You’ve got a kid—you’re a busy woman! And, let’s be honest, you’d much rather cuddle with baby than cozy up to a treadmill. But there are totally doable ways to fit exercise into your day. Some ideas:
Don’t just run the errands—walk the errands. Hit an area where all of your destinations (post office, bank, drugstore) are no more than a 10-minute walk from each other. Find a centrally located parking spot, unload the stroller, and you’re off. Bonus points if your excursion involves a hill or two.
Total calories burned: An hour of walking at a moderate, three-miles-per-hour pace zaps around 225 calories.*
Skip the lift. Take the stairs rather than the elevator at the doctor’s office, the library, and wherever else you have a choice (and no stroller). When you’re at home, find good reasons to make trips upstairs and down again—put away the laundry, rub in some hand lotion in the bathroom, admire your growing gallery of kiddie photos.
Total calories melted away: Ten minutes of stair climbing melts away approximately 60 calories.
Use lots of elbow grease. Vacuum, dust, and mop vigorously on chore days. Who knew your house could look that clean?
Total calories burned: An hour of housecleaning burns roughly 200 calories.
Play hard. Try a rollicking game of cat and mouse with your toddler, on your hands and knees, or just zoom after him on the playground (as if you needed a reminder).
Total calorie burned: Thirty minutes of active playtime burns approximately 130 calories.
Have a dance party. While your toddler’s napping, bop around to your stereo or iPod.
Total calories burned: Fifteen minutes of dancing burns 75 calories. Perfecting your moves: priceless.
* Calorie estimates based on an adult weighing 150 pounds.