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[...]

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[...]

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 my birthday! Well, not mine. But it's a whole year since I found myself sitting in my bedroom, writing my very first post, in my slippers and hat, at 10pm at night. I'd written the post, but I couldn't think of what to call the blog itself. I'd come up with a couple of bad puns, the odd play[...]

Since I (briefly) mentioned I was inclined to binge eat here, I've been inundated with questions about it - questions which it's taking me a while to answer, because frankly, I'm not sure how. See, when I try to talk about things like my tendency to binge eat... I just don't want to. Yes, [...]

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[...]

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[...]

Hello! This is only a short post, but I wanted to check in and wish you guys a very, very Merry Christmas. Here's me and my gorgeous, wonderful, super-intelligent (and a bit of a pop star) sister this morning - we thought we'd dress up this morning, to make up for the inevitable pyjama time after di[...]

It's Katie-rant time. On body image. Again. Ready? Firstly, I'm tiring of the word 'curvy.' I completely agree with the author of this article that it's a word that's become so overused as to lose all meaning - which is a shame, because it's a word I like. I don't think I'd be lying if I call[...]

America, I am officially gatecrashing your holiday. Because I love turkey, stuffing, and frankly, I think it's unfair that you guys get two goes at a Christmas-style break - so I'm getting involved. Consider me having pushed my way in there. Because I think Thanksgiving is a great holiday, or at [...]

I was so, ridiculously cheerful earlier this week that it was almost embarrassing. Honestly, even pre-coffee, I'm pretty sure I had Disney-style bluebirds flying around, singing happy songs about how beautiful the weather is. Even though it's been raining. Yes, that cheery. I know. It's gross.[...]

As the wise man Mr T. once said, it's not where you come from, it's where you're going. And I'd be inclined to agree, especially on this whole health business. I don't think it's ever too late to make a difference to your lifestyle, regardless of where you're starting from - and I think aiming high [...]

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 [...]

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[...]

I'm a busy woman - and it's hard to keep everything in balance sometimes. Normally this isn't an issue - and finding time to hit the gym usually seems like a welcome break from the huge amount of time I spend sitting in front of a computer screen... Even though I do tend to multi-task with the iPad [...]

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 [...]

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[...]

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 [...]

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[...]

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 [...]

You know what's boring? Being told what's hot. That's boring. I am tired - tired, I tells ye - of talking to people of all shapes and sizes who aren't happy with how they look, because they don't live up to the 'ideal.'  I'm also tired of living in a world where 'curvaceous' is shorthand for f[...]

I’m actually pretty delighted to be writing this post, because – along with the aforementioned Mr Super-Trainer-Nutritonist-Man (who I'll introduce properly below) I’ve finally got this weight loss thing down to an art. Not an art, actually – a science. GO SCIENCE. If I haven’t stressed this enou[...]

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[...]

I love yoga. This isn't something I thought I'd ever say, being rather inflexible and a bit of a chunky monkey. When I first started on this journey, and I had two problems with yoga. Firstly, surely if you're trying to lose weight, you should be sweating and working really hard at a slightly unc[...]

I'm an emotional eater. No doubt about that. That's pretty much why, when I had two broken legs, I ballooned in weight - it's the way I deal with that stress. It's also why I've always had snacks on standby when PhDing, because - believe it or not - writing a PhD is very much an emotional rollercoas[...]