motivation

How to juggle a busy family life and stay active

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Believe it or not, there actually are enough hours in the day, we just don’t always spend them productively enough. Life seems to keep getting busier and we are trying to do more, achieve more, fit more in and be something to everyone. No matter how busy you are, take some time back for yourself to ensure you are keeping fit, healthy and active. You will never have this moment again so do it now!

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It wasn’t too long ago that I was always waiting for the ‘right time’ to start living a fit and healthy lifestyle. What I didn’t realise was that life was passing me by anyway and there really is no such thing as the right time. I realised it was now or never. We are always justifying how busy we are as if we are looking for some kind of medal. It’s become a social status and if someone asks how we are, we automatically reply with a sigh and an “I’m so busy”.  Well, busy or not, one thing is certain, life won’t stand still or stop being busy to wait for you to get moving and make time for your health. So, right now seems like the perfect time to start. Stop waiting and just commit to making 2018 your year to make it happen.

It’s not as hard as you think, fitting exercise into your everyday life, you just need to prioritise and plan. I am positive that you can find a minimum of 15 minutes a day and even more on some days. Even on the days where you think it is going to be hard to fit it in, look for opportunities and try your best to make it happen… these are usually the days you need it the most and will benefit greatly from some exercise. And if it doesn’t eventuate, don’t beat yourself up over it ~ tomorrow is a new day with new opportunity.

My number one tip is to wear your workout gear, wherever and whenever possible! You will be surprised how much more inclined you will be to workout, get moving and be more active in general. This really does increase your activity levels. Don’t be afraid or embarrassed about being one of ‘those’ women who do everything in their activewear… embrace it and be proud, it’s a way of life!

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If you are extremely time poor and can’t make it to a gym, make High Intensity Interval Training (HIIT) sessions your best friend. A 10 – 15 minute HIIT session in the comfort of  your own home before work, while the baby sleeps, while the load of washing is on, after the kids are in bed or whenever else you can grab some time will make you feel so energized, get your heart rate up, burn fat and release those endorphins.

Another great time to fit in a little workout is while playing with the kids. Involve them and make them part of the workout, they will love it and you are role modelling wonderful lifestyle behaviours that they will hopefully adopt as part of their lives as they grow up. Jog on the spot, squats, pushups, plank, burpees, have a running race, skipping competition, dance, the list goes on. They are all simple body weight exercises that do not require any equipment and the whole family can do it together. Use the kids as weights, let them time the sets and count the repetitions. They just love being a part of what you are doing. Just make it fun and you won’t even know you are working out and you will be also spending quality (technology free) time with your children…. A rarity in itself these days!

Make an effort to do an outdoor activity on the weekend (rain, hail or shine – just dress appropriately…. Weather really shouldn’t be an excuse not to exercise). Being outdoors is great for boosting your energy, relieving stress and blowing off those cobwebs, especially if you are stuck indoors or behind a desk all week. Go for a walk, hike, jog, bike ride, walking tour, or just park your car further away from where you need to be and walk – let’s stop being so lazy or in a hurry all the time. We are all guilty of it.

One of the best ways I have found to increase my activity and exercise during the week (particularly incidental exercise) is by using an activity tracker/fitness watch. I love my Garmin 235. If you are someone who is motivated by challenge and hitting a certain target and goal then I suggest you get yourself a tracker (one that has an app on your phone is great for easy viewing of your progress and integration into your daily life).

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My goal at the start of last year was to get better at running and make running a consistent part of my life. The last little tip I have is one I found extremely beneficial for increasing my exercise, in particular my running when I was just starting out, during a busy week. Whenever we went somewhere as a family (eg. Grocery shopping, visiting family, sport etc), I always dress in my running gear or at least have it in the car along with a hat, suncream and earphones if you like to run with music – (be prepared and you can’t go wrong) and then on the way home I would get Hubby to drop me off and I would run the rest of the way home. Make sure you pick a distance you know you can comfortably run when you start out and you can increase it each time. I’ve actually lost count of the number of times I have done this and it gets it out of the way without having to make specific time during the day or stop what you are doing to leave the house to go out for a run.  It’s a no brainer and it helped my running in the early days immensely. Often the family will follow me in the car for a bit and yell encouragement out the window and then they go and park somewhere further along and surprise me. It helps keep you going when it gets tough or you want to stop.

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So, there are plenty of ways you can fit exercise and activity into your busy week. It’s not about having time, it’s about making time! Set your goals, plan your week and just get it done. No questions, no excuses!

Follow me over at  https://www.facebook.com/fitm.u.msa for workouts, tips, motivation, recipes and more. It’s a great community and we would love to have you join us.

