It is official preseason is officially underway for me and I am determined that I am going to be going into the new season in September in the best shape possible. After a season of injury last season I am not going to be making the same mistakes and I am going to be ensuring that I go into the season with a lower weight, more strength and even better overall fitness however, it is going to take a lot of hard work between now and the 1st of September to get to this point and that is why I am setting myself some goals to achieve before then to keep me on track for getting in the best shape. So here are a break down on the goals I am setting myself for the next few months... 

Get as close to 95 kg as possible

If I hit 95 kg I will be at my lowest weight in quite a while which would be a huge achievement but as I am sitting at around the 108 kg mark at the moment this is going to require a big push with a loss of 1.2kg per week being need to hit the goal. Even if I get to 98kg I will be at a much lower weight than when I started last season which will be a huge bonus. I am just hoping that by dropping weight my body won't be put under as much stress so I hopefully get less injuries over the course of the season. 

Play in as many friendlies as possible

Friendlies are a good way to get in shape for the season as you are gaining valuable game time in each one and there is no better way of getting season ready than actually playing games. The more game time I get under my belt in preseason should mean I am building up my fitness ready for the season to begin and also should mean I am working on technical ability in the friendlies too. I want to make sure I am playing in as many as possible and only missing ones due to being away, no excuses now it is time to show up.

Attend as many football training sessions as possible

Just like with the friendlies attending training is going to help me get in much better shape so rather than going and watching the team I support in friendlies the plan is to go to my own football training and smash the hours session. This will help me improve all round and means I am getting an extra hours workout in each week which should help with getting close to the weight goal too. 

Build the strength in my knee

My knee got worse last season and I actually had 3 months out due to injuring it pretty badly and those 3 months were awful not being able to play so I want to limit the chances of this happening again. The weight loss will definitely help me with my knee not being under so much pressure however, I want to make sure I am also using the off season to do some strengthening exercises on my knee whilst in the gym so I am going into the new season in the best position possible with my knee.

Improve my overall fitness

My current fitness levels might as well not exist and that is something that drives me insane as I know I have the potential to really improve my fitness levels if I just put the work in. So that is my plan this off season, get plenty of cardio sessions in and really make a difference in my fitness and stamina so that I get more minutes under my belt in the season and also can impact the team in a much better way than I have been. 

Work on my ball control

I feel like a lot of my ball game needs work after so long out injured last season as I feel a bit rusty on the pitch. The plan is to have a few solo sessions in the garden or with Liam just working on my ball control like dribbling, first touch and passing & receiving. Just 30 minutes a few times a week would massively help me with this so I just need to get out and do it.

Work on my finishing

Whilst I am working on my ball control I also want to work on my finishing as the potential is there as I scored 3 goals last season but I know with a bit of work on technique, power and accuracy I could potentially score a few more goals and help the team out a bit more. Just 30 minutes a few times a week would also massively improve this and also would help with strengthening my leg.

Hit the gym 3 times a week

Alongside all the above I want to make sure I am in the gym doing 3 sessions a week on both weights and cardio. This just helps me with working towards all the above and should really help me get in shape all round not just for football. I have learnt recently the gym is actually not as bad as I once thought so it is about time I get the most out of my membership. 

Drop a clothing size

Finally one of my goals is to put all the above into practice and drop at least one clothing size going into the new season. A week before the new season begins I want to go on a trip to buy some new base layers that are a size below my usual and when the gear order goes in for the start of the season I want to be able to treat myself to some new club branded items in at least a size smaller than my current extra large that I am wearing. 

So there you have it those are my goals for the preseason if I did manage to hit all these I would definitely be going into the season in the best shape I have been in a long time which should definitely set me up for a good season ahead. Now I just need to zone in and stick to the plan, let's see how this goes...

See you soon

Lucy

Here we go as my fitness and weight loss journey is going to be a big part of my year I have decided to create a new series on here where every Wednesday I post my weight to hold myself accountable and add in the highs and lows of the week to show if I am making progress on my journey or not. I am hoping this little series for the course of 2025 is going to keep me motivated to progress on my journey and will be something good to look back on in the future when I have moved on from the grind of trying to lose weight.

So here are the stats from the 1st of January until now...

Start of the year weight : 16 st 13 lbs

This weeks weight : 16 st 13 lbs

Difference: 0 lbs

This is kind of what I expected as the first week of the year has faced weather disruption and has been all about trying to find a routine once more. 

Highs of the week

Planning things out

Granted a few plans never played out due to the weather however, I am classing planning as a high as I did actually sit down and do it either if things did have to change. 

Being productive with website work

A high from the week definitely has to be getting into a good flow of creating content for the sites again. I have managed to juggle eating well and moving with also sitting down to create content, something that I had massively neglected previously. Let's hope I can keep this up going forward.

Lows

Football got cancelled

Unfortunately the weather had different plans when it came to me returning to football post injury. I am eager to get back to kicking the ball around but I guess I am going to have to wait just a little bit longer. I know that I could have potentially seen a lot more scale change if the 5 a side match and training took place but the time to get back on the pitch will soon be upon me. 

Didn't get the gym sorted to use

Unfortunately I didn't get the gym tidied up and the lights put up in time to get using the gym during the first week of the year. The day I had planned to sort it though the weather again had another plans and the doors were snowed shut. I have now managed to get all this sorted though so fingers crossed I can have a good few sessions in there before the next round up.

Favourite Meals of the week

To be honest my nutrition is where I am going to be focusing a lot on making progress as it is nowhere near where it needs to be. I have tried this week though and one of my favourite meals was as a bit of brunch where I made myself some chicken, eggs and ready to eat bacon. This got me a decent amount of protein in and kept me full for a long time. My only other favourite meal of the week has to be the giant Yorkshire pudding we made and filled with vegetables, sliced potato and chicken sausages, it was a much needed warming meal after some time in the snow and added some much needed vegetables into my day, something I really need to work on.

Workouts Complete

2 Treadmill runs

I have done nowhere near as many workouts as I would have liked as I mentioned previously however, I still managed 2 treadmill runs which means I have finally completed week 2 of the couch to 5k programme. The 2 treadmill runs are much better than nothing which normally would have happened with the weather cancelling other plans. I just hope I can say a whole lot more has been completed in terms of workouts.

I have set myself a bit of a daily checklist for tasks to complete that are going to help me along with my journey. So how did I get on with those? 

2 litres of water - I have hit this every day

Stick to my calories - I didn't track those this week but will be doing from now on

Taken all my vitamins - This was done every day

8,000 steps a day - To be honest I have barely used my watch so I am unsure on this 

Weigh in daily - This has been done daily just to see what sort of thing change the scales however, there weren't many changes at all.

