As mom’s this is something that is far too familiar…when the heck can you find time to workout?! During nap time, sure…but a lot of the time that means sacrificing cleaning, showering, cooking, etc and so a lot of times exercise get’s pushed to the bottom of that list. Soon enough nap time is over and you think to yourself “well look’s like I’m not working out again today.” Well what if you could workout WITH your baby? What if you could burn calories and build muscle while literally PLAYING with your baby or toddler!?
This “nap time” scenario has become all too common for me as Harper has recently discovered crawling and is into EVERYTHING. That means I have less time to do dishes or clean up the house during her awake time and spend her nap time cleaning. That was fine until recently when her naps also got SHORTER, leaving no time to workout somedays…and now the weather is too cold to take her on a run most days.
My alternative? Workout with Harper. I don’t mean put her in her playpen and workout next to her, I mean interact with her and literally workout WITH Harper. She’s a 20 pound baby… who need’s dumbbells when you have a 20 pound baby?
The great part about this workout is even if your baby is lighter or heavier (even a toddler!) you can still do this workout and have HUGE benefits… As moms, what’s the number one thing you pick up and carry around on a daily basis?
Yes, duh… your BABY! SO you are already used to lifting and carrying the weight of your kiddo, no matter how light or heavy, so why not make your day to day life a bit easier and get even STRONGER!? Lifting and carrying your baby will soon be EASIER, especially on those days when they just don’t want to be put down!
This workout works all the muscles you would use in a typical workout AND uses muscles you use in daily life as a mom carrying around a 20 +/- pound baby.
I hate that I have to say this now-a-days but… OBVIOUSLY YOU WANT TO BE CAREFUL WHILE WORKING OUT AND LIFTING YOUR CHILD UP AND DOWN. If you get TIRED, set your baby down and take a break. If you do not feel comfortable doing it, then DON’T! But if you are comfortable, you are a mom, I know you know how to create a safe environment and decide what moves you can and can’t do with your baby! Above all… HAVE FUN!!! Harper absolutely LOVED doing this with me! She was giggling and laughing the ENTIRE TIME (as you will see in the workout demo video below 😂 😍)!
**Reminder-If you are new to my page and workouts- PLEASE visit and read my “Fitness From Scratch- Where to Start” article- lots of important information before you get started!
Harper’s ready… are you!?
Let’s get to it!
- Time- 30-40 minutes, depending on how many rounds
- Calorie Burn- around 300
- Equipment:
- Exercise mat or soft surface to lay on
- Water
- Baby Carrier if wanted/needed
- Music- Plan out your playlist ahead of time! Find songs that pump you up and motivate you.
- Space– Space for your mat and soft surface for baby
- Attitude– have FUN with it! It’s time to take care of your body AND bond with your baby!
**Please remember to watch the quick video below to see how to properly do each move!
Mommy & Me Workout
There are 5 rounds. You’ll do each round 2-3 times (depends on baby) and 10 reps for each exercise. What I did was 2 times through each round, then did one more time through since Harper was not too fussy.
Round 1
- Baby Belly Squats
- Pushups
- Straight leg sit ups
Round 2
- Squat lunges
- Lion King Press
- Russian Twists
Round 3
- Squat Thrusts
- Tricep Dips
- Plank taps (10 each arm)
Round 4
- Wall Squat Holds + Baby Curls
- Side Baby Lifts
- Superman Peekaboo
Round 5
- Sumo Squats
- Sit up Press
- Leg Scissors
**I suggest watching the video in full OR watch the demo as your working out and just pause on the exercise you are working on. There are a lot of different movements! If something just doesn’t feel right with how you’re holding your baby, get comfortable and change the hold until you and baby are both safe and comfortable