In this blog post, our new guest contributor Gemma struggles with staying on track with her healthy weight loss goals while juggling kids and a career

‍

It's a juggling act

‍

Like so many other women I am a busy working mum with two children, meaning I struggle to stay on track with my healthy weight loss goals. I work, I study and I juggle clubs, house work and just generally having a life. Feeling like I have missed something or have failed in some way is a common occurrence. I prioritise my children - I ensure they get their 5 a day and that they play outside, I limit screen time and make sure they get plenty of sleep. This is one area of my life where I feel most of the time I am doing quite well. That’s not to say my kids don’t eat sweets (at times too many) or that we as a family don’t enjoy the occasional takeaway (we do)!  But of course, I do all this for my kids. If I don’t do this for them, who will? They are precious and I only want the best for them.  

‍

Fitting health in

‍

Juggling all this means that I am definitely guilty of putting my own needs on the back burner. I have been trying to attend a fitness class for several months now but something always gets in the way. One of my kids is sick so I stay home to look after them. The class is cancelled. I forget because, well if I’m going to forget anything this is the best thing to slip my mind - it’s better than forgetting to collect the kids!

‍

Baby steps

‍

After months of trying to get to a class, I have given up. I am going to try something new. Something easier, a little less rigid and something I can do whenever. I will just sit less. When the adverts are on I will get up and take the washing up the stairs and put another load of washing on. I will walk the long way back from the school run. I will go out with the kid on their bikes. This way I can just move a little more. The food bit is relatively easy. When I make the kids lunches I will make my own (this should hold off the vending machine at work!) I will still enjoy a glass of wine in the evening but will stop at one and swap for a lower percentage (less calories!). As mums, we need to regard our own health as equally important as our children’s, and that really is hard. But maybe -  just maybe -  if I start small I can make some changes that will stick. What better message to send to my children?I'll keep you posted. Gemma for some tips on making - and sticking to - small lifestyle changes, why not download this handy wall chart? Scroll down and click the "Start" button. Start