Exercise - I have done daily walks but in terms of tougher exercise it was just those two treadmill runs

So how have I felt this week

I definitely feel like there is a lot of room for improvement this week as things just didn't go to plan however, I feel like it has been better than it has been lately as I did stick to the plan as much as I could rather than giving up all together like me last year would have. I have been absolutely full of cold too which really hasn't helped things but we seem to be over that at long last.

So here are my goals for the week ahead, in the hopes of really starting to see the weight drop I am longing for...

Go boxing

I am finally heading back to the hour long boxing classes that I used to attend. I saw a lot of progress when I attended these so let's see if that happens again this time around.

Play football

The weather best ease up as I am desperate to get playing football again and hit the ground running. I haven't played since September due to injury so fingers crossed this Sunday's game goes ahead and I cam get some minutes under my belt.

Go football training

Again this will be dependent on the weather but hopefully by Tuesday things will have eased off and I can get that hour of training complete. These training sessions have been something I have really missed so let's hope Tuesday is the start of things returning to normal for me.

Hit my calorie target daily 

I am going back to tracking my calories this week so I want to make sure I am tracking all my calories each day to see what is working for me and what needs changing. I think once I get back into the habit of doing this it will be like second nature.

2 more runs

I want to make sure I am still completing my runs alongside my other forms of training as I am doing a 10k in June and I really need to get prepared for that. 2 more runs would see me complete week 3 of the couch 2 5k and finally be making some much needed progress on the programme.

Lose 2 lbs

I am really hopeful that if I hit all the other goals above that this one will take shape and I will see a 2 lbs drop on the scales to really get things moving in the right direction. I feel like this is realistic for the start of things so let's see if it goes to plan or not.

So there you have it that is week 1 of the new little fitness and weight loss series. I am really excited to see just what the year has in store for me with the journey so let's see how this little series progress. 

See you soon

Lucy

It is safe to say I fell off track big time in my fitness and weight loss journey throughout 2024 for a variety of reason but that is it now I have drawn the line and I am starting from scratch in 2025. The journey is going to be my biggest focus for the year and the steps to help me make progress are going to become my biggest priority in day to day life. I am setting some pretty big but realistic goals for the course of the year and I will be breaking each goal down into little goals over the next 12 months in hopes of making them even more achievable. As I say these goals are going to be a main focus so there is going to be a big push to tick all these goals off by the 31st of December, when I will be doing a wrap up to see just how much progress has been made and I am hoping there will be plenty of it. I have plenty of plans to help keep me on track and working towards these goals too so keep an eye out on here and socials to see those. So here are my fitness and weight loss journey related goals for 2025...

Weight & Measurements

I will obviously be checking the scales in 2025 but these won't be the only goals I set for myself as I will be making sure I am checking my measurements throughout the next 12 months too. So here are my weight and measurement goals...

Lose 4 stone

I feel like if things go to plan I can definitely achieve this over the 12 month period. This will also give me a big push towards my final goal too. This is the overall weight loss goal for 2025 however, to make it a bit more achievable I am going to try break it down to so much each month to help me towards the overall goal. It does seem like a lot but the focus is there so we are really going to push for it.

Lose 15 cm off my waist 

My waist is one of the areas I really wan to see a change in over the next 12 months and I am really hoping with the changes I make throughout the year will see 15 cm drop off my waist. To be honest I think I could see more drop off however, this is the target I am setting myself for December as for now it feels more realistic. If I hit it though I might have a look at increasing it a bit further but for now 15 cm's will do. 

Lose 20 cm off my hips

Just like the waist I am hoping I really see a change on my hips too as this is an area I really don't like. The goal is to see a 20 cm drop on my hips which I feel will make a massive difference going forward and may help me feel a bit more confident overall. I think 20 cm is a realistic target just like the 15 for the waist but if things go well we may re-evaluate and maybe up the goal.

Fit into size 14 clothing

So I currently have some size 14 tops for something I am doing in June so I am setting myself a goal of fitting in size 14 clothing by then and I am hoping I can fit into the comfortably. This could be a big challenge but if I really do apply to the focus and stick to the daily habits I am incorporating into my life going forward I can hopefully achieve this, if not by June but by the end of the year. I guess only time will tell if I can hit this or not.

Hit a low weight by June

By June I really want to be at my lowest weight in far too many years. The current lowest in the past few years is 14 stone 10 lb's so if I can get under this by June I will be more than happy with the progress being made. This would also mean I am on track for hitting the 4 stone in a year as it would be putting me on a good path of weight loss. If I put everything into practice I am hopeful I can see below this number sooner rather than later.

Keep up on taking progress pictures

I used to be so good at taking progress pictures but then just couldn't be bothered so it is a long time since I have done this. The goal though is to have a set of pictures each month so I can see the progress being made. The plan is to take front, side and back pictures at the end of each month and then use them to see what is working and what isn't plus it helps me to visualize any progress even if the scales aren't showing any due to muscle growth.

Food / Overall nutrition

Now I am setting myself a fair few food related goals for the year as this is an area that needs to drastically change. If I start to nail the food and nutrition side of things then add in the workouts I should see a whole host of progress. So here are my food and nutrition goals for the year...

Meal Prep Weekly

Lunchtimes are a big downfall for me and I eat junk for the sake of it so the plan is to kick this habit and start a new one of meal prepping weekly. The goal is to take my lunch to work daily to not only save money but help keep me on track with my goals as I can make a nice healthy meal that helps with my nutritional goals. I will blocking some time out each Sunday and possibly Wednesday to make sure I am fully prepped for the week ahead.

Vitamins and supplements daily

For the course of the year I am going to be making sure that I am taking all my vitamins and supplements daily to really gain the benefits of them. I take various supplements but have always forgot to take them for periods of time so I haven't got the full benefit just yet. That will be changing in 2025 though as the goal is to take them every morning / evening to help with my journey.

Reduce the amount of takeaways we have and the eating out we do

The amount of takeaways we have had in 2024 is ridiculous so we are going to aim to drastically reduce these over the next 12 months whilst also cutting back on eating out in general as I know by repeatedly doing this I will be slowing down my progress over time. Granted we will still have the odd few takeaways and meals out but these are going to be limited monthly.

Reduce the amount of alcohol consumed

Now I won't be going cold turkey like I have in previous years, the plan for 2025 is to just cut back on the amount I have to help me along with my goals. The odd drink here and there won't push me off track so I just need to make sure I am keeping on top of other habits if I am planning on having a few drinks.

