Payday is fast approaching which I am very grateful for as things really haven't gone to plan with this months pay, in fact I didn't stick to the budget at all and went overboard once more. With payday approaching though I have been thinking about savings and what I want my future money to go on as I am sick of just throwing money away, it is safe to my money habits haven't changed at all this year which I am pretty mad about to be honest but they will improve soon, that is a promise I am making to myself. I am determined that May's pay is going to last me much longer and be spent wisely however, a big focus for this payday onward is saving for the jobs we want to get done in 2023 and for a great summer. We haven't even started on the jobs we wanted to get done this year but those are going to be a slow process I guess and I think we knew this was always going to be the case for the jobs at hand. The big thing for us though is making the most of this summer and enjoy the nice weather we hopefully get during the period. 

Last summer was filled with the Women's Euros which meant hours in the car travel to different games, watching plenty of different countries or sat glued to the TV to see just how each game played out if we weren't in the stadium watching it. Granted this was an amazing summer making memories that will last a lifetime but at the same time I don't feel like we got to do much other than watch the football which don't get me wrong was great but this year I want to do so much more. 

One of the big things I want to get done this summer is get the gardens completed so we can enjoy the spaces without sitting and picking faults with them. There will be some cost involved in this due to needing paint, wood, accessories and possibly furniture however, this should be relatively low cost and will be worth while as it will give us space to just relax on weekends and evenings after work. I don't want to be stuck in all summer so anything to make the garden more appealing is worth the cost in our eyes. The plan is to get as much done in the garden ourselves to cutback on costs and hopefully we can get it done nice and early in the summer season so that we can enjoy the nice weather rather than slaving away.

We really want to make the most of the weather and make plenty of memories with family and the dog so every penny save will definitely help us out in a lot of ways but overall when we look at it we can really enjoy the weather with plenty of low cost activities which will help save money all round but will still let us create those fun memories we are hoping for. We don't need to spend a fortune to enjoy ourselves, yes somethings will carry a price tag however, a lot of things can be done on a low budget or free of charge. Here are some of the things we are hoping to do to have a great summer making memories but also save money in the process...

Free days out 

We are English Heritage members and the dog is allowed to most of those places so we are hoping to get the most out of the membership over this period but even locally there is plenty we can do. Nice dog walks around the reservoirs or parks don't cost a penny and it gets us out of the house for a while, we can even meet up with family and spend hours enjoying ourselves without spending a penny.

Picnics

Now picnics are something me and the nephew are looking forward to doing together as we had a few in lockdown and they were a lot of fun. The best part is we can even have these in the garden so the only cost is the food and we can play with all the nephews toys and just have a lot of fun together. There are plenty of parks we could go to locally too so we wouldn't be spending a fortune on these and we definitely don't need to go overboard on the amount of food we have either. We could even take picnics on a free day out too so we aren't spending a fortune on food and drink whilst we are out. 

Evening drinks in the garden

Rather than going out shopping after work or just sitting in the house bored we are hoping that we can enjoy time out in the garden with a few drinks just relaxing. We have plenty of drinks already in so we wont be spending a fortune on drinks that will go to waste and it will just be a nice way to catch up on our day whilst the dog gets to run around and no doubt enjoy himself more than we will. We could even invite people round for this just to have different company if we wanted but even just with me, Liam and the dog it will be a nice change to sitting in or going and spending a fortune on a summers evening... shopping isn't the way to enjoy the summer months. 

BBQ's 

In the 5 years we have been in the house we have had probably 2 BBQ's which when we think about it is ridiculous as our back garden is absolutely perfect for hosting the family and just having a nice relaxed BBQ making memories together. This year we are determined to have a few BBQ's even if it is just me & Liam we need to get the most of our outdoor space and you really can't beat a good BBQ. You can get plenty of deals on BBQ food and drink at this time of year so let's hope we get plenty of nice weather to enjoy as many as possible.

