MIA? Not any more, I'm back! Well technically I've not actually been anywhere given there's been a teeny tiny global pandemic (maybe you've heard about it?!), but I've not blogged regularly since the shop opened. Now I'll openly admit that although I've been busy with opening a shop, looking after my 2 boys and science tutoring to pay the bills in between, a lot of the reason has been because I really didn't want to put pictures of myself on here recently.
We moved to Harrogate 3.5 years ago and I was running 3-4 times a week, including half marathon distances, and I was a Slimming World target member too. I was a size 12 which for my 178cm tall, hourglass-shaped frame is a healthy size. Then we moved 50 miles away from friends and family - basically my entire support network. I no longer had off-road routes to run for some headspace. I had to find the kids new schools (2 in the case of the eldest as he was also applying for secondary). We needed to rent a house in order to be in the school district in time for applications to high schools, and I didn't even know the area. The parents at school gates pretty much ignored me for the first 6 months so I knew no one. And to top it off, I turned my little online shop into a bricks and mortar one at the same time. In short, it was the most stressful time in my life and that includes when we organised our wedding with over 100 guests in 3 months.
And when I'm stressed I eat. When I'm tired and stressed I eat crappy, sugar filled snacks. And I didn't think about my own diet for over a year. I gained 3 stones. I took on a PT and then did bugger all about following her eating plans so I toned up but lost no weight. I started running again and 3 weeks in I got heckled by a group of teenage boys ("run fatty!") and took it really personally. Before it would've been a returned insult and a run away from them but I just stopped running. And eventually I stopped blogging because I couldn't stand the photos. But that stops today.
Yes I'm a size 16-18 at the moment and my bum is nearer a 20. I've never been this big before even when pregnant, but you know what? I'm a nice person, a good mum (my teenager even agrees so I'm doing something right at least!), my husband doesn't seem to mind that I'm heavier than usual and I'm good at my jobs too. So screw it, I'm posting, flabby arms and all. I've got a PT again but I'm trying to actually eat properly this time for my own health (covid risk increases with obesity). I've spent the lockdowns teaching GCSE and A level biology again and it's done my confidence wonders. So, here's to the start of a new chapter. Hopefully a slimmer one with better mental health involved but however that goes, I'll be posting on here.
So who's up for some sewing posts?