How Being a Parent has kept me fit

I have never travelled so much and walked so much since becoming a mum. My son loves to visit different places and so like today we walked from London Victoria to London Bridge and thankful for the legs I have been given and for my son, because he keeps me fit. 

The one thing I noticed about visiting London was how miserable everyone seemed. Has the sense of humour gone? In Epsom people will say good morning and apart from a coach driver, noone seemed that they cared that you let them pass and got out of their way when running and I always acknowledge if someone has allowed me to pass and it just not as friendly as it used to be.

However it was good and went a different route we've not been and it was nice to just walk and we had a empty train back and it was a really good morning walk and looking forward to more. We walked around Guildford on Monday, Tuesday we walked into town, via the bus route and tomorrow we are off to play tennis. 

I love spending time doing the things we both love. It is good to continue to bond and I like that he enjoys walking. He can often pretend to be a bus or a train and he was getting annoyed with me continuing to take photos but I never get sick of London, I just wish people would be happier and on the train this morning everyone would be engrossed in their laptops and phones. 

So I thought I'd just enjoyed the journey and not be on my phone all the way. 

My son likes to spot other trains and we will guess where they're going and the buses we see as we explore and take away the length of the walks we do. 

As a baby he loved the motion of a train or bus and when walking with him and running in his pushchair. He loved being out and going on walks. I feel its just come a part of his life to be out and explore. He loved seeing me and his dad workout he would join in. I like that he likes to walk but often his choices can be a bit of extreme. Walking from London Waterloo to Epsom. 

We have done Epsom to Kingston, Epsom Morden and walked from London Waterloo to Fulham Broadway which is a fair distance. I would like to continue. I have always walked. My dad would walk a lot and my mum and I did the Thames Walk, 25K but now my son is here I am still walking and its better than being in all the time. I am doing a squats challenge in August. It is 100 squats a day for Cancer Research: https://fundraise.cancerresearchuk.org/page/carries-giving-page-23102806

I am doing it because I haven't done a challenge for a long time and it came up on my Instagram and thought okay I can do that and my son is like my coach. I'd like to do a fundraiser with Henry at some point. There were parts of London that was new. I would like to book a week off and walk when Henry is at school because he didn't want to walk through the parks on route and walk outside them and there are some little gardens along the route we took.

Next week we are off to St Albans and looking forward to it. 

I do have a Parenting blog and doing Summer Holiday series so check out this recent post: https://theparentingadventurestipsandtricks.wordpress.com/2026/07/21/letting-someone-else-make-arrangements/

I will be sharing our walks and things we are doing in the summer on my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/@Carriechalloner

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Walking With my son even when its not always blissful

I love my son to bits and today we went for a walk because he wouldn't leave his dad alone, who was doing his training with his weights and I was a bit doubtful in case getting him home is tough like on Friday when my son kicked off because we didn't go the way he wanted. 

In playground near home we use and from when I walk around it whilst my son rode on his bike

We often go on walks and it not always bad and going to be doing a new Walking event called the Winter Walk, in London in January and so glad to be back doing fundraising events. It has been a long time.

It is so good to get out in the fresh air and if its just spitting or grizzly we still go out and walk. We live where there are a lot of places to walk and often Henry has gone on his Scooter whilst I walk and built up my speed to keep up. 

My dad was always walking as he would work up into the center of London and so I feel it is in my blood and I just find it so good to do. I plan my walks and I do some on a treadmill to help strengthen my legs and once I get to a good pace where I still feel comfortable and can still walk, it helps me to walk longer distances and would like me and my son to do a charity walk together but work on short walks to do before doing longer ones. 

He, my son has wanted to walk from London Waterloo to Epsom, because he loves trains and wants to pass the stations, but I am not sure if he knows how far it is but don't want say no because I want him to be active and continue to do walks together and so we have been building up to do that. He has said anything since last week, but if he wants to give it a try then we will. I just hope it won't take a year. He likes to pretend he is a train whilst walking and we have got lost or not sure of the way to be able to do that, so will take some planning but as said, if he wants to do long distant walks like that then I not going to destroy his enthusiasm. 

The weekends is usually when we walk and it is good to break up the day. Sundays' are off because my son goes to rugby and a football club, along with me who does a radio show on Epsom Hospital Radio 4 to 6pm and so we walk on Saturdays and when we were using the playground near where I live in Wimbledon I walk around, whilst my son rode his bike. 

So if you want to spend time outdoors and your kids are driving you mad indoors, walking can be just what you need.

Many thanks for reading,

Carrie X 

Getting fit during half term

So not long since coming back from my walk being Tuesday the 14th February 2023, and Happy Valentines day, and feels so good and I love walking it really is nice and spending time with nature and seeing other parents and families walking too, makes me look forward to getting and measuring my steps and it just helps with my energy each day and the same with my son who came with me too. We weekly go for walks, when he spends the weekends with me and now he is half term, getting more walking done, and love fitting it in whilst I complete errands for the week. 

Southbank London 

Half term is a great time for the whole family to get exercise and I just find it so peaceful. I love doing trials and then getting a coffee or on the way to get hydrated and beats riding on a bus or train all of the time, or going out for the day to do a walk, and going to take my son to the English seaside and do more walking. 

It really is a good source of medicine and yesterday we went to another walking spot in London, The Southbank and took the Thames Link train to Blackfriars and walked to London Waterloo. I love being near water, it makes me feel so fresh and new. 

Half term is good to take your bikes out and if you don't want to go to get a coffee bring one out with you in a flask. and I am going to do this for more walks and for my son some water and take a packed lunch rather than going to a cafe or coffee shop all of the time. 

