September is my birthday month and also the month where I like to fully reset and that is exactly what I am doing. My weight loss journey really hasn't gone to plan in 2026 for multiple reasons but that is going to change as this month I am locking in on the journey in the hopes of making great progress by the 31st of December so I am heading into 2027 on the front foot.

I haven't been making the journey a priority however, something has clicked in me recently and I am really wanting to shift this weight to improve my life all round and so I can finally feel more confident and comfortable within my body. I have a bit of a crazy end goal weight and I want to be very close to achieving that goal by my 33rd birthday in September next year! As I say the goal is pretty far off where I am now however, my plan is to break it down into smaller chunks to make it sound a little less daunting and keep me focused. 

My first broken down goal is to hit 95 Kg by the 31st of December which is going to be a big ask as I am currently sat at 107.1 Kg meaning I have a total of 12.1 Kg to lose in 4 months! With Christmas thrown in the mix I know that I need to really focus to make this achievable but if I really want it I need to make sure my eyes are on the goal at all times.

The loss is an average of 3 Kg each month which if I lock in and nail the basics should be realistic I just need to remind myself what I am doing all this for. Some things are going to have to be sacrificed, I am going to need a lot of patience as the scales aren't always going to be my friend but I am sure with my current mindset I am more than capable of achieving this and getting 2027 underway in the right way.

So here are a few things I am going to do to help me along with my journey...

Reduce my alcohol intake

I don't drink loads however, my weight spikes when I do drink and it takes me a while to get it back down so between now and the end of the year my plan is simple, cut back on drinking just because I am out. My birthday trip will involve a few drinks but not loads, a family party will be alcohol free and Christmas may include a few drinks if progress has been made by then. By reducing alcohol the spikes will reduce but I can still enjoy myself. 

Reduce eating out and takeaways

Takeaways have been too much of a convenience for us and we have fallen back into old ways with them but that all changes now. One or two may be allowed each month but only if it is really necessary, my plan is to do fakeaways and just make more time for cooking at home as I know this will help reduce the weight as I will know exactly what I am eating without any hidden extras. Plus I have felt awful after our last few takeaways so are they really needed? As for eating out again this provides spikes due to hidden extras in oils etc so I am aiming to massively reduce this. I will be eating out on my birthday trip and may try limit meals out to one a month, this again should help the scales drop.

Control the binge

I am terrible for demolishing a bar or bag of chocolate in one go and bags of crisps but that also needs to change. If I feel the need to binge I will opt for something low calorie or some fruit, these choices will stop me getting in my own head for ruining my progress and should also help me snack without gaining weight.

Overhaul the diet

I am not going to cut everything out in one go however, over the next 4 months I am planning on overhauling the diet as it is terrible at the moment, convenience food is daily and there is a lack of nutritional value. The plan is to massively cut back on ultra processed and sugary foods and even go back to the occasional vegan meals as these helped my journey before.

Focus on my steps

Going into this with a fresh mindset is really helping and I know just how crucial getting my steps in daily is going to help. To begin with I am going to aim for 8,000 steps a day as I know this helps me massively however, once that seems easy I am going to up the steps gradually. With the weather turning this may mean treadmill walks to achieve the targets but I am looking forward to working towards this and seeing how the steps really do benefit me going forward. 

Workout a minimum of 3 times a week 

I know that my strength sessions are a big help for the weight loss so I am locking in and ensuring I am doing a minimum of 3 a week, if possible I will aim for 4 but I don't want to over do these. The past few weeks I have actually enjoyed getting in the home gym and just getting on with my sessions and the mental benefits are starting already. I can't wait to be able to see the benefits of these sessions showing in my body as the weight starts to drop.

Up the cardio 

I am smashing the strength sessions however, the cardio has dropped and I want to change that ASAP. Cardio is going to be a big help for making those scales drop and I am looking forward to seeing the benefits of upping the cardio. This might be from being on the treadmill or the bike but either way my body and overall fitness will thank me for this one.

Get a good amount of sleep

My sleep really hasn't been the best recently so my plan is to get some better quality sleep in to help aid recovery and help me wake up feeling much better than I have been doing. Getting sleep in has always been key for me as if I wake up still tired the day is gone, I don't want to do anything where as if I wake up fully refreshed I am onto a winner and can get loads done including working out and eating right.

