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Writer's pictureBex Maini

6 Months of Fitness, 3.5 Stone Down

Today is my 6 month anniversary of starting my fitness plan with Nicolle so I wanted to publish another update.


I've now lost 3.5 stones (22.2kg)

I've dropped 3 dress sizes.

I want to lose 5 more kg (and then it depends what my body fat % is what we do next).

I'm fed up of the rain and being muddy on all my walks! I want to wear some different (and lighter) clothes and shoes!!

I'm still loving the gym.


September to March in the same dress


The Gym

I started off doing all my workouts at home with dumbbells. About 6 weeks in, Nic introduced a cardio session and I wanted to swim so I had to join a local gym to have access to a pool. Little did I know that I'd become a gym bunny and actually prefer working out there now!


I was really self conscious when I first went and didn't know how to use some of the machines, I worried that people would judge me but it's honestly been fine! People are not concerned with what others are doing and whenever I have needed to ask, whether it's been a gym employee or a random gym goer, they've been super helpful and happy to show me the ropes. Not intimidating at all!


As you can see from my workout outfits, I'm not scared to be colourful at the gym either! I didn't take many photos at the start though so most of these are from the last few weeks although you can definitely still see a difference from the top to bottom row I think!


Leggings from a variety of places online. (See here for more info.)



How do I fit it in?

People often ask how I manage everything, between two jobs, family, home and workouts, it's tough but I have managed to make the time and it's now non-negotiable, if I can't do it at the usual time for whatever reason, I fit it in on the weekend.


I thought it might be helpful to share a rough outline of my new schedule, to show how I've fitted my workouts, steps and food into my life so it remains a lifestyle change and not a temporary health kick.


Just to preface this by saying, this is flexible and sometimes I struggle to do things when planned, if I have a photoshoot and editing to fit in for example as these can be sporadic with some months being busier than others, as well as other occasional changes such as school holidays, stuff going on with the kids, etc.



My Schedule

If all goes to plan this is my weekly schedule:


Monday:

8:30am - Walk to & from school (approx 30-40 mins and 3500-4000 steps depending which way we go).

9:30am - Gym & Swim (approx 40-60 min workout followed by 30-45 mins swimming) Takes about 3 hours in total, including driving there and back, wriggling out of sweaty clothes into my swimsuit and also showering and washing my hair (with the occasional 10 min sauna if I'm not already hungry for lunch!)


Today I also went to the supermarket as we'd had a busy weekend and skipped Hello Fresh this week so I needed snacks for the kids and something to cook for dinner.


1pm (ish) - Lunch (today it was turkey chilli with rice and greens which I made on Friday).

Afternoon - Bexphoto work, admin, blogging, organising... it depends on the week.

3pm - Walk to & from school.

4pm - Twins' swimming lesson.

5pm - Cook dinner for the kids.

6-7pm - Get kids to bed.

7-8pm - Cook dinner for us (Nik often does this if it's a HF meal).

Evening - TV and/or editing/writing on my laptop, walk if I haven't done enough steps.

10-11pm ish - Bed (usually with my book until I fall asleep).


Tuesday:

7:30am - Drop kids off.

8am - Start work (dental) - fetch my patients from down stairs to get steps in.

1pm - Short walk at lunchtime.

5:30pm - Pick up kids (they usually require a 2nd dinner after a light meal at school).

6pm - Workout at home if kids/circumstances/tiredness allow.

Frantic tidying usually gets the rest of my steps in on Tuesdays (ready for the cleaner on Wed!)

Evenings pretty much the same all week.


Wednesday:

Much the same as Tuesday, a dental day.

Do evening workout at home if I didn't do it on Tuesday.


Thursday:

Similar to Monday but without the swimming (unless I wasn't able to go on Monday) so I'm only at the gym for around an hour. No swimming for the kids either but they have clubs at school so I get an extra hour to do some Bexphoto/Camera Chameleons admin or housework.


Friday:

A bit more chilled, unless I have any workouts not yet done to squeeze in if it's been a busy week with shoots/edits or a networking session.

Steps done on school run as per Monday and Thursday.

Friday evening movie with the kids.


Saturday:

Our most chilled day. Bit of a lie-in.

Nice family breakfast (still on plan) - usually some combination of eggs, bacon, mushrooms, toast/bagel, fruit...

Workout only if I didn't manage my usual 3 in the week.

Sometimes we take the kids swimming at the gym which is allowed between 11am-1pm (it's usually too busy for me to swim then).

Attempt family walk in the day or I'll go on my own in the evening with music on, leaving Nik to do the twins' dinner/bedtime.

Rainy days involve movies and possibly some board games/crafting.

Sunny days we might go further afield and head out somewhere on an adventure/cycle/scoot.

Gladiators is now a must - if we can't watch on Saturday, we'll catch up on Sunday.


Sunday:

10am - Kalyan has rugby training so I try to walk there and back if Nik can take the kids (they refuse to walk there) which gets my steps done for the day. If Nik is working, I drive the kids and then walk around the pitches to get my steps done, P is happier with a friend at the side or dropped at a playdate enroute!

If he has a tournament, Nik takes him and Priya and I will do something together. Steps may need to be done in the afternoon/evening (this will be easier in summer when the rest of the family are more likely to be up for coming with me!)


We often have a Sunday roast either at home or sometimes in a pub. If in the pub I tailor my breakfast and dinner around it to save as many calories as possible. Home roasts are easier as I just have more side veg and know we don't cook them in oil/butter.

I often spend Sunday afternoon batch cooking a recipe so I have lunches for the week and some for the freezer. Plus kitchen discos are always fun.

Evening - chill time or gym & swim if they're still not ticked off for the week.



Time Management

I definitely don't spend as much time procrastinating but I also have let some things slide like my social media marketing and certain plans I had to be better at emailing my list (something I intend to be better at every year anyway!!) But I am more productive in the time I do have and I also have more energy thanks to all this so I'm more motivated in general.


I also make sure I have time for things like reading and a bath to ensure my body and mind get some rest too!


Obviously the above schedule is mostly flexible due to the nature of our lives with hubby sometimes being on call and me sometimes having more work on but we make it work.


When do you fit in your exercise for the week?

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