Add more fruit and veg into my diet

My diet massively lacks fruit and vegetables so going forward I am going to be making sure I have some form of fruit or veg with every meal I have and maybe add bits in for snacks too. The benefits of doing this should be absolutely huge when mixed with other areas I am working on so fingers crossed I can get the goal of increasing the amounts I eat over the next 12 months.

Other goals

There are plenty of other goals I am hoping to tick off throughout 2025 too and a lot of those are going to be training related in various ways so the other goals are...

Train and play football as much as possible

I spent the back end of 2025 out injured but now I am back and ready to crack on with playing football. The plan for 2025 is to attend all training sessions possible, although City have a few Tuesday games coming up and I have a trip away planned so those will be missed sessions. I also want to participate in as many games as possible too but again this will be dependent on me training and being fit. Football is a massive help with my journey so I really need to be at as many sessions as possible.

Go back to boxing and attend as many sessions as possible

I absolutely loved my boxing sessions on a Wednesday but other priorities too over in 2024. The plan for 2025 is to fully commit to the sessions again and attend as many Wednesday's as I can throughout the year. I am hoping that the only sessions I miss are from pre-scheduled events, injury (hopefully this doesn't happen) or trips away we have booked. I know I will see a whole lot of progress if I stick to these sessions as they were a big help for me previously.

Complete the couch to 5K

I am determined that this one is going to be ticked off nice and early in the year. For one of my big goals running wise I definitely need to this one to be done nice and early in the year. I am still struggling with my running at the moment and I think completing this is definitely going to be a huge help so it is time to push on and get it complete.

Complete the Leeds 10K 

June will see me take on the Leeds 10K to raise money for Darby Rimmer MND Foundation. I am determined to get around the course in a decent time and raise a good amount for the charity. With me struggling to run I am hoping that by following all the other steps to achieve others goals I will be improving my running over time so that when June rolls around I am ready to smash it.

Run 5K in under 40 minutes

By the end of 2025 I am hoping that all my training will lead me to massively reducing my 5K time. The goal for the end of the year is to be able to run the distance in under 40 minutes which with my current running ability is going to be a big ask however, I know that by putting other areas to work I can work towards dropping my time running too. I can't wait to see if I can manage to tick this one off and how many months it could take.

2 gym sessions a week

I now finally have most of what I need in the home gym although some weight upgrades are definitely required. The goal is to do at least 2 sessions a week in the home gym to work on my strength and conditioning. It has been neglected in recent months and I know just how beneficial 2 sessions would be as a minimum so it is time to get in there and get working towards my goals.

Make sure I am recovering properly

There is noway I want to be injured like I was towards the end of 2024 so a goal is to make sure I am recovering properly whether that is by having down time and listening to my body or adding a few stretching sessions into my weekly routine. I will also be bringing back the massage gun and ice bath into rotation to help keep the muscles working properly. No doubt there will be plenty of ice baths as I love these.

Have 4 sports massages over the course of the year

I am determined to look after myself as much as possible and I know just how good I have felt after previous sports massages so the plan going forward is to book in 4 of these over the course of the next 12 months. One every few months should really help me keep in good shape to work towards my other goals and keep me moving properly.

So there you have it those and my fitness and weight loss related goals for 2025. If I manage to tick all of these off it would be absolutely amazing and prove that real progress is finally being made. I even have Liam fully on board with the journey too so things should definitely end up moving in the right direction. 2025 is definitely all about working on my health and fitness and I am really looking forward to seeing just how everything plays out.

Now it is time to find a way of tracking the progress of all these and I am sure there will be plenty of updates coming on here and social media over the next 12 months.

See you soon

Lucy

There are plenty of plans in place to help me do this and I took a bit of time at the end of 2024 to sit down and work on these plans to set the wheels in motion going into the new year. 

One thing I have done is sit down and make a list of goals I really want to achieve throughout the year and then write down under each goals ways I can achieve them and basically broke them into mini goals in a way of seeing just what would lead me to achieve that big overall goal. I feel like working towards the mini goals will help me as that big goal wouldn't look too scary in the grand scheme of things. I can then revert back to this list throughout the year and reflect on what is working and tick off those mini goals that have been hit and hopefully seeing the small progress will help with the overall motivation and determination of the year.

I have also sat down and made a proper vision board this year which clearly reflects my goals and what I am working towards. For 2024 I just had a vision board as my Macbook background this time around though I have had some fun and I have done a printed version which is up in my home office so I can look at what I am working towards daily, it is my Macbook background again too just so I am doubly sure of what I am wanting to achieve. This vision board was great to make and printing what I am wanting to achieve has honestly really helped cement just what I want out of the year and I think it has spurred on a bit more motivation when it comes towards what I am working towards.

The bullet journal is also back for 2025 as an added organisational and tracking tool. In here I have set it up to have monthly and weekly overviews of plans and also monthly habit trackers so I know I am hitting the steps to achieve my goals. There is an overview of what I want to achieve throughout the year and it focuses more on the overall life and fitness side of the year and I am hoping that viewing this will help me see what is working and what needs altering. Keep an eye out as I will be doing a post soon on the whole set up and what I have included to help me work towards my goals. 

Overall though the plan for 2025 is to just be 1% better every day as I know this is going the be the most beneficial way to tick off those goals and really make progress to elevate my life and achieve what I am setting out to achieve over the course of the year.

It isn't just about the planning of the year though as to make it the best I know that I need to make certain aspects of my life priorities to achieve the goals I have set for myself and achieve that elevated life. So here are the things that are going to become my biggest priorities throughout 2025...

Possibly the biggest priority this year is going to be my weight loss journey. As you will see tomorrow I have a lot of weight loss and fitness related goals I want to achieve as I am sick of seeing myself in the mirror and not liking what is looking back at me. By making the journey my biggest priority I should see the weight drop and my shape change so I finally become happy in my body and see my confidence grow which will help other aspects of my life be more elevated too which is the overall goal. This means that hitting my workouts and making better nutritional choices is going to be key throughout 2025 so let's see how that works out.

Self care is also going to be made a priority in 2025 as I want to make sure my health is taken care of both physically and mentally so that I can press on with my 2025 goals without being as ill as I was in 2024 and without hitting that burnout stage which was far too common in 2024 and saw me deviate from what I needed to do to hit them previous goals. It is time to put me first and make sure I have self care evenings scheduled in where I can switch off and relax and just take a much needed break to reset and recover. I will also be adding in recovery sessions post training with ice baths and stretching as this will just look after my body and after spending so much time ill and injured in 2024 so I am determined to turn that around in 2025.

