Oh, baby!
for your
health
Workouts for new moms and dads
By Lisa Mulcahy
IF YOU’VE RECENTLY given birth—or
adopted a child—finding the time and energy
to exercise isn’t easy. However, four of the
country’s top fitness experts offer great advice
to help men and women fit in workouts,
boost stamina and still have plenty of time to
spend with their little one.
Shaping up post-pregnancy
After having a child, restart your work-
outs safely. “Get your doctor’s permission to
exercise, which usually happens at your four-
to six-week postpartum appointment,” says
Lindsay Brin, author and creator of the Moms
Into Fitness DVD series. “For the first several
weeks, I recommend walking; if you exercised
through pregnancy, your muscle memory
will help you progress a little faster.”
Start a full exercise program slowly
so you don’t strain or tire yourself; aim
to work out three days a week at first.
“Try strength training for 20 to 30 minutes, or break up your workout
into 10- to 15-minute sections
throughout the day,” suggests
Dustin Maher, author of Fit
Moms for Life. Maher recommends the following postna-tal workout, doing 12 to 15
reps of each exercise for one
to three sets, weights optional.
; Squats
; Lunges
; Step-ups
; Dead lifts
; Shoulder presses
; Bent rows
; Push-ups
; Chest presses
; Planks
Have fun and get fit with your kid
Dads want to bond as much as possible
with their new arrival, so what could be better than exercising with your just-adopted
toddler? “Simply playing catch with a big
bouncy ball, or lifting your child high in the
air—using your legs and not your back—
can be a great way to connect with your
child,” says Costco member Renee Jeffreys,
assistant professor of exercise science at
Florida Gulf Coast University.
You can also “keep your child laughing
by bench pressing him, as if he’s a weight,”
says Costco member Sara Haley, creator of
the fitness DVD line The Daily Sweat. “My
husband and I both did this with our boys
while we were traveling but didn’t have time
to go to the gym.”
WANT TO STAY in shape without
risk during your pregnancy?
Fitness expert Dustin Maher recommends the following exercises.
Squats. Place your feet a bit more
than shoulder width apart,
and sit down as low
as feels comfortable.
Front planks.
Assume a pushup
position on your
hands or forearms, and
hold that position.
Haley also points out that children love
to copy their parents: “My son loves to do
burpees with me—he watches me, then imi-
tates what I’m doing.”
A multitasking workout can also be fun to
do together. “I think a stroller jog is a great
idea,” Brin enthuses. “Stop every four or five
minutes to do some push-ups, lunges, planks
and dips. Or walk with the stroller for three
minutes, then jog for one minute, then repeat.”
Other great options for older kids? Bike
rides and old-fashioned fun exercises like
jumping jacks, recommends Maher. (Also
see “Family fitness,” page 47.)
Use your time wisely
How can a busy new parent find the time
to stay consistent when it comes to regular
exercise? “Schedule in a workout just like you
schedule a meeting,” advises Brin. “Find the
best time of day that works for you. Your
metabolism doesn’t care if it’s 7 a.m. or 11
p.m. I work out two days a week at 5 a.m. and
two days a week at 9 p.m.—it’s some of the
only time I have to myself.”
And don’t feel selfish for taking that time,
either. Feeling better physically will help you
be an even better parent, says Maher. “If you
miss a day or two because you get busy with
your child, don’t write off the whole week—
just get back on track the next day.”
The bottom line? Time management for
new parents is a work in progress. “Your fit-
ness philosophy needs to be ‘Listen to your
body,’ ” Haley sums up. “This means giving the
most you can give when you can, and taking a
deep breath and accepting when you can’t.”
Make feeling good, and enjoying your
child, your top priority. Everything else will
fall into place. C
Lisa Mulcahy is an internationally established
writer and a best-selling author.
Safe exercises for
moms-to-be
Dumbbell bent-over row. Bend over,
maintaining a neutral spine, and pull
a light weight up toward your chest.
Before starting, it is important to consult with your doctor about whether
these or any other exercises are
appropriate for you physically; also
ask how many repetitions of each
exercise you should do and how many
times a week you should work out.
To see visual examples to help you
exercise correctly, Maher suggests
checking out the American Council on
Exercise’s ACE Fitness programs
( acefitness.org) and IDEA Health &
Fitness Association ( ideafit.com):
“Both companies put out great information,” he says.—LM
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