Post Baby Weight

The best kind of class to me would be a step arobics class. I used to take one 2 or 3 times a week and it made a great difference in my body. Unfortunately I don't have the time like I used to, so my husband bought me a bowflex.

Hi Melissa,
Are you looking to exercise with your baby? There is a great class called Stroller Strides. It is power walking or jogging with the stroller with intervals of toning using resistance bands. It's great because you can bring the little one with you and it combines cardio and strength training so you really see results. My daughter is 1 1/2 and loves the class- they sing songs and do different things to keep the children happy. There are location in the city and several suburbs- you can go to the website www.strollerstrides.com to find the location closest to you. It's also a great support network, because there are a lot of moms who are hoping to lose the baby weight and the instructors are all moms as well, so they've been there. I love it! Good luck to you.

Any cardio activity that raises your heart rate to your target heart rate zone that can be sustained for at least 30 minutes is a good choice, so pick something you will enjoy. Also, pick good nutritional choices (lots of fruits, veggies, lean meats, low-fat dairy, and whole grains). Your best and lasting results come with activity and nutrition modifications, not pills or fad diets.

Anything that makes you sweat 3-4 times a week for 30 minutes or more will do it. Pilates is great for toning & strengthening your center. Most importantly if you drink 1/2 your body weight in ounces of water each day you WILL lose weight. Measure it out so you can see what your goal is to drink each day.

Melissa,
I have been doing an exercise Boot Camp twice a week at Aura Fitness in Villa Park. They have morning classes and evening, but basically it's cardio, strength training and a real kick in the butt! It's hard work, but I have to say I have not looked this good in years and my son is just 6 months old! You can check out the class at www.aura-fitness.com. They can also help you watch your diet too, if you choose.

T.

Strength training...Resistance training (Pilates too) I lost all and then some very quick. I don't have the patience to do an hour of cardio, takes too long and the resistance of working with weights builds muscle faster and seems to melt the fat. All workouts are different for everyone, so what worked for me may not work for you. But it can't hurt! I also bought Zumba to do at home, basically Latin Dancing, fun to do and it will sneak in a bit of cardio.

I have done simple belly exercise and drank mummy magic weight-loss tea three times a day and lost my whole post-baby weight just in two months.

If you are looking to work out at home Turbo Jam. If you like upbeat dance music is a great workout I've been doing it for almost a month now.

If you must go out to exercise I would suggest Curves. I loved it the ladies at the one I went to were wonderful.

I think the best way is to join a fitness class of some sort- I do Stroller Strides & totally love it. I am there 5 days/week and people notice if I'm not. The classes are a total body workout with cardio etc. similar to a bootcamp kind of class, but really designed for postpartum moms. I remember going to classes at the gym right after my daughter was born & not being able to do 1/2 the exercises & getting really frustrated- whereas my Stroller Strides instructor told us why we may have issues doing certain moves etc. & giving us modifications to get through. I love it!
check it out www.strollerstrides.com

Hi! I don't know about "classes" per se, but I am a HUGE fan of Denise Austin. She can be a little annoying with her sunny disposition, but if you can get past that, the work-outs are so worth it. She has a degree in exercise physiology so she knows what she's talking about - she's not like some supermodel telling you to do what she does. Her stuff really works. I've used her Fat Burning Blast video and shed baby weight so fast I could hardly believe it. The video has 2 separate half-hour work-outs on it, the first is dance inspired and the second is interval training with weights. You can alternate between the two depending on your mood, so you don't get bored. And they're only a half an hour so it is easier to commit to.
Hope this helps!

I just joined Curves and I lost 4.5 inches the first month and 2% body fat. (I was not doing any exercise before I joined) It's great because it's only half an hour and super easy to pick up. Also, since it's all women it's a little less intimidating than going to the gym. I'm a big fan!

Hi Melissa,

I have 2 boys 6 & 8yrs.old. The best thing to do to lose the "baby weight" is any tpye of "cardio exercise". I had a baby jogger & ran a lot w/my 2. I now teach "spin" classes and that is a great way to burn a lot of calories quickly. I also teach a weight class but would advise to focus more on cardio for now- once the lbs.start coming off-try to work on strength conditioning also(when you get the time). Good luck. K. L.

Grab your baby and head to a Stroller Strides class! Hopefully you have one in your area- you can check at www.strollerstrides.com. I started when my little one was 8 weeks old and lost the 55 lbs of baby weight in 6 months! Instructors are also moms and they offer modification depending on your fitness level. It is an amazing workout- you will be sore and see results! And the kids love it!

I loved it so much I ended up buying the franchise in my area. We have been doing it for almost 2 years now and we still love going to class, getting sweaty with all the moms, singing songs and playing with the kids.

Your first class is free, so you should try it!

HTH,
E.

Almost any class is a good class if you stick with it and enjoy it : )

Depending on what shape you are in you may want to get strength training in - muscle always burns more calories than fat. If you can handle a cycling class those are great! For something gentle try a fitness yoga or yoga/pilates. Also, circuit training is great at getting your heart rate up and gaining strength at the same time. There are lots of ways to circuit train. If you have a membership somewhere they usually have trainers available and often have 1 free session.

I know its frustrating. I've been there a few times and I'm a fitness trainer!

If you want more advice feel free to contact me. I do personal training and I have taught almost all the classes there are except bosu and bellydance : )

Good Luck!
J.

Hi Melissa,

A great way that I shed my baby weight was strolling my daughter around. I would go out right after I fed her . She would fall asleep in the stroller and I didnt want to wake her so I just kept walking. I didnt realize how much I was losing but I strolled her daily for at least one hour sometimes more.. It was very peacefull and beneficial for both of us. P.s I dont like to work out and this worked for me, hope it helps you. Oh when weather is bad, stroll in your local indoor mall.

Hi Melissa,
Join a gym & try a bunch of differnet classes. Then pick 1 or 2 that you enjoy & do it at least 3 times a week. Also make sure you mix in some weight training. The more muscle you have, the higher your matabolism will be. If you can afford it get a personal trainer for a month or two. The next big thing is nutrition. Most gyms offer classes about healthy eating & nutrition. Eating right is almost as important as exercise.

Any type of boot camp type class is great which combines cardio with endurance in which you use your own body weight.

I agree with the previous poster - walking is great. Soon it will be warm enough to take your baby for walks - walk for at least an hour a day, and watch what you eat. I lost my 50 pounds (yikes) of post-baby weight that way! It kills two birds with one stone: exercise and getting you and your baby some fresh air. Good luck!

Pilates and walking is excellent!

Good Luck!