I must be burning more calories when my kids are around?

Caroline McMahon - 14 Jan 16

Its still January and I’m still motivated to shift the baby weight. Can I still call it that even though I’ve tried many times since my first child was born 5 years ago?!

The best thing about this time around is, Im not on my own. My hubby is joining me in our getting healthier campaign. It also helps that my mother in law and sister in law are both doing a weightloss program, so we are comparing notes. So far I’m 5 lb down and my hubby is 6 lb down. Only another 2 stone to go *sigh*

Get your imaginations at the ready…
7 am on a weekday morning. I have the day off work but I’m used to being up early, the joys of early starts of being a nurse. I put on my bright purple lycra leggings that have yet to leave the house and I’m ready to follow along with one of my old (2004 I bought it, blimey thats over 10 years ago!) favourite DVD. I get my swiss ball out, my hand weights and I’m good to go. Then…

“Breakfast time Mummy?” I reply back in my quietest voice “Yes I’ll make your breakfast, come on”

Just heading down the stairs my youngest chips in “I come too?” I’ll be honest I sigh under my breath as this means no just getting on with the exercise and I’m now wondering, why didn’t I just wait till they were both at school and pre school? “come on my lovely” as I open her stair gate from her door frame (I’ll explain another time about my little bed hopper). Slippers and dressing gowns own, we head down stairs.

My son starts to play with Lego and my daughter starts to play fetch with my swiss ball. “Mind the cat!!” I say, wincing at the near miss as the cat disappears upstairs, poor thing. Breakfast is soon forgotten about!

So the DVD is in and we are ready to start. Its going well. Better than all previous times, until 10 minutes in… I’m attempting to do push ups whilst draped over the ball (what a thought, hey?). A small person pops up from behind me, in between my legs and holds on to my bum cheeks. Scared me to death as I wasn’t expecting that to happen but also I’m thinking to myself that she is cute and I’m completely distracted from following the instructor on my tv.

Then she tries to climb on me as I am wobbling to keep my balance on this ball. The instructor has by this point moved on, now to sit ups. Mean while we both end up in a heap on the floor. Fortunately no one is hurt other than my ego as my 5 year thinks it hilarious. Can’t disagree with him lol.

As I move the swiss ball to one side so I put my legs around the side of the ball whilst I am lying down. A head pops up from the other side facing me. She shouts “hello Mummy, its me!”

Surely I must be burning more calories and fighting the fat more by laughing than I would be by doing reps of crunches alone?

All I know is that there is never a dull moment when my children are around and I want to exercise. I want to be a good example to them. Show them that exercise isn’t a bad thing and it doesn’t have to be boring (even if haven’t always enjoyed it or wanted to do it myself). If its following a DVD or by dancing like a moron for half an hour before bedtime to tunes like Eye of the Tiger or We Like to Boogie- my personal favourite tunes; then we do it. My fit bit is happy with me and I get that all important badge that I’ve done my 10k steps for the day.

I’m hoping that I’m not alone in this craziness or if I am welcome to my world 🙂

Caroline McMahon

Hi. I'm Caroline, mum of 2 children. I'm married to a freelance graphic designer (check him out he's really good, especially with packaging and new start ups) and I'm a part time research sister. Our house is busy but it's good fun. Welcome to my world :-) Follow me: Twitter- @srmackers Instagram - @sistermackers

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