The last time I took the boys to the swimming pool I had to drag them away from the fitness studio windows as they peered in to watch a body-combat class. I thought that perhaps a couple of toddlers licking the glass and blowing raspberries might be a bit off putting for the determined class participants. My oldest son is getting quite into the concept of exercise, so I think he was pretty impressed when I explained that getting hot and sweaty by jumping about and punching the air was a type of exercise that helped you to stay healthy.

This got me thinking about exercise classes and a class I took after he was born 3 and a half years ago. It was run by midwives who were also trained fitness instructors and you could take your baby along to the classes (as long as they were not yet mobile) and lay them on a blanket at the back of the room. One of the midwives would always be on hand to watch the babies and you could pop off to check on them whenever you needed. It was a bit off putting having to turn round mid grape vine or lunge to check whose baby was wailing, but three months post birth it was better than nothing and I felt pretty good to be exercising my wobbly-mummy-love-handles (I still have them today thanks to my love of cake).

These days I wish there was an option that allowed my children to be in the same room as me while I had a workout. My gym has a crèche but I have never felt comfortable leaving my two there. So, here are my ideas of fun ways to combine your workout with looking after your offspring.

1. A gym for parents that has a baby or toddler station at each piece of equipment. Each station would provide a comfortable place to put a baby, with suitable entertainment such as rattles, sensory toys, and a baby bouncer. For older children there would be something exciting and stimulating at each station, such as colouring pens, train set, books or dare I say it, an iPad. You might not be able to do a long workout on the treadmill but interval training is more effective anyway.

2. Grown up soft play. When I take my children to soft play I sometimes feel like I’m getting a bit of a workout as I lift my youngest son up to bits he can’t reach, squeeze myself through holes designed for 4 year olds and hurl myself down the helter skelter. So, perhaps alongside the toddler option there could be a more challenging grown up option offered. You could keep pace with your child whilst getting the aerobic workout you would on an assault course.

3. A running track with a self-contained buggy park and a toddler gym or play zone in the middle. The track needn’t be as large as those in traditional athletics stadiums, so you could keep an eye on your young ones as you run laps.

4. Classes for adults and children. This one is for slightly bigger children who have a longer attention span than your average gnat. Specially trained instructors (very brave, specially trained instructors) could run a high energy class that teaches moves and routines to parents and children. Kids love dancing so a kind of Zumba to nursery rhymes would be an excellent way to burn a few calories.

5. Take your baby into the adult pool in a rubber ring that contains a seat and push them along while you kick your legs out behind you. Maybe stick to the slow lane for this one; it might annoy the speed swimmers!

What do you think? Could any of these catch on? Would you like to exercise with your children? Or, would it be the last resort?

I read recently that in later life your chances of survival are increased if you have a higher than recommended BMI. We are advised to keep our BMI within a healthy range in order to avoid the development of obesity related diseases such as Type 2 Diabetes and heart disease but actually it seems that a covering of blubber could be beneficial if you are over 65. This is of course down to your resilience when struck down by illness or when the winter cold sets in. If you have some fat reserves your body can survive for longer. A big bottom doesn’t just make people bootilicious. Subcutaneous fat, found on the bottom, thighs and hips, helps to improve the body’s sensitivity to the hormone insulin, which regulates blood sugar.

However, this doesn’t mean that your life’s work can be dedicated to getting fat in preparation for your twilight years. The opposite is very much the case if you are younger. A round middle can indicate that your organs are covered in dense visceral fat, and in order to reduce the incidence of this health baddie you need to eat well and exercise. The result of this is obviously a reduction of both types of fat. In fact a better indicator of your general health and likelihood to develop Type 2 Diabetes is your waist circumference. A woman’s waist shouldn’t be any bigger than 80cm and men should think about losing weight if their waist circumference is above 94cm. Find out more.

So, overall you should aim to be less fat all over until you get a bit older when you should try to remain trim but not worry too much about a spot of cellulite. You are somewhat protected from metabolic diseases by your bottom fat and are likely to be more resilient if you do become ill.

Ahh, the joys of spring! We’ve endured months of dreary weather with dark and rainy commutes, we’ve plodded through wet weekends, where the children drive you crazy, and we’ve lamented our dry, centrally-heated skin that longs to be freed and exposed to the fresh air. Now though, we can throw off our coats and make the most of the evenings as the clocks sprung forward last weekend.

 This is such good news for Mums like me, who are desperate to exercise outside once the little ones are asleep. The dark and cold doesn’t exactly stop me going for a jog or to the gym but there’s definitely more reluctance to put on Lycra in the evening if it’s no longer daylight. The lounge pants and lay z boy are much more alluring.

Now my health is improving (my husband and I have never been as feeble in our lives as we have been over the last few months) I’m going to grasp the opportunities that a bit more daylight offers. I went for a 2 mile power walk one evening last week, before the clocks changed, and really enjoyed being outside, building up a bit of a sweat.

