Are you a New Years Resolution maker? How do you go with keeping them? I’m not so crash hot. I always come up with the normal ones; ‘must lose weight, going to be more organised, get fit…’ Hahahaha. What a laugh. It never happens.
This may seem slightly off-topic but it’s not, I promise! This year I’m turning 40. I also have a massive book tour.
Last year was extremely stressful for a few reasons. You can read about it here.
I’ve tried to ‘start a new life’ a couple of times. You can read about that dismal effort here!
This year, everything has changed. And again, you can read about that here!
Now you’ve got all the background.
Last year saw me self-medicating with loads of things that are bad for me. I’d like to say it was chocolate and hot chips, but it was also alcohol. That wasn’t a sustainable lifestyle! Understandable, perhaps but certainly not something I wanted to keep up.
Turning 40 seems to be the turning point for people. It’s a tricky stage of life to get through. Some start to get sick, some people just fire onwards and upwards. I plan to do the latter.
You may all be wondering what on earth that has to do with the photo at the top of the post? Well, on that little post-it-note there is a quote I totally love.
“At any given moment you have the power to say: this is NOT how the story is going to end.”
I keep it there to remind me.
My friends will have a giggle and say: ‘You change your book plots all the time, Fleur! Of course the ending changes!’
And that’s right, however the quote reflects my life too. I needed to take control. I needed to lose some weight, get some fitness back. Basically, I just needed to be healthy again. (Sitting at a computer doesn’t let you be that, neither does running up and down a race way full of sheep every so often.)
When I moved to town I joined a gym. (Do NOT laugh! I actually do go.) I also got a personal trainer. I struggled with that decision because I thought they were for the rich and famous. Then I noticed on Facebook a friend in QLD had one. She wasn’t rich and she wasn’t famous! I started asking around and found one.
I’ve been going two and half weeks now. I’ve lost 3kg and I can feel the difference. The first few workouts I couldn’t talk enough to say f***. I said it plenty when I woke up the next morning or when I stopped trying to take as much air into me as I could.
It may sound like I was really fat, really unfit and an alcoholic. I was (am) none of these things. I still didn’t look to bad in a pair of jeans. But everything needed to change.
My son and I ride I bikes through the streets and chat while we’re doing it – I can keep up with him now! I love those talks because I get so much more information out of him than I would over the tea table. He’s relaxed and so am I.
All of this may sound idyllic. It’s not. It’s hard and horrible and yucky. I HURT – my legs are the worst! I crave potatoes and hot chips and lots of other things…
But this February’s ‘New Resolution’ will be kept. And when you see me on tour, I’ll be trim, taught and terrific.
I hope!
have you changed you life for the better? Let me know, coz I’d love to sympathise with you!
L
Oh lord I need to but motivation is well way down low and the humidity drags it lower and night shifts lower again. Well done though, starting is the hardest and that is where I am at.
I lost 80kg, but when i got sick I put some back on and I got so disheartened that I’m finding it hard to get stuck into losing it again I need the inspiration to get into my swimming and walks again
Thank you Fleur! This is exactly what I needed. I’m turning 20 this year and I know people say I’m only young, yes I am! But the years fly by so fast that I won’t be young forever. I had my dream in reach and was given opportunities., yet I didn’t take them out of fear of failure! That is definitely something I am working on breaking, along with becoming fit and healthy! Like you said, it’s hard work, but we just have to remember to stay positive! Best of luck Fleur! 🙂
Love this Fleur. My favourite thing about being fit and healthy is being able to keep up with my 4yo with whatever he dreams up – whether it is running races at the park or me running alongside with him as he rides his bike. I just love having the energy to do all that stuff with him – even at the end of a long working day!