Back in the day, I'd say I wasn't a very strong person. I wasn't necessarily weak, but I just kinda let things happen. I stayed in relationships too long because leaving them would be too hard; I stayed in education too long because I didn't think I'd be able to find a job; I comforted myself with p[...]

This is maybe a little off the usual topic, for me. Or maybe it isn't. I don't know. Here's the situation. You all know I work in marketing, right? I've confessed this plenty o'times before. Judge if you will, but let's be clear - I enjoy my job, and at least I'm not this guy. This guy is [...]

You may remember a couple of weeks ago I said I was starting to train with the lovely Tom Dyer of Ultimate City Fitness, to find out how much butt it is possible for one fat girl to kick. I'm nothing if not open to new experiences, even if they do seem utterly terrifying. After all, I have this w[...]

It's been one hell of a week, hasn't it? I mean, sitting here, in bed, in my cosy little house, I feel well and truly apart from the awfulness that's going on in Boston as I type. It's almost as though, the second I turn the news off and log out of Twitter, it stops happening - but of course, it [...]

I'm not sure if you're aware, but I am not particularly cool. I'm giving it my best shot, with my cool job in a cool company, doing cool things for cool businesses - but alas, I am not, myself, one of the cool people. Here are some examples: I fall down a lot. I'd rather be late for work than [...]

Okay, so I've been meaning to get to addressing this since it started emerging - it's time for me to talk about horse meat. I know I'm late to the party, but sue me - I've been busy. And also, if I'm honest, I'm not really sure where I come down on the whole debacle. For those of you outside [...]

I just had something of a revelation. After a week of feeling like death warmed up, I've realised... I've got Freshers' Flu. You've gotta laugh at times like this. Here I am, with my grown-up job, in my grown-up flatshare, with my grown-up clothes and attitude and a healthy living blog... And I'v[...]

You'll notice things have gone a bit quiet around these parts since my last post - because it's been something of a whirlwind since I upped sticks and moved to the big smoke. Honestly, I have not stopped for long enough to even think, let alone write - but I've been lucky enough to have met some rea[...]

Perfection is something I'm pretty sure I don't believe in; it's right up there with the phrase 'nothing tastes as good as thin feels' and the 2013 Cliff Richard calendar in my 'List of Things I Strongly Oppose.' But sometimes, for reasons beyond my control - also known as this blog - I have to p[...]

Simple question, really. But I have a theory that this whole health, fitness and wellbeing malarkey pretty much boils down to it. Figuring out what you really want - on a number of levels - is one of the most important things you can do to make a big ol' lifestyle change. Essentially, it comes d[...]

This is a guest post from Matt Peacock, who designed the programme I follow. I asked him if he'd write something that gave a little bit more insight into who he is and what he does - because obviously 'tis all well and good me gushing about his awesomeness here, but, you know... It's not quite the s[...]

This time last year, I was a good 220lbs (at least - I'd started avoiding the scales around August, once I knew I was gaining weight.) I'd had a busy October, full of cake and alcohol from a jam-packed birthday calendar, and sweets from a very-much-extended Halloween celebration. I'm a big fan of Ha[...]

Dear Minnie, I know it's been a while since we last spent any quality time together. We used to have a great time when we were younger, but then we grew apart. I went to college, moved away, got a job, and I'll admit - I neglected our relationship. And for that I'm sorry, because now I feel like [...]

When I was fat - or fatter, given the enormous chunk of birthday cake I unashamedly devoured at the weekend for my sister's 21st that I'm pretty sure weighed at least 10lbs and may have single-handedly given me diabetes - I was still... Me. I was still a mind inhabiting a body - and so you'd think I[...]

Today is World Mental Health Day - an initiative by the World Health Organisation which is designed to "raise public awareness about mental health issues. The day promotes open discussion of mental disorders, and investments in prevention, promotion and treatment services." This year, the theme i[...]

I'm not really sure of the reasons behind it, but for the last few days I've been feeling a bit... Blue. That happens to everyone from time to time - even fine upstanding wellbeing-ers like myself. I've been a tad frazzled - it's been a busy patch at work, my PhD programme is being a pain in t[...]

Ladies and gentlemen, it's that time again - wherein I go on about body image. Yes, again. You might've spotted a bit of a furore in the papers lately, because Lady Gaga has gained some weight. She's apparently gained 25lbs, in a move which has shocked people-who-should-have-more-important-things[...]