Another priority for the year is to grow the blogs and by that I mean this one, the football one and finally the gaming one. The blogs got massively neglected in 2024 due to the burn out and lack of motivation but that is going to change in 2025 as I plan to bring them all back better than ever and with a few changes. I love blogging and it is about time I got back into it properly so it is becoming a priority where I book out time so many nights a week to work on content and hopefully grow the sites how I want to. 

Something else I really want to work on is TNG Media, this is just bubbling away in the background at the moment but this is something I really want to focus on and build throughout the year. My mum is involved in this with me and we have so many ideas of items we want to sell so it is going to be a year of creating and promoting which is something we haven't done much of. I also have other ways I want to grow other than selling physical products so I will be making working on these ideas a priority too.

Now this one is something that both me and Liam are planning on making a priority and this is building our savings. We really need to stop wasting money so we are going to prioritize adding to our savings rather than going out spending for the sake of it like we have been doing. There are so many jobs we want to get done around the house and the only way we can do them is by saving up so savings are going to be a big priority for us going throughout the year.

Finally I am going to be prioritising curating my perfect wardrobe. Again there will be more on this in a future post as the turn around is going to become a big priority throughout the course of the year however, this is going to be a slow and steady priority that is going to be going on in the background as the biggest turn around won't be happening until I hit my final weight goal and I know that won't happen for a while yet. Whilst I am working towards this though I am going to be trying to define my style and have a better relationship with clothing and the biggest thing is going to be stopping wasting money on clothing I am never going to wear as it doesn't fit the style I am working towards. I am looking forward to seeing how this goes over the course of the year.

I am really hoping that if I make these areas my top priorities throughout the year then my life will definitely be much better quality and be elevated and hopefully it will help me both physically but more importantly mentally too. 

2025 is the year of elevation and growth so let's see how it plays out over these next 12 months...

See you soon, 

Lucy

Here we go a new chapter has begun and I am more determined than ever to start seeing progress towards my fitness and weight loss goals. The plan going forward is to use the first year of my 30's to really dial in and make some progress in the right direction for a change. Going into the final few months of 2024 I am nowhere near where I want to be in terms of the weight being shown on the scales and my fitness levels for football so the plan is to make the changes needed and really knuckle down to smash my goals, essentially the weight loss is now going to be a big priority for the next 12 months, no more excuses and better choices will be being made.

I know that I am more than capable of hitting my goals I just need to keep reminding myself just how much I want to achieve them. A positive thing now though is Liam is fully on board and is on his own little fitness journey which should also help me stay on track as we can work together and make better food choices together for a change. I am also making sure to plan ahead for a change, this will be planning meals, workouts and evenings where I am going out so I can work into my calories so I can stay on track. I am also not 100% focusing on the scales either as I know my progress comes in terms of measurements and clothes fitting too something which I never really took into account before as I was more focused on the scale number.

So here are some of the goals I am setting myself both weight and size wise for the next 12 months...

Drop 3 stone in the next 12 months

Right those scales will have dropped massively in the next 12 months and with the amount of time to achieve this goal if i knuckle down and really make this journey a priority I could easily smash this goal and also have the potential to lose more weight if things went to plan.

Fit into medium size clothing

I am currently sitting comfortably in an XL / large in most stores and I know if it prioritize the journey this could easily take place towards the start of 2025. The goal is to be in a medium in most stores comfortably as I know most stores sizes can really vary. I think I might even buy something in this size to use as a marker point but we shall see. 

Fit into size 14 trousers & jeans

This one might be a tough one as I am currently an 18/20 in most places but a goal for the next 12 month is to be comfortably in a size 14. This will mean the inches are dropping off the place that I am not happy with the most and will help me see the progress physically. I am really hopeful that by knuckling down I can hit this goal by next October.

Lose 15cm's off my waist

I need to measure where I am now and then the goal is to be 15cm's down by next September. I think this is a realistic goal however, if all the above goals go to plan then we might see an even bigger drop than 15cm's. My waist is a really big problem area for me so that is why it is a big focus point. 15cm's is the big target but any drop from that area would be perfect.

I am also setting myself some goals for running too as I am determined to incorporate plenty of this into my routine to help me with my goals. If I can get into running consistently I will not only see myself improve physically but I know mentally I will be much better too. So here are the running goals I have set for myself...

Complete the couch to 5k

I have started the couch to 5k and then forgot all about it so now I am determined to set myself a goal of completing the course by the end of 2024. It is 9 weeks so if I get started ASAP I should be able to get this completed with no issues at all so fingers crossed I can literally hit the ground running with this one. 

Run a full 5k

Now if I complete the couch to 5k I will definitely be able to do this. The goal is to be able to run a consistent 5k rather than being so stop start like I currently am. This should be completed pretty soon after that couch to 5k goal and I can't wait to prove to myself I am more than capable of running consistently.

Go to 5k park runs

Once I am running a consistent 5k I want to be heading out to do some of the local park runs, now if I can complete one 5 times in the next 12 months I will be more than happy. I have done one previously and enjoyed it even though I was so stop start so if I can challenge myself to hit some PB's that would be great.

Run a 5k in under 45 minutes

That previous 5k I mentioned I did that in just under an hour so within the next 12 months I would love to improve on my time and eventually be running 5k in under 45 minutes which with a bit of training and consistency I think it should definitely be achievable. Who knows I might be able to make even more progress and make it towards the 35 minute mark however, 45 seems more realistic. 

Sign up to do a 10k

I usually have a challenge booked for myself by now but for some reason I just haven't settled on one for 2025 just yet. The plan though is to book a local 10k race, which is most likely to be the Leeds 10k. This would be the furthest I had run yet and would mean plenty of training so other goals would definitely have to be hit to complete it so it could be the perfect challenge for me.

It isn't just running I want to set myself some goals for though as I am also hoping to really get into lifting and push myself to hit some higher weights rather than holding myself back and staying in my comfort zone. So here are my lifting goals...

2 sessions every week

I want to be getting 2 weight lifting sessions in each week for the next 12 months as I know that this will massively help me on my journey. The plan is to create 2 hours over the course of the week where I can head into the home gym uninterrupted and just work on my lifting and hopefully see some progress. I know already that I love lifting so it is time to add it into my routine more often.

40kg dead lift

I am going to need some heavier weights to do this however, I am determined to be hitting this in the next 12 months. I have noodle arms so this is going to be a case of improving on a low starting point but I am sure if I am hitting them 2 sessions a week as a minimum I will be able to do this over the course of the next 12 months.

