Olympic Dreams

Faster, Higher, Stronger

Well it's finally here, 7 years of planning, building, organising and training.  We've followed the politics, dramas and scandals and stood in the rain as thousands of our own citizens ran their little hearts out as they carried the Olympic torch through our mighty towns and cities.  It's been a long controversial road.  Which side have you stood on?  Are you one of those who hissed and fretted as billions of taxpayers money was spent building arena's and villages to accommodate the worlds athletic elite when the country has been deep in financial crisis - throwing many British man into homelessness and financial ruin?  Or have you been one of those championing the cause, following the heats & selections and praising the wearers of the red, white and blue with a tear in your eye and a lump in your throat?  What does the Olympics mean to you?

Again my general nosey nature had me trawling through the comments section of various daily news sites over the years and let me tell you there are some very angry people out there.  Now it is my general opinion that only the very angry and the morally richeous comment on these articles, those that are content do not need or want to comment.  In my opinion this is why most articles appear to stir a general bias from the public, and it's usually negative.  'For the love of money is the route of all evil' said the first Epistle to Timothy (New Testament 6:10) is a phrase I am familiar with and it seems those without it begrudge those with it - How many of you go on about spoilt, rich celebs but still buy a lottery ticket every week???? The same applies to our government and it's financial investments.  We, the general public, see our taxes being spent on the work-shy, those oversee's and the bailing out of irresponsible banks ... whilst we are pushed and shoved and squeezed deeper into debt.  So I can see how spending a bloody massive fortune on 'a sporting event' can cause the fire and fury of a thousand hells to rise from within the masses.

And now I am going to tell you why I love the Olympics, and why I love that Great Britain is hosting it.  I never felt much towards the building of the Olympic arena's even though both I and my father have been part of their construction, although I can tell you that at least two landfill sites were used as locations and therefore improving the area aesthetics, which has to be a good thing ... right?  However the full force of why the Olympics is important to me didn't register until I watched the torch arrive at Lands End from Athens from which I felt a sense of national pride unlike any I have felt before.  I followed the torch on it's journey and saw all those people being cheered on by their communities.  Hearing the stories about how many of these torch bearers have overcome personal and physical mountains, and about those who have gone over and above the call of duty to help those in need made my heart swell.  I took the mini bojangles' to see the torch relay in our town and I'm glad I went.

So here it is, BBC 8.59pm on the 27th July 2012 and the final countdown has begun to the biggest show I will ever see.  The music starts up and images of Britain are thrown at us through our TV screens ... it's message is clear 'We ARE Britain, this is OUR day and this is what makes us  GREAT!'  The film clip scoots around London to iconic sounds such as the The Who, The Clash and the EastEnders theme tune.  Yes world! London is calling so pick up because we're not leaving a message after the tone.  


Industrial revolution, pearly kings and queens, Chelsea pensioners, the NHS, London symphony Orchestra, Mr Bean, the digital youth, David Beckham ... the Queen jumping out of a helicopter with 007 - Love it, every single bit of it!   'This is for Everyone' is lit up along the seating area by Tim Berners-Lee and I couldn't have put it better.  You see the Olympics is not about politics or financial gain it's about the people of the world coming together to support their Olympians, to get behind their men and women and show the rest of the world what they are made of.   It's to show our children what real role models look like and inspire them to reach for the stars.  It's to make us feel passion, to forget all the bad stuff and lift our heads and voices together, shouting in unison 'GO TEAM GO!!!'  


Lastly this is for all the athletes, this is for all their work over the many years training for this one moment to shine and make us all proud to be who we are.  My thank you to them will be to support as many of them as I can watch and cheer them on.  


So my dear Welsh buddies, my Scottish pals, my Irish chums and my English mates let us put aside our grievances and join together to celebrate what exactly makes Britain great.  Lets get behind our Olympians and Paralympians.  They are our mighty warriors one and all 

.... LETS HEAR THEM ROAR!!! 

Joolz x 

-For Gemma 

More Than Just a Mummy

Where Did 'I' Go

For me is started the day I got married with the 'when are you going to have children' comments.  This was shortly followed by the over enthusiastic 'being a parent is the best feeling ever, it's such a rewarding experience' speeches thrown at you by over eager grandparents-in-waiting.  Well 3.5 years after first conception my conclusion is that this was LIES, LIES, LIES, I'VE BEEN CONNED BY MY OWN PARENTS!!!! .... I can assume they did this to me as some sort of revenge for their own 'little joolz' experience.  Well I will have the last laugh when it comes to considering retirement homes, I hear Croydon is a nice place to spend your twilight years.

