From being a very young age, I have absolutely loved football whether that was watching or playing the beautiful game. I have always loved watching but I will be honest I have much preferred playing, there has never been a better feeling for me than kicking a football about. So when I had to stop playing due to injury at 21 I was lost, I didn't know what to do with myself, the weight flew on and I just wasn't as happy as I used to be. That is why I started my football blog Edge of the Area as I wanted to feel a part of the game once more. Then the Euros happened this year and I was well and truly inspired to be even more involved in the women's game, which led to me changing my site but most importantly I took the step to put my boots on and get playing once again.

During the Euros I was contacted by someone from where I went to play 5 a side a few times, they said that they were starting up a new team and asked if I wanted to be a part of it. Now to be honest at first I was really on the fence about this as it meant that I would have to meet new people, my weight still wasn't decreasing as I hoped and of course I was worried about my knee, it was only just getting easier to deal with the pain and somedays I also had no pain at all, did I really want to ruin this? In the end though the urge to get back to kicking a ball around was too much and I got signed back up. So far I have only played one game and done a few training sessions but I am already noticing some changes and those are... 

Losing weight

I am on the weight loss journey and before I was back playing I was struggling a bit, I wasn't getting the results I wanted each week and to be honest I was skipping workouts as my head just wasn't in it. Since getting into a routine with training though I am noticing the weight is starting to move again and I am fitting in each weights session and pushing myself to the limit to see improvements. I am feeling so much better from this and I am really looking forward to seeing the weight drop more and more as the season progresses. Getting a cardio training session in every week and a game a few times a month is going to be really beneficial. 

Confidence is growing

I have always suffered from very low confidence and meeting new people has been an absolute nightmare for me in the past. This was one thing I was really worried about with joining a new team, I would have to meet new people and see them weekly. I have noticed though my confidence is growing I am happy to be around these people as they are really welcoming and are easy to get along with. I will happily join in conversations with them and I have even signed up to go on the teams Christmas party which is something I would normally avoid. My confidence is just growing all round now and I can only see it growing as the season progresses.

Knee feels so much better

This is one that has surprised me a lot as I thought that it would have gone the opposite way, I thought I would be in a lot of pain but now the pain seems to be easing and overall it just feels a lot stronger than before, maybe it is due to me using it more but it will be interesting to see if this stays the same way throughout the season or not. I am so glad it is holding out for me as this really was my biggest worry going into my first sessions. I am hoping that at some point I can ditch the knee brace and play without a worry but that might be in a few seasons time, fingers crossed though. 

Feeling much happier

As I said earlier when I was told to stop playing mentally, I wasn't in a good place, I loved playing and I couldn't see my weekends without it after playing for so long. Now though even after just a few weeks I am noticing a big difference, you could say I am walking with a bit of a spring in my step. Granted before I was writing a game but it isn't the same as actually putting on your boots and playing. The changes mentally are helping in plenty of areas of my life and I think Liam is grateful for this happening. My moods have been so much better and I count down to training day and when I can play. The high after training is unbelievable too I just hope I can keep it up.  

More determined 

This is a big one for me as before starting to play again I was struggling as I said earlier in the post. I just wasn't getting the results I wanted, I was getting in my head a bit and slacking but since getting into a training routine that has totally changed. I am more determined than ever to achieve my goals as now I know that achieving those goals are going to help my playing performance. I am determined to see those goals hit and my performance improve.

I am so glad that I can finally play again and I am really looking forward to seeing how the season progresses for both the team and me personally, if I am noticing these changes already what am I going to notice by the end of the season? I don't look at my weight as an issue now as I know that as I play more and more I am going to lose that weight and improve my fitness massively. Being back playing is going to do me the world of good on my weight loss and fitness journey and it might help me reach my goals sooner, it is going to be a massive change mentally for me too as that thing I love is back, 90% of my week is football filled and I really can't complain. 

At the end of the season I will be doing another post to see just how much my fitness and weight loss has changed since putting my boots back on, plus any other aspect of my life which might have benefitted from playing again. 

Now it is time to have a great season. 

The hoodie 

I absolutely love these simple Nike hoodies with just the small logo on the chest. I have tried one on in the past and it fit really nice and was really comfortable which is exactly what you want from a hoodie. These are quite reasonably priced and I know that Nike lasts so I think it is time I invested in one at long last plus when it doesn't fit I can always use it for lounging around in as the weather gets colder. There are a lot of different colour options for this hoodie but I think I might go for a black or grey for layering in the cold autumn months.  

