Lifestyle and parenting blogger Kerry from Lived with Love was inspired by Your Fitness magazine to share her top health and fitness hacks for busy Mums and Dads.
With this month's 'Your Fitness' magazine all about health & fitness hacks and boosting the burn, I thought I'd share with you my top tips for losing weight and staying toned while being a busy Mum. I don't spend hours in the gym and nor do I deny myself my favourite chocolate treats, but I do make sure I balance it out. Here's a few things I do to help me maintain good shape and health.
- Choose HIIT over running
HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) workouts are a staple among athletes, and are shorter workouts which are more intense, meaning you burn more calories in a shorter amount of time than say an hours running.
- Cook with coconut oil
Coconut oil is a really healthy 'good' fat. It helps speed up the metabolism, and coconut oil actually enhances the body’s ability to digest food and better absorb nutrients from it. If you eat it regularly, it allows you to not only increase your body’s potential to burn fat, but also help to naturally elevate your mood.
- Pick up the weights
Women can be scared of using weights but actually, they're the best thing you can do to tone up and burn fat. Using weights will build muscle which means your body will be burning more calories even when sat on the sofa! Don't worry, you won't end up looking like a bodybuilder! In fact, you will end up getting stronger and your muscles will become denser. You can pick up a set of weights for quite a reasonable price now, and whether you want to build muscular endurance or build tight, dense, strong muscle, then picking up weights for 20+ repetitions is where to start.
- Don't drink your calories!
It's so easy for you to drink loads of calories without even realising. Make sure you check the labels and go for lower and no sugar options - this can help you lose the pounds without even realising or changing much of your eating habits! A can of soft drink or glass of wine is full of empty calories – think sensibly and you’ll not only be able to make a sensible swap, but you’ll be able to use those calories elsewhere, such as on a couple of biscuits in the afternoon, or for something sweet at the end of the week.
If you’re looking to improve your health and want some inspiration for the whole year, why not invest in a great value-for-money subscription to Your Fitness magazine?
