THE DAD WORKOUT

I remember the days when i'd get in from work and mooch around the house, watch Hollyoaks, go online, have some dinner and put a movie on... if i was feeling like it i might even have done a workout. I am sure you all agree that with a toddler in the house there simply aren't enough hours in the day to have a quiet toilet break let alone get a workout done. One of the biggest things i learnt about having a child is how much of your time gets absorbed by them. And it is of course willingly given up, you don't resent it... but my god, you miss having a hot cup of coffee or just a moment alone when you're not saying in a high pitched, over enthusiastic voice "Oh well done, that was really good!" or catching your toddler where they shouldn't be and saying "Noooooot in there, get out!"

For me, any form of exercise is really important. But i am a working dad who wants to get home from the office and have as much time as possible with my boy before bed time so it can be tricky. Now let me just say, there is nothing wrong with having a little #dadbod (i actually find it kind of attractive, am i weird?!).  But i will NEVER wake up at 5am just to work out. I will treasure every single sleepy minute before I have to wake up. So the early morning workout is out of the question. I’ll never have a six pack or bulging muscles, it’s simply not in my DNA (and I love bread way too much). So what do I do? It comes down to two really simple points. Organisation and, if there are two of you, being a team!

I can’t tell you how important it is to us that we're both ‘on it’. While one of us is making the breakfast, the other is packing the baby bag for the day. While one of us is getting his room ready for night time, the other is making dinner for us to eat once he is asleep. It’s non-stop… and you have 100% complete faith that the other person is doing all these things or this well oiled parenting machine breaks down. If you are reading this and raising a small human on your own I SALUTE YOU! You are an absolute inspiration to me!! *praise hands emoji*

So, get all the day to day stuff nailed... And once your child is asleep, you can focus on yourself, after all a happy daddy creates a happy baby. As soon as he has laid his pretty head down to sleep, I head straight downstairs in my work out clothes (I get dressed in them when i get home from work so there’s no excuse of ‘Oh I can’t get changed now, I’ll wake him up!’). I then get the mat out and go hard for twenty minutes. I have no time for gyms. I have been a member of about 6 in my life and only ever gotten fatter whilst being a member. I work out at home now. I do twenty minute HIIT sessions (high intensity interval training), four times a week and i eat so much better (most of the time) thanks to a certain Mr Body Coach. I have learnt about fuelling my body properly, instead of living off a quick slice of toast and a cup of coffee first thing. I have never felt healthier in my life and I am in my thirties. Maybe it’s the running around after my son that’s helping? But I like to think it’s the workout too…

During the workout I am hating every single second of course… but afterwards, i am feeling amazing. It can relieve so much stress from your day. You sleep better and you look better. It’s not rocket science, but it took me a bloody long time to realise this. It's also not every day I am so disciplined I hasten to add… there are certainly (many) days that the bath time routine is complete and I just end up on the sofa Snapchatting my way through Eastenders shoving Reese's Pieces in my face… those nights are pretty stress relieving too.