Anyone who's a mother will tell you the second you first become pregnant your life changes forever.  You have to be responsible for someone other then yourself and this usually means cutting out most of the things you enjoy in order to a) grow a child and b) afford a child.  However, until that child enters the world you will have no idea just how much of your old life you will lose.   

In my pre-baby days I was a fit, carefree, socialising young kitten with the world at my feet.  I used to go out most Fridays and Saturdays with JB and our disposable income and paint the town red, dancing and drinking until the overpowering desire for the biggest greasiest kebab signalled to me that I'd had enough and it was time to go home.  Now I'm not implying that having children in any way ruins your life because it's quite the opposite.  Children are rewarding and funny ..... and icky, expensive, naughty, tiring, argumentative ..... the list goes on but mostly the pro's outweigh the cons.  They also get you in trouble.  My 2 year old Bobbi told her key worker at nursery that mummy takes her to McDonald's for dinner.  The key worker was smiling as she told me what had come out of the mouth of my babe but I was red and flustered as I tried to talk my way out of it.  I mean, honestly, you treat your child to the occasional fast food meal and suddenly you're the worlds worst mother in the eyes of society ..... thanks Bobster!  Lord knows what they are going to think when she repeats to them her new favourite phrase 'little brother is a noisy little bugger', I only said it once ffs!  

When you have children you may lose friends as you struggle to find the time, babysitters and money to go out.  You may also lose your pre baby body because your hips have got wider and your belly skin can now stretch over your head.  Gradually your memory goes and you are wondering why the dog is following you around the house carrying her bowl in her mouth before realising it's because she hasn't been fed in two days.  The up side is that you may make lots of fantastic new friends at the local baby groups.  I am very lucky to have found a lot of like-minded women in the same situation.  Women who are not afraid to share their experiences and their alcohol during those difficult times and not condone when one of us has a nervous break down and starts crying over spilt milk  ..... whether breast or bottle! 

Then there's my biggest bugbear.  When you become 'mum' suddenly everyone needs to tell you their two pence worth.  You are told how to take care of baby, what not to do, how to feel, how to live, what products you should and shouldn't be using.  I'm not talking about family and friends, that's to be expected.  I'm referring to healthcare professionals, the 'breast is best' squad and their colleagues from the 'live in a bubble' department of the NHS.  These people, backed up by 'statistics', tell us what is best for our babies, and these statistics change constantly.  I'm sure I am not the only one who not long after the trauma of having their first child was manhandled by burly women, shoving me in uncomfortable positions because statistics say that the best way to feed your child is by sticking your leg behind your head and one finger up your nose.   I honestly thought if I didn't do everything they said they would take baby number one away (although if at the time I had the power to look two years into the future......!).  I felt like a naughty schoolgirl if I ever dared have a conflicting opinion on food types, discipline and [help me Jesus] going back to work!!! Being a stay at home mum is better for the baby don't you know, makes the baby grow into a happier baby don't you know ...... I'd like to see the evidence of that around Christmas and birthdays when the mini bojangles' can't have the toys all the other kids have!   I would like to add that by the time  DJ came along two years later the rules had changed again and my approach to any professional advice was to just smile and remind them that women were having babies long before statistics and antibacterial sprays.

So we have got to the part where the new-mummy honeymoon period (ha ha) is over and we have to make a decision about work.  Our choices are limited thanks to extortionate childcare costs (£100 per day for 2 children to attend my local nursery).  Either we a) stay at home and lose a second household income, but the children will be happier...allegedly, or b) go back to work and spend most of our earnings on childcare.  Then there's the resentment from colleagues to deal with because not only have you had a 9 or 12 month jolly at the company's expense but now you're be allowed to come to work when you feel like it under the guise of 'part time'.  These people are normally those who have yet to have children, those who don't want children and those who have forgotten what it's like to have children.  For those of you that don't have children read the following link.  It's a bit extreme but I have felt this woman's pain at least once over the last few years: http://www.justrage.com/I_Hate/i-hate-being-a-fucking-mother-and-i-dont-care-if-you-call-me-a-bitch/

So this is where the 'What about me?' bit kicks in.  Just because I have had a child or two does not mean I'm some sort of social and professional pariah.  I do admire those women and men who want to spend every day with their children but I need to be me, I need a bit of  space and independence.  For the last 9 months of maternity leave most of my conversation has centred around the life and works of Peppa Pig.  Nine months of tantrums and whining and my mind is about to explode.   I'm not saying I want to go out clubbing but I would like the ability to contribute to the household income ..... I will not be a 'kept woman' dammit! 