40kg squat

Just like my arms my legs are basically noodles too so a goal is to be able to squat 40kg in the next 12 months. Again I need to buy some heavier weights to do this but I know that this goal is super realistic and I should be able to hit it in the time frame I have set myself. 

30kg chest press

The chest press is an exercise that I have always struggled with so I am setting myself a nice realistic goal of 30kg to lift on this one, again once I get those heavier weights. I am really hoping I can push myself with this one and hit it way before the 12 month mark but I guess only time will tell.

Of course when a goal gets hit I will be treating myself to a bit of a reward and I already have a few rewards in mind for some of the goals although I am sure more will crop up as the next 12 month progress. Some of the rewards I have in mind are...

Heavier weights

To hit my lifting goals I am going to need to purchase some heavier weights as my current set only goes to 25kg. I have my eyes set on a few weight sets so once I hit a goal or two off this list I am going to bite the bullet and finally get those heavier weights.

New workout clothes

If all goes to plan the weight will be dropping off me and my size will certainly be changing so when a goal is hit I am going to treat myself to some new workout clothing that fits me just right. I can see a lot of Gymshark orders taking place over the next 12 months if I am hitting these goals so let's see if it all goes to plan. 

New football boots

Do I really need a new pair of football boots? Definitely not but if I tick off a goal on this list I am going to treat myself to a new pair of boots as boots are the perfect treat for me as I have a bit of a collection going. No doubt by the time I hit a goal I will have my eyes on multiple pairs so it could be a tough choice when it comes to it.

New running shoes

If all those running goals get hit or even a few of them I am going to need some more suitable footwear so a reward I am setting myself is a new pair of running shoes that are perfect for me. The plan is to hit a running goal or two then go for a gait analysis to find what shoes would be ideal and eventually make the purchase to ensure I am less likely to suffer a running related injury.

Those are the only rewards I have in mind currently for the goals over the next 12 months however, as I said earlier I am sure more will be cropping up over time so keep an eye on social media where I will be sharing what goals I hit and what reward I treated myself to. I still have a very long way to go on my journey but these goals are certainly going to help me make plenty of progress by this time next year.

Now let's get cracking on and try hit some of these goals sooner rather than later. I wonder which one will be hit first?

Well after a lack of updates here we are at week 6 of the get fit for football series and things are finally starting to take shape. We are finally seeing the mental improvements alongside the scales finally showing a change in the right direction. Week 6 started off so well however, towards the end of the week things changed pace and I started to drop of the pace which is a bit frustrating as the weeks stats could have been a whole lot better if I kept up the same as the start of the week.

So here are the stats for the week...

Previous weeks weight 100.4 kg

Week 2 weight 99.8 kg

Difference     - 0.6 kg

It might not be a full kg down but finally I am under that 100 kg mark but more on that later. To say how badly Wednesday to Saturday went I am pleased with this loss as I 100% expected to see a gain on the scale. I am hoping that seeing this drop is going to motivate me even further to reach that next mini goal as soon as possible. It just goes to show a mix of a week can still show the results. Now it is time to get back on track though and have a full week the same way I started week 6, I am sure that will bring some results in the right direction.  

 There were a few highs in the week but not half as many as I would have hoped for. The first high definitely has to be getting under that 100 kg mark, this is something I have wanted to do for a long time now and finally the time has come. As we approached the end of the week I really didn't think I would be able to hit this so to weigh in and see those scales say 99.8 kg was brilliant. Now I just need to keep it off and push towards the next mini goal I have set myself. 

Another high for the week is definitely the fact I managed to play a full 50 minute game of football. I am used to doing about 12 minutes then coming off for a bit before going back on for a bit longer however, I managed to do the full 50 minutes this time around and I am certainly proud of that. Granted as the game progressed my tracking back declined due to very heavy legs however, they managed to carry me through the full game and even my chest seemed to hold out which was a bit of a surprise, I did manage to get my inhaler during a few breaks in play but I did do better than I expected in that area too as I thought my chest would mean I had to sit out for a bit. 

As with every journey I also suffered a few lows in the week one of which was going off track with my food. I was smashing it at one point, having nutritious meals but then I was offered a different lunch at work and things went down hill from there as I started to eat out a lot more and although I stuck within my calories I just wasn't fueling my body correctly and the food choices weren't as beneficial as others would be, I definitely need to work on resisting the temptation and sticking to the planned meals. 

My workouts didn't go to plan either as I didn't get to my weight lifting class and missed a full body session due to not being 100%. I am a bit disappointed that I missed these however, I know that the rest will be more beneficial for me in the long run and if I am not feeling well I shouldn't push myself too far like I have previously done. 

Mentally I am noticing a bit of a difference within myself, I have felt a lot more positive throughout the week even when things weren't really going to plan. I also feel like I am a little less bloated than I have been in recent weeks which is certainly a difference. 

Now looking ahead to the new week, I want to be prepared and ready to work towards that next mini goal. That is why Monday is going to be a rest day as my legs are still heavy from football Sunday and a rest day is certainly needed. Tuesday will be football training which I am already looking forward to. Wednesday is going to be a full body session then Thursday is going to be that weight lifting class. Friday will be another full body session whilst Saturday will either be a rest day or the start of my couch to 5k journey. The week will finally end with another football match if all goes to plan. If all these workouts take place we should be on track for another good week. 

As always with a new week comes new goals and here are my goals for the week...

- Do a food shop 

- Attend football training

- Play a football match (if it goes ahead) 

- 2 full body sessions

- Attend the weight lifting session

- 8,000 steps a day

- Minimum of 2 meals out

If all these goals are complete I am sure that the scales will be showing a number in the right direction and towards that 15 kg goal overall. These goals will also help me push on that ultimate fitness goal which is definitely going to help me through those football games in future as one full game was a struggle but I managed it. Just imagine what games will be like when that fitness falls into place. I can't wait to see what week 7 holds for me...

Start weight 100.8 kg

Weight now 99.8 kg 

Lost so far  - 1 kg

Still to go for goal of 15 kg : 14 kg

Check back next week to see how week 7 went let's hope for another good week where a lot more goals have been ticked off...

Can some one please remind me why I signed up to do the 12k Total Warrior this summer? Every time it pops up on my social media I ask myself why as I can't run 1k let alone 12 with some very brutal looking obstacles thrown into the mix. The countdown is well and truly on for the event though and with under 3 months to go I am feeling the need to step up training for it as I am feeling hugely under prepared for what is due to take place.