I quite like the anonymity that darkness gives you when you’re exercising outside but I always feel slightly on edge walking past bushes. There’s a definite sensation that the bogey man could jump out from behind a tree at any moment. The reality is that it’s mostly runners, dog walkers and people popping out for a pint of milk, that go out after dark, but you never know what’s lurking round the corner.

Daylight brings less opportunity for would-be attackers, so thanks to the clocks changing we’re now free to embrace outside exercise in the evenings.  There’s no excuse for not chucking on some sweats and heading for the open road.  As it’s all too tempting to pour a glass of vino and flop on the sofa in front of the idiot box, put your running/walking/gym/whatever kit on before you even bath the children so that you’ve committed yourself to a sweat session. You’ll soon be running out the door shouting instructions to your husband to peel some veg and load the dishwasher…

This article shows just how important it is to get moving if you have children. What we do as a Mum has a direct link to how active, and therefore healthy our children are. 

BBC news article - Activity levels in mums and children 'directly linked'.

Going to get off the sofa now...

The past two weeks have been a bit frustrating. My chest infection came back and my laptop expired temporarily. These two 'blockers' have suspended all fitness goals and blogging activity. It's been a bit of enforced downtime but now I'm back and hoping to pick up where I left off. 

When I last wrote I'd planned a week of exercise and hoped to gain a bit of fitness after my rubbish start to 2014. Well, needless to say that didn't happen, instead I got diagnosed with asthma and was prescribed with inhalers and yet more antibiotics. I need to sort my health out, there's no two ways about it. I am more motivated than before about getting fit for the long term. Now I really have to get healthy - asthma is no joke - I think I only have it mildly but I guess it could become life limiting if I don't prioritise my fitness. 

This isn't my most exciting blog, I realise that. It's more of a place holder. I'm back to record how I find the time to be a fit and healthy Mum (my goal). I hope my journey might interest others who, like me, haven't always put their health and fitness first. 

Number 5. 

A really busy weekend has reiterated how hard it can be for Mums to achieve fitness. My boys are becoming more and more demanding, needing to be entertained all the time. They have energy levels that I find unbelievably hard to keep up with. I certainly don’t feel fit enough to be in the toddler zone and today I feel a bit depressed about that. After two months of moderate illness, I feel wheezy and a bit tubby. My legs ache when I walk up the stairs and I don’t really like what I see in the mirror. So, today I have decided I need to take action.

I’ve been focussing on how much I weigh and how cakey my muffin top looks. I think a better approach is to measure how fit I am and how far I can run. My mood is also a good indicator. If I feel lethargic and grumpy, I know that my mind is out of shape, as well as my body. I need to remind myself that fitness is achievable for Mums and getting out of breath climbing the stairs is not acceptable at 34. Before I know it I’ll be another year older and a few pounds heavier. So, I have to quit moaning and stop making excuses. A touch of tiredness can be overcome with a brisk walk and I need to prioritise. It doesn’t matter if the toys aren’t put away, they’ll only get them out again tomorrow.

My action plan for this week looks a bit like this and I think most mothers can achieve this, even with mad toddlers and a full time job to contend with.

Monday

Up at 6am – Lunges, squats, press ups and burpees
Evening 7.30pm - Exercise DVD once the children are in bed and husband is swim training.

Tuesday

Up at 6am – Lunges, crunches, plank, squats.
Lunchtime - 12pm – brisk 3km walk with a colleague.

Wednesday

Evening 7.30pm – Gym – 3 machine circuit to include interval training on the bike, the treadmill and the cross trainer, for 45 minutes.

Thursday

Up at 6am – Lunges, squats, press ups.
Lunchtime – 12pm – Run with colleague, approx. 3 km.

Friday

Take the boys for a long walk.
Evening 7.30pm – Pilates or other fitness DVD.

Saturday

Run – time tbc.

Sunday

Run – time tbc.

Posting this in Body in Bloom affords a certain level of obligation to carry it through. I will post updates every day and, without boring the socks off you lovely people, will post changes in my vital statistics. Maybe it will motivate someone else to aim for fitness, not just a slimmer bod.

Watch this space.

‘Motivation is what gets you started. Habit is what keeps you going.’
Jim Ryan

With the WHO advising we cut our sugar intake in half, what are the alternatives?

Cutting out sugar entirely is quite full on but if the likes of Dr. Robert Lustig and David Gillespie are to believed, it is the only way to halt the progress of the obesity epidemic. 



Read on to see what you can and can't eat on a low or no sugar diet.

For sweetening or snacking:

• Stevia – a plant based sweetener, available in supermarkets
• Fruit
• Rice Malt syrup – harder to come by but can be used in baking
• Coconut – healthy, tasty, fills you up due to the MUFA’s (monounsaturated fatty acids, which are healthy fats) it contains.
  