If like me you poke through the comments section of various childcare/working mums related media articles you may be familiar with the common opinions of the general public i.e. 'If you can't afford kids don't have them'.  Well these commenters in MY opinion are idiots.  Most people can't afford children but if everyone who couldn't afford to have children didn't then what would happen to the future of the human race?  Who will be our future doctors, scientists, healthcare workers and miserable little internet trolls hiding behind a computer screen slagging off the working mums of the world?  We hear about criminals not being deported because of their human right to a family life .... what about my right to a family life?  Does my wish to work mean I have to deny myself a family?  Does my basic human need to procreate mean I must be bound to the house until I'm old and bitter? (older and bitterer possibly) Can't I have both?  It's not having my cake and eating it either it's working bloody hard and then going out to work for a few days off every week.  

  

I have had my tantrums, many of them in fact.  I have almost stopped mourning the life I once had and am slowly embracing the life I am creating, but I want a few hours a week where I can wear sick-free clothes, brush my non-sticky hair, put some make-up on and walk out of the door with my head held high because I'm earning my own money.  At work I can talk to normal people about normal things and not having a heated discussion with a snotty Oompa Loompa about why she can't wear her peppa pig (that damn pig!) costume and princess heels to the park.  I can walk around town in my lunch break without having to sprint down the high street looking for a toilet, carrying a potty training two year old in my arms, whilst shrieking  'hold on, don't do any wee wee's or poopie's in your big girl knickers'.  I can pull something out of my handbag instantly without having to sift around dummies, old wet wipes, melted chocolate and soggy knickers!  

I love my children and I do not regret having them (honestly I swear!) but sometimes I would like to be seen as more then just a mum.  

Joolz x

Penetrating 50 Shades of Grey (E.L. James)

A Rose From The Grey

(Note: Anyone who goes by the name 'Mum' or 'Dad' may not wish to read this particular blog .... however if you do this is payback for the 'adult swing' conversation)

Well this week I managed to catch up with the rest of the female population and became acquainted with the delectable Mr Grey.  To sum up my feelings about this book .... 'Oh my'

JB will tell you that when scenes of intimacy more passionate than a quick peck on the cheek appear on the TV I act like a giggling little school girl and hide behind the sofa cushion.  So when I was told about this book I was torn between wanting to know what all the fuss is about and worried I may be exposed to a world of carnal knowledge my inner child would never recover from.  I made up my mind to let fate decide.  If I happened to get my hands on a copy without purposely seeking it out then I would read it.  In my mind this fad would die out before the opportunity arose and I would forget about the book.  Fate is a fickle mistress it seems because it wasn't long before it came knocking at my door.  

So now I had in my possession a copy of the book allegedly spawned from the sins of the devils own concubines, a book that makes even the most civilised of Cumbrian men assault their spouses with condiments in a fit of jealous rage!  With eager eyes and a wicked smile I hid in the bathroom surrounded by a wall of hot soapy bubbles and read the first chapter and then the second, and so on.  It wasn't too sexy at first, just a story about two smouldering adults with a building lust for one another ... like a grown up version of Twilight.  Then at around page 78 I get my first taste of 'mummy porn' which involved a quick and steamy elevator scene, and with raised eyebrows and a thirst for more I plowed on.  My bath water was getting cold but strangely enough I was not.  As the chapters progressed the explicit nature of the book became more intense and after the first 'vanilla' scene (around pg 114) I was exhausted ............. as in my head was spinning from the rapid pace it had taken in all this new information.  

Over the next four days I read enthusiastically.  Fairly soon the book was finished and I was spent.  My eyes had been opened to a new world.  The frequent intimate situations of Anastasia and Christian were so full of detail the author must have had first hand knowledge.  Each sexy scene was more elaborate and more dangerous then the last, escalating in intensity like one of Ana's ooh ooh moments.  The description of the "red room of pain" left me wide eyed and wobbly.  JB may have been a bit bemused by his wife occasionally popping her head out from behind the pages to ask questions such as 'how do you feel about spanking?'  