The sneakers 

Do I really need any more sneakers? Probably not but I can't help doing a bit of window shopping lately and that window shopping has led to me falling in love with a certain pair of Nike sneakers. I have had a pair of red Nike Blazers for years now and they are still going strong. That is why I want to treat myself to a pair of white ones with the black Swoosh. These will go with 99% of my wardrobe and just look a lot smarter than other sneakers I own and will be perfect for the outfits I want to create in the colder months.

The flannel shirt  

In the autumn a flannel shirt is an essential item for me. If I am going out anywhere or even just heading to work there is a high chance I will be wearing a flannel shirt. My wardrobe is full of them in different colours but they have been around for a while now, they are getting big for me and some are starting to look a little worse for wear so it is time to grab a new one for this autumn. H&M have them for a really reasonable price and they fit me better than ones from other stores so I will definitely be heading there to see what colour I can pick up for this autumn.

The bottoms  

Now normally this would be a pair of checked trousers, but my wardrobe is absolutely full of those at the moment. That is why this time around I would love to try something different, I am absolutely love cargo pants and have a few pairs now so I would love to add to that this autumn. I love the Jordan cargos that are available, and they are different to other cargos I own so maybe it is time to give them a try. Who knows if I get them they could end up being a pair I purchase over and over again as my size changes.

The jeans 

I am going through far too many pairs of jeans at the moment. They just don't seem to fit me for 2 minutes and a lot of my darker coloured pairs are way to big for me now. I tend to get all my jeans from Sainsbury's these days so I will be heading there soon to pick up a new pair of black jeans, I would love a skinny pair but lately I have been preferring the slim fit options they sell so if I can only get one pair of jeans this autumn it will be a pair of slim black ones.

The smart coat 

My coat collection is more suited for trips to the football than nice days out but I want to change that. I have seen so many smart looking coats that I would to try but this grey one from George at Asda is standing out to me the most. It is a bit of a longline coat which is something I wouldn't usually go for due to my height but I love it. I think if I try this on and like it the purchase will be made almost immediately. It would help create some great smart casual outfits for those colder shopping trips.

The everyday coat 

As I said before my coats at the moment are more suited for sitting out in the cold watching the football, I did have a Superdry coat for everyday wear however, this ripped recently so it is time for an upgrade as it was getting a bit big anyway. I would really love a North Face jacket but I think that is going to have to wait until I am at the target weight due to the cost of them. In the meantime though I am going to look for something similar on a budget.

The jewellery 

I have noticed that I tend to wear more jewellery in autumn, I am not sure why but that seems to be the way it goes. I have a few necklaces that are perfect for adding a little something extra to an otherwise simple outfit. What I am really lacking though is some rings that is why if I only buy one piece of jewellery it will be a new ring. I have been looking at a few Serge Denimes ones lately so no doubt it will be one of those that I go for. 

The fragrance 

I have been living in the CK Summer fragrance for the past few months but with the weather changing it is time to get a more autumnal that is a bit heavier and fits the season better. I have plenty of fragrances at the moment but they are much more suited to the summer weather so it is time to purchase something new. I think if I buy any fragrance this autumn it is going to be the Tom Ford black orchid one as I have this in the past and it became one of my all time favourites. The only issue is the price of this but it does make it worthwhile when you get plenty of compliments on it. 

The accessory 

Finally we have the accessory, if I can only buy one this autumn it is definitely going to be a new beanie. I absolutely love wearing hats in the autumn especially when they go with my outfit, I already have a grey one but I don't have a black one so that is going to be top of the priority list. I want one that is going to last me though so I am definitely going to have to shop around. If I can't find the perfect black one though I think I am going to get a different coloured one but make sure it goes with plenty of my wardrobe. 

So there you have it, if I could only buy one item from each category this autumn that is what I would buy. I am hoping that I can stick to just buying one item from each category as I am sick of wasting money on loads of clothing that doesn't last two minutes due to my weight loss. Plus with how bills are rising here in the UK I really do need to get saving more than I am currently doing. I am trying to do much better with my money and the items I am buying so fingers crossed doing this will be a big help. 

What is one item you would love to buy for the autumn?

September came and went in a flash, it was yet another busy month with so much going on including my Birthday but we have certainly made the most of the month and got so much done. I feel like I have barely been home this month which is a bit of a good and a bad thing as I have loved everything I have done but at the same time I could really have done with just sitting and relaxing. With September being another busy month once again I have discovered a lot of new favourite things alongside rediscovering old ones which have once again played a big part in September. So here are the favourites that made the cut this time around...

