The Outback Expat

Updated Morning Routine

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My weekday morning routine that I have previously published has changed quite a bit recently so I thought it was time for a bit of an update.

4.45am – my alarm goes off. I get up weigh myself then take my pre work out vitamins and supplements as well as drink my protein shake.

5.15am – I grab my water, headphones and car keys before driving down the road to the gym.

5.30am – 6.30am/6.45am – I work out in the gym. Monday, Wednesday and Friday I do a mix of weights and cardio, Tuesday I do cardio, Thursday I go for a walk/run and Saturdays I do park run or cardio at the gym.

6.45am – 8am – I come home, take the rest of my vitamins, have a coffee and some water with my breakfast and shower to get ready for work.

8am – 8.10am – I pack my lunch in my bag which is already meal prepped and head out of the door for work. I drive to work, which is now a 15 minute drive from our house.

8.30am – I start work at 8.30am and work until 5pm most days.

I now no longer train with my personal trainer but I am keeping up my routine of gym before the morning with weights/cardio to keep me on track.

I never used to be very good at getting up early in the mornings but now I am used to it and naturally wake up between 5am and 6am most days even if my alarm is not set. This can be a bit annoying on Sunday mornings but I do quite like getting up and on with the day.

One Year of Weightloss

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On 2 February 2017 I joined the Fernwood Gym in Darwin and that began a big change to my lifestyle.

Prior to that date I had been implementing some small changes like going to aqua fitness twice a week since September and going for some small bike rides and walks with the Aussie.

I knew before joining the gym I would have to make sure I had my diet under control more because there would be no point going to the gym if I didn’t start eating well and when I felt like I had that in hand I called the gym and booked my appointment to sign up for the gym.

I really enjoyed the Fernwood Gym, the staff were lovely and friendly and very encouraging to me to keep on going.

To begin with I could only manage about 10 minutes on the treadmill, 10 minutes on the cross trainer or 10 minutes on the bike on the lower settings. Gradually over time my stamina improved. I had a go at some classes and discovered I’m not so keen on large group sessions but I did enjoy smaller boot camp type classes.

After moving to Brisbane I joined Fitness First and started working out with a Personal Trainer doing weights and resistance training. I train with him twice a week and then he sets me cardio for three days per week as well with two rest days a week.

The weights and resistance training is helping me get fitter, stronger and toned up and is also a great motivator because each time I can lift the heavier weights or can ride the bike for longer etc. it makes me want to work that bit harder during my next session.

Currently my weight loss is 27kg, I really wanted to be at 30kg by now but the loss has gone up and down a bit with Bali and then Christmas. I am hoping that by my birthday this year I will have lost a further 30kg which will take me under the weight I want to be and will a couple of kg’s leeway for maintenance.

Over the time I’ve been working out I have realised that I will have to always exercise but I have also come to love working out and being fit and healthy. I look forward to going for walks and am excited to go for hikes when the weather is cooler over autumn and winter.

I also just think how different my life in Brisbane would be if I hadn’t started on this healthy path. We walk all over the place and I could not have kept up with that at the weight that I was this time last year.

My Weekend Routine

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Our weekends are often pretty jam packed and we are not very good at just staying home relaxing! After the cleaning and washing is done I end up just watching Netflix or similar all day and then feel I’ve not been active enough or there are a million and one things we could be doing!

I’m counting the weekend as starting on a Friday night and so after work we will often arrange something, usually a movie at the local cinema where we live or if there is something special like an Open Air Cinema we will try and get tickets there. We usually call up our friends Naomi and Elaine & Lisa and its a fun night out if we can all make it.

As I am trying to be healthy, depending on where we are going I will try and cook us dinner beforehand or will try and choose something a bit healthier like sushi (though those spring rolls always call). If the movie is near our house we walk to and from the cinema which takes about 5 minutes each way and is up and down hills both ways!

Saturday morning I usually get up about 6am still (a lie in from my usual 5am alarm call) and either go to the gym doing the routine my PT has set or to Park Run with Naomi. We participated in Park Run recently and increased our time and I even ran! I think i’m getting the bug for Park Run which is ironic as I used to think the people I saw doing it might be crazy!

Afterwards depending on whether I am with Naomi or not, I will come home do the housework and washing with the Aussie and then make the Aussie and I breakfast. We will sit out on our lovely verandah and catch up which I love.

If I am with Naomi we will tend to go for breakfast, trying to discover new cafes and find our favourite (Currently Goodness Gracious Cafe in Graceville) and have a catch up from the week and our weekend plans.

In the afternoon we may be off on a shopping mission or to attend an event, sometimes in the City. I love being in Brisbane CBD, just seeing the skyline always makes me smile and feels like a second home for me from my home in the UK. If not we will catch up with Elaine and Lisa and Naomi, eat some good food, watch a movie and walk the dog which is a great way to spend time over the weekend.

Saturday nights recently we have been dinner at home and catching up on the Harry Potter movies on tv as the Aussie has not seen all of them. Sometimes I manage to stay awake beyond 9pm and this is a bit of an achievement as I am normally exhausted from my early starts and gym routine plus work.

We are also watching the series Lucifer which is on Netflix and really enjoying that a lot so may watch a couple of episodes. The Aussie and I don’t have very similar taste in tv shows so when we find one we both like I like to sit down and watch them with him.

Our Sundays are usually a bit more relaxed and mean an attempted lie in. I say attempted because I still usually wake up early! We may go to the markets at Rocklea, for a walk somewhere or I will make breakfast for us again but Sunday’s are usually a more chilled out day when I don’t mind a bit of tv catch up and feel the need to run around so much.

Weekend wanderings, this time around Manly

Then Sunday night I will cook dinner for us and get everything ready for the gym and work the next day and try and fall asleep early so I am refreshed for the new week.

My Week Day Morning Routine

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My week day routine is always pretty much the same, although Wednesday is usually my rest day so I will try and wake up a bit later. I usually get everything ready the night before so my gym and work clothes as well as breakfast and lunch are ready to go.

On a week day morning my routine looks a bit like this:

5am – my alarm goes off. Most of the time I do wake up on the first alarm, although the Aussie will confirm that from time to time it does go off two or three times!

5am – 5.30am – I get ready for the gym, brush my teeth, grab my water, headphones and car keys before driving down the road to the gym.

5.30am – 6.30am/6.45am – I work out in the gym. Monday, Tuesday and Thursday I do my own thing or what my PT sets for me and on Friday I train with my Personal Trainer.

6.45am – 8am – I come home, weigh myself (I do it every day, I know that’s not a good thing but its a habit now), take my vitamins, have a protein shake and some water and shower to get ready for work.

8am – 8.10am – I pack my breakfast and lunch in my bag and head out of the door for work. I drive to work, which is a 10 minute drive from our house.

8.30am – I start work at 8.30am and work until 5pm most days. I eat my breakfast at work usually. When work is busier I try and arrive at work between 7.30am and 8.30am and so will just speed up my getting ready routine after I finish at the gym.

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