As someone who was once a size 6 and now I am a size 10/12 postpartum, I'm finding it really difficult to get myself started again into a fitness regime. Fitness programmes are nothing new to me. About 10 years ago, I was I was a size 6 and I would wear clothes fit for a runway model. That size was the look back then. I didn't go to the gym and to be honest, I didn't need to because I was young and my metabolism was fast. When you are in your early 20s, no matter how slim you are, you still want to be skinnier. I started to go to the gym after work every other day for 2 years consistently. I went up one dress size but I looked fit!

I stopped going to the gym when I moved away from my gym but 3 years ago, I joined instagram and got inspired by the insta-fitties, such as @getfitwithnic_. I also discovered a page dedicated to HITT (high intensity interval training) workouts. The page is @hiitmax. For healthy food ideas, I followed @stohealthy and @custommealplans. I can't emphasise the importance of a healthy diet. What is the point of exercising if you're only going to come home and open a packet of crisps or crack open a bottle of wine? And speaking of alcohol, I found that when I was abstained for 12 weeks, the weight shed easier. When I would go out for meals or meet for a drink, I'd stick to pints of water and cranberry juice. In order not to appear unsocial, I used to tell a small lie that I was antibiotics. It worked all the time. It was easier than being egged on to "have just the one". I would drink 3 litres of water with a slice of lemon. I abstained from tea and coffee and when when work colleagues would ask what I wanted to drink, I would say hot water. Equipped with motivation and information, I managed to increase my butt, decrease my waist, build strength and energy.

Anyway, let's fast forward to the present. As I said, I'm a UK size 10/12 weighing 74kg. I've tried to start an exercise regime and failed twice in the last 4 weeks. But today will be different. I've taken a photo of myself as a "Before" picture which I will show the results in 12 weeks. Today is a new day! Today is brand new! I've decided that I'm probably going to use the BBG program for exercise ideas and use @custommealplans for nutrition ideas. Because my stomach is the most problem area, I will also be using my static bike for 15 minutes every morning as well. All exercise will be performed outside in my garden or at the local park.

Every morning I will have a positive mantra that I can remember for when I feel like giving up on that day or I'm tempted to indulge in junk food. Let's start this journey together.

Day 1
Mantra ~ the first step is the hardest but today I cease the day!
Exercise ~ jog/fast walk (cardio) for 35 minutes
Breakfast ~ cornflakes
Lunch ~ rice, chicken, veg
Snack ~ apple
Dinner ~ alfresco salad with salmon

Check the blog tomorrow for the entire Week 1 plan. Let's do this!

I know what you're thinking... "Oh no. Not another blog". So as I lay there in my bed at 2am, trying to fall asleep yet knowing that I'd have to be up within an hour to feed my infant son, I had a eureka moment (*note to self: must find out why they call it A eureka moment and not AN eureka moment. Grammer? If anyone knows, please share) - why not write a blog? It seemed like a good idea.... telling everyone about my life - both professional and personal - basically doing the very thing I despise about egotistical human beings.

But now that I've started the blog, I'm thinking to myself - What do I have to say that is of any interest to anyone? I do, after all, consider myself average special, meaning I'm just like everybody else but I'm special in that I'm like nobody else. So what can I contribute to the blogging community? Well, I'm wondering why I don't ever read about women like me... You know the type - a 'Carrie Bradshaw meets Tupac' type, the type who wears Timberlands with a tulle skirt, the type who collects fine art and collects dancehall Vinyl records. So what do I have to say that of interest to anyone? Well, I've decided that this blog isn't about everyone else. It's about me. It's my way of expressing myself. And if you like what I say, I hope you follow me :)