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Well autumn has well and truly arrived with cold weather rolling in a lot sooner than I hoped it would. Autumn is one of my favourite times of year as I absolutely love layering up and having cosy nights in after sitting freezing at the football. I don't tend to go out much in autumn other than to watch the football but when I do go out I like to play around with my clothing to layer up and create the perfect outfit. My biggest issue at the moment though is due to my weight loss I barely having any suitable autumn clothing that fits me and it is driving me insane at the moment trying to get ready on a morning, everything is far too oversized or still a bit too tight which certainly isn't ideal especially when it comes to layering up, I don't want everything oversized and hung off me. This got me thinking about what items I would really want to purchase for the autumn season which I would really get the wear out of and wouldn't just be hung in the wardrobe unworn like some items previously have been. So here are the items I would love to rebuy or add to my wardrobe this autumn...

Chunky knits

I had quite a few chunky knits from Primark last year and I loved wearing them for work or those shopping trips where I wanted to make a bit more of an effort. I tried on the ones I owned recently though, and they just hung off me so I definitely need to restock these for the autumn season as no doubt I will end up wearing these in winter too so I would definitely get my money worth. I am thinking grey, navy, maroon and even some autumnal brown ones of these for this year.  

Long sleeved t-shirts

I got some plain black long sleeved t-shirts last year and found these were perfect for layering, I had them under shirts and hoodies and felt comfortable and warm all day long. I definitely want to add more of these to my wardrobe this autumn as they soon became an essential item for me, I am hoping to get them in a few more colours too so that I have a few more options. I also fell in love with printed long sleeved t-shirts last year so again I will be adding a few more of these to my wardrobe ready to style with my cargo pants which I won't be stopping wearing anytime soon.

Rugby shirts

This is a new one that I have surprised myself with to be honest as I never thought I would own one of these. I picked one up from Primark recently and absolutely fell in love with the fit of it and came up with countless ways to style it which again surprised me as I thought I would struggle with that. I am definitely on the lookout for more of these in different colours as I can see them becoming an item I wear a lot over the next few months. 

Plain hoodies 

Now when I say plain hoodies I don't mean 100%, they can have small logos on, I just don't mean the ones I currently have where the prints take up the whole front or back of the actual hoodie. I just want some simple coloured plain hoodies that I am going to be able to layer under my dark denim jacket or as a way to dress down a blazer look, which is something I have seen on Pinterest and really want to try. I think 3 hoodies a black, a grey and a white would work well but then again who knows what other colours I could find and style. H&M and Nike have been the ones I have been looking at the most lately and I think these will be the ones I purchase first. 

Shirts for work

Working in an old building at this time of year is not ideal, the building is cold all the time so out go the t-shirts I have lived in all summer and in come the long sleeves which could easily become a favourite as I have seen a fair few shirts, that I want that are thicker than normal and will certainly make my outfits a bit smarter this time around. By adding these to the wardrobe it should really make a bit more effort with my work outfit plus it might also break it up for me as I would finally have work clothes and out of work clothes.

Checked shirts

Is it even autumn if I aren't wearing checked shirts far too often? Of course it isn't. I need to purchase a few new ones though this year as others are either too big now or are looking a bit worse for wear. There are some nice coloured ones in H&M at the moment and I think a few of them are going to be added into my wardrobe very soon. I definitely love styling checked shirts more than anything else in my wardrobe, so I am really looking forward to experimenting this season with both new and old checked shirts. 

Blazers

I used to absolutely love wearing blazers over a t-shirt but I no longer have any that fit me. It is time to get a few different blazers back into the wardrobe though for this autumn as I really want to try recreating some looks, I have seen on Pinterest where it is a blazer over a hoodie with some nice jeans. I am thinking of getting a nice black one, a grey one and possibly even a checked one. I just need to make sure they don't look too much like they are workwear and are more casual. 

Black jeans

Out of all the black jeans I currently own I think I have 2 pairs that fit me but they are starting to fade so I definitely need to get rid of these and finally purchase some new ones. I know I definitely want a new slim fit pair & a new skinny pair but I am also considering purchasing a ripped pair as I think that they would go well with the style I am leaning towards this autumn. I am definitely struggling when it comes to buying jeans at the moment so honestly I will take what I can get.

Checked pants

The past few autumns I have ended up living in checked pants. They just create much smarter outfits than jeans do and I actually feel really comfortable in them which is always an added bonus. I have always had my favourite pair from Matalan, I actually had 3 sizes of the same style at one point I loved them that much. My favourites are all too big or too worn out for me now so it is time for a restock.

Thick coat

It is time for me to invest in a much thicker coat than I have already. My Nike and Gymshark jackets aren't going to cut it on the much colder days so I am thinking of investing in a padded jacket that will hopefully keep me a lot warmer for those days out. I really want a North Face jacket this year but with the cost of them and how my size is changing I think I am going to find a cheaper alternative to one of these and save up for the real thing when my weight and size is where I want it to be and where it is going to be kept for a while. 

