Start Working Out

"Go to the gym. Hire a personal trainer!"

When I first started doing fitness, it seemed everywhere I turned to for advice was the same old story.

It gets boring and it's expensive. Plus the same old boring routine of going to the gym and doing the same thing really bores me!

I am unlikely to stick with any form of exercise if it becomes about routine and counting calories all the time. I tried a gym, and this is all they seemed to do.

Sorry! It isn't for me.

Having given birth to six children really punished my body, and the two c-sections have really impacted my tummy which started to look like I had a tire wrapped around it.

During my parenting years, exercise was hit or miss. I barely had time for it with six children running around my feet. When I spoke about this with others, they said:

"Really! I thought having six children to run around after would keep you fit enough."

Yes, having six children to run around after all day really does keep you on your feet. However, you're more likely to simply lose weight than you are to tone up.

Housework and having energetic children do keep you on your toes, and it is possible to count that as a form of active exercise, though you need to work your muscles in order to gain strength, and running around the house doing chores all day, visiting parks, feeding, school runs and dealing with bad behaviour is not really a strengthening exercise.

When you give birth, it can play havoc with your body for years. It can certainly stretch your tummy muscles and it isn't just losing the baby weight that is the problem.

Strengthening those saggy tummy muscles and love handles can also be a problem, and if they are weak, they can make lifting tiring!

The parenting years are very busy years, and if you have several children you may find that you just don't have time for the gym. On the other hand, you may find fitness goes out of the window, and as your children grow up, you realize you're getting older.

Suddenly you might do what I did.

Look in the mirror and find your arms suddenly have 'bingo wings' and find that a huge tire has developed around your tummy, and I'm not referring to weight, I'm referring to those slack tummy muscles that make you still look pregnant, even though you're not.

Warning!!! This can go on for years if you don't work those muscles!

In my own experience, my parenting years were so chaotic that I barely had time to do any fitness, even though I tried. I used DVDs to aid me, though it was very far and between on top of everything else I did. Therefore I never really started seeing shape or toning until now.

Once my children grew up, I spent time building a basic home gym. I didn't buy much equipment, just a treadmill, stepper, weights, Core exerciser, Hula-hoop, and a yoga mat.

It didn't cost me thousands, it cost me around £300 to £400 which I don't think is bad for what I bought.

If you have a low budget, you can lower the price by buying yoga mats, pilates bands etc.

Anything counts as a start towards those goals, and it will cost you less than a gym membership if you work out your priorities before buying.

I also chucked boring routines in the bin

Routines might work for some, but they don't work for everyone in a world where people work, look after their children, and run a busy household. I don't have a routine, I work out as and when I want to, or when I have the time. Sometimes I drop simple things like laundry and washing up to do some fitness, otherwise, it becomes all too easy to simply clean up all day.

Once you have done chores all day, you become so tired and demotivated. Fitness then goes out of the window.

I don't follow fitness fads either.

Of course, I had to follow and watch others in order to do things such as crunches and squats properly, particularly when using weights. However, I now have a set of my own movements that work certain muscles.

For example, when doing leg lifts. I like to move away from the floor, so I stretch my leg to the side and sidekick or I stretch and hold the stretch for 30 seconds. I do as many as my body can handle without getting tired, rather than having a count limit.

I also do dance movements such as marching in dance, when I do weights. I raise them above my head and bend and lift while dance-marching on the spot, or I do knee bends while lowering them and stretching my arm behind my back.

If you are feeling bored with your workout. It could be because the movements are too repetitive and routine. Try learning the basics first, and there is plenty across the internet to learn from. YouTube has many beginner workouts, so you could start there.

I started with youtube and now I'm getting somewhere!

Once you get the hang of basic movements and breathing, you can start to add your own and make it fun.

You do not need an expensive gym contract or go over the top with equipment in order to keep fit. There is plenty on the market, that will not cost the earth, and by forming your own fitness routine, you can make fitness fun.

I'm doing it, and so can you!