Five Minutes With… Diet Starts on Monday

Hey guys and happy Monday! Tonight’s post is all about the lovely face behind Diet Starts on Monday.

I’ve been chatting to Nicole from the blog and YouTube channel, for a while now, and she is one of the most motivational and genuinely nice people I’ve ever met.

She keeps it real, she knows what she’s taking about and most of all she’s so relatable and inspires people on the daily. Check out my interview with her below.

All of the stunning images are from EM Imagery, you can find more of her work here.

1. Tell me about your blog and what made you start it up?

I started my blog on the 1st of May 2017 so it’s almost 1 year old! I can’t believe that! I started it for several reasons really. I’d always wanted to start blogging and I’d been trying to lose weight on and off for about 7 years, ( I know…it’s mental) but I just kept procrastinating, with both of those things. So eventually, I started doing mindset coaching with Laura McClean, we came up with the idea of making the blog about weight loss to begin with. And it just went from there really.

2. Where you scared to start it up and if so, what made you get over that?

2. Oh my God yes! Putting yourself out there online is daunting on it’s own, but putting my weight on the internet was so scary. Especially when I was probably the heaviest and least toned I’d ever been. Honestly, If it wasn’t for my mindset coaching I never would have done it.

It taught me to just stop caring what other people think, it taught me to believe in myself, and most importantly, it taught me to like myself enough not to worry or care if other people received me or my blog badly.

3. When did you start YouTube and how do you find doing it?

I actually started YouTube before I built my website, so essentially YouTube came first and I started filming on Monday the 1st of May and posted week 1 of Diet Starts On Monday on Monday 15th of May.

For me it’s the easiest thing to do now, it’s sort of become second nature. I used to cringe so much when I edited my first few vlogs, but now I’m used to it, it’s completely fine. It’s just getting into the habit of blogging everything you eat or drink or any exercise you do. Sometimes a do forget if I’m honest.

4. How has your weight loss journey been so far?

It’s been great to be honest. If I was more strict with myself I’d probably be a lot further on than I am. But I want it to be sustainable and if that’s going to happen it has to be slow. It’s a marathon, not a sprint. I don’t want to get caught up in the yo-yo diet cycle that I did before. The last thing I want to do is put back on the weight that I’ve lost.

What I’ve noticed most is my change in confidence and how I feel about myself and my body. Where I would have been so self conscious before and hated clothes shopping, I now love it and I’m now able to be in a photo without worrying about whether or not I look fat. If I do, so what, it’s just a photo and I’ll get to where I want eventually.

5. What tips would you have for anyone thinking of starting a diet?

1. My first would be to stop calling it a diet. I know my blog is called Diet Starts On Monday but that’s tongue in cheek and I’m taking the piss out of something myself and every other person who’ve struggle with their weight has said for years.

Even saying you’re “going on a diet” implies its temporary and it screams deprivation. Say you’re “improving your lifestyle.” It’s much more permanent and realistic.

2. My second tip is that it has to be a lifestyle, and it has to be sustainable. Consult a professional to see what you should be eating to fit your lifestyle and activity level.

3. My third would be to try a few things and find out what works best for you. I’ve tried everything from swimming world, to detox teas, to diet pills and meal replacement shakes, p.s none of these worked, and their dangerous both physically and mentally.

Honestly what works best for me is making sure I have a calorie deficit and making sure I’m getting the right proportions of nutrients.

4. Fourthly, make it FUN! Do not deprive yourself! It’s a marathon not a sprint and if what you think of being healthy is that you’re hungry and frustrated, then you won’t appreciate how amazing you feel for having improved your lifestyle.

5. Lastly, do not beat yourself up or be too hard on yourself. Push yourself further yes, don’t let yourself off the hook or tell yourself “you have to live” when you scarf a third takeaway that week. But do not hate your body or be mad at yourself when your progress is slower than you’d like. Make some adjustments and focus on the positives, you’ll get there.

6. What is your favourite healthy food?

Hahaha I love all food, I don’t like to pick favourites. I love plant based foods to be honest.

I LOVE pineapples and have to stop myself from eating them as they’re quite high in sugar. I love Alpro soya yogurt with coconut and I cannot get enough of Linda McCartney’s Hoi Sin shredded “duck.” I don’t know how they’ve made it so healthy but the macros in it are AMAZING!

I love all veg, especially broccoli, peas and carrots. Oh and I love beans, pinto, baked, black, mixed I’m not fussy. Also anything spicy is fine by me.

7. And what is your ultimate treat on a cheat day?

Oh god, nobody can cheat like me, and again there’s a list. Some of these are disgusting but I do not care.

I LOVE a curry cheesy chip, especially with Taco sauce but my god it’s SO bad for you. Paolo’s pizza is where it’s at and I love champ with tobacco onions and pepper sauce. Tobacco onions are my favourite thing about living in Derry.

I’m borderline obsessive about pasta, but my FAVOURITE treat is cheese. I love it, I must have eaten about 2 kilos over Christmas.

Best cheat meal ever – Pasta, sundried tomato stir-in from Dolmio and ALL THE CHEESE!! With loads of black pepper and some salt. It’s simple but glorious!

8. How do you stay so motivated?

In truth there are times I’m not. Especially lately with getting back on it after Christmas, and knowing I was off on holiday to Disneyland Paris (YAY) so soon after made it a bit harder to keep my head in the game.

But once you make the decision it’s fine. It’s forcing yourself out of bed at 5/6am during the winter mornings that are the worst.

Again, mindset coaching keeps me on track here. I have THE BEST coach in the world. Her name is Laura McClean and she has literally changed my life! I cannot sing her praises enough.

I love a good motivational speech or podcast. Anything from Eric Thomas gets me going, I love Lewis Howes and my friend Ben Heron has an amazing podcast called Skinny to Strong so anyone who is training, particularly the lads, should get on this.

Focus by fearless motivation is my ultimate kick up the bum! I love it and it’s set as my alarm at the minute.

9. Who are some of your favourite bloggers/Youtubers?

Oh there are SO many. I can’t get enough of inthefrow Carly Rowena or Lydia Elise Millen. I love Samantha Maria and Jade Billington as well. They’re total girl bosses and so lovely and positive.

I love some of our local bloggers at the moment, I love The Sequin Cinderella, Snazzy Yazi, Girlyinspocorner and Nichaelamaria and obviously The Big F Word. I’m so lucky to count these ladies as friends as well as my inspirations.

There are almost definitely more but I’d be here all day so that’s where I’ll leave it for now.