Once upon a time there was a fair young maiden. She spent her days working and her nights sleeping, (without interruption), and on Sundays she was able to catch up on any sleep she may have missed through her many social activities during the week. When she needed to exercise, she did. When she felt like tightening the belt, (literally), she improved her diet for a few weeks. Life was simple, so she decided to have children.

Nights were no longer exclusively for sleeping, days were no longer exclusively for working, and a sleep in became the stuff of fairy tales. Getting to the gym was an odyssey fraught with challenges worthy of a Knight of the Round Table, and ‘diet’ became a curse word – eating was an inconvenience. She ate whatever she could fit in whenever she could fit it in without two little sets of hands pilfering it. And sometimes, (okay often), she treated herself with something utterly delicious and calorie laden as she hid from the sticky little fingers in the pantry.

Okay, so the fair maiden was me, once upon a time. In my former life I was a personal trainer, and I practically lived in the gym. I knew the rules of a good diet and I followed them to the letter. When my kids came along there was always something more important, and I ended up puyting on weight. I’m sure it’s a familiar story for many.

About a year ago I decided to change my story. I have been making the trek to the gym without exception and have reduced my caloric intake to a sensible, (not draconian), amount. This section of the blog is dedicated to that decision and all it has entailed- from the research I have been reading to the diets I have been avoiding to the daily struggle of changing my lifestyle while caring for two small children. It’s like a lifestyle scrap book.

In the past year I have reduced almost two dress sizes, but I have a way to go yet. I don’t promise it will be easy – but I promise to document it so that your fairy tale might be a little easier, a little more entertaining, and might have a happily ever after too.

Let’s start with the obvious – How Diets Work and Why They Fail. (Spoiler – there’s a weight loss solution in here that actually works!)

The Great Vitamin Debate

Exercise, Interval Training and Weight Loss – The Basics