September already and we’re packing the kids off to school this week. It’s been an amazing, long, hot summer and we’ve had some brilliant days out. We also had a fun filled family holiday on the beautiful Northumberland Coast.

Whilst the arrival of September and back to school is tinged with a little bit of sadness, I’m also looking forward to us getting back into routine.

Working from home definitely has its challenges and especially when Amy and the kids are at home because I just want to down tools and see what they are up to! I also haven’t been working out as often as I’d like to. Over the summer, we’ve had lots of family walks out with the dog, we’ve swam in the sea on holiday and been swimming and playing tennis at our local David Lloyd Club. So don’t get me wrong, it’s not that we haven’t been active! When the kids are at school though, we seem to adopt a more organised approach to both our diet and our exercise.

Having a routine is without doubt for me, one of the keys to success in leading a fit and healthy lifestyle. I guess it’s all about finding a routine that works for you.

Here are my top four tips in creating a healthy routine…

1. Create a meal plan

This one will also help you with your weekly shop and in theory, should prevent you from overeating or grabbing the nearest convenient (and probably unhealthy) snack. If you don’t have a lot of time on some evenings to cook your meals, then look for simple options like a stir fry, pasta bake or this delicious curry. Bulk cooking in advance when you do have the time can also be your friend here.

2. Choose your gym days

By planning ahead as to which days you are going to hit the gym, you can pack your gym bag the night before and also tie it in with your meal plan. Choose the days and times that are going to fit in with your work schedule and don’t forget to check what the kids are up to. Sometimes the kids seem to have a busier schedule than we do! If you’re going to head to the gym on an evening, choose a day when you’ve got an easy meal planned so you’re not struggling for time.

3. Book some classes

You’re all psyched up to attend a fitness class and you show up at the gym only to find it’s fully booked. You have two choices, create your own routine in the gym or head home with your tail between your legs. If it doesn’t take much to put you off, the chances are you’re going to turn around and head home! Our gym has an amazing app that lets us log on, view the class schedules and book our place in advance. You can also book tennis, badminton and squash courts. They are also very good at scheduling kid’s classes at the same time as popular adult classes. Brilliant if childcare is an issue or you’re looking for something for the kids to take part in. If you’ve got your class place or court booked in advance you are way less likely to bail out at the last minute.

4. Make a realistic plan

If you set yourself an unrealistic or unachievable plan, you are only going to be disappointed if or when it all goes wrong. Choosing a load of new evening meals that you’ve never cooked before might have you frazzled before you’ve even reached mid-week! This is normally when you reach for the take away menu. It’s great to try new meals but don’t put yourself under unnecessary pressure, choose one to try in your week and choose another one for the week after.

When you’re planning your exercise schedule, again, be realistic. Think about the time you have and choose your activities accordingly. Don’t overdo it and don’t forget to plan in your rest days. They are as important as your active days.

I hope you’ve found my tips useful and I intend to implement them myself over the coming weeks, as we try to return to a normal routine. It’s a cliché but one of the best. Fail to plan, plan to fail.

Thanks for reading.