Christmas Weight Loss Challenge - Lose Half a Stone by December

Hello everyone.  I've never blogged about weight issues, but like probably most woman in the western world, I feel that I am overweight and need to lose weight.  Not that I am particularly overweight, but with my 5ft 5 frame, and an apple body shape, I carry all my excess weight around my belly, boobs, back (yuck!) and my face.  I know that I'm lucky that I have no issues with my legs or bum - they are as skinny as I want them to be, and I can wear micro mini skirts into my 30s without looking like I'm trying too hard.  However, this makes buying clothes a nightmare.  I range from size 12 in some styles, to finding size 16 a squeeze in others.  But my legs and bum are probably only size 8!  Trousers are particularly bad, as to get them to fit my waist, they usually hang of my legs and look awful.  If they fit my legs, I can't do them up!

My weight has fluctuated throughout my adult life.  In my late teens and early 20s I managed to hold 9 stone dead on.  Slowly my weight crept up to 10 stone, which I managed to maintain by walking the 2.5 miles each way to work and back each day, but eating whatever I liked.  Then I went back to uni in my mid-20s and began to pile on the pounds through poor diet and lack of exercise.  I started doing Weight Watchers in 2005/6 when I hit more than 11 1/2 stone, and got down to about 10 1/2 stone.  Since then, I've maintained between 10 - 11 stone, occasionally doing Weight Watchers when I've felt heavy.

My friend and I had a bit of a weight loss challenge going over the summer - we each wanted to lose at least a stone, and we did well to lose over half a stone each, despite giving up half way through.  Since then, I've been maintaining at 10 stone dead on, but we decided to have a little weight loss challenge for the next 8 weeks, so we're looking fabulous for the Christmas party season.  We start on Monday, weighing in every Monday until 6th December.  My aim is to lose at least half a stone, to take me to 9 1/2 stone - any more will be a bonus!  This should be easily achievable as it's less than 1lb a week, so I can even have a slip-up without worrying too much. 

I'll be doing a quick update post every Monday to keep me in check - if anyone else wants to join me, you're more than welcome - it all helps with a bit of moral support!

All images from Google Images

I'll be following Weight Watchers online, and counting my points.  I'll also be doing some running, walking and a few classes at the gym.  Let's hope the weight comes off!

Let me know if you want to join me, and we can have a weekly Monday weigh in!

Thanks for reading!  xx