Special Guest Blogger, Kelly from Be A Fun Mum, on Health and Motherhood

I have a special treat for you this week.

Kelly Burstow, blogger at Be A Fun Mum is one pretty awesome lady. I’ve been following her for a while, not as you may think, to learn how to become a Fun Mum (as you know craft is not really my thing and I’m already super-fun 🙂 ) but because her writing is spunky, original and heartfelt.

You can check out her page here and learn a little more about Kelly here. But for now let me treat you to her immense wisdom on health and Motherhood. Two of my very favourite topics.

1.       You have four kids. What do you do to keep your energy up?

The biggest challenge (and secret) is finding an exercise routine that works in amongst my busy schedule.  When I exercise regularly, I have more energy and am better able to manage all the ins and outs of family life.  I found a local group PT session who train at a playground and so this works well when my children are around.  I train there three times a week, and aim to live an active life with my kids in between.   For example, one afternoon, I spent a hilarious 10 minutes doing handstands with my daughter.  She loved it! Sometimes, all it takes is 10 minutes here and there to invigorate your day.

The other thing I like to do is take deliberate moments throughout my day to enjoy things around me. I call them Love the Moment moments, and you can read about 100 ways I like to do this with my kids here.

It’s these two things combined that gives me a spring in my step.

2.       What is important to you when feeding your children?

The big thing for me is good quality, nutritious food and trying to make things from scratch as much as I can so I know what is going into the food we eat. It’s something I strive for (but sure, there are busy weeks where it’s more of a challenge).  Buying a Thermomix has been the BEST thing that has happened to my kitchen.

3.       What healthy tips have you gleaned over the years that you can pass on to other Mum’s

It’s hard, as a mum, to make time for health.  So there are two things I would like to say here.  The first is this: there are seasons, and one of the best things to do is embrace the season you’re in and be realistic about your goals.

So, when all my children were little, I didn’t exercise as much as I do now they are all in school. Exercise was more done in dribs and drabs, woven through life as it came.  It can be easy to feel depressed for not doing enough. This leads me to the second thing, and this is a big one: make good health a LONG TERM sustainable goal; a way of life.

Learning this is the key for good health for my family because family life can be very unpredictable at times.  So, if I have a bad week, where all the kids are sick and I’m unable to continue with my current routine, I know I won’t fall off the wagon, so to speak, but rather, I’m realistic about that week, knowing that the undercurrent importance of health is still there, and I get back to it as soon as I can, without the guilt.

A healthy life encompasses so much more than just food and exercise; it’s a way of life, and I’m very conscious of being a good example for my kids. This includes how to deal with stress, and rolling with the tides of life.

4.       What is your favourite thing to do when you have (if you ever do) free time?

I love finding quiet, incredible places in nature where I can be alone with my thoughts: up on a mountain, the beach, bush walking in woods.

5.       What are your indulgences?

Coffee. Fresh Bread. Movies in bed.

6.       How do you unwind?

I find it hard to unwind; I so often have a million ideas floating in my head at any one time.   Somewhat ironically, one of the ways that does help me unwind after a day is to do a little work in bed. This might be answer emails, check social media or doing some reading.  I guess it’s my way of closing off my mind for the day, by ticking off a few boxes in my head.

What did you think of Kelly’s post?

Didn’t you just love that she eased the guilt of exercise for us Mama’s with young kids? We’ll get there, we don’t need to kill ourselves now trying to do it all. Life will flow for us at our own pace. 

Don’t forget to go and say hi to Kelly at her blog beafunmum.com.