My Journey So Far

Hi everyone.

Due to having such a positive response from my weight-loss progress photo this morning, I decided to write about my journey! As well as sharing some amazing news that I am now apart of BloggingGals and I have a YouTube channel!

Before I started my health and fitness journey:

In the summer of 2014 (around May-June period) this was me. 

I am 19 (nearly 20 now), I was a size 12, I weighed 12st9lbs, however I knew what to wear to make me look slimmer. I didn't work out, I walked to university, but I did not attend a gym or do any extra exercises to stay fit or healthy. I ate anything I wanted, literally anything I wanted at any time, I had no boundaries on what I ate, as I believe I was in denial on being over-weight and how I looked.

One day however, I ate a Ben and Jerry's after a domino's and I will never forget the feeling I had. I felt absolutely rubbish. I looked in the mirror and I finally saw the unhealthy, unfit girl. As soon as I came to the realisation, I got into the mind-set of being healthier and losing weight. I emptied the junk from my freezer, fridge and cupboards and started fresh! I went shopping and brought food which was fresh and lean, this included vegetables, chicken, fruit and eggs. 

Along side of eating better, I was being in contact with one of my friends Paige about a product called JuicePlus+ (please click on the link to a blog-post of mine which I wrote about JuicePlus+ and the programme which I originally used. I also have many other blog posts which speak about what JuicePlus+ is). JuicePlus+ for me was perfect as the extra encouragement of being on a diet plan and bridging what I should eat to what I do eat was just what I needed. Not only did JuicePlus+ and a healthier lifestyle encourage me to lose weight, but it made me feel better within myself. I woke up earlier, my skin improved and I felt happier in my own skin. I still use JuicePlus+ today as my pre-workout shake for early morning workouts, as it has many different uses as described on previous blog-posts. I would recommend JuicePlus+ to anyone who is serious about losing weight, as if used correctly, you should not gain weight back (I've lost even more fat since being off JuicePlus+). I will support this product until I die, as it is the product which gave me that extra boost into what I wanted.

Not only was I eating clean and on JuicePlus+, I also exercised 5-6 times a week at a local gym. I got to be friends with a Personal Trainer, which invited me to his classes which involved insanity type workouts and weight focused workouts. These classes for me were incredible as they motivated me and made me work hard, which made me constantly see results! In the end, I decided to take on a personal trainer and start having a proper exercise routine designed, along with hour sessions three times per week. I learnt a lot from my personal trainer, as he was also a nutritionist, so he gave me extra knowledge on food as I had already started to research about health and fitness. 

After the summer, I went back to university, where I carried on exercising and eating clean (with one cheat per week). I carried on losing weight, becoming smaller and more toned. Fat-loss takes time, as I did have a lot of fat (as shown in my previous photograph). Over this time, my PT was still giving me advice over Facebook and giving me my routines! As I went back home over Christmas, I learned even more knowledge and exercises as my strength is building (which tones) and I started to change my diet. Due to the exercise routines which my PT designed, I eat carbs three times a day (however in small portions) and I am still losing fat and getting toned! In order to be toned, you have to allow your muscles to repair and giving them good food to repair them with, making them stronger! If I did not have carbs, I would be starving and eventually pass-out! The more muscle you have, more calories are required to maintain the muscle. 

This is me today - 29th January 2014:

I took this photo this morning before the gym!

I am very proud of my weight loss so far and I will like to go into competitions in about a year or so - when I am leaner! I am not saying every day has been easy, I have also made mistakes, which I have described a few on my YouTube Channel! We all make mistakes and we all fail, it's the only way you improve and succeed. I have had days where I have felt back to where I was last summer, but you have to push through them days and realise that it's just a bad day, get up, go to the gym, eat clean, drink water and you'll feel better (and I always do).

Look at your body with a positive attitude and your body will follow. Learn to love who you are and be happy to improve yourself, as we all can and I do! 

The Transformation:

Blogging Gals

I am also apart of Blogging Gals which is an amazing group of ladies who speak about Fashion, Health and Beauty! We all have passion for what we speak about and we all encourage one another, as female empowerment is important and I want to see all my ladies do well. 

Follow them on Twitter and Instagram!

I want to help empower women and show that we can all be great, we just need to believe in ourselves and realise that yes you are beautiful the way you are ladies.

YouTube

I also have a YouTube channel as well where I have already made a couple of introduction-type videos for you all! I believe it is nice to listen to someone talk and get to know me in a sense, instead of read a blog or look at a few photos! I am looking forward to hearing your responses.

Please subscribe, watch and request on the link below! I will be doing exercise videos as soon as possible!

Click Here

Enquiries: please email me on fitnesswithluc@hotmail.com

Follow my Instagram and Twitter for daily updates on my meals, exercises, for inspiration/motivation (hopefully!) and how my daily life day-to-day as I hope to demonstrate to you all a healthy, active lifestyle!