Pizza & Wine night

My dad got a pizza oven a while back and to be honest I am hoping he lets us steal it a fair few times over the summer so we can have some fun pizza and wine nights. We can make our own pizzas and sit out and enjoy the weather whilst they are cooking away which I think would be fantastic and provide an entertaining evening. It could also be a bit of a healthier way of having our favourite food if we make it ourselves.

As I say it is all about making those memories this summer, rather than going out and spending a fortune on things that we really don't need. I am hoping to have a really fun summer this time around and really make the most of the time we have and the weather that will hopefully be brilliant just like last summer. We already have plenty planned and I am really looking forward to seeing how the next few months play out. No doubt you will be able to follow along over on social media. Now lets have a great few months.

I will be completely honest, since the start of 2023 I have lost a lot of the progress I had previously made on my weight loss & fitness journey and I am not happy with myself due to this. Since the start of the year I have been seriously slacking and letting life get in the way, saying yes to things I new would push progress back but I just didn't want to miss out which sounds really silly now I come to think about it. Saying yes to these things created a lack of time so I got less & less workouts in and it led to me making poor choices when it came to ordering food, I have definitely seen myself slip into old habits once more. Doing these things has led to me seeing an increase on the scales and it has really knocked me however, previously would have given up where as this version of me is absolutely determined to change my ways and start making progress once more as I know that I am more than capable and I think knowing I have done it all before is that bit of extra motivation I need to keep pushing on and make that real progress on my journey.

A big factor I think that is helping me stay motivated is the fact that yes the scales might be going up but overall my body is 100% changing, I can see a shape cutting in other than just being round and my clothes are fitting me so much better. I think seeing the physical progress has finally made me realise that it isn't just the number on the scale that matters, other factors can show you that you are actually doing better than you think.

Since starting my journey I have also seen a bit improvement in my life overall and seeing this progress has also motivated me to continue as if I hit that goal, just how much is my life going to improve? Seeing the improvement I have already had makes me want to push even harder to achieve my goals and I am determined that some day soon I will have that dream life I have in mind and achieving my goals will definitely help me get there. One improvement I have seen is the fact I can do a lot more with my nephew, I can run around with him, go into the soft play with him and just generally go on more adventures together without my health and size being an issue. It has been great been able to do all these things together and now as he is getting older me being on this journey means we can do more and more together which is all I have wanted to be honest, never missing out on a moment due to things I can easily control.

In 2022 I did something I did something I never thought I would do again... I started playing football again, I thought those days were way behind me but I have really surprised myself and had a lot of fun in the process. A motivation of keeping up with my journey for this is that I know if I pile the weight etc back on my knee issues will flare up again and my fitness will be even worse than it currently is which will lead to me probably having to stop playing once again. I know that by pushing on with my journey and shifting some weight whilst working on my fitness my game performance is also going to improve, I wont feel as sluggish on the pitch and I will see a big increase overall and have a much better season than my first and I know I am a lot more capable than I have been since the start of season number 1. 

It it safe to say I know I can make big progress it is just picking it back up and getting those healthy habits back into my routine and making sure I really stick to doing these daily to get the most out of the rest of my journey. Looking at the past few months I am now more and more motivated to change aspects of my life and get those healthy habits sticking around a lot longer than they have done in the past. Once big change is going to be my diet as I know this is one area that is a downfall for me, I will be adding in more fruit and vegetables as that is and area I am certainly lacking in. I will also be making better choices when I am out and about, I don't need the biggest thing on the menu, the healthier options are just as good if not better. I am also going to try new foods, I will be pushing myself out of my comfort zone and trying new things as I know that I could honestly discover some great new foods that are so much better for me.

There will also be a lot more movement from me as that is something that has dropped off since the start of the year. I have really neglected my strength workouts but I am more than determined to get back into these with a few sessions being added into my weekly schedule which is going to have a lot more structure than it currently has so that I am making sure I am doing the best I can to achieve the goals I have set for myself. With us having the dog now I also have to get moving more so I will be incorporating dog walks into my routine daily, which is going to help me get my steps up and help increase that expenditure I need daily. I am trying my best to add in some running to my schedule too as I have wanted to give this a go for a long time now but have not had the chance to yet,watch this space though as this will definitely be happening soon and is something I am planning on sticking to for  long time once I get going. 

