5 ways for new mums to get fit using your baby’s pram
By Jess Robinson, Nutrition Consultant
Looking to get your body back into shape after pregnancy? Going to the gym can be inconvenient and costly. Thankfully, there is a simpler solution. Approximately 6 weeks after your baby is born and when you are up to it, pram walking is a very effective workout. Walking with a pram works your glutes (bottom), hamstrings, abdominals and pelvic floor muscles. Targeting these areas will help to tighten up your stomach, waist and bottom to promote a longer, leaner figure. Here are 5 exercise tips using your pram:
1. Ease into it
When just starting out it is best to go for a gentle 10-minute walk around the block, listening to your body and going at a speed you feel comfortable with. Getting outside in the fresh air is also good for the mood. Studies show that exercising outside raises your levels of serotonin – the “happy hormone”. The afternoons are a good time to go as studies, including a recent one from Liverpool John Moores University, discovered that babies sleep better at night when exposed to fresh air after lunch.
2. Gradually go further
Start to increase the distance of your walks to twenty, then forty-five minutes a day, until it is eventually an hour. You should aim to do this three or four times a week. You may benefit from taking L-glutamine, a natural amino acid that is vital for muscle growth and healthy muscle function and also assists muscle recovery after exercise.
3. Locate some hills
As soon as you start to feel fitter, try to include some inclines into your walks. This will work your upper arms, legs, bottom and stomach even harder and promote further fat burning. Magnesium is a powerful mineral that may help to ease muscle spasms and cramps and is required for healthy muscles.
4. Get a workout buddy
Numerous studies have indicated that we work out better and for longer and are more motivated when exercising with a friend or family member. Find a fellow mum who is wanting to improve her fitness and schedule weekly pram dates. This will help you stay on track and incorporates being social and active.
5. Include some strength exercises
To challenge yourself even further, incorporate some resistance exercises into your pram walking such as squats and leg lifts. You may also want to stop at intervals along the way and do some push ups and lunges.
Well there you have it, five easy exercises you can start today!
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