It's a bank holiday Monday, it's pouring with rain and I'm bored!  Well actually I am waiting to go out for lunch having already been out and done a workout this morning so I thought I'd fill the void with an update on where I am with my fitness as I've not updated you all in a while!

It all started in April last year with The Body Coach SSS Plan.  And since finishing in September with excellent results I have maintained but generally struggled to settle to a definitive plan that works around my lifestyle.

I've blogged a lot about this and I hope by explaining my difficulties it helps others with their journey.  One thing that has been consistent though is my determination to stick to something!  To continue with my workouts, healthy eating and fitness goals.

I have found 'comparison' a bit of a problem.  I follow lots of Facebook groups and whilst in many ways they are motivating there is a sense of 'how did she get such good results and I didn't' or 'how can she fit all those workouts in and I don't'?  So for now I am repeating the mantra 'comparison is the thief of joy' over and over.  Do not compare.  We are all different. I am also trying to be on social media a bit less - read here about my 24 hours social media free.

One really really big thing I have learnt is that STRESS and SLEEP play a huge role in our fitness and weight loss results.  I am a very anxious person, I don't sleep well and I allow myself to get way too stressed.  I do my exercise and I eat well and yet I still continue to 'only maintain'.  I need to address the sleep and stress.

So I am doing some one to one coaching with a Nutrition Coach.  He is giving me the support emotionally to tackle the stress and see how it is hindering my fitness goals.  I have a new exercise programme, I have a set of calories and macros to try to stick to but most importantly I have some practical goals to stick to - meditating, a better sleep routine and writing down five good things at the end of every day as well as keeping a daily stress diary to see where my issues lie.

I am very lucky as I also have a great Life Coach too - Chloe Leibowitz is supporting me with practical guidance and goals to help me organise my life better.

The two combined are a fabulous source of support and encouragement as well as providing lots of practical ideas to help me address the stress in my life.

I have only about 6-7 weeks until I go on holiday to Kefalonia and leading up to the holiday I have a lot going on.  My daughter is taking her GCSE's and I have quite a few visitors staying.  Feeling confident in my bikini was always my goal and remains so although I am learning to relax a little and be realistic.  I am 50, I don't look 50, I am a size 8-10, I am lucky I can wear a bikini and I need to be proud of what I have achieved.  I am strong and toned and petite.

So that's where I am.  I am working on making sure this is a long term lifestyle change that is sustainable.  But the 8020 Lifestyle has taught me how to work that into daily life and all about balance.  I will not be 'working out' on holiday this year and I am concentrating on learning to relax more.

Thank you for reading and following my progress.

Love 
Michelle xx

Have you heard of Tom Kerridge?  He owns two (soon to be three) pubs in Marlow and his pub The Hand & Flowers was the first pub to receive two Michelin stars.  It is booked up months in advance.  He has also appeared on TV (Tom Kerridge Proper Pub Food) and has published cookery books.  He is therefore rather a popular and well-known figure in Marlow. His second pub is The Coach (no booking required) and he is about to open a third, The Butchers Tap.

At Christmas he set up a Pop-up Picture House (with food being served) in the town. The tickets for December sold out within minutes so they added in January too and they sold out and I didn't get a look in!  He is now working with Rick Stein and has created Sunset Cinema at Cliveden and Chewton Glen during the summer - and I did manage to get tickets this time.  We will be eating lovely food and watching Scandal at Cliveden.

Then he had another idea and created a festival-style event 'Pub in the Park', this took place last weekend in Higginson Park in Marlow.  I managed to get six tickets for Saturday afternoon.  There were about eight pop-up pubs (Tom's mates) all serving 'tapas' sized portions of their famous dishes.  Lots to sample and lots of wine, gin, beer etc. A stage providing live music from famous bands (Toploader, Tom Odell, James Morrison and 10cc as well as a few others), a demonstration tent where well-known chefs were showing off their skills plus a shopping village fulling of tempting culinary delights.

We had a blast!  The weather was a bit off but we mostly saw sun and only had a couple of really heavy downpours.

I had to dress for rain and mud (oh to be in England now that summer is here ...) and wore navy jeans with my long leather waterproof Dubarry boots (best buy ever).  My breton top is from French Connection, my scarf is Mint Velvet and my messenger bag is Mulberry.