Gilet

I don't know why but I have wanted a gilet for the longest time and I think this autumn could be the time when I finally purchase one. I have had my eye on a few different ones at the moment but I am not 100% what style I want just yet. Either way when I do get one it will be used for layering on the cooler days, going to golf and going on walks. It is time to finally find the perfect gilet and make the purchase at long last. 

Biker style boots

Oh look here we are again, Lucy's wanting to wear something other than sneakers but is she actually going to purchase some this year? Well I am hoping if I find the perfect pair I will finally make the purchase. I have seen a few pairs that I want to try on so let's hope one of those pairs feels like the perfect one. These would certainly go with the style I am aiming for this autumn and it might finally make outfits look smarter than when I style them with sneakers.

Dr Martens

Another pair of footwear other than sneakers that I have been after are the classic Dr Marten lace up boots. I keep putting this purchase off due to the price though so maybe I will use some of the money I have saved up to treat myself to a pair at long last. I think I am going to get these in black, so they go with more of my wardrobe when I do finally purchase a pair. I think if I got these for autumn I would definitely get a fair amount of wear out of them plus they would definitely come in handy in the winter months as they will have a lot more grip than the sneakers I currently wear. Is it time to splash out on these boots at long last? 

Nike Blazers

I have had one pair of Nike Blazers for years and they are still going strong, the only problem though is they are bright red so don't really go with a lot of my current wardrobe. I have seen a few simple colourways such as white & black ones that are going to work with everything in my wardrobe. These would look great with the rugby shirts and chunky knits I am planning on wearing all autumn. They aren't too expensive either so should be the perfect addition and will hopefully last a while like my other pair. 

Thick socks 

Granted I wear the Nike sports socks all year round but this time of year calls for some that are a little bit thicker especially if I am planning on wearing boots. Primark usually have some pretty decent packs of thicker socks for me to get stocked up on and they are good value too. No doubt though I will just end up opting for more Nike socks as they are just so comfortable. 

Gloves

As someone who suffers from Raynaud's gloves are essential when the temperature drops. I like to make sure I have a few fingerless pairs for the autumn time as well as some thinner pairs just in case. I currently only have a pair of Manchester United gloves so it is time to invest in some new ones. I am also going to try get some that are suitable for when I am playing football as I know I am definitely going to need them for this when the temperature drops.

Beanies

It has been a while since I treated myself to a new beanie hat but this year I already have my eye on a few different ones from different brands. I have silly coloured ones at home currently so I want some more neutral ones that go with more of my outfits so that I can wear them a lot more often as I have always loved wearing hats. The silly coloured ones can then be reserved for watching the football in. 

Thick pyjamas 

With the cost of bills increasing, we are trying to find ways to stay warm without putting the heating on, plus there is nothing better in the cold weather than snuggling up in some thick cosy pyjamas so this autumn I am going to be purchasing a fair few pairs that are going to take me into winter too. I am thinking 3 pairs should do the trick and I am really looking forward to finally getting some as it means I will be nice and warm when in the games room for those long gaming sessions too.

So there you have it those are the items I will be looking at adding into my wardrobe this autumn. Fingers crossed these items will all help keep me nice and warm throughout the season and no doubt they will also be perfect for going into winter too which gives me the perfect excuse to actually buy them.

What is one item that you have on your autumn wish list? 

Well I wasn't planning on spending much this month and honestly I didn't think I had until I sat writing this post and my eyes were suddenly opened as to where all my money actually went. I honestly didn't realised just how much I had spent throughout the month and looking back now as few purchases were definitely impulse ones that maybe I shouldn't have bought but I decided it was time to treat myself, I really need to stop telling myself this though as it is costing me a fortune. Here is what I ended up treating myself to this month...

Oh here we go, the most expensive part of this post. As I said earlier football has certainly played a big part in this months spending and to be honest with this purchase I have definitely made use of my birthday vouchers well. I have wanted this Earps goalkeeper shirt for the longest time and thanks to my birthday voucher I got it for 10% off which is always a bonus. I love the design on this shirt and I can finally say I have a shirt in support of my favourite female goalkeeper. 

I always knew September was going to be a difficult month for staying on track especially with birthday celebrations taking up a full week in reality, then I got ill and struggled to get back on track. Looking back though I might not have done too well goal wise for the month of September, but I have seen some progress as my measurements have dropped once more on the problem areas such as my waist and hips which is an added bonus. Here is how I got on throughout September though...