Sam Cam, Jools Oliver etc - how do they fit exercise and beauty stuff in

[Luckytohavemybaby]

Do they get lots of help? Wondering if they do their running and work outs at 5am as they seem quite hands on mums.

I work compressed hours, so for 4 days a week, I'm up between 5-6am and back home at 7pm, by which time, I'm knackered. On my non-working day, I have DD (aged 2) with me and its impossible to do anything while I'm looking after her.

Novice - if I didn't work, I couldn't afford a housekeeper/nanny (can't afford one whilst working either!!!).

Well pink. I have a baby, two other children and a DH who works away a lot in the week. DD2 is only in pre-school 3 hours per day, and I have three school runs (morning, lunchtime and afternoon). No, the baby doesn't generally sleep except on school runs or at times when I have DD2 with me. No, he doesn't 'sit and play' whilst I do a 30 minute exercise DVD.

My point isn't that I couldn't fit in a couple of runs if I desperately wanted to (but frankly, neither I nor my pelvic floor want to). My point was that, unless exercise is a very high priority, it's a hell of a lot easier to fit it in if you have lots of childcare and lots of lovely slots of time to choose from.

Penguins - I have been a sahm to just one toddler, and found that I was more fit and toned than when I was working, despite not working out - just the sheer activity levels of chasing a toddler around the park, walking everywhere, housework and just generally never sitting down apart from in the evenings, seemed to keep me fit and slim.

Do you not find the same? If I'm honest I don't particularly enjoy formal exercising, I prefer to eat little to remain slim (which is easy when you're concentrating on feeding everyone else!) but I do like to keep active and feel fit. So sahm suits me well.

Okay guys - I did manage to Gillian Michaels (sp) yoga DVD at 6am this morning I thought I would see if I could do it.
The thing is exercise is a habit that we all need to get into. I have been exercising regularly for over a decade and even though it is part of my life I was struggling, which is why I put the OP up. I did do DVDs while both DDs were babies - but that was because I had the habit.
I can now see why it gets so hard. On the plus point I spoke to my DH who told me my body was better than Sam Cam's not that I approve of the instrusive pics...

Oh yes Coasting. I am very physically active. I wouldn't say I was unfit. Where possible, I walk the 2.5 mile round trip school run at least once a day. I do a lot of lifting, bending and going up and down the stairs. I was just talking about the idea of fitting in formal exercise.

DC4 is 10 months old...I have a list of stuff that I would have done if I had had the money:

1. Singed up for that diet where they send you freshly made meals for the day, all calorie counted and filling
2. Taken every vitamin going
3. Used a night nanny occasionally so that on those days that mattered I would be a fresh as a daisy
4. Daily/weekly physio to fix my tummy (separated tummy muscles)
5. Sneaky tummy tuck while no-one was looking
6. Personal trainer
7. Personal Pilates instructor
8. Stylist
9. Monthly hair appointments instead of when ever I can fit them in

As it is I have joined a gym with a creche and even doing that 1 thing has made a difference.

Kevin - i'd like to do that in September, when the two older ones will both be in school. Does it work well?

you can pretty much buy style beauty and exercise if you have that kind of money.
I'm sure they both have nannies, personal trainers, make up artists.
Not much to keep up with when you have somebody to do it all for you.
good luck to them, i'd be doing the same if that rich.

Coastin . I guess I contributed to the thread as it was about people/lifestyle that are similar to mine. I totally apppreciate it's not the same for 99% of the population. Oh and many congratulations on your newborn!

Penguin, a poster was seemingly questioning Jules O and SamCam for having help when they don't work. The point I was making is that why shouldn't they have help if the money is there? . I phrased it badly as I was trying to also refer to myself, being that yes, dh and I are both very well paid, so if one of us stopped working, we are still fortunate that we could still have the help that we already have.

Ah I see what you meant Novice. I totallly agree. If I had the money I would never hoover or fold washing again.

I guess my point is really that is far easier for them to live up to media standards because they have the resources that free up the time to do it. It is unfair to your average SAHM OR WOHM to compare themselves. Exercise is great. But most of us need to be realistic about what we demand of ourselves.

Maybe spending wasting less time posting on MN and using those few minutes to do something more healthy would benefit us all.

I think it's an odd question tbh. Pretty obvious that money makes this happen. And neither has a demanding 60 hour work week. The real question is how does someone like me (single parent to two children, working full time in demanding job, ageing parents) fit in a grooming regime? Fair enough I don't look amazing but I am pretty at these privileged women being representative of anything valuable for the rest of us.

Pinkfrocks get off mumsnet then.

Its great penguin I can only really do it when DC3 is at nursery, but on one of those days the gym does my favorite class and then I go for swim. I feel like a little bit of the old me is returning!