If you worry about needing the toilet then check before you walk what is near by and make sure even if they protest, make sure your children go to the toilet before they leave to walk and explore, and you can get portable potty's which I used for my son just in case, and was a great find and useful piece of equipment to avoid accidents.

Why not have all your kids do some dancing together and put on those tunes and create a playlist on Youtube of the songs you love, and if your child is at a holiday club, like my son is doing for the rest of the week, I am going to  use this time to do a run, tidy my bedroom which is good exercise and doing a indoor workout too. 

If they aren't have them all do a home workout too and have them help with chores great for burning calories and being active. Its about moving the body and great task for bonding and growing the relationship you have with your family and have them collect leafs as they can use them for arts and crafts and create scrapbooks of photos of your family going outdoors and at home to use fitness to build good memories and something they can do when they have children of their own, and it is good to do this whilst they are young as research has shown that if you have kids exercising whilst young they will stick to it and helps burn off the energy they have. My has so much energy and exercise helps me catch up and he sleeps so well when we do.  

So if you worrying about not getting exercise during half term it is possible and if they do sleep in exercise before they wake up, or when it is their nap time, depending on how old your children are. So we can get through it, without anyone getting hurt and avoid those tantrums. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Exercising in the Autumn and Winter

It has been a while since writing in this blog because my exercise regime has changed. I play football each week with my son or rugby. I walk wherever I can, and use a Crosstrainer when in my son's home in Epsom, and use this whilst I am waiting for him to return from school. 

My diet has changed and it not all good, I still crave chocolate, but I will have good home cooked food thanks to my family and make sure I still have breakfast and jotted down today on my food habits and making progress. I am not spending a lot of food, and I am thankful for that, and cut down on waste. This all helps with motivation to stay active, and it is nothing strenuous, but helps clear my mind and get rid of the cobwebs.

Exercise is about moving the body, and so making sure I do get some, but I stop with the guilt. This just I have realised demotivates me and so I exercise when I want to and have a treat, but not too much, and make sure I do have vegetables and fruits to help me. It is about being healthy and not size and just writing makes me feel a ease, rather than under pressure.

I enjoy playing football with my son and I am sure we will play some today. That should what exercise should be, doing some that feels good and even though it can take a lot of persuading, once it is done it you wake you up and want to do it again. 

As it gets colder it can hit you like knife when it is super cold, but for my it is really good weather, just be careful of frost because this can make the pavement slippery but I like the fact I can layer up and let my feet take me. 

So lets get outdoors and grab a coffee on the way, and reward yourself as you do. 

I have a new book published. It is called Mum&me and is available from Amazon and available to read on Kindle: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum-Me-Gucci-Tits-Virtue-ebook/ and paperback. https://www.amazon.co.uk/Mum&Me 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal    

  

Getting fit with your kids and getting outdoors to explore

It has been a busy week and now it is Sunday I feeling the effects. I have been doing lots of walking taking my son out, now it is the School Holidays for the summer and even now I am yawning. It is good to get outdoors but it is also good to relax too, knowing I have another busy week ahead, and then the week after I get a break. 

Wimbledon Park London UK 

I haven't done any weights, but I know I can get myself get back into doing some more. It is good to be outside and exploring and I love walking. I even did a little bit of running and trying my son to do the same and help build his body up and be fit. 

I am not expecting to lift weights but just be active. It is good to go to different places, and in living in London and Surrey there is a lot to choose from and so making the most of it. 

The places that I like going is where you have a park, with climbing frames, swings and animals even and Bocketts Farm is a great place to go and did a video not so long ago of a visit there. https://youtu.be/SXLA7WMeZWc

I know this is a fitness blog, but going these places walking around and you can go on the bikes they have there all adds up. Then there is London and my favourite places are Hyde Park and the Southbank and really good place to walk with friends and family. 

It does get busy so I would advice to go up there as early as possible, and I have run this route too I would take trips to there to do running and walking, and why done charity walks along there too. 

So is a good place to explore and Wimbledon Park near where I live is a good place to run and take your dogs out to walk and they have a funfair this time of the year, and me and my son will be taking a visit back there, and you have two play grounds to choose from and a cafe which does really nice food for adults and kids. 

Getting fit is all about having and why not take a bat and a ball, a football and just making the most of each day and to help you and your kids get fit. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X 

Typical London Gal 

Getting fit around your children

Being a mum it can be a juggling act, so I workout around my son. Example today, as I pick up my son on Fridays for the weekend did a short workout indoors and did a bit of walking but have a sore ankle so couldn't do much but have fitted in some walking this week with the spare time I have, as it is a distance from the town where I live and train stations, and so fit it in wherever possible.

During the Easter Holidays we walked a lot, went swimming along with some football and exploring in Surrey and in London. Just getting out releases the boredom and that's if we don't go out my son will start jumping all over the furniture so it is good to have your kids be part of your fitness journey. Get them involved and do a fun home workout but in the summer why not get outdoors in the garden and do some exercise there too and get other kids involved and make it a thing you do each week. 

Even if it is dancing in the living room whilst you do housework and again get your kids to do the same whilst they do chores and put on a playlist and clean away.

I would often when taking son and I would do the same, is after I dropped Henry off would go for a run and other mums and dads would do the same. My son now gets a taxi to and from school because of the distance as he has had to change schools and so now when it is sunny play football out in the garden, or we would often do some dancing in the morning before I took him to school. 

When I go for a walk along the river or seaside it is great to see others doing the same or jogging and it is good to be part of that world and it took me a long time to get into running but glad I kept it up, but stopped when I was pregnant as it would cause me to be sick so had to stop, but when I was 8 week post pregnancy I started to get back into it, and would do a workout each morning. 

I know life is a juggle but when you work fitness around your life it is possible to get fit and have fun with your kids. 

Many thanks for reading, 

Carrie X