I’M BUSY - HOW CAN I GET FIT?

Dear Coleen

My kids are now seven and five. After having my youngest, I swore that once they were both a bit older I’d become fitter and healthier.

I really want to set a good example for them and to help them be healthy, but finding any time to exercise is proving impossible around my family and full-time work.

What should I do?

Coleen says

It’s great that you’ve decided to get fitter and healthier. Look, as a mum of three, I know how hard it is to keep all the balls in the air.

What you can do is involve the kids at the weekends as staying active doesn’t have to revolve around a gym. There’s tons of stuff you can do together – muddy walks, cycling, swimming and games in the park. It’s fun and it’s giving your kids a really positive message, too.

One thing I used to do when my kids were young was stick in a fitness DVD once they were in bed and do half an hour before relaxing in front of the telly.

And these days, it’s never been easier to get fit without joining a gym – there are loads of great programmes online, as well as phone apps. And many of them are totally free.

I’m good at making excuses not to exercise! But even just 15 minutes a day is better than nothing and you can build on it.

It also helps to find something you actually enjoy doing – for me, it’s riding and mucking out my horses as well as walking my dogs.

And even little incremental healthy changes to your eating habits can add up to make a big difference.