Enjoy xx

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5 simple exercises for time poor people

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Is it just me or is life getting busier and more hectic?  If you feel the pressure of time constraints or having to fit so much into your day that the first thing to suffer is your own health & fitness, then keep reading, this article is for you!  As the world around us seems to speed up I feel as if we are at the point of being busy for the sake of being busy. When we catch up with friends and they ask “how are you?” we subconsciously answer “I’m so busy” instead of putting any thought into our actual answer. We are becoming overwhelmed with our crazy busy, time poor lifestyle that we barely make any time for ourselves and the things that are really important to us…. And there should be nothing more important to us than our health! Without it we have nothing. For someone whose entire business revolves around being passionate about helping people prioritise their own health and fitness, it is no surprise that I am a big believer in putting yourself first when it comes to your health, fitness and physical & mental wellness. You know the drill on the aircraft “place your own oxygen mask on first before trying to help others” – if you are no good, then you are no good to anyone else!

The good news is that we can work on our health and fitness without overcomplicating it or spending hours and hours doing so or needing a full gym set up. Keep it simple! As a busy mum of 2 and a business owner, I often have to fit in a fast paced workout at home in any spare time I can grab (often with kids next to me joining in). At first you might need to make the time and change your normal routine a little to fit it in but if you are prioritising your health and fitness then this is something you need to be doing! If President Obama can fit in a workout every single day, then so can we. I mean, how busy are you??

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So, you’ve managed to find some precious time to yourself and are ready to get started…. I have compiled a list of 5 fantastic exercises that you can do at home. They will provide you with a full body workout and can be done in as little as 10 minutes. If you have longer, that’s great, repeat them again. I recommend doing 20-30 seconds on each exercise with a 10 second rest in between and trying to complete as many rounds as you can in the time you have.

  • Pushups
  • Squats
  • Plank
  • Tricep Dips
  • Burpees

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It really is that simple! Give it a go, what have you got to lose? It will get your heart rate up, it will work your major muscle groups, you will sweat and you will definitely feel amazing afterwards!

The only workout you regret, is the one you didn’t do! So, make the time for yourself and remember how important your health is to you!

For other simple, at home workouts and health information, come and join in the FitM.U.M community here or get the whole family involved and visit us at FitM.U.M & IronDAD here.

Kel xx

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You are worth it

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Lately, I have let my blogging slide due to my business being busier. However, that hasn’t been sitting well with me and I have been wanting to get back to blogging again. At the end of the day, I love connecting with people and talking about all things health, fitness, family, business and lifestyle.

So I thought my first post back should be to reiterate what is the sole purpose and driving force of my business, FitM.U.M (My Ultimate Motivation), and that is to help you prioritise your own health, fitness and happiness! This is my ‘Why’ and it motivates and inspires me every day.

My number one message for you today is:

Learn to put yourself first. Learn to value your health and fitness…..Whatever it takes, you are totally worth it. Stop feeling guilty, stop self sabotaging, stop comparing yourself to others and definitely stop making excuses!

Instead, make sure you try and do the following things every day:
✔️Eat wholesome food that nourishes and fuels your body
✔️Move your body, have fun and enjoy being active
✔️Treat your body and mind with love and respect…. if you don’t love or respect yourself, how can you expect other people to?

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I am so happy to be back blogging and reconnecting with YOU! I have set big goals and have promised big things in 2017 and I am determined to make them happen and I hope to continue to help you on your own fitness journey!

Kel xx

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FitMUM of the Month Transformation

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I love a transformation story and this is a great one……

For those that don’t receive our FitM.U.M & IronDAD monthly newsletter (which you can sign up for here), I am featuring a FitM.U.M of the month in each edition. I would love to introduce you to this months FitM.U.M Emma. Please read her story as I believe it will resonate with others and hopefully inspire you. It has taken a lot for Emma to put herself out there, this is a big part of her journey and I am so proud of how far she has come!! Please show her the respect, encouragement and FitMummy love that she absolutely deserves! Let’s hear from Emma about her health and fitness journey so far….

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“My name is Emma and I have been training with Kelly for about 3 months now. As a mum to two young girls (3yo and 1yo) I found myself to be in a bit of a rut while on my last lot of maternity leave. I was lacking energy and in turn lacking motivation to do any exercise and was eating pretty poorly. I was also struggling to accept my post pregnancy body which resulted in a degree of social anxiety and isolation. After realising I needed to do something for myself I treated myself to a bit of a shopping spree and commenced training with Kelly. I started with two PT sessions a week, where I was put through my paces, constantly challenged by Kelly and supported by my 1yo daughter! After two months I returned to work (as a school teacher) and have cut back to 1 PT session a week, with the aim to also get to 1 group class a week. Kelly also encouraged me to join the FitM.U.M 12 Week Challenge, which I did and it has helped keep me accountable.

