Vickie's Story

Happy Friday, everyone! This is the part where I share my story with you - what I'm doing, why I'm here, what I'm aiming for. I must say, my story isn't as inspiring or excellent as Chelsey's. I still have a hell of a way to go and I've barely scratched the surface of what's to come. 

I've always been a little bit bigger than everyone else and I've come to accept that that will probably always be the case, which I'm honestly fine with. I've never been bullied, there has never been any real concern over my weight, but I had started to notice that I don't ooze the confidence I wish I did. I'm incredibly insecure both in my looks and my body. 

I decided about a year ago to start making a change. I joined a gym and started to go on my own. I had absolutely no idea what I was doing. Eventually, I became pally with one of the Personal Trainers as we had a lot of mutual friends in common and I really started to unleash some potential. This was in about August/September 2014. I started lifting heavy, I really felt confident in the gym and I was amazed with the progress I'd made.

However, I moved cities in October 2014 and had to join a new gym. I'm not gonna lie, that was pretty horrible - my confidence plummeted once again and I just didn't feel comfortable or confident going because it was so new. I'm not going to lie, that's sort of still the case now, but that's what I'm trying to change.

I don't have my weight as it stands but in the last 12 months I've shedded about a dress size and a half and my aim is to drop two more. Because I do have a while to go and it's gonna be slow and steady progress I will be filming a video of my journey. Once this is done, Chels and I are going to be starting up a YouTube channel, which will feature my progress from my coming weight and body shape (which is a BIG thing I want to change) right to my goal. 

I want to become more confident in myself so I feel better at my gym in the place which is now my home. I'm trying really hard to get there and I'm getting there bit by bit. I was going to the gym once every couple of weeks, now I'm getting more and more into it I'm going a couple of times a week and I hope to only improve that. Here's to a happy and healthy life!

Vickie xo

Chels' story

So I've never been in the slim category of life, I was always the chubby friend and I think part of me just accepted that and plodded on, unaware of societies judgement towards those with a bit more weight around their bones. Years pass and I was still content at the size I was, I'd never really been bullied per-say about my weight apart from the usual 'yeah well you're fat' comments that kids roll off their tongues that I shrugged off. The minute my eyes opened to the harsh reality of being bigger, it was the moment everything changed; my self conscious levels plummeted and I had zero confidence. I can remember it well and was around the time the picture below in black and white was taken. I was working for Claire's Accessories in Manchester as a sales assistant and my manager who for niceness reasons we will call Sandra wasn't a very nice person. She'd constantly make jibes about the clothes I was wearing being 'too revealing' (I can confirm she was delusion and I'd never wear anything revealing!!) and I should re-evaluate my style. The worst which ultimately changed everything for me was when she told me I couldn't wear the same clothes as my other team members referring directly to my size. It honestly broke me, I think I turned to food for a while then during summer after my first year at University in 2013 I decided enough, was enough. Society shouldn't have the right to put me down because of my size... why isn't the size of my heart or how ambitious I am help me go further? No I was being penalised in the work place because I didn't look how people wanted me to look.

From that summer back in 2013 I took a vow to myself that only I have the right to judge myself, if I'm not happy then I should change that with no pressure from anybody else. And you know what? I did. I won't deny there's been setbacks and still are, I've binged and yo-yo'd and still do. I love food and that will never change but I know my boundaries and I've still got a long way to go. I've just been diagnosed with a displaced vertebrae and I've been out of action for a while and won't be able to go hard for now but I'm trying to keep my eating on the straight and narrow and exercising when I can. There will never be an end, because I'm no long dieting. I'm changing my lifestyle and that's permanent.

So hello blogging world, I am Chelsey, one half of lifestylelambs! I'm 21 and just finished University, I've currently in Manchester and working in banking, saving to travel the world. My starting weight was 196 pounds and I'm currently 147; I ideally want to shed 8 more pounds and tone up my core building strength to re-align my vertebrae. So join me and Vickie on our quest for health and happiness.
But, honestly the biggest lesson I've taken from these past two years is to accept and love yourself no matter what flaws you see looking back in the mirror. It's hard and I still have bad days but the minute you realise your potential and the beauty you hold, the journey becomes so much easier. (Mega cheese but it's true) and to society? Eff yo' beauty standards because we're all fabulous.

I look forward to posting more... until then, be the change you wish to see.


Chels
xoxo