Those high energy mums. Where do you get your energy from?

[daisymay1020]

Where do you get that 'get up and go' from?

I heard someone say they don't ever sit down, because if they did, they wouldn't get back up again... so that's how they keep on going.

I just want to have more energy for my toddler. I don't right now. I can just about get out of bed, let alone whizz around and go here, there and everywhere.

What gives you enegry?

I'm not sure. I would probably be considered quite an energetic person as I have 3 children, busy ft job, do lots of voluntary things and also work hard to keep a social life going. I'm not sure there is a.magic billet but I try and get to bed fairly early, drink very little, I notice that when I eat lots of plants and good food it helps, weights and walking do me lots of good when I do them. My husband is a real team player and we approach family and household life with an attitude of just pulling our weight. We keep a clean tidy house by staying on top of things on a daily basis. I also don't feel compelled to do all the women's work/mental load stuff. Some stuff I pass to him and then just don't think about it. I'm fairly compartmentalised so can focus on giving one thing my wholehearted attention rather than drifting between different things. I'm also quite boundaried and say no when I need to.
I would also say that we pay for a cleaner/ironer and gardener so there are things we just don't do. There are still things that I think would give me more energy such as losing weight.
Sometimes I feel too busy and we love a slob around when we feel like it, generally though I enjoy our energetic approach to life!

I have quite a lot of energy. I sleep really well, I have a good appetite and prioritise eating well.

I do exercise every day and a hardcore work out once or twice a week. M

I work FT at a senior level and I like it - it gives me a lot of mental energy. So the energy is probably a mix of - feeling motivated and fulfilled and getting the basics right.

I don't mean any of this to sound smug - it's probably luck too.

high Protein diet
lots of water
not much alchol
sleep 7 hours
good mental health
happy person

Did you mean to sound so rude?

This - not too many carbs.

If I wake up and couldn’t get back to sleep I used to get up and do a load of washing, clean out the fridge etc I never ever scroll on my phone etc

I try hard not to use gadgets after say 8.30 pm and I just make myself. I’m exhausted some days but I take it until I make it !!

Hmmm.

I am high-energy. I'm naturally at my best 'doing' - so during the week, I'm up at 5, a few jobs in the house, gym by 6, high-intensity small group session, then either home to do morning routine with 3 DC & then work, or straight to work for 730. Busy middle-management role. Every evening at least 2 sports training events for DC.

I would go to bed early but kids don't finish up till quite late & there's always stuff to be done.

That all sounds v high-energy BUT I'm a mess at weekends. Still busy as kids have all their matches, and I run long-distance usually, but I'm exhausted but sleep badly, I'm usually emotional & snappy & I find it really hard to prioritise - so say, important planning / financial matters for me / DC keep getting put on long finger.

I think the reality is I burn myself out over 5 days & can't get value out of relaxing at weekend.

Single parent & no support so I guess a certain amount of what I do is out of necessity.

I need to get a better balance.

I’ve been a mum who forced themselves to at least look high energy, but felt like shit and quite often dropped to sleep or felt borderline catatonic on rest days, where I’d do things like sleep for 16 hrs while the kids stayed at my mum’s for a night. Recently, after feeling like crap and running on empty for too many years, I spent two weeks resetting myself. I’ve changed my diet, weaned off caffeine, stopped snacking apart from bananas or rice cakes, and drinking tonnes of water. I’ve enforced myself a bedtime routine and as much as the first few days felt awful, like bad jet lag, I now start every day with a spring in my step and feel like I’m 15 years younger in my physical self. I’m also sticking strictly to a skincare regime of an evening so my skin is glowing like never before.

If you’ve got a couple or days at any point where you don’t have to be too busy, consider going for a health overhaul. I started with just more walking and 10-15 mins YouTube exercise, and am now walking loads without even feeling an impact and doing whatever exercise class I fancy. It can be done!