Reflecting upon the last 3 months, I’m amazed and very proud of the changes I have seen in myself. Obviously with the amount of training I have been doing the physical benefits have been many. I have lost some weight, feel stronger and more importantly have much more energy to get through each day (which is vital at times when running on limited sleep). Kelly has also helped me assess and modify my eating habits. I’m now more aware of what I am and should be eating and can honestly say I feel much better for it. However for me the most important changes I have experienced are the psychological ones. I am much more pleasant to be around, have a lot more confidence in myself and am far more patient with my loved ones. Kelly has taught me the importance of looking after myself and not feeling guilty about it, making small achievable changes so as to not set myself up for failure and to enjoy the challenge of training (which I do…..most of the time)”

 

I love nothing more than seeing my FitMummies become happier, healthier and prioritising their health and fitness! It is the most rewarding part of what I do and I will never get tired of it. I hope you loved reading Emma’s story and maybe it resonated with you or gave you a little spark of motivation and inspiration to start your journey or to keep going…. you are most definitely worth it!

Kel xx

Don’t give up on yourself – small steps can have the biggest impact

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This is information I think lots of women need to hear…… I work on a lot of mindset issues with my clients. It is as important as the physical training and if you can get your body and mind in the best possible shape you will be much happier and more likely to continue reaching your goals. In early May I launched my very first FitM.U.M 12 week online fitness challenge. It started from talking to my clients who always dread winter weight gain and feeling sluggish and unhealthy. They were actually just expecting that it was going to happen every year and all the hard work that they had put in and the results they had achieved over summer would be undone and so continued the cycle, year in and year out. I started to hear this more and more and realised how common it was. I loved the idea of starting a group/community to help keep people accountable in the lead up to winter. I put the call out to gauge interest and I was blown away with the interest and knew it was something I had to do. That was when my 12 week pre-winter accountability challenge was born. We are now just over half way through this challenge and everyone is doing great and have really encouraged each other to stay on track. The thing I have noticed the most during this challenge is that everyone goes through the same feelings. It is never easy for anyone and at different times we will all experience low motivation and ‘fall off the wagon’. If you are reading this and are currently feeling this way then it is important to know that you are certainly not alone and it does not mean the end of your journey. Perhaps you are not currently feeling this way, which is awesome, but I bet you can think of a time that you have felt this way.

No matter how good your intentions are when you set your goals and begin your health and fitness journey, there will more than likely come a time that you will start to feel a slump in motivation and the initial enthusiasm can seem to wear off and it starts to feel a bit ‘too hard’. This is the time that you need to refocus and remember the reasons why you started. How did you feel before you decided to commit to working on yourself and your health and wellness? What are your goals? What is your motivation? If you are feeling like it is becoming harder to maintain everything, you need to break down your goals again and go back to basics. I tell all of my clients that it is important to choose one main area to focus on and take small steps. Once you feel that you have that area under control, then you choose another area to focus on. You need to crawl before you can run and often things get overwhelming when you try and do too much and the slightest hiccup will get you off track.

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Instead of trying to have the cleanest diet in the world (which can become overwhelming and hard to maintain when life gets stressful and busy) you should choose one main area of your diet that you feel needs some work (eg. reducing processed carbohydrates, cutting out soft drink, decreasing added artificial sugars etc). Stick with that until you feel like you have got it under control and then add a new mini goal. Small goals which you can achieve and continue to maintain. Do not try to change your entire lifestyle in a few weeks because if it gets hard you are more likely to throw in the towel and let go off all of the progress you have already made. Take a deep breath, reassess where you are at and how far you have come and just simply start again.

There is a big difference between a set back and failure!!

➕Slip ups, distractions, busyness, eating the wrong foods, lack of motivation, particularly bad period week, not exercising for a few days, injuries…. They are all just setbacks and are overcome the minute you decide to put your head down and bum up and get going again!! They do not define your long term goal.

✖The only failure is if you decide that your health, fitness & wellbeing was not worth the effort and you quit completely!! 
 You have all come too far to let that happen! Do not give up on yourself……You are capable of more than you know ~ Believe in yourself!

