Fitting in a workout as a busy mum rushing between the school run, work, and home life can be challenging. However, the added benefit of physical activity for both your physical and mental health can make all these daily tasks much more manageable.

The correct exercise selection combined with the appropriate rep scheme can do wonders in added brain power and overall strength. In time, you will find that having this foundation of exercise will improve memory, relieve stress, and give us mummies a much better night sleep.

I have laid out a few basic exercises to include in your home workout to recruit your arms, legs and core. Specifically tailored to a schedule of busy mums with an emphasis on aiding your brain, heart and physical health.

Press-ups are a fantastic full-body exercise without the need for any equipment and can be performed almost anywhere, making it the perfect exercise to include in a variety of home workouts. With the support of multiple studies, the press-up has proven to be number 1 at giving a judgment of your risk of suffering from heart disease. Even more so than many other bodyweight exercises. In addition, press-ups help with blood circulation, stimulate metabolism, and give your overall cardiovascular system a good workout, thus burning calories.

There is an inverse association with future cardiovascular disease and press up capacity. Put simply, with time, the more press-ups you can perform, the less likely you are to suffer from a stroke or heart attack.

I would highly advocate implementing squats into your home workout. One of the best exercises at working a mixture of different muscle groups, from your abs and calves to your quads and glutes, the squat is the queen at improving strength and stability in several muscle groups.

While also improving your muscular strength, the squat is one of the best exercises for improving brain function. Studies have shown that multiple sets of bodyweight squats performed 3 to 4 times a week can be better for your brain than half an hours worth of steady-state running.

While performing a squat, your brain moves up and down through gravity. It provides a unique type of blood flow in the brain, working blood vessels that soften changes in blood pressure while supplying the brain with oxygen and stimulating new brain tissue connections. So the next time you’re squatting, remember you’re not only working your bum and other muscle groups but there’s also a lot of positivity going on in your head!

Not to worry if you haven’t implemented a home workout into your daily routine due to being too busy as a mum, my online pre & postnatal programmes will help ensure you exercise safely throughout your pregnancy and after your baby is born. I talk from experience when saying motherhood is a hard job, an amazing one, but a hard one! I know how time-consuming it can be. However, my live workouts can be done in the comfort of your own home, with minimal equipment needed while including the exercises I’ve mentioned above. You’ll also get the biggest gain in benefits for your mind. Especially if you have been in a period of doing very little to no exercise at all as your brain has not been used to dealing with the changes in blood flow. The more changes in blood flow, the more positive chemicals and brain activity released!