Birthday Boobs, Spa Bliss & A Dose Upgrade

🎈Yesterday was my birthday—I turned 51.
Which raises the question…
How on earth did that happen?
One minute you’re 25 in a crop top with no back pain, the next you’re Googling the best SPF for neck wrinkles and planning your day around fibre intake. 🤷‍♀️

But hey, I’m here. I’m thriving. And I’m still on track.

🎉 Birthday Celebrations (Sort Of)

So, what did I do to mark the big 5-1?

💍 Spoiled by the husband?
Nope. (Unless you count the smug joy of watching him deal with post-holiday bloat. More on that in a sec.)

🎂 Ate all the cake?
Also no.

🍷 Drank too much Prosecco and danced on a table?
Sadly, no. (Though the mental image is fabulous.)

Nope, I rang in my 51st year with…
a 9am mammogram appointment.
Because getting older is so rock and roll. 🤘🩻

🩻 The Joy of Your First Mammogram

Ah yes.
My very first mammogram.
If you’ve had one, you know exactly what’s coming.
If you haven’t—buckle up.

Picture it:
You’re standing topless in a freezing exam room, awkwardly trying to be polite while a machine resembling a George Foreman Grill looms toward your chest.
Your lovely (and unfortunately very chirpy) technician gently flops your boob onto a cold plate, and then instructs you to twist, lean, lift your arm, push your shoulder forward—all while keeping your dignity somewhere on the floor beside your bra.

Then?
Squish.
Repeat for boob number two, because no one should be left out of the party.

The whole thing took 10 minutes and yes, it was uncomfortable—but also? Worth it. Because we look after ourselves now. We show up. We do the thing.

Cheers to that. 👏

☕ Birthday Cake-Free (Sort Of)

Costa emailed me with a sweet “Happy Birthday!” and a voucher for a free slice of cake.
Naturally, I forwarded it to the husband—who, I must add, managed to gain over half a stone on holiday, while I lostweight.

I know I shouldn’t feel smug. I really do.
But... I do. Just a little. 😌

And gifting him the cake coupon almost cancels it out. Balance, right?

💆‍♀️ Spa Mode: Activated

After the hospital, I made the only logical birthday move:
Spa time. 🧖‍♀️

I swam.
I steamed.
I sauna’d.
And then I floated into a 120-minute treatment that left my skin glowing and my brain absolutely useless in the best way.

Two hours of exfoliating, massaging, facialing bliss.
No cake required.

⚖️ Weigh-In Joy: 2.2lbs Down

This week?
I’m down 2.2lbs, bringing my total loss to over 41lbs.

I’m feeling stronger than ever—not just physically, but emotionally too.
I didn’t need birthday cake to feel celebrated.
I didn’t need champagne to feel good.
I just needed me—showing up, doing the work, making time to feel proud.

💉 Next Step: Dose Increase

After gently fobbing off the pharmacy for the last few weeks (“Oh, I’ll increase after the holiday…” “Maybe next pen…”), it’s finally time.

I’ve now finished my third pen of 5mg Mounjaro.
And yes—it’s been a breeze.
Barely a side effect in sight. I feel so lucky.

But I can’t stall any longer. So this week, I’m moving up to 7.5mg.

And honestly? I’m a bit nervous.
Will I feel queasy?
Will I lose my spa-glow vibe?
Will the crisp demons return?

I don’t know.

But I do know that whatever happens, I’ll handle it.
Because that’s what this journey is about:
One step at a time. One brave move at a time.

So here I am—51.
Boobs squished, cake declined, spa’d to perfection, and ready for the next chapter.

With love, smug scales, and a slightly sore upper chest,
Helen x
One small step at a time. 🎉💪🩷