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FOOD DELIVERY

If you are busy don’t waste time going to the shops. ”Use technology,” Green says. ”I have been a big fan of Coles and Woolies online for more than five years. Yes, it may cost a little more but saves me as a single parent lugging shopping bags up to my apartment. Instead, it is delivered directly to my door. I can be really careful about my food choices and not be distracted by other tempting and unhealthy food choices in the supermarket.” There are also many online food delivery services, such as EatFitFood, Dietlicious and Lite n’ Easy.

”Then aim to be a domestic demi-goddess!” Green says. ”Buy good-quality appliances that make your life easier, i.e. a Nespresso (soy or low-fat of course), an easy-to-set-up-and-clean blender for juices, a simple orange-squeezing device for fresh juice, a water filter, etc.”

EXERCISE

”If you can afford a personal trainer, you’ll love it,” Bridges says. ”First and foremost you can’t cancel on them or it costs you and it makes life easy if they come to you. Tell them what you want and be clear with your goals and objectives.”

Another option is to hire workout equipment to use at home. ”If you hire a cross trainer or treadmill or stationary bike, make sure you use it and think of the time you’re saving,” she says. ”By working out on the cross trainer, it saves you the time it takes to drive, park and get inside a gym. This is a good option for mums who can’t leave the house but can work out while the baby is sleeping.”

Green agrees: ”If you’re stuck in the house, again, use technology. Wii Fit, yoga DVDs, etc, are handy and easy to pop on.”

MOTIVATION

Having all the equipment in the world won’t mean squat if you don’t use it. ”In terms of motivation, the key is to know why you are making these small changes to your life,” Green says. ”How important is your health to you? Once you get really clear, you need to find ways to remind yourself of the ‘why’ – this might be through motivating pictures on your fridge or Post-it notes with motivating statements, e.g. Health is happiness!”

Motivation will always wax and wane and having a plan for when it wanes is essential. ”Don’t beat yourself up, just get back on the horse and if you need to engage a professional to support you in making change, I would suggest a registered psychologist [specialising in coaching], registered dietitian, registered professional trainer etc.”

Bridges advises getting competitive. ”Challenge yourself for how fast you can go for a minute on the cross trainer. Or if you’re a family, play competitive games – keep a skipping rope tally and, each week, see who in the family can do the most skips without stopping.”

Planning, Bridges says, is everything. ”My best tip is make sure you still have that time set aside in your diary. Make an appointment with yourself. Then have gym gear ready for in the morning and set your alarm but put it on the other side of the room so you have to get out of bed to wake up.”

Green agrees. ”I have my running clothes in view in the bathroom and set the alarm to run at least three mornings a week for 30 minutes with my favourite music on my iPhone. You can also create a weekly planner and put in all of your responsibilities, i.e. work-family and at least three sessions of 40 minutes exercise.”

DRESS FOR SUCCESS

It’s important to dress for the part, too. ”I like to promote people wearing their fitness gear as much as possible,” Bridges says. ”If you’re a mum at home, wear your fitness clothing all day instead of jeans. You move more freely. So if you find five minutes, yes, you can bang out some squats and stair runs. It’s unlikely you’ll do it if you have to change your clothes.”

And finally, if you are maniacally busy during the work week, use your days off. ”You’ve got to be able to find 30 minutes in the weekend,” she says. ”Do formal training and informal activity. So a planned training session then, instead of lunch with friends. Meet them for a power walk and a swim. Remember, you choose how to spend your time, so spend it wisely.”