Workout Wednesday!!

I really want to thank Cat for Workout Wednesday.  For quite a while, I saw everyone else enthusiastically reporting their workouts, inspiring each other - and I couldn't participate because I just wasn't working out.  But now - mwahhhaaa!  I am!  I've been doing really well pretty consistently doing at least half an hour at home with my stepper and weights and yesterday and today I really kicked it up a notch and realised just plodding slowly up and down wasn't enough - that I could essentially 'run' (in bursts, not for the whole half hour) which made for MUCH better cardio, kept my heart rate up the whole time and made me sweat like a cow in a sauna.  When the 'running' (like running upstairs I guess) got too much, I'd have a break from that and start doing crunches, press ups, bicep curls, tricep dips, lunges, squats etc until I was done with that and then back to the stepper.  FEELS SO GOOD!!  Actually I have a bit of a headache now, but I think that's coz I didn't drink quite enough water this morning.  I am hydrating to the max now!

Speaking of working out and water - after reading Draz's post about weighing in heavier after working out (as in the morning after) because muscles retain water or something - I wonder if that's happening, I saw an EVIL number on the scale this morning - and couldn't possibly have eaten enough to warrant it (despite an abundance of Easter eggs entering my body).  Anyone else experience this?  Is it just a case of drinking more water to combat it?  TELL ME!!

FORGOT TO TELL YOU A BIG NSV FROM LAST WEEK!  So exciting that I had to shout that last sentence.  I bought a pair of jeans!!  Now this might sound like a very routine activity, indeed wearing jeans may be a near on daily occurrence for many of you.  Backstory:  I haven't bought a pair of jeans for about 4 years.  I haven't worn a pair of jeans for about 2 years.  I haven't worn a pair of trousers in a year and half.  This is because I just seemed to be the wrong shape for them.  I wear leggings, every single day.  With a skirt mostly (black of course) and occasionally a dress.  In the UK, most high street shops go up to a size 18 (I think that's a US 14??)  And in tops and dresses and skirts, that's the size I was (now a 16 in those items - yay!) - but when it came to trousers/jeans, I just couldn't admit to myself that I was bigger than that.  If I'm to admit it now, I think in trousers I would've been about a UK size 22.  And you can pretty much only buy a 22 in the few and far between plus size stores - somewhere I try and avoid going because they make me sad with their expense, lack of variety/style etc.  So, I went into a nice high street shop for a browse last week, and picked up an armful of jeans to try on - all bootcut, size 18 short (I'm only 5'3") - I tried on 2 pairs and both fit - not only did they fit, they looked GOOD!!  I bought a dark denim pair and have very much enjoyed wearing them since.  I've had compliments from friends and family and my darling boyfriend said I look great in them.  Periodically over the last few years I've done this, picked up a load of jeans in a size 18 feeling sure that they'd fit, and only just getting them over my knees and wanting to cry/die.  And this achievement, this NSV is such a great, tangible measure of my success.  Every time I wear them, I am proud of myself.

I know I've been pretty down on myself the past few posts, but after reading such kind comments from you all, I just feel so much better.  I'm not doing perfectly with my eating, but I'm working out.  And I'm getting there.  I've always been such an all or nothing person that I forget about progress and see anything but perfection as complete failure that is always all my fault.  I've gotta get over that.  Exercise is my friend and so are all of you. xxx