I feel quite lucky that the local leisure center happens to be really good, the creche is nice and clean and the ladies that run it are great.

Prem I think they do have jobs. I was not saying they are representative. I'm in an exercise and beauty and style rut and was looking for some inspiration. My husband pointed out - before I posted - that I was looking at the wrong role models.
One thing though - I think I may try and exercise first thing before the children get up, that could be my lesson from this. That way - more time for grooming!

Pink - what an odd and aggressive comment. I have MN on my phone and have given it my attention for 90 seconds at a time whilst supervising baking and painting. It is not as if I could have used this time for an exercise Dvd.

I attended a gym class for a while that Jools Oliver also attended. I was massively impressed. She's really fit - great runner, real athlete. Also seemed a very nice person. Any type A person I know just makes the time (hired help or not), and doesn't mess around with classes that don't push you as much as possible and make the most of your limited available time. Do intense interval training, don't mess about on a cross trainer or at a rubbish yoga class. It's 70% nutrition, 30% exercise, so most of being fit has nothing to do with demands of childcare and work.

I attended a gym class for a while that Jools Oliver also attended. I was massively impressed. She's really fit - great runner, real athlete. Also seemed a very nice person. Any type A person I know just makes the time (hired help or not), and doesn't mess around with classes that don't push you as much as possible and make the most of your limited available time. Do intense interval training, don't mess about on a cross trainer or at a rubbish yoga class. It's 70% nutrition, 30% exercise, so most of being fit has nothing to do with demands of childcare and work.

Plenty of 'type A' people are focused on other things than exercise, actually. Masses of them are getting up at 5am to run companies. Or write novels.

And 'being fit' is about exercise. It's not about what you eat. Exercise is a specific thing. Eating healthily is also important but it won't get you fit.

I'm not sure that you can dissociate healthy eating habits from fitness.

Admittedly, I did find it harder when DS was younger as I could only get to the gym once or twice a week and previously I used to go everyday! But breastfeeding burned a lot of calories and I walked everywhere with him too, so that kept me fit. Now that I’m back at work I share nursery pick ups with DP and on two days it’s his turn I go to the gym after work, and I go on Saturday and Sunday too. I have friends who say to me that they don’t know where I find the time or energy but it’s something that’s always been a big part of my life and something I make time for. However I have only the one child and a DP who is able to help out. I realise that not everyone has the same set up.

Being fit is about exercise. Nutrition is necessary alongside exercise to be fit, yes. I agree that you can't disaociate them. But fitness is absolutely about exercise. Nutrition alone will make you slim, not fit.

I have plenty of time for exercise now, but when I had a baby and a toddler, it was pretty much impossible to find any time for exercise. The baby only slept for 45 minutes at a time at night, and the toddler was active and demanding all day. If I tried doing an exercise dvd (and believe me, I did try) the toddler would jump on me and the baby would demand to be fed. And after 4 hours of sleep taken in 45i ute snatches, I didn't really want to exercise.

Now, it's a different story, and I have no excuses for not exercising. But back then, my reasons were very valid.

I didn't suggest fitness had no role. I suggested it had a 30% role, which is very different. But sacrificing a lot to make it to the gym 3 times per week to muck about on a cross trainer or in a body pump class where people take ages to move between exercises, will be utterly useless in the face of poor diet. So people who are unable to exercise should at least take care of the element they can take care of, nutrition, and then build up the exercise as their schedule allows. Brisk walk with the buggy for upwards of an hour 3 times per week if that's all you can manage, but don't then meet a friend for a brownie and a latte and eat a massive bowl of pasta at 9pm with 2 glasses of wine. Do that, if you like, but don't expect to look like any of the individuals referenced.

I have a live out nanny who works 8-7, and a housekeeper that does 15 hours a week. My husband and I work full time in very full-on City jobs. One or both of my two children (1.5 and 3.5) get up at 6 ish, my husband leaves for work about 7ish. I try and be showered for when the nanny arrives and will have given the children breakfast and tidied up by the time she comes, so I can put my clothes on without getting Weetabix all over them. My older son does three mornings at nursery and I drop him off for that (nanny could but otherwise I would never see his teachers etc and he loves it). I try and leave the office 95% of the time in order to get back for bedtime. I often then have to work in the evening, sometimes til past midnight though not usually as late as that. I am constantly exhausted. Oh and I am currently 13 weeks pregnant with #3 (touch wood).

I have a lot of help. I cannot figure out when I can fit time for exercise in (luckily Iam naturally quite slim)! When I was on mat leave I was much fitter as walked a lot and you are always on the go.

I have considered getting up at 5:30 but just cannot bring myself to do it!