So that is what I am planning on doing to help me with the journey and to hold me that bit more accountable I will be doing a monthly check in here where I can see what is working and what needs to change to see if I am on track for the 95 Kg before the end of the year or not. The monthly check in will also feature some goals and a wrap up of those the month before.  

So here are the goals I am aiming to hit in September...

> Hit 102 Kg 

> Only drink on my birthday day out

> Cut back on the food at the football

> 8,000 steps every day

> 3 Litres of water daily 

> Take my new supplement daily

Now let's see how September goes and see how many of these goals can be ticked off to set things moving in the right direction.

See you soon, 

Lucy

I am trying to be more intentional when it comes to my spending as I am fed up of feeling like I have no money. My relationship with shopping is ridiculous and I am planning on changing that, each month on here I am going to be posting the items I really want to pick up with that months pay. This list will never be more than 10 items and each items needs to be for something specific not just for the sake of it. This will mean my money is going on items that I am actually going to use & benefit from rather than something that is going to sit on a shelf gathering dust. Granted I may not actually pick up all the items from the list, money might mean some get prioritised over others and other items I may reconsider however, if I don't buy something yet I still can't stop thinking about it I am sure it will be rolled over to the following months list. So here are the items on August's pay day wish list...

Nike P-6000's 

This month may finally be the month where I bite the bullet and finally pick up a pair of Nike P-6000's. These have been on my wish list for the longest time however, due to the price I have been putting them off. My current Nike's are becoming a bit of a state so I think the time for an upgrade has come. Plus these will be super comfortable for football outfits too. 

Converse Throwbacks

As soon as I saw these Converse I knew they would be getting put on my wish list for the month. These are actually quite reasonably priced and they are just super different to other trainers I would wear. The chunkier style would definitely go with a lot of outfits I have in mind and they just look a bit better than the standard Converse, bringing something different to the outfits I would wear them with. A black pair for autumn just sounds perfect.

 

Zara Vibrant Leather

It isn't going to be long until the weather changes and this fragrance is one I used to love wearing when those colder days approach. I ran out of this a while back and due to having a fair few fragrances in my rotation I totally forgot it however, I plan to pick up a new bottle with this months pay. What I love most about Zara fragrances is how they are really well priced so one bottle will be in rotation before September's wage hits my bank account.

Card Holder 

I am attending more football games and honestly I don't want a big bulky wallet in my pocket or camera bag if I have it with me. My old Michael Kors card holder is looking worse for wear so my plan is to find a nice card holder at a reasonable price for me to have with me on game days and probably on a day to day basis. I don't want to spend a fortune on this as I am saving up for what I am calling my dream card holder however, an upgrade is due sooner rather than later. 

Google Fitbit Air

My Garmin is on it's way out, it is causing issues with my skin and it is getting super uncomfortable to wear, plus with this on I can't wear any other watches which I own which is annoying as I love those watches. I have been doing a lot of research on what I could get as an alternative and I seem to be settling on the Google Fitbit Air. This is a reasonably priced device that does just what I need it to plus there is no screen meaning less distractions. It also looks more like a bracelet meaning I can wear it alongside watches without looking silly. This could easily become a key piece for me when it comes to tracking my progress as I lock in on my fitness journey.

Loops

There have been a few instances lately where I have felt overstimulated due to background noise and honestly it has been awful. I am not sure where it has come from however, it is leaving me feeling irritated and it isn't fair on me or those I am with. This feeling has led to me looking at picking up a pair of Loops, I have heard great things about them and if they help me get rid of all the noise so I can enjoy my time out then even better. I honestly thought these would be much more expensive than they actually are which has been a nice surprise, I just need to work out which will be the best for me.

Dji Mini Mic 2

Finally on the list we have the Dji Mini Mic 2 set that I think I have set my sites on. I have a few plans in mind content wise and these would come in super handy for those plans and I am really impressed with the cost of these. I have had a few people recommend the Dji microphones when I have mentioned the plans so let's see if I end up getting these with this months pay or not.

So there you have it those are the items I am hoping to pick up with August's pay. I am hoping to get a fair few off this list this months so we shall see how it goes. I feel like a pair of trainers could be one of the purchases or the Loops but as for shopping in general it is time to stick to this list and only venture off it if it is really necessary. 

See you soon

Lucy