Ok, so I'll come clean, I graduated C25K last year and I haven't exactly been very well behaved since. My eating has been appauling, my exercise regime kind of got forgotten about for most of Nov & December & as far as running goes I have been Verrrrrrrryyyyy lazy !!!!! As a result I inevitably put on quite a bit of weight (enough for the post Christmas trousers to have to come back out.......you know the ones that are a size bigger than you usually wear that you keep just incase you have a fat day ;o) and was feeling awful (again) !!!
I went for one run just before Christmas and managed a full 30 minutes but I felt like I was dying and got terrible cramp in my calves. After that I put it off and put it off coming up with one excuse or another until just over a month ago I went for a run. I figured I'd just see what happened, in the end I managed 17 & 1/2 minutes but the pain in my legs was really horrid so I decided enough was enough I had to get myself back under control before I lost all the progress I had made.
I started the NHS healthy eating plan 4 weeks ago today and decided in the interests of not completely demoralising myself to leave the running for a while and concentrate on getting back on track with my eating, hopefully lose a few pounds and get back into exercise by using my cross trainer/workout dvd's & going to the gym 3 times a week like I should have been doing all along.
Anyway long story short, I weighed in this morning a fabulous 14.5 pound lighter than when I started. Thats over a stone (albeit only just) in 4 weeks, I was thrilled so I decided tonight to put my running kit back on and get out there and see what happened. I set off thinking I'd maybe make the 15 minute mark and sailed straight past it. I decided in the end to do a full 2 miles (no further as I didn't want to risk and injury) which took just over 22 minutes. Hardly record breaking speed I know but who cares, I went out, I ran a full 2 miles and felt like I could have carried on and best of all I ENJOYED IT !!!!!
I can't begin to express how on top of the world I feel right now. A month ago I felt fat, ugly unfit and like I had wasted all my hard earned gains. Tonight I know I'm back on the right track with my weight, feeling fitter than I have for a long time and know I'll be back to the full 30 minutes in no time and then hopefully the only way is up.
Thankyou C25K & the NHS healthy eating plan you've made me one very happy lady :o)