Then I added my Targetdry waterproof parka!  This is no fashion statement but it is bright, warm and waterproof and it is perfect for Spring and Autumn - I love the longer length as it keeps your legs dry too.  Mine is a few years old now but there are similar here - I like the navy one.

I will leave you with a few photos of the afternoon.  It involved a lot of alcohol and we were also celebrating our niece's birthday.  I felt a little tired by 9 pm (I just can't take the pace these days).  But it was great fun and Tom if you are reading , please do it all again next year!!

Love from
Michelle xx
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Last week I took myself off to Windsor.  I used to go to Windsor a lot and then our local town centre opened a new shopping mall and life got busy and I have been doing more online shopping.  But this isn't always successful, I do seem to spend a lot of time disposing of packaging or going back and forth to the PO with lots of returns.  So I went to Windsor and it was very successful and I really should go more often, when my bank account allows!

I had decided that as much as I love my MIchael Kors blush handbag it is rather heavy and I am saving to buy a new Mulberry or Lous Vuitton in the autumn but for now I wanted something lighter weight and summery.  I had researched Karen Millen having seen my friend using a very nice navy bag from them.  So instead of ordering online I wanted to go and have a look.

Now this bag isn't leather but it is very good quality and very lightweight plus I really like the monochrome look I can create with it and that the off-white goes with everything

Karen Millen Bag £85
Karen Millen black crop jeans £90
Jigsaw poncho £85
Stan Smiths from Next £72
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Karen Millen currently have 25% off online and instore

This outfit is from Mint Velvet and I can't find the top online so maybe it is only in the boutiques.  The jeans are their Seattle Navy Jeans £69 and the scarf is also Mint Velvet along with Stan Smiths (as above).

I really enjoyed my wander is Windsor,  I love the French Connection there and bought a lovely navy top and a new summer breton top.  I'm pretty sure I said on a previous post 'no more stripe tops' but clearly they are my uniform and that is not going to change!

Ellen fluted sleeve textured jumper £65
Tim Tim long sleeve stripe top £30

Let's hope I will be posting about summer dresses soon.

Love
Michelle xx
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So as you know I've been moaning that I am cold!  To be fair expecting better weather before June was probably a bit unrealistic but hey ho a girl can dream.  I have loads of summer outfits ready and waiting in my wardrobe but in the meantime I have been digging deep to find things that a are 'spring-like' but 'keep me warm'.  Here are a few recent outfit ideas:

I didn't need a coat this day!  I wore my Next coated skinnies with Mint Velvet blush trainers, a lace vest layer from The White Company and a Hush jumper (no longer available).  And this is Katy my Westie!

This day turned out really warm and I actually went in our hot tub and dried off sitting in the garden in my swimsuit.  It was cold again the next day though.  My grey jeans and top are from Mint Velvet and my sandals are new from Holster Australia.

Now on this day I was too hot!!  I went out in the afternoon and could easily have worn at least a long sleeve t-shirt anyway.  My jumper is from Boden, my scarf is Marks & Spencer, my jeans are Gap forever skinny and my trainers are Mint Velvet (see above).

New outfit here all from Mint Velvet (I can't find the top online) plus new Adidas Stan Smiths from Next which I had been lusting after for a while but as I had my blush trainers and my superstars I resisted then I didn't resist and I now have them and they are so comfortable!

Not sure whose bottom that is disappearing but I thought it might amuse you!  Another new outfit from my wandering in Windsor last week.  I love my Michael Kors handbag but it is so heavy.  So this new one is from Karen Millen and it is smaller and lighter and I like the monochrome look I can create as it is so simple.  My breton is from Halhuber.  My poncho from Jigsaw and my jeans and bag from Karen Millen,  Plus Stan Smiths!

I wore this outfit to see Footloose at our local theatre at the weekend.  My jacket is old from Mint Velvet, cropped jeans and handbag from Karen Millen, shirt was a sale bargain from All Saints and shoes are from Russel & Bromley.

On Friday night we went down to my home town Maidstone in Kent for dinner to celebrate my oldest friends 50th birthday!  I am on the left, birthday girl Nicola in the middle and Joanna on the right - we have known each other since we were 6.  We had a lovely evening as we always do and looking forward to the final 50th later in the year!

I didn't get a good outfit post of my dress, I wore a previous season Whistles dress in navy and cream.

So quite a long one today, hope there is some outfit inspiration in there somewhere.

Love
Michelle xx
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