The structure was fluid and fast paced with a sense of humour akin to my own.  Most books I've read have been predictable but even in the last few pages of this book I was unsure how it was all going to end!  I wouldn't say I'm a convert to the world of Dominant and Subordinate relationships but this book has definitely peeked an interest to learn more.  Fortunately there are two more books to go in the trilogy and I'm keen to find out what happens to the lead characters and their minor counterparts.   I was left satisfied that this particular story had ended well, but also content that there was still a lot to be revealed.  

Now I just need to figure out how to get JB to read it!  

Joolz x 

Dealing with Writers Block

.................................

Humph .......... I have nothing!!!! :( 

Taking The PPI

The Great Legal Debate

Today I received a cold call from a 'Lawyer' who claimed to be investigating financial adviser/Mortgage broker fraud.  He explained to me that clients had been misinformed about mortgage options by these companies.  Instead of giving you the best mortgage for your circumstances these advisers were allegedly being paid by 'sub prime mortgage lenders' to steer the clients into their direction.  I found a 2010 article that may explain this term and how it all works: http://www.independent.co.uk/money/mortgages/sssh-say-it-quietlybut-subprime-lending-might-be-coming-back-2121125.html  I explained to the 'Lawyer' that even though we consulted a few financial advisers my husband had found a better deal then any of the options that were suggested to us.  I went into details and the 'Lawyer' was impressed, he even said we were 'efficient' with our finances.  

For those who are not in the know a 'Lawyer' (in the UK) is a loose term to describe anyone trained in law.  Wikipedia says: "In England and Wales, "lawyer" is used loosely to refer to a broad variety of law-trained persons. It includes practitioners such as barristers, solicitors, legal executives and licensed conveyancers, ; and people who are involved with the law but do not practise it on behalf of individual clients, such as judges, court clerks, and drafters of legislation".  Maybe I should have asked the gentleman on the phone what type of 'Lawyer' he was, but I already had a pretty good idea .... a loosely qualified solicitor of the ambulance chasing variety.

So I now get to the point of this blog.  Do we really need 'Lawyers' acting on our behalf.  Recent events in my life have convinced me that in most civil cases we do not.  This week I came across this news story which pretty much confirmed what I already suspected:
 http://www.thesun.co.uk/sol/homepage/woman/real_life/4407053/Im-set-to-join-the-barristers-I-beat-by-gaining-first-class-law-degree.html.  
The internet is a vast cyber-universe and every bit of information we may possibly need is at our disposal (apart from the truth behind UFO's and who shot President Kennedy).  This is exactly what Miss Blackwell used to win her civil  case.  In my recent experience I have discovered that fighting your own battles not only saves you a hell of a lot of money but it also makes you better prepared when the next financial swindle comes your way.

Case 1:  House Purchase Solicitors

You want a house, your offer is accepted, you appoint a solicitor, they compile all the reports and legal documents, you pay them thousands of pounds and you eventually move in to your new home.  Simple.  Actually it's even simpler then that .... well for the solicitor it seems.   During a dispute with my local councils planning department over possible undisclosed planning permission on neighbouring land I uncovered some information regarding my solicitors involvement in my house purchase.  I noticed at least two other companies were named on the compiled reports.  Intrigued I phoned them.  The first company conducted all the searches on behalf of the solicitor and the second company put all that information into a report to be sent to the solicitor who then repackaged it with a cover note and sent it to us.  Sifting through my copious amounts of solicitor paperwork I found a few documents filled out by the previous owner in addition to the survey reports that were also from a third party.  Looking at the solicitors fees I started to wonder what we paid them for.  By the looks of it, on a straight forward sale, we paid them thousands for basically instructing third parties and a few typed cover letters.   I wondered how much of what we paid them went to these third parties and what went to them.  Anyone met a poor solicitor?

Case 2: PPI Solicitors

Remember the scandal of the bank charges? This involved the over inflated admin charges when you went overdrawn.  I challenged our bank back in 2007 and they told me the charges were in the terms and conditions.  I told them that in modern civilisation we, the people, are required to have a bank account for a multitude of reasons including finding employment e.g. because of the payroll systems that are set  up by companies such as BACS transfers.  I said to them that the banks had an unfair advantage, cornering the average Joe into agreeing to their terms and conditions and giving no other options.  The bank promptly sent me my money.