Kel xx

don't fail

you got this

 

FitM.U.M Product Review – Polar Loop Activity Tracker

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I was lucky enough to be contacted a few weeks ago by the Marketing Coordinator of RunStopShop, a fantastic online fitness store (http://www.runstopshop.com.au/) to be a brand advocate for them and try a few of the awesome products that they stock.

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This blog post is one of two posts to review the first two products I received. As well as ooohhing and ahhhing over the many, many fitness products, I also spent some time finding out more about the company and I love that their purpose is simple: to provide the products which enable you to get the most out of your active lifestyle, and enable you to reach your goals faster. This is something I’m all for…. as a busy mum of 2, who is not only on my own fitness journey, but who also motivates and trains many mums who are all embarking on regaining their health, fitness and active lifestyle! The timing could not have been more perfect, I was literally in the market for a fitness activity tracker and was researching different brands so when I saw the Polar Loop 24/7 Activity Tracker I knew I had to have it. It looks great, is extremely easy to set up and is very comfy to wear.

Polar Loop from RunStopShop

Polar Loop from RunStopShop

It’s features include:

  • Heart rate (when you are wearing the Polar H7)
  • Calorie expenditure
  • Total steps
  • Time of day
  • Activity Benefit gives feedback about your day, week, month
  • Waterproof

I love that it is simple to use and displays all the important information at the touch of a button but also has a smartphone app and website syncing which provides an accurate insight into your everyday activity and movement & sleep habits. I am definitely someone who is driven by having goals and targets to reach so, in the week that I have been wearing it, I have been so motivated to reach my daily fitness activity goal of 14,000 steps. Another feature I really like is that it tells you how much more activity you need to do to reach your goal (eg. jog for 30 mins or walk for 1hr 15). So far, I have achieved my goal each day.

As a mum of a 10 month old baby, who isn’t the best sleeper, I am up A LOT during the night to breastfeed her, so even though I am aware I am getting a very interrupted nights sleep, it has been good to see how much restful sleep I am getting at night. It accurately shows the times I get up and I find it quite amusing to see the tracking of me walking to her room (blue activity lines) and then sitting in the chair feeding her (grey activity lines) and then walking back to my room again and going back to sleep….. hey, at least I’m getting extra steps in my day. There are 24 usable hours in every day…. it’s no wonder I’m reaching my target.

Polar Loop App - Activity Breakdown

Polar Loop App – Activity Breakdown

So, although I have only been wearing my Polar Loop Activity Tracker for 1 week, I am hooked! I only take it off to charge it and I am much more aware of my movement and activity patterns and I am making sure I am staying active throughout the day. If you are looking for extra motivation to help you on your fitness journey and want to track your daily fitness, activity and sleep then I highly recommend using an activity tracker and, personally, I am loving my Polar Loop. I think it is on sale at the moment and you can shop this awesome product here.

Enjoy xx

H.I.I.T Sweat Session

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Try this awesome High Intensity Interval Training (H.I.I.T) session. Give your maximum effort and get maximum results. You will feel amazing afterwards and you will burn more fat doing this type of workout and continue to burn calories long after you’ve finished! Now that’s a bonus!

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Perform each exercise for 45 seconds with 15 seconds rest between exercises. Enjoy this full body …session. It will take 10 minutes so if you are feeling brave and want more of a workout… do it twice!

H.I.I.T Sweat Session
Push Ups (knees or toes)
Burpees
Jumping Jacks
Mountain Climbers
Plyo Lunges (alternating lunge jumps)
Tricep Dips (use a chair)
Ab Brace (plank)
Squat Jumps
Step Ups or Skipping (if you have a rope)
High Knee Sprint

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If I can do it, you can do it. But will you?

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An important part of being a good mum & wife is taking care of myself both mentally and physically. It is not selfish, it is important. Along the lines of “happy wife, happy life” I strongly believe “If Mum ain’t happy, ain’t nobody happy”. As mums we put ourselves last all too often, which is the worst thing we can do. This is why I was so motivated to start exercising again. Everyone wants to feel happy with themselves and their lives and I have never been happier.

After having my second baby (with a 7 year age gap) I had forgotten how that post baby belly looked and felt. I was disheartened leaving hospital 5 days post C-Section with a belly that looked as if my Obstetrician had left one in there. Admittedly, a lot of it was swelling from the surgery and I had probably set my expectations too high, but I was still unhappy and no amount of ‘sucking-it-in’ was hiding that post baby belly!

During the 6 weeks post baby when I couldn’t do much, I started planning my ‘come back’ in my head and this is when I felt my motivation starting to build and I was really looking forward to being able to start exercising again. Having the right mindset is always the best way to start, so I was already at that point. *Tick*.