I really need to step things up as it is a 12k course with 25 obstacles thrown into the mix with a fair few involving water, climbing and of course a lot of mud, I think the only part I am looking forward to it Plunge, the ice bath style obstacle. This event is definitely going to put pressure on my body and prove to be a big challenge which will involve a lot of upper and lower body strength which I currently don't have and seriously need to work on. I also feel like I could do with a fair bit of weight coming off in the run up to this just to help with my fitness levels and so I am not lifting as much as I weigh now over the course, a little less weight should surely be a little bit easier. As the event edges closer though there are so many areas I could do with working on to get me around the course and just help me get in better shape in general so here is the plan...

Work on my nutrition 

I have mentioned a fair few times lately that it seems like my nutrition is what is letting me down this year so a big focus is going to be on changing what I eat. I am going to start fueling my body right, eating the right sort of foods before workouts and after to make sure I am preparing myself for what is ahead alongside eating what is going to aid my recovery process. I also want to try cut back on the amount of junk food and processed foods I tend to opt for currently, there is always a healthier alternative available to create so I am going to try make sure I am doing that, the same goes for takeaways, those are going to be cut right back and we shall be opting for more fakeaways going forward. Obviously there will be times in this where I am eating out due to family trips etc so I am going to make sure I am picking better options off the menu rather than the biggest burger on the menu.

Even when it comes to snacking I want to start having better choices, I don't need to power through a share bar of chocolate or tube of Pringles there are much healthier things I could sit and snack on whilst watching TV or whilst I am out and about. Finally for this section I want to make sure I am drinking my 2.5 to 3 litres of water a day as I know that staying hydrated will be a huge benefit for me too plus I don't need all the fizzy drinks I have been having lately.

Cardio

Getting some cardio sessions in will really help me get around that overall course length so I am hoping to increase these as we head towards the event. I am doing a couch to 5k style programme with my coach Emma which should hopefully see me be able to do some solid running rather than walking the course. My step count daily is also going to be increasing so that my legs are getting used to moving more and my overall heart rate hopefully improves due to the increase in movement. Football is also going to be a good way of improving my cardio so I am aiming to attend as many training sessions as possible whilst also playing in as many friendlies as I can in the run up to the Total Warrior event. 

Weights 

At the moment I have no upper or lower body strength and I know that by hitting the weights more often this will improve, granted in the time frame I currently have I might not get as strong as I hope to however, the training will help me work towards being strong enough to do the obstacles in the event and work towards progressing as the year goes on. The plan for the weights section of the training is to make sure I am doing my two full body sessions set by Emma each week and going to as many of the weight lifting sessions as I can each week. These 3 weights sessions each week will surely help me progress and if I push my self with some progressive overload I should see some big improvements by the time June comes around.  

Recover

It is all well and good throwing myself into these sessions but I also need to make sure I am recovering properly so that I am not putting too much pressure on my body. That is why on rest days I won't be being lazy, I will be getting myself out walking to hit my step target and keep my legs moving. The foam roller and massage gun will also be becoming my best friends no doubt as I try keep the aches and pains away. I will be getting the ice bath all set up too as I know mentally some time in here will do me the world of good. Finally recovery wise I will be making sure I am getting a good 8 hours minimum sleep each night as I know this will give my body the time it needs to recover and also help me feel more refreshed the following day.

The countdown is now well and truly on for this event and I know I could really be doing with making a lot of progress before this takes place. All I do know is that I am really excited to see any differences I can make in my body in the run up to the event as if I stick to this plan I should soon start to see a big difference. 

As I say this is going to be a huge challenge and a big step out of my comfort zone but I am looking forward to seeing how I get on.

 

Well that is week 2 done on my journey to get fit for football and I have to admit I am frustrated with myself. I threw myself into working out and getting my body moving however, my nutrition really derailed things and as you will see the week has been a mixture of things and the scales have gone up rather than down.

So here are the stats for the week...

Previous weeks weight 101.8 kg

Week 2 weight 102.4 kg

Difference     + 0.6 kg

A 0.6 kg isn't too bad but it is certainly frustrating as I thought my movement increase would have gone in my favour but I guess it goes to show you can't out train a bad diet and this is something I need to remember. I am also thinking the bit of a gain could be due to having played football yesterday and me weighing in with heavy legs but I guess we will see if that is the case as I weigh in over the course of the week. 

As I said at the start of the post I have well and truly thrown myself into my workouts and although I didn't do as many as I would have liked I still got plenty done and pushed myself in what I did. I started the week off on Monday with an at home full body workout, this certainly got the week off to a good start and I could feel myself working harder than before. Then the week got busy so a few days rest took place before taking the dog on a nice long walk, 1 hour 20 minutes and I racked up plenty of steps whilst tiring myself out more than dog. I followed the long walk with a trip to the gym to complete another full body session where I hit some new maximum weights and finished with a little bit of cardio, I certainly pushed myself to my limit in the session and felt great afterwards. I was due to go for a run on Saturday morning however, my legs were super heavy and took the day to rest up as I was playing a football match on Sunday. The game on Sunday was frustrating for me as I felt like it just highlighted how unfit I am and I am not happy with my performance lately so it is time to step all this up a gear so I feel way better than I did at full time on Sunday. 

I certainly burnt plenty of calories throughout the week however, what surprised me the most was the fact I ticked off 64,572 steps over the course of the week when previously I would have struggled at 40,000. I even managed to stick to my allocated calories every day however, they were nutritious choices and were more for convenience which is something I really need to stop doing and start fueling myself correctly.

There were a few things I was happy with other the course of the week though which is always good to look back at. One of the big things is getting that long dog walk in, normally I would leave these to Liam out of pure laziness however, I really enjoyed doing this even if I was ready for a nap after. 

I am also happy that I managed to get back into the gym as this is something I had been putting off due to laziness and confidence. Once I got in there I actually really enjoyed myself and found myself powering through my programme without worrying what others could possibly be thinking, I really need to start using my membership more as it isn't that bad.  I am also really happy with how I managed to up my water intake and reduce the amount of fizzy drinks I was having. The Pepsi Max Cherry became a bit too much of a habit so I reduced it to a can a day and focused on drinking more water throughout the day and it worked a treat.

As always there were also some things that I weren't so happy with and one of those things is the fact I didn't get as many football sessions done as I would have liked to due to other commitments, granted I still got moving but there is no better workout for me than football. The final thing I wasn't too happy with my food choices, I might have been sticking to my calories daily however, the choices I was making didn't benefit my body as I would have hoped. I really need to start opting for more fruit and vegetables in my daily routine and I know these will work wonders for me and get the scales heading in the right direction.