I have two small children - and a quite regimented schedule that I keep too. I know that if I let myself I could spend a week lying on the sofa… I plan out my days / week in chunks + book stuff in advance (like toddler classes + play dates + playground meet ups etc) so I always know what’s happening next.

being intentional about eating well, keeping physically active, going to bed by 9:30 + keeping social media time within healthy limits for me is important too.

if you only change one thing about your life to boost energy levels I would start with what my sisters and I call magic soup. All
of us make a big pot on Monday of a veggie soup (with chilli + basil) which is 6 portions of vegetables / bowl. We eat it every week day for lunch. Boring? Maybe. But it’s probably the single most effective tool I have to stay on top of life in the tired years!

My SIL is like this, I’m in awe of her really. She has a full on job, 2 kids and she doesn’t stop. She’s naturally a very high energy person, but so are her parents who I’ve met many times. Again, lovely people but they too live very full and active lives - so maybe it’s learnt behaviour for some?

I think I'm one of those

I sleep for ten hours a night, eat really well and don't drink too much

I prioritize this over anything else really

I used to parent that way when my kids were little. Constant motion was my normal way of being. Up very early, everything done. My friends were used to it, but said I was Hyperactive I don't think I was Well eventually with age it does go away. Now the kids are grown I'm no where near as energetic and as a result have gained weight and am slowing down.

I'm an older Mum, 59 with a 15 year old, so tidier in my 40s. I cope very well, and I have always had loads of energy. I work full time, gym 3 times a week, swim at weekends. I have always been like this, have lots of degrees, am regularly studying, plus exercise. But I can't tell you why that is and I think it's just genetic. My mum was always full of energy and still is at 90. I find it hard to turn off though, so that's a downside.

*Toddler in my 40s. Sigh.

Oh and I eat loads of carbs

My youngest reaching the age of 3 really helped my energy levels, if that helps.

Mum of two (8 and 16 months) and work as a nurse on nights. I have a good diet, minimal alcohol, I try my best to get 8 hours sleep. I do an hour lifting heavy weights with 15-30 mins cardio 4-5x per week (I have to take my daughter with me, luckily she loves the gym as has been coming with me since 6 weeks old)

I think I have a lot of energy, certainly more than when I was younger and before kids!

I don't have a massively busy social life however, a few close friends I meet for food once/twice a month.

I know a mum like this, her schedule makes me feel tired. One day I went round for lunch and they'd already been swimming and to soft play and had another play date arranged after ours! That's like a full week of activities for me!
Not that I'm casting aspersions and I'm sure most people are very happy, but the flip side is that she is very uncomfortable not "doing". They are not at home at the weekend as they are always off visiting friends and family. The kids are always shattered and behaviour is an issue.

I'm not like that but when I'm sat down feeling like shit I think "just do one thing", like put five toys away, or fold up ten clean bits of laundry and even if that's enough you've achieved something!

I do think it's a personality trait. The source of the energy is not a physical one but one that is hard wired. I never stop but I'm also plagued by an overthinking, anxious mind. I'd love a bit less energy and more calm.

Unmedicated ADHD and massive amounts of caffeine

I drink green smoothies, fast 2 days a week, exercise 5 days a week. Have an incredibly senior job that I enjoy with long, long hours and very high pressure plus a voluntary board and political activism.
I know this sounds weird but I can take the pace and the pressure and know when to just spend a morning lying in bed in my pjs watching Videos with the kids and recharging my batteries
No family support but a good DH in my husband.

Have a very good cleaner x 2 a week and a very unreliable nanny. Two children who are tweens who are happy and balanced

I also suspect that I have AdHD - I'm either on or completely 'off'

From Ritalin (well, Concerta).

Genuinely.

I set my alarm an hour before I have to get up, neck my meds and then I'm good to go.

I'm a shell by 7PM but it gets me through the morning workout, dog walk, school run and work day so all good.

Would you mind sharing your recipe @Hooplahooping ? It sounds brilliant and I love soup!

I want to know the secret too! I know a few people who are just ‘on’ all the time, kids, house, career, holidays, events, socialising, constant social media presence.. I am exhausted at their lives tbh

I'm exhausted just reading this! I feel like I drag myself through life always hoping for the next opportunity to take it easy. I honestly think its a personality type, I have decided in the past year or so to accept myself and stop feeling inadequate because of my energy levels. I used to obsess over people like those on this thread and wonder why I'm always falling behind. I would give anything to have that rush of energy, I am not even sure what it feels like.