better. I have no problem sleeping, my problem is the opposite: I want to be able to wake up feeling fresh and energetic, not lethargic (I can sleep for Britain)
3. I want to stave off colds, bugs, monthly cramps, headaches, daytime lethargy – all things I suffer from when I’m unfit
4. I want more energy
5. I want my legs to stop hurting – by this I mean the fatty deposits that build up (because that is where all my weight goes) that hurt if I get prodded on the thigh. When I’m chunkier they seriously hurt (does anyone else get this? I’d love to know)
6. I want to stop sugar cravings because I enjoy eating healthily so much but get lazy and cram-eat biscuits and chocolate instead which give me the headaches mentioned earlier
7. I want to be able to wear all the clothes I can no longer fit into. Of all the gorgeous clothes that I own that I want to wear, I can only fit into about 50% of them and it upsets me

 

The current situation with my weight/fitness

This is what I need to make clear to myself as much as anyone(!)

1. I am not grossly overweight, and I fully realise that. I simply want to tone up and shift the pounds that slowly crept on leading up to Christmas plus the ones that piled on during Christmas and my injury (nice timing, body – thanks a bunch).
2. I am not comparing myself to anyone else in terms of body image, size or weight. I simply want to get back to the shape that I feel happiest at – it’s the size and shape I know I’m healthiest.
3. I do not want people to think that I “don’t need to lose weight” – clothes, the way you style them, and the way you photograph them all contribute to disguising problem areas. I know that I’m unfit because my clothes are far too tight, I haven’t exercised in months, I haven’t cut back on my eating in any way since the injury and I’m lacking in energy.
4. All my weight goes in one area – my bum and legs. If I wear a maxi skirt and a sleeveless top then yes, I will look very, very slim to some as I’m particularly bony around my collarbone and I have stick-like arms. My legs are way out of proportion with my upper body and I want to even myself up.

 

The most important reason anyone has to lose weight – when excess weight needs to be lost – is to do it for your health.

Health and fitness is NOT about physical appearance. It’s about building up your immune system, getting strong and feeling alive because of all the energy you have. Weight loss can be a very satisfying side-effect – if you switch up your lifestyle to one involving plenty of exercise, sleep and clean food then you will inevitably lose a few pounds.

So in two weeks I’ll be back with all my “before” details, and what my exact goals are. By making myself accountable on Twitter and the blog there’ll be no hiding an evening sat on the sofa eating two packs of Jaffa Cakes and just one more episode of whatever box set I’m watching instead of going to bed.

Let’s do this!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT I’D LIKE TO KNOW IS – WILL YOU BE JOINING ME IN GETTING BACK TO FITNESS? DO YOU NEED THE MOTIVATION TO BUILD YOURSELF BACK UP AFTER X, Y OR Z? TELL ME IN THE COMMENTS!

P.S. FOR MORE HELPFUL FITNESS TIPS, CHECK OUT MY 10 EASY TIPS FOR GETTING FIT AT ANY AGE!