If weight loss isn’t your goal, start your day as usual. Have a balanced breakfast (include each main food group, plenty of whole grains and cereals and some fruit) no later than one hour before your workout. Failing this, you could have a banana (or another fruit or low-GI option) or a protein bar, plus a fruit juice 20-30 minutes prior. Just make sure you leave 20 minutes for your tummy to empty before you start exercising.

How many times have you said to yourself, “I need to exercise more and eat better”? More than once I bet. The important thing to remember is that it does not have to be overly time-consuming or expensive. You just need to make the most of the time you have allocated to exercising.

Here's a great routine to get you started towards your goal of being a fit and healthy parent. For those new moms who are starting to exercise after delivery of your baby it is essential that you get the all clear from your doctor or healthcare professional before commencing any physical activity or exercise programme.

No woman wants to have a flabby tummy, but with working, parenting and finding some time for yourself, few women have the time or incentive for arduous and long gym sessions. That's okay, because some of the most effective women's abdominal exercises can be done in a relatively short time, in the comfort of your own home.

Aerobic exercise is any kind of rhythmic movement for a sustained period of time that makes you breathe faster and deeper, and makes your heart beat faster. This in turn delivers more oxygen to the muscles around the body and carries waste products away from the muscles to be processed. Half an hour a day of this kind of activity can help you live longer and healthier.

Exercise can have some amazing benefits for a woman's body and even her mental state. Many women who work out not only feel fitter, stronger and have more energy, they also have a better self-image. It's a big circle; if you feel good about your body; you'll want to take care of it. The more care you take of your body, the happier you'll end up feeling. There are a wide variety of body exercises you can do, from cardio to aid weight loss and boost your metabolism, to weight training to tone and firm muscles. How you exercise comes down to what's most comfortable for you and what time your lifestyle as a parent affords you.

Pilates works by combining breathing techniques with unique stretches. It is different to other forms of exercise, as it focuses on improving the body's core, making the body more flexible and stronger. Many people confuse it with Yoga, but Pilates is actually much more dynamic because it exercises the body through stretching and it targets flexibility, posture, and strength.

The word Yoga means union. Yoga is a form of exercise based on the belief that our lives are an energetic combination of body, mind and spirit.

Start a pelvic floor muscle exercise programme right now! Sometimes you’ll hear your friends mention doing their “Kegels”. That is not a new shopping technique – it is only another word for pelvic floor exercises

It's hard to think about adding another thing to your schedule when you have a newborn but, at a time when you have never been more exhausted, a little endorphin rush can really help your flagging energy levels. Participating in an exercise programme after giving birth can halve a mother's risk of depression, as well as increase her sense of well-being

There is no doubt that exercising is good for your mind and body, but you are a mom now – when is there time for exercise? And, if by some miracle you manage to find some time, what type of exercise will be best? Lots of moms tell us they find having a treadmill or spin bike at home is a great way to stay healthy. They can jump on when baby is asleep and it doesn’t matter how cold or wet it is outside. But how do you know which piece of equipment is best for you? After all it is a big investment.

So let’s look at what exercise does.

It is often very hard for moms to make time for themselves and to look after themselves properly. Juggling the demands of small children, running a household and work make it very difficult sometimes.

That's why the beginning of a New Year is a wonderful time to take a step back and reflect on how to make time for yourself, and to consider how you are going to make caring for yourself a priority.

The question "how do I get rid of my tummy" may be one of the questions a health and fitness professional is asked the most. Middle-age spread seems to hit most men at some time, while women increasingly become aware of both their gender's impact on where body fat increasingly likes to hangout.