Accidental Exercise

Most people find it difficult to spend an hour of our busy, over -scheduled days exercising, when there are so many things to do all the time. Here are some methods to fit more exercise into daily life. I gained 35kgs when I fell pregnant, shooting from a size 8 to a size 18 just after my daughter Indigo was born, and haven't stepped on the scales, but I'm back to a size 10 – 12 now, so these are things that helped me.

Walk everywhere. Organise your schedule to fit it in. Allow more time for grocery shopping if you can walk down to get a few things. I carry my groceries home from the store, which is a 2km walk, which is uphill on the way home. Spending too much time inside or sitting down isn't good for humans, we didn't evolve physically with office jobs and computers in mind! While fuel prices skyrocket, a pair of decent sneakers stays at a fairly stable rate, and you cut down on medical bills long-term! 




Take the dog out - tiring it out will be good for both of you, and leave you both feeling great.

Carry a bag full of stuff to add intensity to your walks. Groceries, library books, a bottle of water, whatever. Add a pram or baby carrier, if you've got kids. I am fortunate enough to have a baby who wants to be carried everywhere she goes. She's helping me get fitter than I've ever been, even at my skinniest.




If you drive to work, park further away, take stairs instead of elevators, and feel smug when you walk next to the people on the escalators! This one gets touted around a lot, but it works.




Chores get the blood pumping and the house gets clean! If you can do the chores at maximum speed, not only will your house look amazing, but you will have extra time to do things other than going to the gym, which I find painfully boring! Have a Vacuum Frenzy, or get nude and clean the shower.

Feeling anxious? Instead of sitting around stressing, go for a quick, short run to release all your pent-up energy. Your brain will release endorphins to make you feel better! You will also get a better night's sleep, which is always a plus.

All of this combined will help you become accidentally fitter!


How do you get accidental exercise?

I want to be a supermum, don't be hating!

Hi, I'm Beatrix, nice to meet you . 

Life is pretty awesome, but I want more.

Is there anything wrong with wanting to try to have it all?

Maybe there's something wrong with me, but now my daughter is almost ten months old, I'm looking for work because I want to earn some money to put us into a more secure financial situation. I'm trying to get back to my pre-pregnancy size 8 from a post-pregnancy size 18 (I'm a 10 - 12 now, so I'm getting there!). I'm hoping to resume studying part-time , because I want to be the best role model for her that I can be. I want to have fun with less “stuff” and more meaningful conversations and play. In short, I want it all.

Is it really not realistic to want your life to be the way you want it to be? Sure, no one's life is perfect, but let's be realistic – even if you have your ideal lifestyle, there will still be times when you feel stressed out by work, upset at not spending enough time with your baby/partner/family/friends, too busy, or too tired, but all of this comes with the parenting package. I am fortunate enough to have a supportive partner, who wants to be a stay-at-home dad, at least some of the time, which will allow me to do all the various things that I think are important to my personal health and well-being.

This is my partner, Dave. He makes music, a webcomic [under construction at the moment!], and is one of those amazing men who listens, cooks, and loves looking after our daughter.

Visualisation of what you want is a key tool to achieving the life you want. I know that the life I have planned for myself will leave me with little free time, but all my time will be filled with achieving my goals: Family, Work, Exercise, Mental Stimulation, Food, Creativity. These are my six pillars of happiness! All of these things will constantly be varying in their demands, and the aim is to keep them as balanced as possible. If I can manage this, there will be satisfaction coming from feelings of true self-worth. I like feeling like I am trying my hardest, and this is a quality I definitely want to pass on to Indigo, so I will lead by busy, positive example!


A full schedule stops me from being bored, which causes me to mooch. Mooching is a killer of passion, creativity, inspiration, conversation and energy. The less free time I have, the happier I am. This doesn't mean I don't relax, but I relax best when I plan for it! Dave, Indigo and I walk a few kilometres every day with our Basset Hound, Trilby. We take him to the beach and throw a ball around for him, and most of the time he finds kids and dogs to talk to and play with. We have a great time as a family, and it is incredibly inspiring and relaxing!

I don't think there is anything wrong with all of this. In fact, I'm sick of being told to cut myself slack. I thrive on pushing myself forward, so all these well-meaning articles I see telling people not to want to better themselves upsets me. Maybe the writer is suffering from burn-out, but there is a definite positive to being busy rather than having lots of time to relax, but not necessarily needing or wanting to do so. 


Maybe I'm a bit mad. 


What's wrong with wanting to be the best person you can be?