How to Stay Fit Indoors: Karen & Mariam’s Recipe for a Healthy Life (and Business)
It wasn’t what they planned to talk about.
The meet-up was supposed to be a casual exchange of ideas—Mariam had quit her job and was now running a home-based baking business full-time. Karen was just about to launch her own business too, and she was looking to Mariam for advice. Branding, packaging, pricing—Mariam had answers for all of it.
But in between ideas and laughter, Mariam admitted something:
“I’ve put on weight. Like, a lot more than I expected.”
Staying home meant she was baking constantly, and tasting every single thing she made—and she baked a lot. There was no commute, no standing desk, no natural movement. It was just her, the oven, and a kitchen filled with temptation.
Karen listened, wide-eyed—not judging, just learning.
She realised Mariam wasn’t alone… and neither was she. This could easily be her in a few weeks. Something had to shift.
Business Advice & A Wake-Up Call
Karen got everything she came for—tips on baking business logistics, customer service hacks, and even how to market on Instagram.
But she also walked away with something bigger: a realisation that building a business at home means you’re not just in charge of the brand—you’re in charge of your body, too.
And if she was going to run this new chapter of her life with confidence, she needed to be physically and mentally well enough to enjoy both the business and the money.
How Karen Set Up a Health Routine for Her Indoor Business Life
1. Start With Something Healthy
Before cooking or baking, Karen made it a rule to eat a small, nourishing snack. Something simple, quick, and satisfying enough to take the edge off her hunger so she wouldn’t graze mindlessly while cooking.
Her go-to pre-cooking snacks:
• A small bowl of carrots and hummus
• Greek yoghurt with a sprinkle of granola
• A boiled egg with cherry tomatoes
• Apple slices with a teaspoon of peanut butter
This small shift helped her stop the “taste-test spiral” before it even started.
2. Structure what Happens to Cake Shavings
Instead of eating the off-cuts of sponge and brownies “just because they were there,” Karen got deliberate.
She kept a labelled container called “Samples for Friends”—and that’s where all her trimmings went.
It sounds simple, but it kept her from picking at leftovers unconsciously during breaks. No waste, no waistline sabotage.
She also found something to convert the shavings into and sold them at giveaway prices or as gifts to people who had purchased... anything reasonable to get them out of sight!
🏃♀️ 3. Move With Purpose — In Short Bursts
Karen knew she wouldn’t get a full hour to work out every day. But she didn’t need to.
She set alarms to do 15 squats or a 30-second plank every hour she spent in the kitchen or on the laptop. These movement “snacks” kept her body engaged and her mind alert.
Just a few pop squats while the pastry is in the oven, or when you are not caught up stir frying something.
And the best part?
She started listening to business podcasts while doing a walk or jog around the block. Learning and moving at once.
A Shared Routine, A Shared Win
She shared her ideas with Mariam, and of course, Mariam loved the sound of it.
She had helped Karen shape her business plans, and now Karen was helping her shape her health habits.
They became accountability partners without even trying.
Meal-prep ideas and short burst home workouts were shared just as often as email marketing tips…
“Snack before baking!”
“Don’t forget your 15 squats!”
“Podcast power walk in 10?”
Little changes, big impact.
Karen’s Reflection
“Mariam helped me structure my business.
I helped her rethink her health habits.
That’s the beauty of real friendship—mutual support, right where you need it.”
“Whether it’s flour or fitness, cake or core strength, consistency is the secret.
Little daily actions shape the kind of life (and body) you get to live in.”
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