This post is from Victoria Williams, reporter from Llanelli Star, and is taking part in the challenge, all 84 days!!
Being a busy working mum, it’s fair to say, I don’t get much chance to “exercise” and “eat healthily” or so I thought…
Opting for more convenient, preferred higher fat dishes has become a hard habit to break – which is why I was delighted to be given the opportunity to undertake Keri’s 12 week fitness and healthy eating programme.
I wouldn’t describe myself as an exercise-phobe, but in all honesty, it has been a lot more difficult to fit in regular sessions since my sons, aged three years and 14 months, came along.
However, over the past two weeks, I have been given some excellent healthy eating advice – which has gone down a treat! Literally.. with both me and my young sons.
We’ve swapped cream cheese bagels for scrummy nutty muesli, (for myself) microwave meals for healthy cawls, casseroles and vegetables and low fat ham salad sandwiches.
Gone are the convenient milky stars as kids treats and in are the blueberry’s, strawberries and apples – which they have absolutely adored!
We’ve gone through boxes of the sweet fruits and, as a mum who wants the best for her children, I feel so much better as a parent for making the right food choices for them.
One of the major differences I have found at this early stage, is the importance of making time for breakfast to kick start my day and drinking more water regularly- in particular, first thing in the morning.
Another lesson I’ve learnt, is the importance of pre-planning meals – this ensures that no matter what unexpected event happens you are always on course for a healthy breakfast, lunch or tea.
Cooking meals the evening before, as the boys sleep gives me peace and quiet to prepare meals and also has revived my enjoyment of cooking – a passion I had taken for granted that I had missed with the sometimes chaotic lifestyle of a single, working mum.
With regards to exercise, I have always enjoyed power walking down Llanelli beach, around the town and as far as Burry Port along the Millennium Coastal path.
I usually take my boys with me so we take in the sea air and beautiful scenery together.
However, more recently, since the arrival of my second son, just over a year ago, this has been a lot more difficult.
Babysitters can be difficult to find to accommodate early morning walks, then there is your normal working day to’ work around’ and late evenings could risk grizzly little ones…
Excuses, excuses, excuses…
I could make them all day long and feel justified in making them.. but it also means I’m not going to progress with my fitness any time soon.. thus making me rather miserable at times.
We all have busy lifestyles, for whatever reasons, and it can be hard work trying to fit around everything, but if there is one thing the last couple of weeks has taught me it that it can be done.
Excuses won’t make me fitter, healthier, slimmer or more at ease.. getting the job done and working my routine around lifestyle will.
And that’s exactly what Keri has helped me do.
The ‘impossible’ situation I felt I was in, is not as it seems.
So, from sitting at a works desk most of the day, to lunching with friends and venturing into the shops to lose pounds I certainly can’t afford to – to runs around the water park, jogging up Denham Avenue hill, sit ups, press ups, lunges, rolling around on balls.. it’s pretty new to me, and yes there are days I ache.. BUT, I feel amazing.
With my improved food changes and hard graft it appears I could fit exercise in after all.
Instead of doing nothing in my lunch hours, I’ve swapped that time – and with the much-appreciated, flexibility and support of Keri – we have worked around my busy schedule as a reporter and mum to my advantage.
Although, it’s early into the programme, I feel more alive. I have more energy, feel better in myself and can see my body starting to change to the way I want it to look.
If these early days as anything to go by… Roll on 10 more weeks and my dream bod!! Thanks for all your help!
Thank you Vicky for posting, and hope she gives everyone some encouragement to get up and do it! A great post and an a great example of a personal experience on this programme.
