Mommy and Me Workouts

A patient of mine and new mom recently confided in me that she was ready to get fit again and lose those extra pounds that had stuck around since pregnancy. But with work, preparing healthy meals, and wanting to spend time with her 10 month old, she didn’t know how she could fit a trip to the gym into her busy schedule. She wondered if there was a way to incorporate her baby into her exercise plan. Absolutely! “Baby lifts” are a lot of fun for baby and mom. Just lie on your back with knees bent and lift your baby straight up as if doing a bench press. You’ll develop strong pecs and your baby will just think you’re playing.

The easiest exercise is to get outdoors and walk. If you think you might want to work up to jogging or you want to walk on trails you may want to invest in a jogging stroller. Or you may want to purchase a good quality backpack.

There are many wonderful places to walk or hike right here in our own backyard. Favorites include Deer Hollow Farm at Rancho San Antonio, Shoreline at Mountain View, and Sunnyvale Baylands Park. Older children can ride bikes on the paved trails or you could stop and fly a kite. Click on these links for ideas (www.bahiker.com/kids.html and http://www.parkhere.org) and get outdoors and play!

Dr. Pamela Wells is a Chiropractor serving the Sunnyvale California and the surrounding area including Cupertino, Mountain View and Santa Clara.