"Motherhood is about balance – it's a journey full of love and affection, which starts with yourself"Ragnheiður Vernharðsdóttir is a mother of 4, fitness trainer, doctor and founder of Baby Let's Move , a website and app that helps expectant and new mothers get in shape.
How do you manage to combine being a demanding doctor, a coach, and a mother of four? Do you have any tips to share with us?
"Yes, it all sounds like a lot when you list it like this, but I started the training when I was on maternity leave with my second-youngest children and it was well established when I went back to work. Then I'm back on vacation now with the youngest and I've used the time during this vacation well to build my business. My main advice is to actually set aside time for what you're dealing with at any given time, for example when I'm at work I'm 100% at work and try to stay focused there and try not to let other "worries" affect my work at that moment. I then don't take the work home with me. So when I'm at home and taking care of the children I try to be 100% present in my parenting role. The same applies when I'm training, but this of course requires organization and self-discipline.
How do you manage to take time for yourself?
“I always try to plan “me-time” for each week, depending on what my husband and I are doing that week, and then plan my workouts in advance. Since I’m on maternity leave right now, I usually workout when my daughter is sleeping or when my husband is home and taking care of the house and routine in the meantime. But I don’t workout every day, maybe 2-3x a week now, but I do start most days with a 1-2 hour walk with the little one in the stroller in the morning and I love that time. This is also my time – I listen to podcasts and learn a lot while I get this good exercise. Then most days of the week I do a 5-10 minute “Deep Core” workout – i.e. a short routine with 2-3 deep core muscle exercises – it doesn’t take long, I just spend a few minutes on my exercise mat on the living room floor while the kids play.”
Is Feel Iceland collagen part of your routine?
“Feel Iceland collagen is part of my daily routine. I have a smoothie either for lunch or dinner and the collagen is always in it. If I don’t have a smoothie one day, I’ve been adding the collagen to Greek yogurt, which I often have for “dessert” after dinner. It consists of Greek yogurt (or plain Skyr works just fine) and I stir the collagen in well, then top with fresh blueberries and honey, this is an absolute favorite right now! I’ve also been trying my hand at baking sourdough bread and have been adding the collagen to the dough to make bread that is higher in protein. I think it’s absolutely brilliant!