Now I had a new challenge.  When I started to be woo'd by my future hubby in 2006 he told me he had a large loan and a few credit cards.  I, having the most excellent (and soon short lived) credit rating, was not worried about this and together we pulled up our socks and got on with going down the path to financial stability.  In about 2009/2010 I started noticing these PPI claim adverts.  'Jimbob', I said, 'Did you take out any PPI on your loan?'.  'No, I'm not that stupid!' was his reply.  As JB is the sort of person to refuse extended warranty before it's even mentioned I was reassured.  Over the next 3 years I probably asked the same question twice and twice I got the same answer.  However JB has the most useless memory in the history of everyone I have ever known!! About 10 weeks ago I decided that the dangerous pile of old mail and paperwork from yesteryears had to be dealt with.  I spent a whole day sorting through it whilst JB shredded the paper in front of the TV.  Well let me just say thank the Lord that at least one of us was paying attention that evening!  I pulled out what looked like an old loan application from 2003 in JB's name and on it was a great big PPI charge.  JB looked confused.  It turns out that he had no idea why it was on there, although he suddenly remembered that he had extended the loan the following year over the phone.  We contacted the banks dedicated PPI department and under the Data Protection Act we were able to gather the details of the new loan agreed.  From this we found out that a larger chunk of PPI had been added without JB's knowledge.  At the time he had asked for an extension to his 2003 loan and agreed the total payment amount, including interest charges, without questioning them.  This is the situation thousands have found themselves in.  They have not needed, wanted or requested the payment protection but were under the obligation to accept the banks terms if they wanted the loan.  So this was the start of our PPI claim journey.

The PPI claim adverts were tempting and one company actually contacted us.  Under their terms and agreements if we won our claim they would be entitled to 30% of our refund PLUS 20% VAT!!  Fortunately we had already started our claim with one phone call to the bank.  After 8 weeks the bank found five PPI payments in total and made us five generous refund offers (PPI plus interest plus compensation per offer).  JB now has a five figure refund coming his way of which a claims company, if instructed, would have taken over 1/3 of for themselves ...... just for making one phone call/letter on our behalf.  The adverts make you believe you need these soul-less-itors if you want your money back even though they are fully aware of the simplicity of Joe public doing it themselves.  No better morals then the banks who conned us I say.  

In Summary
Both the cases mentioned above unearthed for me a very powerful term ... 'Ombudsman' - a free legal service provided to handle cases against local government and professional bodies.  This is as exciting for the hard working, law abiding, downtrodden underdogs as 'Legal Aid' is to a repeat offending smackrat.   In my experience it is a well hidden asset that professional bodies should make you aware of but for some strange reason do not hmmmm.  I know I have said that maybe we do not need legal-eagles fighting our battles for us but there is much we can do ourselves before it ever gets to 'the brick wall stage' where we may need legal assistance. Law documents such as The Data Protection Act 1998, The Freedom of Information Act 2000 and The Sales of Goods Act 1979 are useful weapons.  The rest is about knowing your rights in various situations and knowing the correct procedures when undertaking your own work if you want to bypass the middleman (e.g. solicitors) ... all can be found on the worlds library, the internet. 


You may find that you will not require a solicitor to deal with issues such as work conflicts or consumer conflicts (There are so many alternatives).  Accident claims may be settled before the court stage when mitigated with honesty and efficiency and, as I have shown, any bank related financial claims can most certainly be handled independently.  The jury is still out on house purchase solicitors, I now know how they work and if I ever move house I will look more into the necessity of solicitors and maybe even give it a go myself.  


In case any wide-eyed spy's in the sky's are reading this blog I am adding the disclaimer that all content of this blog is based purely on my own experiences and I am not in any way trying to coerce people into forming a revolution against the legal profession.  Any likeness to any actual persons is purely coincidental ...... and highly likely really, I mean It may sound like i'm implying that solicitors scare people into appointing them unnecessarily ..... which is essentially true .... 'in my experience' ;) 


Joolz x

[I will mention however that the legal profession are invaluable when it comes to criminal law.  In my secret squirrel work I have seen a few 'non-lawyers' try to represent themselves and it is never pretty.  There is an etiquette to higher criminal courts and you have to think fast on your feet.  This area of law is steeped in tradition spanning hundreds of years, you don't just know the law you live it.  In my experience a lot of Barristers come from a long line of Barristers and Judges ... you just can't compete.  One word of advice if you ever do wish to represent yourself in the Crown please do not swat up on how to act like a barrister by watching Judge John Deed or Perry Mason ... oh the stories I could tell you!]

