Since your latest family addition, do you find ourself giving in to any excuse not to exercise? Lol. You can deny it if you want, but I know I've been avoiding exercise like the plague since my youngest was born in November. While I have an amazing assortment of It Works products at my disposal that can help me burn fat, increase my nutritional intake, alkalize my body, increase my metabolism, feed my hair, skin, and nails, minimize the appearance of cellulite and stretch marks, and even tighten, tone, and firm my post baby loose skin, the truth is that none of them can give me muscle tone or definition without some physical effort on my part.
So, what's a PT working mother of 5 with limited time and resources to do? Put the baby to work as my workout buddy of course! Lol. If you have the weight of a little one handy like I do, you can try some of these exercises with yours too! :-)
Multitasking Move
Lying on your left side, prop your upper body up on your left forearm, making sure your elbow stays under your shoulder. Left leg should be on the floor, with your right leg stacked on top of it and right arm resting straight out over hip. Then, placing your weight on your left arm and shoulder, lift your hips off the ground so that you come into a side plank position. If you can, hold the position while you extend your right arm over your head, palm facing down. Aim for two sets of 10 repetitions on each side.
Lying on your left side, prop your upper body up on your left forearm, making sure your elbow stays under your shoulder. Left leg should be on the floor, with your right leg stacked on top of it and right arm resting straight out over hip. Then, placing your weight on your left arm and shoulder, lift your hips off the ground so that you come into a side plank position. If you can, hold the position while you extend your right arm over your head, palm facing down. Aim for two sets of 10 repetitions on each side.
Lying on your stomach with your baby in front of you, bend your legs so that they form a 90-degree angle and rest your chin on your hands in front of you. Then, keeping your feet flexed, slowly lift your knees off the floor, squeezing your legs together as you push your feet up toward the ceiling. Hold this position for 20 seconds (you can sing to your little one to help the time pass) and return to start. Repeat three to five times.
Lower-Body Toner: Front-Carrier Squats
Stand with your baby in a front carrier (if he¿s heavy, sit him on the ground), feet just past your shoulders, toes turned out slightly. Inhale and lower your body down to sit in an imaginary chair, weight over heels, navel pulled in, tailbone pointed to floor. Exhale and return to start. Aim for three sets of 12.
Stand with your baby in a front carrier (if he¿s heavy, sit him on the ground), feet just past your shoulders, toes turned out slightly. Inhale and lower your body down to sit in an imaginary chair, weight over heels, navel pulled in, tailbone pointed to floor. Exhale and return to start. Aim for three sets of 12.
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Core Move: Tummy Time
Lying on your stomach with your baby in front of you, rest arms on either side of you in an airplane position and keep legs just wider than hip-width apart on the floor with toes pointed out. Then simultaneously lift your arms, legs, and chest up off the ground, keeping arms and legs as straight as possible without locking elbows or knees. Hold for 10 seconds (sing to your baby if you want). Slowly return to start. Aim for 10 repetitions.
Lying on your stomach with your baby in front of you, rest arms on either side of you in an airplane position and keep legs just wider than hip-width apart on the floor with toes pointed out. Then simultaneously lift your arms, legs, and chest up off the ground, keeping arms and legs as straight as possible without locking elbows or knees. Hold for 10 seconds (sing to your baby if you want). Slowly return to start. Aim for 10 repetitions.
Core Move: Head, Shoulders, Knees, Toes
Lie flat on your back with arms at either side, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Then, with your knees together, lift your legs off the floor, making a 90- degree angle¿knees should be over hips, calves parallel to floor. Hold for five deep breaths (about 20 seconds), keeping your navel pulled toward your spine; return to start. Extra challenge: Place your baby on your belly and lift your head and shoulders off the ground, too. Repeat three times.
Lie flat on your back with arms at either side, knees bent, feet flat on the floor. Then, with your knees together, lift your legs off the floor, making a 90- degree angle¿knees should be over hips, calves parallel to floor. Hold for five deep breaths (about 20 seconds), keeping your navel pulled toward your spine; return to start. Extra challenge: Place your baby on your belly and lift your head and shoulders off the ground, too. Repeat three times.
Core Move: Alphabet Abs
Lying flat on your back with your child next to you, place your arms at your sides and extend your legs straight up toward the ceiling, feet together. Then draw each letter of the alphabet with your toes while saying the letter to your baby. Keep the moves slow and be sure to keep your navel pulled in toward the floor. Aim to do one set of the entire alphabet.
Lying flat on your back with your child next to you, place your arms at your sides and extend your legs straight up toward the ceiling, feet together. Then draw each letter of the alphabet with your toes while saying the letter to your baby. Keep the moves slow and be sure to keep your navel pulled in toward the floor. Aim to do one set of the entire alphabet.
Pike Stretch
Sitting with your legs straight out in front of you and your baby lying on her back on top of your legs, reach toward the baby and stretch your hamstrings and back.
Cobra Stretch
Lying on your stomach, keep your hips on the ground as you lift your torso up, stretching your abdomen muscles. Baby lies on the ground in front of you waiting for kisses when you come back down.
Lunges
Pushing the stroller or holding your baby securely, take a big step forward and bend your legs to 90 degrees into a lunge position. Because the weight (baby) is in the front, be sure to keep your abs pulled in tight so you don’t hurt your lower back. Watch the front knee so it doesn’t go over the front toes.
Bench Squats
Hold on to your baby as you squat down and sit on a bench. Draw the belly in tight as you drive through the heels and stand up.
Leg Extensions
Sit on a park bench with baby sitting on one shin, or on top of the foot. Holding her hands, lift you leg straight up to work the quad. Bouncy!
Shoulder Press
Stand up and hold baby in your hands. Using your shoulders, lift your baby up in the air. Keep abdominals tight to protect your lower back. Bring the baby back down for kisses and repeat.
Glute Lifts
Lie on your back and have your baby sit on your tummy. Drive through your heels and lift your hips up squeezing your glutes through the motion. Lower down and lift again!
Leg Lifts
Lie on your back and lay the baby on her tummy on the top of your lower legs bent at 90 degrees. Holding on to the baby’s hands, drop your heels down toward your glutes and lift up again.
Sit-Ups
Lie on your back with your knees bent at 90 degrees. Sit your child on your tummy and hold onto her hands. Perform a sit-up, working your abdominal muscles, and give her a kiss at the top of the move!
Abdominal Plank
Hold this position on your forearms and toes, with your body in a straight line. Lay your baby on the ground under you as you nuzzle her neck with your nose.
Push-Ups
Lay the baby on her back and get into the push-up position. Keep your abdominals engaged and your body in one straight line. Each time you lower down for the push-up, give your baby a zerbert!
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