Overall size wise I haven't noticed much difference within my weekly measurements or progress pictures but I guess that will come over time and as we push towards that new season I am hopeful the pictures will have some noticeable changes in them. I did feel a bit deflated at the end of the week though with the gain which is obviously going to happen from time to time however, I thought the result was going to be a bit better.

We pick ourselves back up though and look ahead to a new week which is going to be absolutely chaos with so much taking place. I am determined though to keep going with the movement from last week whilst also working on what I am eating instead of just opting for the quick and easy option, I want some nice balanced options for a change. So here is the workout plan for the new week...

On Monday I am planning on starting the week off in the right way just like I did last time around, an at home full body session is on the cards and I will be pushing myself once more in this one. On Tuesday Bradford City finally don't have a home game so I am back to football training and again I am going to be throwing myself into this session and giving it my all. Wednesday is a bit up in the air at the moment, I could possibly be at football again or it could be another type of workout, I just need to see how things go on this one but either way I will be getting moving. Thursday is a rest day as I have an appointment to attend and I would much rather relax after it. If I can workout Friday I will be making sure that after a nice long dog walk I am getting my final full body session in for the week, if I can't workout though it will be another rest day. Saturday and Sunday will also be decided after Thursday's appointment however, I am also away on those days so whilst I am hoping I can run on those days we will have to wait and see.  

As always with a new week comes new goals and here are my goals for the week...

- Don't waste days off & still hit my steps target daily

- Pack my workout clothing for holiday just in case

- 1 Run on holiday if possible

- Complete both full body sessions

- Focus on the food I am eating

- 8,000 steps a day, minimum of 56,000 in the week

If I manage to hit all these goals I am hopeful that by the time I am writing this post next week I will be writing about a loss but I guess only time will tell with that one and with me being away until Tuesday we will have to see what the week 3 post next Wednesday has in store but fingers crossed it is much more positive.

As for week 2 I am so glad I got back into the gym and completed both full body sessions as it has been a long time since I last did that. We also saw a bit of nicer weather which has made me excited for the Spring weather to fully arrive as it should be easier to get those steps in. Week 2 has also shown me how much I need to push on now as the 15 kg to lose has turned into 16.6 kg which is a bigger task at hand but if we sort that nutrition out we could soon see a change in the direction of the scales. We know what we need to work on now so bring on week 3...

Start weight 100.8 kg

Weight now 102.4 kg 

Lost so far  + 1.6 kg

Still to go for goal of 15 kg : 16.6 kg

Check back next week to see how week 3 went let's hope for a good week...

At the end of last year I left a football team and had a bit of a break from the game but now I am back with a new team and although we are not in a league yet we are currently playing friendlies which have helped me come up with today's post which are all the goals I am setting myself in anticipation for the new season. 

I want my first competitive season with my new team to be my best in a long time, I want to go into it confident in my body by being in much better shape than I am currently in. I also want to see a huge improvement within myself fitness wise as currently that is really slowing me down at the moment and I struggle quite early on in the game. I also want to be better within the technical aspect so my on the ball skill is better, I have more chance of scoring and more chance of assisting whilst overall being able to play for longer which is the big aim.   

At the moment we are currently playing friendlies when we can and I am using these games and the training sessions to set myself some benchmarks for where I am currently at fitness wise and where I would like to get to by the time the real competitive season rolls around. I am really hoping that I am going to start seeing progress towards these goals as we head into the real preseason & the start of the league later in the year. 

So here are some of the goals I have set myself...

Lose 15 kg

Improve my fitness

Improve my strength

Improve my touch on the ball and accuracy

As you can see there is going to be a lot of hard work involved in achieving these goals but here is the plan to help me work towards each goal and really see the benefits... 

Sort my nutrition out

It is about time I started eating properly and that starts now. Gone are the days of eating out as often as possible and those takeaways for convenience that soon start to add up and aren't filling or giving me the nutrition I require. I will be meal planning weekly and meal prepping at every given chance to make sure I am eating the food that fuels my body. I will also be sticking to a high water intake daily and starting the day with some vitamins (more on those in a post another day). 

2 Full body sessions a week

If I manage to stick to 2 of these sessions a week then I should not only see the weight drop off me but also see my strength on the rise. The full body sessions are a nice mix of workouts that will help me work on plenty of areas of my body, it will be interesting to see how the weights in these exercises change over time if I stick to all these scheduled sessions.

Complete the couch to 5K 

Now this one I am looking forward to as it is something I have wanted to do for a long time. I am determined that by the time the season starts I can run a solid 5k and to do this I need to complete the couch to 5K. The running side of things will definitely help me in terms of fitness levels improving so I am looking forward to seeing how I get on with this one.

Weight lifting once a week where possible

I am really enjoying my lifting sessions even if my body aches for days after. I know they are benefiting my journey really well too and are aiding my weight loss and fitness journey as I am certainly getting stronger. I want to be hitting every session possible in the run up to the new season, the only way I will be missing them is if I am ill or the session is not on. No more picking trips out over the sessions it is full steam ahead.

Football training

The plan is to hit every training session possible in the run up to the season starting too however, I know there are a few sessions that I will be unable to attend due to family members birthdays or Bradford City games but in the grand scheme of things there are a lot of sessions I can 100% make it to and with the opportunity for 2 sessions a week I am sure most weeks I will be at the minimum of 1 session.

Play in friendlies

Up until the start of the new season we are going to be playing friendlies to make sure we are getting game time, previously I played in as little friendlies as possible however, this time around is going to be different as I am planning on hopefully playing in as many as I can. I am hoping that there aren't many that clash with any time away and let's hope those silly little injuries stay away too.

Train alone in the garden

The plan is to get the side garden all cut and ready for the lighter nights as this space is going to be my very own football training area. I have an agility ladder, cones, re-bounder and some goals for this area and it is somewhere I can take myself out to for 30 mins or even an hour and just work on some basics alone which I am actually quite looking forward to. 

Recover right

To make sure I am hitting the goals and being able to carry out all the bits above I need to make sure I am recovering properly to keep those little niggles away. The plan is to make sure I am stretching properly before every exercise I do plus stretching after to reduce the injury risk. I am sure the massage gun is also going to be my best friend, especially after the weight lifting sessions. The plan is also to get the ice bath set up ready to aid the recovery and also help with the mental side of things.

I am really looking forward to seeing just what difference there is in myself by the time the new season comes around, if I really stick to all the above there should be a big difference however, I guess only time will tell. I will be doing weekly updates on here every Monday with the sort of workouts I have done in that previous week and how the weight is looking, I am really looking forward to doing these updates too as it will show me the progress and what does or doesn't work for me.

