first cab off the rank for the new “shit sorter files” section is an inspirational lady from the cold, inhospitable wilds known as “Scotland”… enjoy!
so, tell us a little about yourself…
My name is Alana Kelly, I was born in England, Surrey, but I have lived in NE Scotland, Aberdeenshire, for the past 8 years.
I’m a Timekeeper/Accounts Assistant for a Decommissioning project (taking an oil rig down)
tell us about your journey – what’s your motivation?
To begin with it was just to get healthy and lose weight. Now running has become a huge part of my journey and is now my main motivation to be better than I was the day before. Eating healthy is a big part of that because if you don’t you will feel sluggish on your runs. In turn the eating well and exercising will help me on my journey.
great! so what was your “enough is enough” lightbulb moment?
I got married in april 2010 having lost about 7-9lb to make sure I could fit into my dress but never really thinking about the need to get fit and healthy still weighing just over 18 stone.
Cue my honeymoon, walks in the highlands were hard and we couldn’t do much before I was huffing and puffing so had to take walks really slow. I then came back having put on the weight I previously lost after eating out everyday
Looking at the photos i cringed but still didn’t have the courage to do something more about it till a couple of months later when I decided to join Weight Watchers because I knew i wanted to to do it for myself!
Now I get to go back to highlands and conquer those slow walks by running them!
that’s fantastic – so what’s your goal?
To get down to a size I feel comfortable at as well as feeling healthy and fit. I hope to get down to a size 10-12. Running-wise I am working towards completing the Brighton marathon within the next few years.
can you describe how things have gone for you so far?
So far i have lost 32.8 lb, completed a half marathon and I have signed up for another four to complete in the next year. Losing the weight has given me the chance to find my passion for running and share this hobby with my Husband (Chris) who has and always is so supportive of everything I do.
what has been your biggest challenge?
Remembering that one meal wont undo all the hard work. Its OK to have a treat, I just make sure I get straight back to it after and don’t let the treat ride out for days or weeks. Also not letting plateaus stop me in my path, I keep pushing and soon the weight or inches will come off however slow it all counts. Inches will sometimes show before the scales so i need to remember to keep a track of my measurements.
what has been your biggest achievement?
Completing a Half marathon in Memory of my Mum. I finished in 3hrs 34mins and 32secs. In Sept I will be going back for a personal best.
what impacts have you seen in your life since starting down this path?
Finding my love for running and wanting to get outside for walks or a run instead of sitting in and watching the telly. Not caring what others think and getting out there, the way I see it now is I’m doing something about my health and it shouldn’t be hidden away.
what are the greatest benefits?
Feeling fit an healthy instead of sluggish and slow. Sometimes I even amaze Chris when were out on a walk an he says ‘ I don’t know how you keep going I’m knackered’ and he’s fit himself!
what are the pitfalls and drawbacks?
Getting to comfortable at a size that isn’t comfortable yet. I’ll feel amazing and get to comfy then catch a glimpse of myself and realise I’m still on this journey and have a while to go however appreciating the journey and the changes on the way. But not staying at a comfy size just because its 20lb light than i was before, Because when i get to having lost the 80-90lb i will feel even more amamzing! Clothes shopping will be 10 times better.
how do you stay motivated?
I stop and remember why Im doing this and how I would like to feel when I’m at goal. Various things like being able to buy clothes of the rack. Go for a run and feel comfortable doing it. Being able to enjoy life with Chris. Knowing when I have my first child (if I’m lucky enough) I will be able to run around with them and be here for them till Im old and grey. Having my running blog on FB, the community is amazing and so supportive, they are a chalice of knowledge, tips and a boost’s when you need it. I only hope i motivate them as much as they do me.
if you were able to say one thing to people considering making a similar life change, what would it be?
Find the voice inside of you to say No! If you want to get healthy and fit, you will need that voice inside to be able to say No when you come up against challenges that may interfere with your journey. Find a balance with your food, don’t cut any thing out as it will only make you crave it, try to just cut down on the bad stuff and you will feel heaps better eating nutritious food.
finally Alana, where can we find out more about you?
Via my Facebook page – Gone Bananas For Running
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