I was in full-on writer mode earlier. I was tapping away furiously, in total silence, pausing only to sip coffee and after four hours, at last, I was done. So, I cranked up the volume on my speakers, and got DOWN. I live alone. In a tiny flat. Above a curry house. But dammit, I can get down like [...]

Last week, I was asked to be a talking head on HuffPost Live, during their interview of Lisa Lampanelli - who is ace. She's known for her amazing (if a tad...uhhh...blue) put-downs - the only one I could find that wasn't too filthy to put here was "Donald Trump has disappointed more women than Sex a[...]

Ahhhh, carbs. Apparently enemy of all things diet, they're the current thing to ditch. I know this, because I tried it. Not for long, mind - it's not much fun, it makes you feel pretty terrible, and it's certainly no way to lose any weight you'd actually like to keep off. We laugh about it now, but [...]

I was intrigued to read this the other day, sent in by a very lovely reader: Teenagers who think they are overweight, even if they aren't, are far more likely to grow up to be obese, researchers warned today. They say that obsession with body image as a teen can influence our weight when we are [...]

I have a confession to make: I've always been a little intimidated by feminism. Not because I didn't agree with it, of course - I've just always been a bit afraid to engage in discussions about it, because most of the encounters I'd had with 'proper' feminists had seemed just a tad... Angry. I re[...]

Over the last couple of weeks, there have been a couple of times where I've really had to drag myself all but kicking and screaming to the gym. I know it's what I ought to do, and I know I won't regret it once I'm there - but sitting on the sofa doing all of diddly squat just seems so much more appe[...]

Up until relatively recently, I thought I could eat pretty much what I wanted, so long as I managed to stay within my calorie goal. After all, calorie counting is the key to successful weight loss. Right? Hmm. You'll notice I'm using the past tense. I no longer think that. I've always total[...]

I've been amazed at how many people identify with me on the emotional eating front - especially among people who, like me, have to juggle a lot of balls and spin a lot of plates to keep everything ticking along. It's one of those things most of us have done at some point - landing face first into[...]

If there's one question I get asked a lot (second only to 'How did you do it?') it's this - 'do you feel different?' Usually the people asking that question are referring to the physical side of it - and yes, I feel completely different. I'm less tired. It doesn't hurt to get out of bed or the ba[...]

I was very, very interested to read the recommendations from a group of UK MPs the other day suggesting that school children should have body image lessons as part of the curriculum. I'm going to repeat myself again here - for all the 'fat girl' jokiness of this blog, it's not just about weight l[...]

My last few posts have been a bit serious, I know - so I thought I'd take a minute to write a nice cheery post! I am happy at the moment. Really happy. The sun's out and I'm only a little bit burnt, which is always a bit of a mood lifter - and check it out, a new before and after pic: Evidentl[...]

It's often all-too-easy to get complacent about what you've got, be it friends, family, money, warmth - and your health. I've got a cold at the moment, and dammit, I feel sorry for myself. Really sorry for myself. I've noticed this more since I've been living a healthy lifestyle - the fact that I[...]

I have a confession to make. I haven't lost a single pound in over three weeks. Yes, that's right - I'm considering myself a blogger about weight loss... But one that isn't losing any weight. It'd be very, very easy to get disillusioned at this point - after all, I'm logging at least 9 hour[...]

Yesterday, I made an exciting decision. In 7 weeks, I'm doing the Race for Life with my Mum and sister! We did it once before, years and years ago when I was still at school, and I huffed and puffed my way through walking the 5k - I wasn't exactly at my physical peak, let's put it that way. Now I[...]

A very, very large part of my reason to move to this particular flat was location, location, location. It's closer to my family, and it's two doors down from the flat I lived in that day when I made the decision to enter the gym across the road. Yesterday, I rejoined said gym - and tonight, I saw my[...]

Don't get me wrong - when I first took those footsteps into the gym, it was all about weight loss. I was never a depressed, shy, or insecure fat girl, and I didn't want to lose weight because I hated myself, or how I looked. I thought I looked good - I just thought I'd look even better in a small[...]

I know there are lots of people in the world doing amazing things every day, and the Olympics are coming to town soon - so my miniscule athletic prowess isn't all that impressive in the grand scheme of things... But today, for the first time since I broke my knees in 2007 (actually considerably long[...]

My name's Katie. I'm 24 years old. I'm attempting to do a Literature PhD on top of a full-time job (because let's face it - a girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do.) Fortunately it's a job I love, so I'm very lucky in that respect. But above and beyond all this, I've always been a "fat girl" - n[...]