"I'm a mum-of-seven - parents who say they don't have time to exercise are just making excuses"

A busy mum-of-seven who does squats whilst cooking believes parents who say they're too busy to exercise are ''are just making excuses".

Emma Lewis, 39, swapped social media scrolling for squats after she "stopped blaming parenthood for not exercising".

Emma, who shares seven children with her husband, Jonny Lewis, 43, who works in construction, had her first child in 2010 aged 26.

She had her youngest child in 2022 at aged 38, but found that she was always feeling tired after a full day of cooking, cleaning and packing lunch boxes.

That's why in July 2021 she decided to make a change, starting with a daily 10-minute exercise.

Emma, who previously worked in HR, from Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland, said: "Mums make excuses- I used to be the same.

"I used the think I had too much on my plate for working out but it was actually because I wasn't prioritising myself as well as my kids.

"It's a hard pill to swallow, but it's total rubbish if you think you don't have time to do a quick 10-minute workout.

"If you can sit on your phone for 30 minutes, you can exercise.

"I used to feel lethargic all the time and that's because I wasn't looking after myself.

"But now I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm setting a good example for my kids.

"I'm showing them, and others, that women's bodies are more than just a vessel for childbirth."

Before becoming a full-time mum, Emma would exercise before work and refused to leave the house without a full face of makeup.

However, in 2021 and already a mum-of-five she felt "worlds away" from her former life and knew that something had to change.

"I remember looking in the mirror and not recognising the woman looking back at me,'' she said.

"When I worked in HR I was always dressed professionally with pencil skirts and blouses and never without my hair and make-up done.

"I'd work out most days before going into the office too.

"But when you're navigating parenthood, it can all slip away.

"I was feeling exhausted, lethargic and unmotivated all the time because I was burning the candle at both ends and not having routines for myself.

"But when I started putting aside 10 minutes a day to work out, I felt a boost in my energy levels.

"I do a mixture of weights and pilates, as I've been doing it for so long, I just put my AirPods on and go through all the moves I've learnt.

"I even took up old past times like reading a chapter of my book a day and getting into making quick but nutritious meals.

"Now I even do workouts in between tasks, like squats whilst g making dinner, or when it's bath time for the kids.

''I'll take my weights into the bathroom and do a quick arm workout.

"I'll do a quick yoga stretch before bed too- it's all about maximizing those little windows between tasks as they all add up."

Emma, who is mum to Annabella, 13, Mabel, 11, Bobby, nine, Essie-May, seven, John, six, Hugh-James, three, and Wilfie, 19 months, has even turned to Instagram where she shares her tips and tricks to hel