My recovery was much better second time round and I felt so great I started doing a bit too much too soon and suffered some pain and bleeding. Much to my Obs disgust I was vacuuming upstairs and downstairs, picking up after my 7 year old and hubby and walking with the pram. Oops! Just because I was feeling good doesn’t mean I was ready to be doing all of these things yet. I am naturally a very active, busy person who does not do “sitting down” and “resting” very well. I find it really hard and I don’t enjoy doing nothing. So after a good telling off from my post natal nurse and wanting to be a good patient, I waited my 6 weeks to recover and after getting the nod from my Ob I slowly began my reintroduction to exercise and fitness. It was just like riding a bike (pardon the pun) but I was starting with my training wheels on.

Once I started with the fitness part, I found that my eating and nutrition automatically improved too *bonus*. I’ve always been health conscious but I was beginning to enjoy way too many indulgences (read: creamy hot cocoas and Kit Kats among other naughty temptations). In a way, I was comfort eating, if I couldn’t exercise yet then why not enjoy eating as much as I wanted of all of these yummy foods?! This is a bad mindset to be in and my poor eating had become an extremely bad habit. The more junk food you eat, the more you crave. I couldn’t just have a cup of tea, I had to have 3 biscuits with it…. that kind of thing. But like everything these bad habits can be changed, it’s mind over matter. I needed to find my willpower and get back on track. In my next blog post I will go through a few of the eating/nutrition challenges I faced both during and after my pregnancy. Let’s just say it hasn’t been smooth sailing…..but it has taught me how to be dedicated and strong willed.

As I said in my first blog post, motivation is a very personal thing and comes in many forms, different people are motivated by different things. When you find your purpose and motivation, it makes it a lot easier to succeed. What motivates you? If you need a bit of extra motivation come join me on Facebook, Instagram & Twitter (links in my about me).

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I found ‘My.Ultimate.Motivation’… what’s yours?

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Hi! Thanks for joining me. My name is Kelly, I am new to blogging but I am not new to Health & Fitness so I have finally decided to follow a dream I have had for quite some time now and start FitM.U.M(My.Ultimate.Motivation).

What is My Ultimate Motivation?? For me it is to be a healthy, happy and positive role model and inspiration to my 2 girls and be the best version of myself I can be. Fitness is not an individual thing for me anymore. I want my daughters to grow up knowing that being healthy, fit and active is the way we live our lives so that it is instilled in them and is easy for them to continue…I owe them that much! What is your purpose, your reason, your ‘why’? I strongly urge you to find your Ultimate Motivation. It makes life a lot easier when you do.

This is why I'm doing it! You?

This is why I’m doing it! You?

Why now? Why not? I am currently on Maternity Leave after having my second baby in June 2014. I have been in the Health and Fitness Industry for over 12 years so whilst I am taking a break from my role as Health & Wellness Manager of a very large health club facility in Adelaide, South Australia, I needed somewhere to keep my passion of health and fitness alive and to record my own personal fitness journey post baby and to share how anyone can do it! I have many mummy friends and I obviously come across women of all ages and stages of fitness through my work so if I can inspire or motivate just one other person who is on their own healthy lifestyle journey then that is fantastic. Mission accomplished.

A healthy lifestyle is not a destination, it is a way of life. It is not something that you stop once you have reached a goal, you just reassess your goals, set a new one and keep striving! You can always improve and be a better version of yourself than you were yesterday. All you have to do is start…. after all today is a new day, don’t wait for another one.

Apart from my absolute love of Social Media and having extra time on my hands, for me the decision to blog and make my re-entry back into fitness a public journey was to:

* Keep me accountable and remind me of My.Ultimate.Motivation

* Have somewhere to look back on and be proud of my achievement along the way, and most importantly;

* Step outside my comfort zone and hopefully inspire and help other people along the way!

I would love you to follow me on this crazy ride. I will be posting an honest recap about my own personal adventure (ups and downs included) and I will also include a lot of great information, tips, motivation, ideas on achieving a fit and healthy lifestyle and healthy recipes for YOU to enjoy! In return, I would love you to share your own journey with me and hopefully we can build a supportive and inspiring community together! I’m a dreamer…. and that’s my crazy dream!

Peace!

First post baby run!

First post baby run!

Disclaimer:

I have plenty of experience with healthy eating and exercise, I am not a medical doctor or registered dietitian. I am a Health Club Manager and Qualified Personal Trainer. This is my personal blog. These are my personal opinions only. Articles and information are researched by myself before they are written and I aim to provide the best information possible. Always consult your physician before starting any exercise program.