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".<br /><br />Emma Lewis, 39, swapped social media scrolling for squats after she "stopped blaming parenthood for not exercising".<br /><br />Emma, who shares seven children with her husband, Jonny Lewis, 43, who works in construction, had her first child in 2010 aged 26.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />That's why in July 2021 she decided to make a change, starting with a daily 10-minute exercise.<br /><br />Emma, who previously worked in HR, from Ballynahinch, Northern Ireland, said: "Mums make excuses- I used to be the same.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"If you can sit on your phone for 30 minutes, you can exercise.<br /><br />"I used to feel lethargic all the time and that's because I wasn't looking after myself.<br /><br />"But now I'm in the best shape of my life and I'm setting a good example for my kids.<br /><br />"I'm showing them, and others, that women's bodies are more than just a vessel for childbirth."<br /><br />Before becoming a full-time mum, Emma would exercise before work and refused to leave the house without a full face of makeup.<br /><br />However, in 2021 and already a mum-of-five she felt "worlds away" from her former life and knew that something had to change.<br /><br />"I remember looking in the mirror and not recognising the woman looking back at me,'' she said.<br /><br />"When I worked in HR I was always dressed professionally with pencil skirts and blouses and never without my hair and make-up done.<br /><br />"I'd work out most days before going into the office too.<br /><br />"But when you're navigating parenthood, it can all slip away.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"But when I started putting aside 10 minutes a day to work out, I felt a boost in my energy levels.<br /><br />"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.<br /><br />"I even took up old past times like reading a chapter of my book a day and getting into making quick but nutritious meals.<br /><br />"Now I even do workouts in between tasks, like squats whilst g making dinner, or when it's bath time for the kids.<br /><br />''I'll take my weights into the bathroom and do a quick arm workout.<br /><br />"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."<br /><br />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
