Over the last few weeks I have been thinking and reflecting. And to help me do this I looked back over some of my blog posts, the ones that I wrote as I planned my 50th birthday celebrations, as I thought about gifts and what I shared after the event. As I have said before my blog is mostly my hobby, it is a place for me to write, share, think and reflect. I hope that along the way I can give inspiration and encouragement to others, whether that is what I am wearing or what I am doing. One day I might make a little bit of money out of my blog but that is not my aim, I am not a professional blogger. But I hope that it makes me more real - I share outfits I am wearing not what a brand has sent me for free. When I show you what I am wearing, it really is what I am wearing and not a modelling shot - then taken off in favour of PJ's! Some of the blog posts that I looked back on are: Plans for my 50th Birthday Countdown to my 50th Birthday - being fifty and fab My Birthday Wish List Less is More - Quality over Quantity Reading through them got me thinking, how did I do? Did I have a good year, did I do what I wanted to do, did I achieve my goals? Last weekend I got to wear the dress I wore for my 50th birthday again, I attended a charity gala dinner in Milton Keynes, it was organised by my friend who has set up the Facebook support group for all those wanting to get lean, A Big Girls Journey to Lean. We had a lovely evening and I really enjoyed wearing my dress. It was from Karen Millen but was last year and nothing similar available but I do recommend Karen Millen for party dresses - and they fit so well too. First of all I had a goal to treat myself to a Louis Vuitton handbag and a new car - my longed for mini! Both I achieved - the LV I decided to save for and the mini well now that my daughter is about to learn to drive I no longer needed to be practical so I was able to choose a car just for me! So I feel very fortunate and very spoilt and I am very lucky.
But one of the biggest changes this year has been to my health and fitness - and the journey I have been on to get back to a size 8-10 after allowing myself to nudge into 12's. I finally realised I needed to make some changes when we went skiing in April 2016 and I was unfit and couldn't fit into my beloved ski trousers. I came home and started The Body Coach SSS Plan and yes I did lose the weight and the inches and was back to a size 8. But then I needed to embark on a plan to maintain and at the time I thought to lose a bit more. I was at the smallest I have been in a long time when I celebrated my 50th birthday and it felt good but I still wasn't satisfied - I wanted a 'flatter' tummy and so I carried on trying various plans etc but in the end I realised that I was trying to achieve the unachievable. Yes if I gave up all alcohol, if I exercised a lot and consistently, if I watched everything I ate then I could probably do it BUT I didn't want to give up 95% of my life to weigh 5% less. It has taken a lot of soul searching, coaching and giving myself lots of common sense talking to's for me to appreciate that I am perfect just the way I am. Yes I did need to lose that stone and the inches. But my body is happy with that,, I have maintained through this whole year despite trying to lose a bit more. I am happy with where I am. Stress became a big problem for me this summer and I have written a bit about it in previous posts so I won't go into detail again but one thing I did learn is that sleep and stress play a huge role in the body's ability to lose fat. I was too stressed and I wasn't sleeping well. Once I took time off to sort these two factors out then I started to feel better and in fact have lost an inch or so more (without really trying). So coming to terms with who I am and my body and the fact that actually at 50 I look pretty damn good has been a big goal achieved for me this year. I'm allowing myself a bit of time off formal exercise because it was causing me too much stress - seeing everyone else managing to fit it in and me not being able to - was really driving me mad. In the end I said enough is enough - I am me and you are you - I am doing what I want with my life and I will not beat myself up any longer. So here I am a year later, more positive, more accepting, happier and determined not to compare but to be happy in my own skin. My health and fitness is important to me and I am looking forward to starting exercise again in the new year - I have a 12 week goal - I go skiing in February and I can fit back into my ski trousers but they are still a little snug so if I can make them just a little more comfortable and if I can keep up with my family on the slopes then I will be very happy! Peri-menopause arrived this year and a holistic approach is something I want to find out more about - mindset, eating well and moving more - to beat the symptoms. I found the Wellness in Menopause Workshop I went on to be really helpful and I want to incorporate some of the ideas into my daily life. So that is me, feeling reflective! Lots of challenges this year but lots of positives too. I continue to get great feedback on my blog from my lovely followers. Someone at the gala dinner came up to me and said thank you for my ideas - she has been inspired by me to try outfits that she would not normally consider. Recently I attend a Dementia Friends session and someone who I met on Facebook and who follows my blog was there, she recognised me and loved my outfit! I love to hear from you - so keep in touch. Celebrating my birthday this year will be a quieter affair - my daughter is 17 and so we are much more excited about her getting her first car and having her first driving lesson. I will have family here for a stay at home dinner! Love from Michelle xx
2 Comments
Jackie
15/12/2017 04:26:05 pm
Hi Michelle. I love this post. You should be very proud of your own achievements. You've certainly ticked lots of boxes and had fun over the past year. The blog got me thinking back over my year and I started to remember lots of good times and achievements. I'm a terrible one for only remembering the negative events so this made me look back and feel very happy.
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18/12/2017 09:14:14 am
Thank you Jackie, writing the blog certainly helps me look back over the highs and lows and makes me realise I have done okay! Happy Christmas to you and your family too and look forward to seeing you soon, Michelle xx
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Michelle ...Welcome to Fifty & Fab – a lifestyle blog to inspire and empower women over 50. I’m passionate about sharing insights on health, menopause, fitness, beauty, and style, tailored just for you! Categories
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![]() Hi, I’m Michelle and my blog Fifty & Fab is all about my journey into and through my 50s. I started this blog in 2016 with the purpose of helping other women at this stage of life. I’m delighted that my blog has grown to over 13k visitors per month. Visit my Work with Me page and request my Media Kit for details of product reviews, blogging services and social media content creation.
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