Meet Angeline, first time Mum to her gorgeous 6 month old – Harvey Gleeson, Personal Trainer and Sales Rep for the Health Food Distributor – Health Magic. Angeline shares with us her reflections on being a new mum, keeping a clear mind and a gives us a quick look into her uncomplicated healthy body & mind routine.
Have you always been conscious of your own health and wellbeing?
I can honestly say yes, even from a young age I was going for runs or doing training in the sparse school gym during my lunch hour at high school while a lot of my schoolmates just hung out eating junk food. I always took a packed lunch to school with me and it was always very healthy thanks to my mum. I was very active as a child doing Ballet, Jazz, Cross County running and Gaelic football after school hours.
Do you remember your first thought when you found out you were expecting?
Yes, I was very overwhelmed and worried about the whole journey. How my body was going to change, whether I would be a good mum, how my life was going to change forever, lots of anxious thoughts!
Without sounding cliché, what have you found to be the greatest change to your life?
The biggest change would be not being able to do whatever we want at the drop of a hat! Once you’re a parent your life revolves around your child and you can’t just stay out late or go to the movies! You have to be organised and plan different things, but those family days outweigh a nasty hangover any day!
How do you balance career and baby?
It is very difficult and I haven’t experienced the whole child care thing yet as I’m lucky enough with my personal training job that I can get up super early and train a few clients while my husband feeds and looks after our little one, and be back on time to express and then my husband goes to work, so it requires a little organisation and a supportive partner.
Go-to healthy recipe for you?
A beautiful salad of rocket, walnuts, goats cheese and pumpkin with a nice piece of grass fed lamb or chicken.
Go-to healthy recipe for the kids…
This is new territory for me as I’m just introducing Harvey to solids but he absolutely loved a lamb and carrot stew I made for him the other day, he wolfed it down!
What is your healthy body routine?
Definitely giving myself some de-stress time which includes getting to a yoga class once a week where I can stretch out and unwind as being a new parent can be very stressful. I also try and get 2 weight training sessions in a week, which might be in a gym if I’m lucky, or simply a body weighted circuit while I’m out for a walk with Harvey. I also like to do 1-2 cardio sessions, which would include interval training and may only take 15-20 mins to do. I’m so much more efficient with my time now I’m a mum as I can’t fluff around for an hour at the gym, time is precious!
How do you take care of your mind?
I have a meditation app on my phone which I love to listen to while I’m in bed if my mind won’t switch out, it’s great to be able to use technology for unwinding rather than sitting on Social media keeping myself awake!
What was the best piece of advice you received before entering into parenthood?
I think it would have to be just to trust your mothering instinct. I had no idea what I was getting myself into and had only held a newborn about a few months before I got pregnant. Now it’s like I’ve always been a mum and it’s second nature to look after my little one.
Alone time is best spent…
With herbal tea and a good cookbook researching new recipe ideas!
What advice would you give yourself if you could go back to when you first found out you were pregnant?
It would probably be not to worry so much and to believe in myself that I can be a good mum. I doubted myself so much, but that was probably the hormones!