What contains sugar (fructose) and how much can you safely eat?

• Fruit - Fruit contains stacks of fibre, so you can eat it happy in the knowledge that your body can cope with it and won’t turn it straight into fatty deposits. However, if you are trying to lose weight stick to 2-3 portions per day and try to stick to berries and citrus. Bananas, whilst nutrient rich are very sugary. Don’t drink fruit smoothies or fruit juice. The fibre has been removed by the pressing or pulping process so your insulin levels will spike and the sugar will be converted to fat.
• Drinks - Stick to milk, water, teas and coffee. Any flavoured drink will contain sugar or sweetener (which is better but not brilliant for your health)
• Stodge - Avoid all baked goods such as biscuits, cakes pastries, crisps etc or just treat yourself now and again. This depends on your willpower though. Sugar is addictive so once you start on the Hobnob you might not be able to stop at one. Plus, one of the aforementioned tasty treat contains 3.5 grams of sugar.
• Bread – Bread contains added sugar, so either swap to rye bread or look for a bread that doesn’t have added sugar (Allinson and Vogel don’t add sugar to some of their varieties). Again, if you are trying to lose weight cut back on bread altogether or just have it in the mornings. 
• White pasta, rice, cous cous – all refined carbohydrates contain sugar, so cut back on these products. They are the staples of most people’s diet but they can be swapped for healthier alternatives such as quinoa, bulgar wheat, lentils, sweet potatoes, brown or wild rice. It might take a while to get used to it but your health will prosper.
  

Of course this strict approach to eliminating sugar isn’t for everyone. If you would rather just reduce it, then that’s fine too. Just cut out juices, sugary cereals, and sweet snacks and your body will thank you. The occasional treat is also allowed (see my post yesterday regarding scone intake) – don’t forget life is quite short and a life without the odd biscuit is not worth living.

Read more about the recommendations in The Guardian and on the BBC news website.

I had a random day off work today, on my own, child free. I used to feel guilty about leaving the boys in nursery while I had a day off, but now I relish it. I don't feel that I have to justify myself any more. I need me time and this is the only way I can get it! 

So, my plan was to spend some time writing, to go to the gym to do some interval training and do a workout DVD. What did I end up doing for the majority of the day? I went to B&Q and Tesco, I went for a coffee and a scone (eating the scone was a complete accident), I tidied up the house and popped to the doctors surgery to try and make some appointments. These mostly mundane jobs, apart from the very necessary cafe stop, took far too long and all of a sudden my ideal day was out the window. So, to get back on track I braved a run.

This year started pretty dismally as I had laryngitis, followed by a chest infection and a bruised rib. My running plans have been put on hold, just at a time when I needed the runners high the most. Like many people, I find deepest darkest winter depressing and relentlessly crap. I had to stop exercise altogether for some time but have been easing back into things for a few weeks, as you can see from this blog. I do think that running is the perfect way for Mums to achieve their fitness goals, as you can chuck your trainers on wherever and whenever and pound the pavement. For some reason I've been a bit nervous about running again after being ill and going into a state of winter slow-down. I was scared that it might be very hard. 

So, I just did it this afternoon. I knew that I would get a good dose of endorphins and would be motivated to get back into a running programme if I took the first step. It was an easy 20 minute jog but I enjoyed getting out in the early spring sunshine and moving my body. It really wasn't as hard as I'd thought it might be.

I think that being a busy Mum means you need some time out sometimes. My children mean everything to me, I think they're wonderful, but to appreciate all of that you need to spend the occasional day alone and do something that is important to you, whether that's running, swimming, walking, shopping or just eating scones in a cafe. 

A compound found in sea kelp has been shown to prevent the body from absorbing fat. Alginate suppresses the digestion of fat in the gut, according to scientists at Newcastle University. Clinical trials have not yet been carried out but early tests are promising. To read the whole article visit BBC news.

This is clearly great news for anyone tackling weight issues and, when eaten as part of a healthy balanced diet, could help those who lack the willpower to not overeat fatty foods. However, the article was quick to point out that dieticians recommend not eating too much fat in the first place. Surely, if it were that easy, there would be no need for scientists to look for a cure for obesity in the first place?

I would have liked the article to refer to the addictive nature of sugary carbs (not just fat, which in moderation has an important part to play in our health) and to explain in brief how by cutting out these habit forming foods, the cycle could be broken.

The sugar/fat combination is addictive and fat creating. The more sugar you eat, the more you want. What the dieticians should be saying is cut back on fat plus sugar and refined carbohydrates and you may not need to take a seaweed pill or get your lunch from the beach.

Obviously a kelp pill would be a great weight loss tool for people who eat lots of 'bad' food. It could prove to be a panacea or sorts. However, I think people need to be given the right information. Fat isn't the main issue, it's sugar combined with fat that you need to watch. Sorry Ben and Jerry and Haagen Daz (two long term friends of mine).