training

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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Final wrap up of Cassie’s 8 week program – Determination, strength and long term changes

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This is, sadly, the last blog post to wrap up the final session and results of Cassie’s journey, our 8 week Summer Body Program winner . Cassie not only completed the 8 weeks, she totally smashed it and always did whatever was asked of her and more. Over the 8 weeks Cassie learnt a lot about fitness, nutrition and lifestyle but she mainly learnt about her personal strength and how much she is capable of achieving. She freely and openly admits that when she found out she won, she actually wasn’t sure if she wanted to even start. Cassie has battled with anxiety and depression and she has realised how important it is to listen to your body and your mind and how important mental health and wellbeing is, as well as physical fitness.

cassie week 8 exercise

During the 8 weeks, I gave Cassie a new program every Sunday night for the following week. These were hard programs and she even said once that she actually thought I was trying to kill her. The reason for this is so she would see progression each week and learn to push herself out of her comfort zone to complete all of the workouts. She only had 1 scheduled rest day each week and she had a double session on a Monday (morning and afternoon). We also worked on her nutrition and I went through a 3 day food diary with her to analyse what she was eating and drinking in a typical day. We discussed her diet and made a few changes including increasing how much she was eating for breakfast and the importance of healthy snacks during the day. I actually told Cassie she could increase the amount she was eating during the day. We also minimised the amount of added sugar (mainly to tea and coffee). These were simple changes that she could make and it fit in with her busy lifestyle (she is a working mum of 4 young children). Cassie’s entire family were so supportive of her new lifestyle changes and her husband and kids were encouraging her during her exercise and also enjoying the new food they were eating.

I met with Cassie 3 times during the program for training sessions. We  discussed how she was finding the exercise sessions, whether she was on track with her healthy eating and most importantly how she was feeling, physically and mentally. The most important lesson to come from our 8 week training program is that in a short timeframe such as 8 weeks, it is not only about weight loss and numbers on the scales. Cassie is the perfect example of how much balance exercise and fitness can bring to your life. She felt stronger and more positive after working out and even on the days she might have not been feeling great she still pushed herself to do her workouts and she always felt better afterwards. When you do something that makes you feel better mentally, it carries over into all areas of your life and Cassie also felt like a better wife and mother. The mental benefits are huge. What an awesome role model for her children! Our children are always watching what we are doing.

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Another awesome example of Cassie really pushing herself out of her comfort zone and proving once again how strong she is and how far she has come, was when she joined our FitM.U.M Mount Lofty Walking Group one weekend. For those that aren’t aware, Mount Lofty is a steep and fairly long hike up a mountain in Adelaide… it is definitely tough! I was so pleased that Cassie came and she never once gave up even when her mind might have been telling her to stop or when panic may have set in. Her husband came with her to support her and she overcome a massive mental barrier that day and should be very proud of her efforts.

Towards the end of our program Cassie and I had a very honest discussion about the medication she is on for her anxiety and that it makes weight loss very difficult but that it was important that she remain on it to feel her best and not impact on her life. This program was about a complete change of lifestyle and it simply can not be all about one area only. To be successful and make any form of long term changes , it needed to be manageable and maintainable and that is exactly what we did. Cassie lost 2kg and at least 1-2cms from her waist, hips, arms and legs. But best of all she feels so much better and is managing her anxiety and depression and she has shown herself how much strength she has and that she can do anything!

Enough from me, let’s hear from Cassie now that she has finished the program….

Well my 8 week challenge has come to an end. I have learnt so much from Kelly and also about myself over the past 8 weeks.

At the beginning I wasn’t sure if I would make it to the end. I was at a pretty low point mentally and not sure if I was up for the challenge. BUT I did it!

I feel so proud to say I have done almost every workout Kelly has given me.

However, I haven’t lost much weight, only 2kg. And this has been so hard to come to terms with, when I’ve been working my butt off. I haven’t lost any weight due to my depression and anxiety medication and I probably won’t lose much while I’m still on it.

But I have gained so much physically and definitely mentally. I have pushed myself out of my comfort zone too many times to count. I never thought I was this strong, not just physically (don’t get me wrong I did 100 push-ups today when I couldn’t even do one in the beginning), mentally I am so much stronger now than when I began. My depression has decreased and I have the motivation and determination to continue pushing myself.

