Snotty Noses Happy Parents Raising Healthy Kids by Dr Orlena Kerek, Paediatrician

Do you ever say to yourself "I would love to be more healthy, if only I had more time!" The truth is that leading a healthy and cookbook life isn't about "spending time" doing it. It's about creating small habits and using your time wisely.

Luckily you don't have to go to Tibet and meditate for hours at a time (although I think I'd quite like to!)

We've joined together to bring you our top tips to help you incorporate healthy tips into your busy daily routine.

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How to Work Healthy Habits into Your Busy Routine

Start by book marking this page. (If you've signed up for the Free membership you'll find it in the membership site.)

Start with one small habit. When you're happy with that one, come back and add another.

So easy!

1. Stay hydrated

- Carry around a reusable water bottle to make sure you're getting enough water. If you always have one, you have no excuse not to be drinking water! You can make your water more fun by infusing it with fruit or herbs. (Tip by Kaleigh from Lively Table)

- I always drink water first thing in the morning. (Tip by Deirdre from The Cool Food School)

- I have a re-useable bottle of water on the side of my bedbookmarkingso the first thing I do in the morning is have a drink of water. Then when I'm dressed I make myself a hot water and lemon drink. My kids also have a reusable bottle of water at the side of their beds. (Tip by Anthea from Blue Bear Wood)

- Have a bottle of water next to the bed to drink as soon as you get up followed by a cup of hot water and lemon. (Tip by Anthea from Blue Bear Wood)

2. Get moving

- If you don't have time to go to the gym (or just don't like it), find a way of incorporating movement that you enjoy into your day. I like using an app on my phone for daily yoga, even if it's just for 20 or 30 minutes. Go on a walk around the block, ride your bike through the neighborhood, or have a dance party with your kids. You don't have to be a slave to the gym! (Tip by Kaleigh from Lively Table)

- Set a reminder to get up and move around each hour. (Tip by Michele from Midlife Healthy Living)

- Build little bits of fitness into the mundane... squats whilst cleaning teath, pelvic floor whilst in the car. (Tip by Anthea from Blue Bear Wood)

- I often get up and aim to do a few stretches and then end up doing whole minutes! If I aimed to do 20 minutes I'd never start! This can be applied to lots of things. It's often the beginning of something that is difficult! (Tip by Orlena from SnottyNoses)

- Do squats when cleaning your teeth - that is 4 minutes a day, and stretch or planks during the TV ad breaks - it adds up really fast. Download a couple of the 30-day challenge apps, they take minutes a day. (Tip by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours)

- It's important that your motivations for staying active are beyond just losing weight. Have a read of this post to see why this is important along with some suggestions for what else might motivate you to stay active. Free motivations printable worksheet included! (Tip by Amy from Eat Pray Workout)

3. Prepare meals

- Meal prep so you can have healthy meals available with less time. (Tip by Christina from Little Sprouts Learning)

- Cook in bulk. (Tip by Christina from Little Sprouts Learning)

4. Chop fruit

- Your children are more likely to eat fruit that's chopped. (Tip by Deirdre from The Cool Food School)

5. More vegetables

- Include vegetables in every meal where possible - spinach in smoothie, grated carrot in lunchbox sandwiches etc. (Tip by Deirdre from The Cool Food School)

- When cooking, always include more vegetables than the recipe requires. (Tip by Deirdre from The Cool Food School)

- Let your child pick the veg of the day - give them some control. (Tip by Deirdre from The Cool Food School)

- If a recipe calls for meat, don't be afraid to cut down the amount. Example: Casserole calls for 1lb ground meat, use a 1/2 lb. (Tip by Michele from Midlife Healthy Living)

6. Give the right snacks

- Give kids a bag of sugar snap peas or runner beans/fine green beans to chomp as snacks at home or when doing the shopping rather than sweets. (Tip by Anthea from Blue Bear Wood)

- Make sweets a treat rather than the norm and by treats I mean for special events ... birthdays, christmas, easter, parties, get togethers etc. (Tip by Anthea from Blue Bear Wood)

7. Aim small

- Break up all of your goals into mini-steps that are doable. A 5-minute meditation? 15 minutes to meal plan, etc. (Tip by Sharon from The Honour System)

8. Eat Real Food!

- Make sure to choose nourishing foods. Look for pastured meats, organic vegetables, healthy saturated fats and traditionally prepared nuts, grains, and legumes. This will keep you feeling strong, empowered and confident in your food choices. Avoid refined sugar, grains that aren't fermented and vegetable oils, as all these things will sap your energy and leave you feeling drained and sick. 

9. Start your day right

- Your morning routine makes or breaks your day. (Tip by Helen from Fuss Free Flavours)

10. Create good habits

- Motivation gets you started but habits keep you going. Remember it takes 30 days to create a habit, but after that the new healthy thing you've put into your day will feel much easier! (Tip by Amy from Eat Pray Workout)

11. Be creative with food

- I still like to be creative in the kitchen so I don't fully meal prep but I 'ingredient prep on a Sunday night. This means chopping and baking vegetables in Extra Virgin Olive Oil and a pinch of salt (pumpkin, capsicum, zuchinni, sweet potato, cauliflower, tomatoes). This means I then don't have the excuse of it's too hard or I don't have time to cook because I can just either reheat as a simple side to some meat, fish, tofu or legumes or add them as the stars of my salad or even pop them on a wholegrain sandwhich with some feta cheese and avocado (AMAZING!). (Tip by Amy from Eat Pray Workout)