With the lack of progress so far this year I know things need to change again and the past few years have taught me a lot about myself and what I need to do to see the progress, so that is what I am going to be focusing on once more. I have those goals set and I don't want to miss out on achieving them so it is time to take it up a gear, get back on track and really see a difference. I have the opportunity to get fitter & healthier and really level up my life and if I keep this in mind I know I am soon going to see the benefits of all the hard work.

Let's do this, it is time to use this motivation and make a difference...

April flew by in the blink of an eye and after the high hopes of it being a good month I can honestly say it was the total opposite and was honestly yet another terrible month. The month was jam packed with events and life getting in the way which led to a gain which I am not too happy about. Life really did get in the way and I feel like I have lost a lot of progress and am almost back to square 1 on my journey which has driven me mad and I am determined to make changes to my life now to make sure I don't have such a bad month again. So here is how yet another terrible month went in terms of my goals...

Lose 4lbs

Well 4 was in the amount but rather than a loss we saw a gain which I am really not happy with, 1 lb over the month I wouldn't have minded but 4lb is ridiculous and I know I am so much more capable than this. This is one I am definitely going to try turn around in May and hopefully we will see a 4lb loss this time around.

Hit all strength sessions

This one didn't go to plan at all and I am annoyed with myself. If I managed my time better I would have easily hit these but that didn't go to plan at all and I think I managed 1 session. I am hoping this is something I can definitely improve upon in May and beyond. 

 Meal prep weekly 

My nutrition was terrible throughout April and that was due to a lot of meals out and overall bad choices when it came to what I was actually consuming. Meal prepping is definitely something I need to work on in May as I know this will help push for progress.

8K steps daily

This one was hit and miss as some days I was absolutely smashing the 8K where as on other days I was struggling to hit 5K. My steps are definitely improving on what they have previously been though and I am really looking forward to seeing what I can achieve step wise in May.

Get into a better/ healthier routine

I am still working on this one but I am slowly chipping away at finding a routine that is perfect for me. I knew deep down this wouldn't all fall into what was always going to be a busy month but we have made some small steps which is better than nothing.

Get started on the 5k prep

This one was the goal that I really wanted to smash however, due to the craziness of life I didn't manage to get started on this at all which in all honesty I aren't too mad about as I have had fun and got other jobs done instead. The 5K is going to be here before we know it though so I really do need to make a start on this soon.

Boxing every week possible

Throughout April I managed 1 boxing session due to various reasons but I guess 1 is better than none. I have put this down as a May goal too though as I am determined to start increasing the number of sessions I go to and I am determined that soon I will be going every single Wednesday unless I have something booked for that day.

Declutter the workout clothes

Oh look here is the goal that has been in these posts for far too long and guess what? Yes that is right it is going to be a May goal too as I just haven't had the chance to get the workout clothes sorted out at all. I will 100% be putting some time to one side in May though so this is finally off the goals list and completed for a while.

 Football training every week possible

Again thanks to life getting in the way this one didn't go to plan and I unfortunately missed a session or two. The season is nearly over now but I am still determined to get to as many sessions as possible as I know it will massively help my weight loss and fitness journey as the sessions definitely get me moving.

So here is how the scales looked in April...

Beginning of March weight: 15 stone 1 lb 

End of March weight : 15 stone 5 lb

Total loss for the month : - + 4lb

So here are the goals I am making for myself to hopefully smash in May...

- Lose 4lb

- Meal prep weekly

- 8K steps daily

- Dog walk everyday 

-Fruit or veg with every meal

- 3 workout sessions a week minimum

- Boxing every week possible 

- Get workout clothes decluttered

I am determined that May is going to be a much better month, I have set out a clear plan and I know what areas I want to improve on to make progress on my journey once more. I know I am capable and I need to stop letting life get in the way, I need to prioritize myself and my journey if I want to smash those goals I set for myself at the start of the year. Let's get this head screwed back on and see progress once more.

