I’m not a big fan of gyms. Or running. I like the odd swim but I find that quite boring. I do bits and bobs here and there to keep in shape, and I’m quite lucky in that having Kian means I don’t always get to eat properly and I’m always on my feet, which also helps to keep the weight off!!I’m glad I’m not a celebrity having to worry about whipping my body back into shape in the blink of an eye - I read the other day that Nicole Richie had her all her baby weight in two week! What?!

there is now so much pressure from celebritries who drop the baby fat in a blink of an eye. For example I was reading the newspaper the other day and saw that Nicole Richie had shed all her baby weight just 2 weeks after giving birth!! What?!

I was recently talking to a friend about the things we do to keep in shape and how we lost our baby weight, so I thought I’d share a few of our ideas. I’m interested to hear what other hectic mums do and how you shed the baby weight. What do you have the time to fit in? What do you actually enjoy?

The first (and easiest) thing is to join in with your kids! Chasing them around, playing on swings - whatever it is, it’s much more enjoyable than killing yourself on a treadmill! I’m sure most hectic mums do this already, but just remember the good it’s doing you when you’re feeling knackered and ready for a brew!

Bike rides are also a great way of keeping in shape and are good fun for the kids - who can either ride their own bikes or go on the back of your’s or dad’s. Just don’t forget the safety helmets! Days out at National Trust buildings or local parks do the same thing - take a frisbee or football too and a picnic (healthy snacks only!) to make a day of it.

I’m a big fan of fitness DVDs. They’re not for everyone but for me they’re great because I can put one on when I have a few minutes and not have to worry about looking stupid in front of other people or getting someone to look after Kian while I have a go. Don’t just be tempted to pick the DVD touted by your favourite celeb - make sure that the work out they’re doing suits you and your aims - one of my favourites was a £3.99-er. One of Amazon’s best is the 10 Minute Solutions DVD, which is designed especially for mums, have a look!

Have a search to see if your local community centre puts on any classes - salsa, line dancing, tap dancing? All a bit more interesting than your regular exercise class, plus they’re probably cheaper and in a less formal environment. I’ve just had a quick look at classes local to me in Sale and found pilates, yoga and meditation - three things I’m sure I could benefit from!

I also read a great article in Glamour a couple of months ago (but sadly can’t find it on their website) about how getting at least 8 hours sleep a night can help you lose weight! I know - wishful thinking when you’ve got kids!! Obviously sometimes that just isn’t an option, but it gave good tips like do a bit of yoga before bed to wind you down and also don’t watch TV or anything like that in the half hour before you go to bed, in order to get a better night’s sleep. There’s also a great article from this link about establishing a bedtime routine. Anything that involves sleeping sounds good to me!

Other tips we came up with are just things you can incorporate into your daily routine - walk wherever possible and take the stairs instead of a lift, do a few exercises and stretches while you’re sitting down - at work or watching the TV. Horrible jobs like cleaning the bathroom, hoovering and ironing also help burn calories, so they’re not all bad!

A good tip my friend had was that each lunch time she would go for a walk - around the block or the park or to the local shops. Not only did this clear her head and get her away from her desk for half an hour, but it also meant she was doing about 2 1/2 hours walking each week without really thinking about it.

Of course if you can really commit to the time and money then joinging a gym is also an option - some even have a free personal trainer service which really helps to get your bum into gear!

If you need kitting out for your exercise then head over to Get The Label where we have discount sports labels at affordable prices - Adidas, Reebok and Gio Goi amongst others, it’s worth a look!

So those were some of our best ideas, for now, for easy ways to improve your fitness. Please share yours!