Height: 1.6m (5′3″)

Weight:82kg (180.8lbs)

Clothing size: Bust 109cm (43″), Waist 103cm (40.5″), Hips 104cm (41″)

 

I am a typical apple shape and I am carrying far too much weight around my middle. I have been asked on more than one occasion, if I was pregnant. By complete strangers!! Whatever weight I gain goes straight to my waist and then my bust. I don’t carry much on my hips or butt. I guess I got a bit lucky there!

Diet and lifestyle has been my downfall. Although I thought I have been eating a healthy diet, high in organic produce, I have actually been consuming foods in the wrong amounts. Too much refined carbohydrates, way too much sugar, empty calories and so on. And doing yoga once a week doesn’t really add up to nearly enough exercise. Not when my days are spent sitting in front of a sewing machine or a computer.

The by-product of this unhealthy lifestyle has not only been weight gain, but also a change in my mental health. Whereas I was once quite outgoing and fairly adventurous, I now find myself venturing not much furhter than my locality. I suffer boats of depression, anger, anxiety,low self-esteem and genareal despair. I think these hormonal imbalances are a kind of short circuiting of the brain, caused by malnutrition.

My physical health has been affected in other ways as well. I suffer from headaches, shortness of breath, excess fluid at the base of the neck,back pain(not helped by lack of abdominal strength!),an external tinea on my skin(caused by an overabundance of yeast in my system),indigestion and heartburn,bloating,skin tags(insulin resistance),excess mucus production(dairy products!!), inflamed sinus and blocked ears. My energy levels are very low and my sex drive is basically non-existent!!

My guidebooks on my path to better health are as follows:

Feast and Famine by Dr. Rick Donald

Fat around the Middle by Marilyn Glenville

I’m now off to do my healthy shopping to stock up on fresh fruit and veg as well as lots of nuts and some green tea.

Wish me luck!!xx