Just because my 8 week challenge is finished, I’m not finished with exercising. I’ve changed my lifestyle now and Yes I still have my low days but the benefits of the new lifestyle are definitely worth the effort.

Thanks for following my journey and all of the support you have all given me along the way. Xx

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Cassie was such a deserving winner and I am so grateful that I met her and could help her to incorporate exercise and diet changes into her life. She is an amazingly strong woman and a fantastic wife and mother. Never underestimate yourself Cass, you are a champion who should be very proud of what you achieved over the 8 weeks and how much you have changed! I am proud of you and feel as if I made a friend in the process! Keep up the great work FitMumma!!  xx

IRONDAD… The fitness fanatic balancing act!

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Jason or IronDAD (as he is affectionately known on my page), is my amazing Partner and is incredibly dedicated to his fitness and triathlon training (as well as his family). He is currently 25 days out from competing in his third full Ironman Triathlon in Cairns on 14th June 2015. Jason also works in the Fitness Industry and is completing his Bachelor of Applied Science (Exercise Physiology). He is often asked how he fits it all in. I thought it would be good to hear from him on FitM.U.M about how to find the right balance and fit in everything that is important to YOU.  He will offer a different perspective and to show that no matter how busy you are you can definitely have fitness goals and ambitions and work bloody hard to achieve them.  

Melbourne Ironman 2014

Melbourne Ironman 2014

I AM AN IRONMAN DAD:

                -FAMILY WITH 2 KIDS (8yr old & 10 month old)

                -WORK 38+ HOURS PER WEEK and STUDY (UNI) PART TIME

                -TRAIN 10-18 HOURS PER WEEK

Glenelg Olympic Distance Triathlon 2015

Glenelg Olympic Distance Triathlon 2015

IRONMAN Training is very demanding not only physically and mentally but also on family and work life. I recently became a Dad again and nothing has changed drastically. I am busier, I am trying to find the time but I have a goal and am very focused on hitting the goal, QUALIFY FOR KONA (the epitome of Ironman/Triathlon – to Race in Hawaii)!!!. My number one motivator though, is my Family. Kel is the most supporting wife anyone could ask for, I know she would prefer me home most of the time but she is also committed to my goal and that means a lot to me and also means I am accountable to another person. She always manages to add some questions and encouragement after a session; Have you done enough? What about the Run? Did you give it your all? You need to go faster!…

Finding the right balance is tough, but you need to really sit down and plan out a normal day and be honest with yourself. Everyone can fit in 30 minutes a day somewhere, and it is all about making the most of the time you have and prioritising. When people say Ironman, we mean a 3.8km swim followed by a 180km ride and finishing with a 42.2km run (YES, THIS IS A MARATHON). People think you’re crazy, you need to train 20-30 hours a week to complete it. If I was a pro and this was how I made my living then yes. But I’m not Pro, I don’t train anywhere near that. My training will vary between 10-18 hours a week depending where I am at with my training plan and what I am focussing on. I have lots of friends that train for an ironman on 10-12 hours max a week and complete it in under 13 hours. The key is to have a PURPOSE to each session. If you have 30 minutes for a bike trainer or rpm session you make sure that you are hitting Heart Rate targets, maximum effort, or if it is for recovery each session has a purpose for doing it. If there is no purpose it is a waste of time. It is all about being effective and efficient!

 Tracking workouts gives you very important information, hours trained, speeds, distance covered, Heart rates and writing down exactly what you did each session. This allows you to see how you are going week to week and to see improvements in times/distances/heart rates. This is something that I not only do for myself but also for other people to help them get the most out of their training for their personal/specific goals. Please get in contact with us if this is something you are interested in or would like further information on. You will get the best results from having a clear and specific goal, training plan and recording information. 

 KEY THINGS TO INCLUDE IN YOUR TRAINING ARE:

–          HAVING A PURPOSE/GOAL (Long Term Goal, Short Term Goal & Session Goal

–          TRACKING & PLANNING

–          MAKING IT A PART OF YOUR LIFE

–          REMEMBER YOU HAVE 168 HOURS IN A WEEK, DECIDE HOW YOU WANT TO SPEND ALL THOSE HOURS

Get out there and TRAIN!

FitM.U.M & IronDAD xx

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