Meet Ann One of the Weightloss Challengers

I always read the local magazines for interesting articles and events that are happening where I live, and noticed the article about the 4 week weightloss challenge. I used to be fairly active until a few years ago, but started to be a bit of a couch potato, my weight was creeping up and I wasn't happy with my appearance and had little self confidence, or motivation to do anything living on my own. I was becoming a hedgehog - not wanting to go out socially and not making the effort to do much at all. I thought this challenge could be my chance to pull myself together and work with like minded people to get fit again and lose some weight.



So I thought I've nothing to lose and dropped Jackie an email asking if I could be considered as one of the 10.


I was so surprised to get an email saying I had been chosen - that alone gave me a big boost to my self confidence thinking I had been chosen from so many applicants.


It was quite daunting the first week, I pulled up into the car park and saw a very slender woman sitting on the picnic bench - thinking this must be Jackie, and then as I approached, the other women emerged from their cars.


I wondered whether I would be able to keep up with the others fitness wise, but I managed and although we were told to go at our own pace if we found it too demanding, I felt able to try all of the exercises without pulling any muscles or hurting myself and kept pace with the rest of the group. I really enjoyed the first weeks traing session, and felt on a real high when I went home afterwards. I didn't sleep very well that night, my legs just seemed very restless, and the worse was to come - Wednesday morning I could hardly sit up to get out of bed - which just proved that those exercises where doing wonders for my stomach muscles.


I started to do more exercises at home, cycling to and from work and in the evenings. In addition to the motivation to take more exercise I was also starting to eat more - surprisingly enough I wasn't grazing enough or drinking enough water. Its been difficult to change to this eating habit, especially in the first week and I only managed to lose 1lb which compared to the others was disappointing, but I have been better this week.


I found the second weeks workout session just as enjoyable and challenging as the first, the grass was dry and itchy so I must remember to take a mat next week. A lot of the workout was in pairs which I enjoyed, but will not be able to do at home as I live alone, but I now have an email from Jackie showing all the individual exercises, so I can happily do these at home by myself. One good thing this week I haven't ached much at all, so my body must be getting used to the exercise again. I'm feeling much more cheerful in myself, and I know its as a result of this challenge, and thanks to Jackie. She's a great coach and motivator.


Work has been very stressful today and the good practice I have been putting in all week has fallen apart - with one bottle of water untouched on my desk and the rice cake uneaten as a snack - however


this weeks challenge of looking at the food portions on my plate was sorted when I got home, with half a plate of cauli & broccoli, a quarter of the plate - a piece of chicken, and a spoon of gravy as my other quarter. Hopefully tomorrow I will be back to my regime again.