“I Dropped 3 Dress Sizes Worth Of ‘Relationship Weight’ — Here’s How”

No one tells you about “relationship weight”. And Maxine didn’t know it was a thing until it happened to her… But here’s how she adjusted her diet and the exercises she did to drop a whopping three dress sizes in just eight months.

Maxine Green

Age: 44

City: Cape Town

Occupation: Personal assistant

Height: 1.61cm

Time taken to lose weight: 8 months

The Gain

“I put on weight in my thirties when I lived with my partner. It meant cooking for two, leading to bigger portions and me eating whatever he ate as well,” she says. Plus, her food choices weren’t the healthiest. Besides the fact that she ate big portions, she also loved cake, potato chips and soft drinks. Added to the relationship spread? Her sedentary lifestyle. “I didn’t exercise at all; I was a couch surfer,” she admits.

The Change

One day, Maxine decided to go swimming. Being half naked in public is tough enough, but she quickly found herself in a, erm, tight spot. “First, I couldn’t find a swimming costume that I could fit into, so I had to wear my not-so-sexy granny costume. When I jumped into the pool, I hit the water and felt like a ton of bricks,” she says. “That was it – I realised I needed to make a lifestyle change.”

READ MORE: “I Used This Weight Loss Programme And It Totally Changed My Body”

The Lifestyle

Maxine started off slowly by joining Weight Watchers and turned the overwhelming challenge into bite-sized chunks. “I learnt about portion control, how to make healthy food choices and kept a food diary for mindful eating from the Weight Watchers programme. The weekly weigh-ins and support helped keep me focused on the goal,” she says. She was also encouraged to exercise more, so she joined Adventure Boot Camp and exercised three times a week. She’s still a member. “We do weight-bearing exercises and cardio which helped me look leaner and become stronger,” she says.

READ MORE: This Is The Best Alternative To A Personal Trainer – And It’s Way Cheaper

The Rewards

Maxine dropped a whopping three dress sizes and couldn’t be happier. “I was inspired by the awesome comments I received from people who recognised the transformation in my body.” She’s fitter, more positive and feels like she can take on whatever she sets her mind to. The best part of transforming your body is that you also get a chance to transform your wardrobe – and that’s exactly what Maxine did.