Ok, so I’m not a mum myself but, from observing my mum friends (in awe and admiration) there seems to be a couple of commonalities;

1. Time is now a luxury – especially ‘you’ time.
2. Self-care has been knocked down a peg or two on the priority list and been replaced by, quite rightly, your kids care and needs.
3. For new mums – sleep is now a rarity and ‘tired’ is your current status.

When I say self-care – I’m not talking about the weekly mani-pedis or bouncy brunch blow dries, I’m talking about the basics – self-care in the form of keeping fit, healthy, active and taking time for your mental wellbeing.

As someone who used to hate working out, I know how tough it can be to get started on an exercise program – it actually still amazes me how personal training became my passion and career from being the least active gal in my childhood but hey, apparently miracles do happen!

I’ve ‘been into fitness’, as they say, for around 13 years now and over that time, my relationship with the gym and food has dramatically changed. I used to see going to the gym or working out at home as a path to ‘get skinny’ and I used to see food as the bad guy but the past 13 years has taught me a few things;

1. Exercise and being active changes not only your body but your mind-set too. It teaches us, probably a little like motherhood, how strong we can be and what we can achieve if we set a goal and put our mind to it. Whether you workout at the gym or at home, you still need that will-power and motivation to do it.
2. Food is fuel and has the power to completely transform your physique, your mind, and albeit a little cliché – your life.
3. Strong is the new skinny – For me anyway – my goals changed from wanting to be ‘skinny’ in my late teens to wanting to be strong, empowered and independent.

With the above points in mind, I’m sure we can all agree that if we want to be the best version of ourselves for our family, we need to look after ourselves and that requires a little work. As we’ve addressed, time isn’t something we have a lot of in this whirlwind of a modern world – with long days at work and family life – we’re balancing so many things on our plates that we feel like we could be part of the circus!

I’m here to sprinkle a few self-love and self-care tips that hopefully will help you stay happy, healthy and reconnect with the woman that you may have lost a little along the journey of life and motherhood.

1. Take a little ‘you’ time each day to disconnect from the world. Even if it’s just 30 minutes – use this time to meditate, release those feel-good endorphins through exercise (grab your FIT BOX), read a book, go for a walk outside and clear your mind. Don’t let ‘I don’t have time’ be an excuse to sacrifice your health and happiness. For many of us, we don’t have time until we make time for the things that are important and ladies, we are important!
2. Try something new – what have you been wanting to try for a while but have never quite got round to? Maybe a yoga , dance or spin class? How about a cooking class? There are so many fun classes to try so pick one and give it a go.
3. Push yourself out of your comfort zone – Comfort zones are exactly that – a nice warm blanket keeping you wrapped up warm and safe. The problem is, you can’t achieve something incredible there and you’re capable of more than you think. This is especially true for health and fitness goals. To achieve your goal, it will take time, commitment, consistency and hard work but you can do it. You just have to get comfortable with being a little uncomfortable and push yourself through those last few repetitions at the gym or those last 30 seconds on the treadmill when you want to give up – those reps and that that time beyond the point that you usually give up is where the magic happens. You feel empowered, motivated and proud which is something I, myself had never felt before until I pushed beyond what I thought my capabilities were.
4. Fuel your Body with nutritious foods – When it comes down to it, food is fuel and the foods that we consume either fight disease or feed it. I’m not saying ‘never eat treats again’ but the majority of your meals should focus on nutritious wholefoods rich in protein, healthy fats and unprocessed carbohydrates. We want to eat foods that promote health and keep not only our body strong but our skin, hair and nails in tip-top condition too!
5. Grab your besties for a (socially distanced) group workout –working out with friends is always more fun so grab your girls and get your sweat on together! Having a community of strong women by your side will help you all to stay fit and focussed. Set days of the week for different activities such as Wednesday walks or FIT BOX Fridays! Having a set schedule will help you all to stay committed and when one of you has one of those ‘not today I’m too tired’ days, your girls will be there to pick you up and keep you on track.

I hope these tips have given you some inspiration and motivation to take action with your health and well-being and hopefully you can channel that inner wonderwoman that we all have inside of us. Saying that, for those of you who are already mums, I think you’ve already met her.

Instagram: @fit_box_dubai

www.fitbox-me.com