Total loss for 2023 : + 7lb

Total loss since start of journey : - 11 lb

A switch has been flicked in my mind and I am finding more way to better myself in terms of mindset, lifestyle and so much more this year and I am really trying to work on myself more often now and put me first. Mentally I have not been in the best place lately I have had wobbles due to my weight and my current lifestyle so I am taking the opportunity to improve these areas and I think the recent bits of sunshine have really helped me lately and have given me and opportunity to evaluate the areas I want to get sorted ASAP. The weather change has certainly got me thinking the most though as in previous years even when the weather has been gorgeous I have spent all day everyday indoors, this is a mixture of work, blog work and just general laziness but this time I am determined to make the most out of the weather and spend more time outdoors just getting out and about a bit more and enjoying my time rather than hiding away. I know that being out more will 100% help me on my fitness and weight loss journey too and get me in a better place with that which is much needed as at the moment I am getting a bit down with how things are going but that is a post for another day as I try get in a better place with that mentally.

My football season ends in May and in fact all the football I go to watch also ends in May so there is going to a whole lot of time going to be freed up for a few months if all goes to plan although there will be a few pre-season games and tournaments I will be participating in most nights and weekends will have a lot more free time and here is how I am planning on using that free time to get outside more so I can work on my weight loss & fitness journey and just work on myself to have a much better lifestyle and life overall...

Outdoor workouts

The workout plans I have are all home based with minimal equipment so I really have no excuse to not get outside and enjoy the weather whilst working out. I could easily just head out to the back garden on a morning or evening and spend an hour following my workout plan, moving my body and just enjoying the sun and warmth rather being in a dark, far too warm living room like I have been doing previously and overheating in. Just would be the perfect way to get an extra hour outdoors and would probably help me clear my head a bit more and even possibly help me enjoy my session a bit more.

Solo football training 

There is nothing I love more than kicking a football around and I am determined to get my skill level much better for the new season alongside my fitness levels so with the nicer weather I might as well make the most of our garden space and spend some time working on different solo training drills alongside a bit of fitness work. I know that an hour kicking the ball around in the garden or at a local field will massively help me in all aspects of the journey I am on so I might as well give it a try and see how it works.

Run

I am currently working towards completing an inflatable 5K in June so I am trying to get a few runs in each week but even once that 5K is done I want to continue running and just get out and about a bit more doing different routes etc. I am lucky that where I live there are some beautiful views and plenty of different routes I can take so I should never be bored of running. I am hoping that by getting into a routine with running during the warmer weather I will end up having built a consistent habit that I am more likely to continue with when the weather changes, well that is the plan at least.

Walks

Remember back in lockdown and just after when I was going on a 5K walk once a week? Well as the weather gets better I am planning on bringing this back so that my step count is increasing. Granted the dog is too tired to walk this sort of distance just yet but as time goes on he will be able to join me, for the time being though I could just stick my headphones in and enjoy an hour to myself working on those steps and increasing my daily expenditure. I would love if I could up this from 1 a week to a few a week as I know physically and mentally it would do me the world of good.

Dog walks 

Granted he can only do shorter walks at the moment but as he is getting older the distance can be increased and we can go a bit further a field with him. I can use the time before this though to join both the dog and Liam on a dog walk either in a morning or on an evening to get those extra steps in and just get a little more fresh air each day.  It would be nice just having an extra half hour with Liam & the dog too with no distractions so we can just enjoy each others company.

I really just want to enjoy the nicer weather that comes with late spring & summer this year as last year didn't go to plan and I feel like I always spend far too much time trapped indoors. It is time to get outside, get some fresh air and make some progress on the wright loss & fitness front whilst also working on myself in those other aspects. It is time to make the most of some better weather and get working towards those goals I set myself at the start of the year.