| |
Walking With Baby Using a Baby Carrier or Stroller
Walking is by far the most achievable exercise for new moms. And it can be all the more fun when you take your baby with you! You can use a baby sling or carrier (who needs those hand weights when you have your baby). Or you can use a stroller or a 3 wheel baby jogger. It is important to get your baby of any age outdoors as frequently as possible. It is healthy to get outside. Fresh air mobilizes the metabolisms of both your and your baby, so that you both experience a surge of energy! Try some of these walking programs:  INTERVAL WALK
You burn: 80 to 100 calories in ten minutes.
How to do it: This walk is marked by two speeds. You'll start with one minute of walking at a moderately brisk pace (a 13- to 14-minute mile). At the end of one minute, switch to a very fast pace (a 12-minute mile) for a minute. You'll repeat each of these one-minute intervals five times.
Form facts: When you're switching to the faster-paced walk, take shorter, quicker steps -- don't lengthen your stride. And if you're walking alone or with your baby in a front carrier, pump your arms more rapidly to pick up speed. No matter what, don't slow down too much during the slower minutes -- you still want to maintain a challenging pace.
Quick tip: If you don't want to be constantly eyeing your watch, time your intervals using telephone poles. Simply switch paces after every five you pass. (You'll still need a watch or alarm to tell you when you've walked for the entire ten minutes.)
ROLLING-HILLS WALK
You burn: 100 calories in ten minutes.
Where does baby go? This is the perfect walk to do with a stroller (pushing the extra weight up the hills will help tone your butt and legs). Or try picking up your pace if you're hiking the hills on your own.
How to do it: First, find an area with several hills or inclines. If the terrain near you is mostly flat, choose one big hill that you can walk up and down repeatedly. Try for a moderate, comfortable pace (approximately a 14- to 15-minute mile). You'll naturally slow down as you push the stroller up inclines and gain speed as you walk downhill.
Form facts: Keeping your back flat, lean your upper body slightly forward at the waist and use your quad, hamstring, and butt muscles to power you up the hill. As you descend, straighten your body, keep your elbows and knees bent so you don't stress your joints, and be sure to maintain a firm grip on the stroller using both hands. Finally, keep your abdominal muscles tight throughout.
Quick tip: The uphills will feel less strenuous if you take short, quick steps; when you crest the hill, lengthen your stride. For safety's sake, always choose hills with sidewalks so you'll be out of the way of traffic, and make sure your baby is strapped snugly into her stroller.
SPEED WALK
| From My Personal Album: Here's Faith (4 months) and I enjoying a morning walk/jog session. | You burn: 100 calories in ten minutes.
Where does baby go? It's difficult to maintain such a fast pace with your baby in a baby carrier unless your really fit. Otherwise stick to pushing a stroller.
How to do it: During this intense walk on flat ground, maintain as fast a pace as possible (shoot for an 11- to 12-minute mile) without slowing down for the entire ten minutes. You should be breathing rapidly but still have no trouble speaking in short sentences.
Form facts: Keep your head up and shoulders back and relaxed. Your heels should strike the ground first (roll onto the balls of your feet before pushing off with your toes). Don't hunch over if you're pushing a stroller -- stand upright and maintain a loose grip on the handlebars. If you're walking alone, pump your arms forward and back (not side to side), keep your elbows bent and close to your body, and never let your hands go higher than your shoulders.
Quick tip: To maintain your pace, focus on the rhythm of your walk. Repeating a mantra inside your head -- such as "step, step, step" or "pick 'em up, lay 'em down" -- can keep you from slowing down. In addition, always look ten feet ahead of you so that you have time to slow down if anything's in your path.
MEDITATIVE WALK
You burn: 40 calories in ten minutes.
Where does baby go? Use a front pack, baby sling or stroller. Your baby will love the calming cadence of this walk.
How to do it: This recharging stroll isn't meant to burn tons of calories. Instead, it'll lift your spirits and help you relax. Simply take short, easy strides, and move at a comfortable pace. If your baby is riding in a front carrier, let your arms hang at your sides. Spend the walk focusing on clearing your mind of stressful thoughts.
Form facts: Try not to hunch over -- a natural tendency when you're carrying your baby in a front pack. Instead, cradle the underside of the carrier in your hands to take the weight off your back, neck, and shoulders.
Quick tip: Turn your walk into a mini meditation session by focusing on your breathing. Inhale through your nose for four seconds, then exhale out your mouth while you take in the sights around you. If you can spare the time -- and your baby's enjoying himself -- walk for a total of 20 minutes to double your calorie burn.
Back to Exercises for Mom & Baby
|
