I've been doing this weight loss thing for a really long time now. I mean, I started in September 2010 - so we're talking almost three years since I first stepped into the gym in Worcester, weighing 290lbs. It's been a while, then, since I've felt like I could be surprised. As I've said over and [...]

Y'know when you start out on a journey to a 'new you' - or even just pick up where you left off on an old one - it's hard to imagine failing. You're resolute. You're determined. You're totally going to kick ass and achieve your goals, because you are awesome. Heck, once you're finished, you'll proba[...]

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[...]

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[...]

I know I mentioned it briefly the other day, but the times they are a'changin' in my life at the moment. That's why things have been a little quiet around here lately, and why the meal plan is delayed - but I swear to God every waking moment I have this week that isn't spent at work, I'll be working[...]

I kind of hate myself for the timing of this post, because, let's face it - if there's a time of year you're likely to drink more alcohol, it's the festive season. I'm a particular victim of this, because it was my birthday yesterday - so it's very easy for December to be less Katie Lowe, more Keith[...]

I've been amazed by the fabulous response to the exercise programme we published on Thursday this week - you guys are awesome. I've been rather inundated with questions since, so apologies if I haven't been able to email back right away! The questions that have popped up most often, I've answered[...]

We've finally made it! I can't even begin to tell you how hard we've been working to get this programme finished for you guys, following the amazing, astounding and oh-my-god-I-may-be-welling-up-a-little-bit response to last week's guest post by Matt, the trainer who designed this programme. This[...]

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[...]

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[...]

It's been an exciting week for me, because I finally hit the 160lbs I'd been aiming for for the last two years. Now I'm here, I realise I've still got some work to do, and my target weight has shifted a bit now I'm here - but when I started out, at 290lbs, it seemed like an impossible dream, so to f[...]

I'm always interested by psychological type things - especially when I can apply them to myself, because let's face it. I've started a blog about me. Safe to say I'm a wee bit self-absorbed.  Anyway, that meant that when Matt told me about something called the transtheoretical model of behaviour [...]

I've been asked this a lot since I started this blog - and yet, weirdly enough, it's one of the posts I've struggled most to write. That's for a few reasons. Firstly, when I set out to lose weight initially, I didn't think like I do now. When you first start, you're all motivation - you know you wan[...]

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 [...]

Oh, habits. Bad ones are really easy to pick up, and ridiculously hard to quit. And good ones, predictably, are quite the g'damn opposite. Here's a few examples from my own experience: grabbing a sausage sandwich and a can of full-fat coke as consolation for Monday morning (boo...) And doing t[...]

I seem to talk about body image a lot. I know that. But here I am, back on it again, like a broken record. Sorry 'bout that. This time, though, it's because a friend of mine sent me this fabulous article and it gave me pause for thought. It's amazing what an impact the things people say to you as a [...]

I've been asked a lot over the last few days - "how do you stay motivated?" Seems a lot of us - myself included - are in the habit of starting a diet with the best of intentions, and with all the motivation in the world... For about three days. Then it starts to go bit wrong. Temptation, life,[...]

This weekend two years ago, I could barely walk. Every morning, I'd wake up, strap my immobiliser brace on to one knee (or both, depending on the pain), grab my crutches, and hobble to the bathroom. Some days I'd have to knock back four different types of painkillers before I could even get out of b[...]

When I first started out trying to lose weight, I hate hate hated cardio. What can I say? I like to have nice hair, and cardio seems to go out of its way to push against that. Boo hiss. But as you probably already know, one of the biggest parts of the exercise plan I've been following is the l[...]

Because I’m super-cool (that’s a lie) and super-popular (another lie), I’ve had a very busy few weeks. I’ve been to Global Gathering, and I’ve been to leaving parties, birthday parties and just plain old regular parties. And you know what all these things have in common? Booze. Lots of it. [...]

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[...]

Last week, I was forwarded an article that claimed that inactivity now kills as many people as smoking. Apparently: A lack of exercise is now causing as many deaths as smoking across the world, a study suggests. The report, published in the Lancet to coincide with the build-up to the Olympics, e[...]

I love weight training. There's nothing more satisfying. It's hard, and it'll make you pull some interesting faces - and probably break into a sweat sitting down - but it's pretty empowering to be safe in the knowledge that you've got great upper body strength. Plus, it's amazing for toning up - mea[...]

Ahhh, celebrity diets. The age-old 'I lost 50lbs by eating nothing but grapefruit covered in salt water and lizard's tears' diet is a staple of trashy magazines (full disclosure: I love trashy magazines). When you're tucking into your second helping of chicken nuggets, it's easy enough to think 'TOM[...]

I’m so uncomfortable. Three years of hard work, and I’m stuck here, sweating, trying not to breathe so I don’t bust a shirt button under my graduation robes. This ought to be one of the best days of my life, and I just want to get out of here, get into my pyjamas, and eat until I fall asleep. [...]

I have had a super, super-busy week - it's been my first week back at work after a bit of a break, I've been bringing some freelance projects to an end, and...I've been on a couple of dates. (Very exciting!) Which is why I've been a tad quiet on the blogging front - sorry guys! I find when I'm re[...]

Over the last couple of days, I've been asked twice what exactly it is that I eat over the course of a day, a week, a month, etc. Obviously you guys have seen some of the highlights (mostly just because they're pretty) but it's not representative of everything that I chow down on on any given day - [...]

When you first embark on a diet, of any description, it seems like you've made a permanent decision to change for the better. For about two hours. Then the biscuits come out in the office, and suddenly it seems very much a temporary measure. If you're going to make a really substantial change [...]

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[...]

I think I'm one of those people that does their best to make life difficult for themselves. I think that's taken as read when you decide to do a PhD - in anything - and on top of a job? Well, that's just a fool's game. But I do it, because I'm passionate about it. Working out and eating healthy, [...]

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[...]