Why I'll never compete...

"Why do you diet and train if you aren't competing."

If I had a pound for every person that said this to me lately, I'd have enough money to buy myself a protective shield to defend against the morons who question my motivation.

I have always stood by the fact that I admire those who compete. The sheer guts it takes to step on to that stage and be judged so critically is something that most of us will never have. I am lucky to have some of the most passionate friends in the industry who do compete and I will support them always. Despite admiring those who take the competition plunge, it is something that will never appeal to me.

Self-doubt.

The English language has always fascinated me. The ability to transfer all the thoughts in our head that are swimming around at one hundred miles per hour, carelessly bashing into one and other, into some sort of order and restrain can often be the cure to many people's downward spiral. Often seeking comfort in knowing that you are not alone in these dark thoughts, because someone else out there has taken the time to write them down and let you know it's okay to doubt yourself, it is normal to not feel happy all of the time, and it's okay to want to change. 

People have often said to me over the last few years 'you've changed' and yes I have. I've changed because where I was a few years ago wasn't where I wanted to be. I've changed because I've grown, priorities have altered and a desire to better myself has emerged from within, where it was often overshadowed by crippling self-doubt and low self esteem. 

Mind Management

Our aesthetic make up can often fool others into thinking they know exactly who we are. 

Those ignorant to the time and effort it takes to change your body, often mistake it for arrogance and vanity and although some may craft amazing bodies, their mind, passion and drive can often go unnoticed in the process. 

I find it fascinating that although I have transformed my body over the last few years, some major insecurities, fears and stresses still remain. The kind of worries that often go unnoticed behind a good tight fitting dress and coat of lipstick. 

reaching past the fads.

 

Walking into the kitchen at my parent's house, I was faced with typical sights: a little bag of funsized milky-ways which promise to be 'less than 80 calories and 45% less fat" and now the new addition of 'Low fat, special K, granola'.
 
We are currently in a sedately society, in which many people suffer with health problems due to weight. We are also surrounded by 'miracle products,' which promise all the satisfaction, without the guilt, or all the hard work, with minimal effort.
 

Inner strength.

I've often been known to stress the importance of maintaining a healthy mind-set as well as a healthy body. This is been particularly important to me recently when my courage and positivity has been put to the test.

To those who do not train regularly, the idea that you can spend every day doing exercise is often seen as completely alien. 'What do you do for fun though?' is often asked when I talk about my working, training routine.

For me, the gym is my release, it is my fun, my playground. This is been a particularly amazing tool lately when going through some tough family times and knowing I could escape the worries of the world for an hour or two.

How healthy is healthy?

This post is about exposing some harsh truths, and the reality of obsessive behaviour.

So, you've made the healthy change. You've lost weight and are feeling amazing, your clothes are loose, your energy is up, and your mind is focused, but think carefully, when was the last time you laughed? When was the last time you took the time to see your friends, or spend some quality time with a loved one? When was the last time you did an activity that wasn't meal prepping, exercising or health related?

Big Britain.

Britain's state of health has come under serious scrutiny over the last decade, with more and more people hitting the both ends of the weight extremes spectrum.

I believe we are one of the countries most obsessed about our appearance and attractiveness to others and often this results in preconceptions before we've even opened our mouths.

The average size for a UK woman is now a size 16 and since the 1950s, the average woman's waist size has increased 7 inches. I understand every woman deserves to feel comfortable in her skin, and feel beautiful no matter what, but the reality of our increasing waistline average is the increasing amount of media that circulates the message that big is now the norm.