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...