Blog Post 5 – Birthday Greetings
Tuesday, November 8th, 2022
November 9th is my birthday and this one is just very special because it’s exactly 6 months since I joined the gym, Rise in Telford. Yeah! I made it this far and I have no intention of slowing down with it, it’s quite simply the best decision I have made for my personal health and well-being.
How selfish of me
There will be many thinking how selfish of me to put myself first, absolutely indeed very selfish of me as I get healthier and stronger, I can care for my loved ones and offer a brilliant service to ALL my clients, yes you curry lovers deserve that!
Current Results
Losing weight has been one of the biggest challenges ever and I have officially lost 2 and a half stones so the joy of this will be central to birthday celebrations this year. Not only the weight but 8 inches off my waist and 6 inches off my hips, I kid you not, I have paraded around the gym in my bigger bottoms.
Although I absolutely am loving wearing smaller sized clothes and this journey, my happiness is not dependent on me being smaller but my health and performance is. I’ll still be me when I’m fitter, smaller and the vanity aspect is fun but not my driving factor.
As I lose weight, get fitter and healthier, I will absolutely be consistently reflecting on my journey, please reach out if I can help you in anyway.
Let’s start with Gratitude
What better place to start? I’m grateful for living in a peaceful home with Krish, my loving husband and our darling son, Sam. Thank you to both of you for forever holding my hand and heart, offering me unconditional support in our daily lives, I am and will always be forever grateful to you both, thank you.
Krish, thank you for keeping our home ticking along and for ALL that you do to support us and LM, the videos, the spell checks, just everything for being perfect you.
Sam, I love all that you share with us, your podcasts, the books, your knowledge is so interesting, please keep it coming, I love to learn from you, my super clever young man.
In very different ways, you both make my heart shine and I hope you can understand that this phase of my life could not happen without your love and guidance.
Celebration time
This post is to celebrate finally accepting that I’m in “losing weight” mode and explaining why this is such a special magnificent moment in time.
But, let me take a moment, to celebrate how amazing the human body is, yours, mine and everybody in between. How we can achieve so much with very little effort.
Let’s find out what’s different this time with my diet
Hydration – I drink loads of water, it’s colder so I am struggling here but I try to drink about 8-10 glasses per day, my caffeine consumption has been reduced and I treat myself to two coffees per day.
Calories are tracked and I eat plenty of plant-based protein and eggs.
My diet is three meals a day with an extra piece of fruit and a handful of nuts as snacks. The addiction to sugar has disappeared along with the sugar cravings, I rarely eat gluten and I don’t drink alcohol these days but look forward to my next banging hangover.
There’s usually curry for lunch with rice and let’s do a curry club live around this, not only is it super nutritious, freezes well, economical and tastes delicious.
Having a great trainer
There are no regrets with my personal trainer, D, I have actually caught him smiling at my (really bad) jokes, but he ain’t half delusional with some of the exercise my “hippo” like frame is encouraged to do. This super talented young man has patience, (bags of it) and keeps me motivated and it’s working, he is brilliant! I cannot emphasise the importance of training well and I have learnt so much from D, he focusses on technique to remain injury free, thank you D.
The plan
Walk between 7-10k steps a day, in some rare days, I get 20k done, if it’s dry, you’ll catch me going around the block, join me, please!
The routine includes training in various classes on 2/3 days of the week and I have my personal trainer D once or twice a week and I even manage to swim with plenty of yoga thrown in because we all deserve a stretch.
I love the variety and choice on offer. Water, steps, training, tick, tick, tick – it’s just a plan!
The best bit – all natural, healthy
No medical intervention, no HRT, no eating disorders, I’m chuffed to bits, the best, D has encouraged and supported me with my training and food plan to lose weight while following a dairy free vegetarian diet, now with very little gluten and yes, I eat eggs (if you are planning to cook for me).
a special thank you
Ri for being you and selling my old clothes on depop, I have loads more! Please don’t change, YOU are totally gorgeous.
Lisa, for joining and abandoning me at the gym… seriously, you got me started, big hug xx
Deb, for your mirror – can I come around again to see my legs?
Nikki for joining me in the gym, it’s lovely to see you find time for you, keep going, think of the endorphines.
Christine for always answering my calls and introducing me to brandy all those moons ago, thank you.
And finally, thank you to you all
I’m so excited and happy, my emotional, mental and physical health has never been stronger, the happiest wishes to you all on this special day!
Please shout if you’d like to chat around this fabulous journey and thank you for all your good wishes, always.
4 responses to “Blog Post 5 – Birthday Greetings”
About Lajina
Lajina Leal, Founder, Lajina Masala
Lajina had a Corporate Career as an Accountant for many years and whilst discussing an impending redundancy in an Indian restaurant with her friends, they persuaded her to set up an Indian Cooking School.
The fun started in October 2013 and the business has grown from strength to strength.
You are doing an amazing thing and I’m so happy to see the positivity written all over your face keep going xxx
thank you so much, it’s so lovely of you to leave feedback, thanks again 🙂
My darling friend, you look fantastic!
I’m in awe of your determined perseverance. You are amazing, humble and have always been a beautiful soul. Well done!
thank you so much, Sheels.
It might well have been a conversation we had that got me started and I am so excited for the future.
Thanks again and loads of love, as always, Lajina