Blogging Rights .... and Wrongs!

To Blog Or Not To Blog!!

Anyone who knows me will tell you I love to talk.  I love to keep talking and in most cases I seem to dominate a conversation.  I'm not one to shy away from giving my opinion whether it's wanted or not.  However I would like to think that as I have matured I have come to learn what is an appropriate opinion and what isn't.  The same goes for blogging.  The problem with the ease of putting yourself 'out there' is that you can get carried away with voicing your views and sometimes end up writing something that by the following day you wish you hadn't.  

As one of the first people I know to sign up to Facebook (sorry dearest Google+) back in 2006 I have seen how social networking sites have developed and how the initial 'oh why don't you just get real friends and call them' groups have been slowly pulled into the world of needing to tell everyone that they've just walked their dog to the shops (and other bizarre posts that I too have been guilty of).  It seems that now everyone needs to post/blog every thought in their heads.  

You get the 'ooh my baby just waved, he's a frickin genius' types, the 'oh I'm ill AGAIN' types, the 'look at the picture of my cat in a bonnet' types, the 'ah stick that up your fudge hole XFC you m*** diving cockney spaniels ha ha!' (? I have no idea) types, the 'this post is designed to get back at an ex by telling them how deliriously happy I am without them even though they are obviously still on my mind (and everyone is aware of this except the post writer)' types and most frustratingly the 'OMG!!!' types that get many replies of 'what!!!' but fails to respond leaving people fearing the post writer has been bludgeoned to death by their bonnet wearing cat!   These are relatively harmless posts and are now part and parcel of the whole social networking experience.  Then there are the not so harmless blogs/posts.  You know what I mean the ones that are full of hate towards a specific group of people or a person.  I was once the victim of a particularly nasty hate campaign that thankfully I had the grace to walk away from with my dignity intact.  The bully went away and from what I have discovered is still a nasty little troll and still achieving nothing in life ..... Karma is a bitch hey! In these situations the individual lets their emotions take over their keyboard.  Negative emotions are for the inbox not for public forums.  See the following link for great examples: http://weknowwhatyouredoing.com/

Now the one issue I have with creating a blog page is the fear of not being liked, or being labelled as boring.  School day insecurities come flooding back, memories of not being picked for any team and of failing my cycling proficiency start haunting my dreams.  A Facebook friend of mine said she got a lot of hateful comments on her blog page for being in a wheelchair ..... shocking!  Do I have the nerve to face this abuse if it comes my way?  At the moment I feel ok as I have only 1 potential person 'out there' who can read my blogs and as there is a good chance I'll see them in the next 12 months if they write anything horrible I shall get my revenge haw haw haw haw! 

So here I go! I have already blogged about my recent weight loss ... to be continued in 6 months!!  My next blog will be about my experience of PPI claims, which I think is an important issue considering the recent series of bank related scandals.  Stay tuned ;) Joolz x 

A Weighty Issue!!

Losing lbs without losing £'s!!

Are you one of those people that put on a few pounds over Christmas or whilst on holiday, but then manage to lose it fairly quickly?  Then go away!! This post is not for you fair weather fatties!  

No this post is for the Men and Women who have more then a few pounds to lose.  Those without the copious amounts of money to have their bodies sucked and stapled, those who do not qualify for the band or bypass, and more importantly for those that have neither the motivation or energy to hurl themselves to the gym at the amusement of the toned and tanned.  And most importantly this is for the ladies who have lost the elasticity and the waistline of their younger years as a consequence of fulfilling one of the main purposes in life ...... children! 

Heaviest weight 

I have struggled with my weight since I was a child and I have been on quite a few diets.  As I entered my mid to late 20's my weight reached a sensible plateau.  But in 2009 my life as I knew it changed forever! The arrival of Bobbi was a joyous one, but not so joyous was the arrival of an extra 3 stone in weight.  Eating for two ended up more like eating for five.  I was resolute during my pregnancy that I would lose any extra weight I gained, however the unexpected snow-induced isolation propelled my weight even further.  This and a lot of denial on my part meant by Christmas 2010 I was 4 stone overweight.  Less then one month later DJ was conceived.  I was terrified that I would get even fatter.  Luckily I had already applied for a Job which turned out to involve a lot of rushing about.  I worked until 41 weeks pregnant and was delighted to find out I had lost a stone and a half by the time DJ was born.  But by the following Easter I had gained half a stone.  The reality hit me when I saw pictures of myself at my cousins wedding, I was horrified!  

