If you’ve recently added a new baby to the mix, you’re probably well aware of how difficult it can be to hit the gym on the regular. Surprise, surprise—you don’t have to! Just make one of these outdoor activities your new go-to workout during warm weather months. Not only will you get some serious waist whittling in, but these workouts are designed to be done with your bambino in tow.
Photo: emeryjl via Flickr
1. Hang Out Poolside
Teaching your water baby to swim (kick, float, jump, etc.) has just as many benefits for your body as it does for theirs. You’ll burn calories by holding her, lifting her in and out the water, and showing her how to move her hands and feet through the water. Now doesn’t the season pass to the neighborhood pool look even more enticing?
2. Be a Baby Carrying Mama
Your trusty carrier or sling is good for more than toting baby from point A to point B. Take a cue from Gabrielle of I Get it From My Mama, who uses hers to do full body workouts outdoors. From pushups and squats, to planks and calf dips, there’s no exercise that can’t get the baby-on-board treatment. Simply pull out a mat and plop it down in your backyard or at the park and get to moving.
Photo by Caitlin Regan via Flickr
3. Take a Hike
Word on the woody path is that hiking has the potential to torch more calories than walking and running. And you don’t have to worry about trekking on a difficult path—one with steep inclines or rough terrain—to reap the rewards of hiking. An easy-to-moderate trail, with plenty of tree shade to protect your little one from the sun, is just right. Remember, you’ll be lugging or pushing an extra 10 pounds (or more!) for a few hours…whew!
4. Go for a Stroll(er)
Sure, you could pack baby—and all of his accessories—into a stroller and go for a nice, long walk. Or, you can up the ante by using your stroller as a piece of exercise equipment. For example, you can push the stroller back and forth as you do alternating forward leg lunges or use the handle bar as a support bar for dance inspired leg lifts and practice plies.
5. Schedule a Playground Playdate
Your wee one may be too little to use the playground, but she’ll have a blast watching you use it. Get in tip-top shape by using the playground as your very own psuedo-gym. Think: the swings for plank knee tucks or the bottom of the slide for pike leg lifts. Just remember to go early in the morning or later in the afternoon when the playground is the least crowded.
How will you get moving with your baby in tow this summer? Share your get fit secrets in a Comment.
—Ayren Jackson-Cannady
