I’ve got 7 kids and work out everyday — stop making ‘excuses’ for yourself
She’s a bundle of run.
Mom of seven Emma Lewis, 39, is urging other parents to take better care of their physical health — asserting that those who say they’re too busy to exercise are “just making excuses.”
“I used to think I had too much on my plate for working out but it was actually because I wasn’t prioritizing myself as well as my kids,” Lewis, from Northern Ireland, told South West News Service.
“It’s a hard pill to swallow, but it’s total rubbish if you think you don’t have time to do a quick 10-minute workout,” the said. “If you can sit on your phone for 30 minutes, you can exercise.”
The motivated mama, who likes to do squats while lovingly preparing meals for her large family, began to change her lifestyle in 2021, after she noticed herself feeling extremely exhausted from long days full of chores, such as cleaning and packing lunch boxes.
She is a proud mother to Annabella, 13, Mabel, 11, Bobby, 9, Essie-May, 7, John, 6, Hugh-James, 3, and Wilfie, 19 months, but before she became a parent, Lewis recalled that she would exercise before work everyday, and would never leave home without a full face of makeup.
When she began to look at herself in the mirror two years ago, she claimed that she didn’t even recognize the person that was staring back.
“When I worked in HR I was always dressed professionally with pencil skirts and blouses and never without my hair and make-up done,” Lewis said.
“But when you’re navigating parenthood, it can all slip away,” she continued. “I was feeling exhausted, lethargic and unmotivated all the time because I was burning the candle at both ends and not having routines for myself.”
So, the thinspired thirtysomething began setting aside 10 minutes per day to work out, and found that it drastically improved how she was feeling — no longer was Lewis lethargic and sluggish. Instead, she was energized and invigorated.
Lewis explained that she does a “mixture” of weights and pilates, and tries to sneak in time for quick exercises while doing daily tasks, like taking weights into the bathroom.
“I even took up old pastimes like reading a chapter of [a] book a day and getting into making quick but nutritious meals,” Lewis added.
She said that she’s now in “the best shape of her life,” and is setting a good example for both her children and others.
A re-energized Lewis has chosen to share her words of wisdom on her Instagram page, @sevenlittlelewiskids, where she documents her journey as a parent and balancing self care with her over 2,000 followers.
She believes that it’s important to take care of yourself just as much as you take care of your children.
These little changes have made a positive impact in her family’s life. Lewis even claimed it has improved her marriage with her husband, Jonny.
“It started with exercise and diet but now it’s about self-care which means reading, fake tanning twice a week and I never do the school run without my hair and makeup done,” Lewis said.
“Every parent is different but we all have things that are important to us.”
She explained that she often starts her day in a “deficit,” which means that her children’s school uniforms are laid out, and packed lunches are already in the car.
“It’s all about being one step ahead and finding smart ways to get things done for you,” she shared.
“When people message me asking how I do it all, I just say that I find the time,” she said.