Wedding Wobbler

Easter 2012 I decided enough was enough!  I had looked into Weight Watchers and I had heard of The Cambridge, The Dukan and The Atkins.  As I wasn't prepared to pay for signing up to these diets and their products I went back many years to what I learnt from my most successful diet.  It's principles are basic and sensible.  It may not be the quick fix that other diets claim but it has worked for me in the past and it costs virtually nothing.  

The principle is simple.  Cut out alcohol, junk food, sweets and fizzy drinks completely.  Eat less calories daily then the body burns and thanks to modern technology download a handy little calorie app to your phone.  According to online information women burn about 2000 Kcal and men burn 2500Kcal daily.  Based on this I aimed to consume between 1000 and 1500 Kcal daily.  Weigh yourself once a week in the morning.  The hardest thing initially was getting used to how little you can eat with this calorie budget.  I swapped snacks for salad and junk food for healthy options meals.  I counted every calorie of every meal, which was tedious at first but after one week of withdrawal symptoms I was used to the routine and the 'new' foods i.e. foods I considered boring before.  Even though the household arguments increased exponentially that week it appeared that my weight was on the way down as I had lost half a stone.  

Half way there

Now I have never been a gym bunny but I know that keeping active is the key to success because, for me, keeping myself busy distracted me from filling the cake hole.  But there was a snag as I had a highly dependant baby and a demanding toddler that were keeping me virtually housebound.  I got around this problem by gutting the bathroom, working most of the night and during the day when the kids were sleeping.  After 5 weeks I had lost 20lbs and gained an impressive looking bathroom!  The diet by now was established, my energy levels were better and I was determined to keep going.  My aim was to get down to pre-baby weight and a 'healthy' BMI of 24.9.  

'The Last Stone'

Most dieters will tell you this is the longest road.  You are almost there and only literally inches away from your goal!! Unfortunately you are so close that this is where many give up.  They've lost most of the weight and are a few dress sizes smaller.  They look so much better then they did and they feel great.  The problem with the last stone is that your body is now used to the diet so instead of losing 4 pounds a week you may only be losing a pound or two.  It's a lot of effort for little return.  I had been one pound away from healthy BMI for 3 weeks!!!   

There are only two solutions to the last stone 1) starve yourself and 2) get exercising.  Now the first is not only stupid it's pointless because as soon as you start eating properly again your body will go into panic mode and hoard all the fat back into your body (as I have been made to believe).  Option 2 contradicts what I said in paragraph 2 but when you get down to the last stone you will be wanting to show off that sexier body to the gym masses.  Strict aerobic exercise will certainly shift it, but if like me you just can't be arsed with it all I would suggest upping your game on the walks to nursery/school etc.  Either increase the pace or take the long detour home.  If the women out there are feeling really brave then wear small heels as well to get those sofa smoochers firm and bouncy!  

So where am I now?  Well it's 13 weeks since my first weigh in.  I was 200lbs then and I'm 168lbs now.  My BMI is 24.9 so I am officially a healthy weight (just).  I'd like to have some wiggle room for Christmas and holidays so I will try to lose another half a stone.  As I was originally around 224lbs two Christmas's ago I am feeling pretty chuffed with myself right now!!

I have been asked by many people where did I get the willpower to start.  Here is my reply.  First I pictured what my life would look like if I stayed overweight, then I pictured my life as a slimmer mum to my kids.  Funnily enough I pictured myself winning a school sports day egg and spoon race!!  I told myself that it wouldn't be long after I start the diet before my body and mind got used to the changes and I remembered all the pretty clothes I had that I'd be able to get back into (I hadn't seen them for so long it was like getting a whole new wardrobe) and all the pretty shoes I had in storage to go with the pretty clothes .... ooh all those lovely pretty shoes are now back in my wardrobe where they belong :) 

People will have their own reasons for wanting to lose weight.  It's hard at first but once you start it gets easier.  My issue now is keeping the weight (and the husband!) off me :) x

Pre baby weight!