The start weight today is 100.9 kg and the goal is to reach 85 kg by the time the new season begins in September / October (we will aim for September though as this is when we should be kicking off) so let's push on and see how much of a difference we can make...

2024 is the year where the biggest day to day focus is going to be on my fitness and weight loss journey. I am determined to absolutely smash my goals in this category and see myself heading towards that end weight I set myself way back when. January was always going to be the month of building a new routine and working out what actually works for me and doesn't. I went into the new year with a much better attitude than I had in the whole of 2023 and let's just say that new attitude paid off and I have had the best start to the year. So here is January's journey wrap up 

Start weight : 104.5 kg

End weight : 101.3 kg 

Total lost : 3.2 kg

I can honestly say that I did not expect to see myself recording a 3.2 kg loss in the first month, I thought I would be lucky to get to 1 kg at one point as the scales have been very inconsistent. Stepping on the scales on the 31st and seeing that final number though was just absolutely fantastic and shows that it all works out in the end and it left me entering February on a high ready to keep up with the habits to hopefully see another great change by the end of the month.

Gym sessions attended : 2

I had two great gym sessions in January however, I really do wish I had got to more but for a variety of reasons this didn't take place. At some points in the month I wasn't well so the last thing I wanted to do was go to the gym around other people. Then there were also some sneaky last minute changes that led to plans changing last minute and me not being able to attend. 

Football sessions : 4

This number is also not as high as I would have liked it to have been but this is due to a number of reasons again. One big reason was the weather, a few times it was called off duty to snow and ice which is typical around January time. There was also the illness factor again which spoilt a few sessions for me. 

Weight lifting sessions : 0

Unfortunately the first few weeks classes weren't running and then I fell ill so I didn't manage to hit any of the sessions I had hoped to. I am really hoping to get back to these classes asap though as I am missing them and I know they will really benefit me on my journey. 

I have really been working on my nutrition in January too and the meals out have been massively reduced meaning I have spent more time in the kitchen for a change which is something I am really not used to. One of my favourite things to make has definitely been a simple dish of turkey bacon, egg, spinach & mushrooms. This meals keeps me feeling full for ages and even though it takes so simple it is really nice. Plus it is super quite to make so within 10 minutes you have a lovely filling meal ready to go. I have also stopped myself from ordering McDonald's breakfasts far too often and instead I have been making my own take on a sausage McMuffin. Again this is really quick to make and is not greasy like a McDonald's so I consider this a healthier alternative.

Throughout the month there have been so many high points and I am really pleased with how many I have actually had. So here are the two biggest high points...

Seeing the scale drop

Obviously this was the biggest thing I was hoping to see in January and I saw it drop more than I could have ever imagined. I was worried that things weren't going to move at one point but I kept on pushing and the results started to roll in. It just goes to show for me a bit of patience goes a long way and the results will soon roll in. I don't think any other months will have such a high drop but we shall see.

Learning not to let the negative thoughts in

A big reason I believe I ruined my progress in 2023 is by letting the negative thoughts in and letting them bring me down meaning that I didn't want to do anything and just binge ate instead. Throughout January I have been working on not letting those thoughts creep back in and instead I have been working on adopting a more positive attitude which has really helped me achieve that drop. 

Of course as with any journey there have been some low points too but I am happy to report that those haven't been too low and have actually been out of my control. So here are two of the low points from January...

Getting ill

Unfortunately around the middle of the month things started to go down hill and I spent a few days in bed unwell however, thanks to me learning though about those negative thoughts I allowed myself some proper rest and recovery and in the end I was ill for a lot less time than usual. So it may be a low point but it wasn't too low.

The weather

I am putting it down to the weather for why I got ill in the first place however, it also caused a fair bit of disruption. It meant football was cancelled a few times and in some cases it also meant that I was unable to get to the gym meaning a few sessions were missed. I can't help the weather though so we go again and just plan better next time around.

After the success of January though it is time to set myself some goals for February, another month which I am hoping to smash and see some brilliant progress on my journey. Fingers crossed that I can start picking up some of the rewards I have set myself soon too as the progress is going that well. So here are the goals I am setting myself for February...

Get under the 100 kg mark 

I have 1.3 kg to go until I hit the 100 kg mark but I think with a good push I can get myself into the 99 kg bracket by the 29th of February. This would help keep me heading in the right direction for the end of the year goal but will also give me a bit of a confidence boost I think. The 99 mark is a more realistic goal however, 98 kg I believe would mean I am 1 stone down so I would be over the moon if I achieved that.

Limited the eating out

I did really well in January when it came to eating out and I am determined to keep the momentum going in February. I have a few things coming up in the month however, I want to try to just stick to these events for the eating out rather than constantly adding more days out to the list. If I want to see that progress I can't be reverting back to old habits. 

Gym twice a week

I have two full body sessions per week that I need to head to the gym for so I need to make sure I am getting there twice a week no excuses. By going twice a week I should be able to get into a nice routine without neglecting other aspects of my life too which is a win, win situation.

Football 6 times

Before February started I had chance to sit down and work out realistically just how many football training sessions I could get to and the answer was 6 so we are going straight in and aiming to hit every session possible within the month. These sessions will definitely help me on my journey but also get me back into the game I love and I really can't wait to attend the sessions.

Smash my first reward goal

My first reward goal is at half a stone down and I am hoping to smash that in February so I can go buy myself some new shin pads but I also want to be well on my way towards the 1 stone mark which will really push me towards the 3 stone by 30 goal. 

Feel great going into my first friendly

My first game with my new team is on the 18th so I really want to work towards feeling good about myself by then. I want to feel confident heading back onto the pitch as I have had a long time out and put a lot of weight on since the last time. I know that if I feel good heading into it I am more likely to perform better on the pitch so fingers crossed.

So those are my goals and now onto the things I am wanting to change going into the new month to help me push on even further. First up I want to be more organised, I know that more organisation will lead to me hitting more sessions as I won't be double booking or burning myself out. I am also hoping that cutting out the late starts on a weekend will also help me along, by getting up a few hours earlier I will have more time to get on with my day and that extra hour could determine if I work out or not. Finally I plan on making sure I am hitting those full body sessions, there is no need to keep putting them off and I know I will see a big change in my body if I get them done.

Overall I feel absolutely brilliant with how my progress is going and I have surprised myself with how well I have done in month 1 I didn't think I would be capable of a 3 kg lost in just one month but I guess that self doubt can disappear now. The progress in January has definitely more determined to keep going in February so let's see what the month holds for me...