“Mum Guilt” is defined by the Urban Dictionary as “Guilt a mother feels anytime she takes time to do something for herself, outside of work, that does not involve her children.”

So…..do you suffer from Mum Guilt?

Many Mum’s I have met during my time as a Personal Trainer do suffer from this and it affects their commitment to personal health and fitness.

I know being a mum means being busy and it is hard to find the time to keep fit and healthy but I have also witnessed the positive effects, both physically and mentally, that finding the time can have on a Mum’s life, and by extension, her whole family. They have more energy, are less stressed, are happier within themselves and struggle less with weight issues. They even enjoy better quality sleep, even if it’s still not enough!

Have you ever thought “I know I need to / want to exercise, but I should be doing ‘that’…”? – whatever ‘that’ is. I am sure, more often than not, most ‘thats’ can easily wait, but exercise is often not done once it has been put off. Next time you find yourself thinking along similar lines, take a moment to really ask yourself can ‘that’ thing wait and is it more important than my health and fitness?

Have you ever felt that other Mums manage to do it all – including eating healthy and exercising? Ask yourself where you got that idea from…if it was from social media then you can STOP comparing right now! Deep down we all know social media usually only shows the “positive” side of our lives – there is a flip side to everything!

If you are really struggling with getting enough exercise in your week because of the guilt feelings, try out these tips. They will help you get the exercise in and keep your guilt at bay!

  • Go to the park with your kids and play a ball game or find a family friendly bike trail. Doing this allows you to still be with your kids, get the exercise in and set a great example for them!
  • Have a dance party at home! Put on some pumped up music and dance around the living room with your kids. It’s a great cardio workout and great fun!
  • On a wet day use your electronic devices to exercise at home! Most homes have an x-box, Wii, Tablet or something similar – make use the active games and burn those calories!
  • Lastly, take some time just for you and go to a class or personal training session once or twice a week. You may have to leave the kids with someone, but if it’s their Dad or a family friend, chances are the kids won’t be bothered by you “leaving” them!

Struggling with keeping on track nutritionally while being a busy mom? I offer nutritional consultations during which we will discuss your current lifestyle, eating preferences and habits. We then develop a plan that is realistic for you and your family so you can stick to it! Alternatively, check out my Low Carb High Fat (LCHF) Program – it has 4 weeks of meal plans, family friendly (and leftover friendly) recipes and plenty of information on the LCHF lifestyle.

On one final note, taking care of our own health and fitness can be seen as “self care”. Remember this quote by Katie Reed next time you feel guilty,

“Self-care is giving the world the best of you, not what’s left of you!”