Although I could be hardly be considered a gym rat, I’ve always tried to stay in decent shape. This was done more for my sanity than for the sake of staying slim or super strong, and I stuck to things I enjoyed. During the first few months of my pregnancy I kept up with my jogging, and switched to mall walking once my knees and the weather made that less than ideal. I even found that getting back in shape after having my daughter wasn’t quite as tough as I anticipated. True, for the first few months I was a bit of a couch potato with an incessantly greedy leech on my boobs, but when she finally settled into a manageable schedule, I found time to return to my workouts. I popped in some DVDs and exercised during her naps or while she played on her activity mat. Watching Mommy jump around and get sweaty seemed to be added entertainment, another addition to the swinging elephants and the random giraffe inexplicably chilling in a rainforest. (Another issue for another day.)

But then she learned how to crawl, then walk, then run, and having her stay happily in one place for a given amount of time was no longer an option. So like most parents, I had to adjust.

It can be difficult for those who are used to dedicating a set time each day to exercise to give that up after having a child. Fortunately, the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, which recommends that adults get 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week, has found that ten minute increments can be just as effective, and most parents can agree those ten minutes are slightly easier to find. It generally takes my daughter about fifteen minutes to realize I’m awake in the morning, and most days I can find some other windows to squeeze in some of the following activities:

Jump rope

I loved jumping rope as a kid, and in high school I took advantage of my dad’s weighted jump rope to improve my speed and strength during track season. More recently, I noticed a jump rope at a dollar store, and made an impulse buy. We have one room in my house that has a slightly higher ceiling that allows for a quick jump rope session. Even better, a quick session is all you need, as recent studies have shown that ten minutes of jumping rope yield the same cardiovascular benefits as thirty minutes of jogging. (Although be warned: ten minutes of jumping is not easy!) As further evidence of its benefits, Victoria Secret model Adriana Lima apparently includes jumping rope in her fitness plan, so you know it’s good. I usually alternate between jumps and lifting weights, and my stamina has definitely improved. Plus, my daughter thinks it’s hilarious to watch me, and tries to “jump” on her own.

Brisk walking/jogging

While I found it difficult to take out a jogging stroller, I like to take advantage of my child’s eagerness to run free by chasing after her. Usually this results in little more than a brisk walk, but occasionally she’ll ask me to race or I’ll convince her to chase me so I can get in just a bit of a jog. We both get fresh air, I get some exercise, she exerts some energy and (hopefully) takes a good nap. Everyone wins.  

Kicking around a soccer ball

      Lots of lovely celebrities claim they kept their size zero figures by simply chasing their children. While I doubt the whole truth of that statement, there is something to be said for chasing about energetic toddlers. My daughter loves to kick around a soccer ball, and while she also becomes easily distracted, I take advantage of our time in the yard to practice some old soccer drills, like toe taps. Sometimes I just wind up dribbling the ball around myself while my daughter makes my dog a leaf cake. Again, everyone wins (except my dog.)

Burpees and planks

Burpees are a magical exercise that combine squats and pushups and jumping (magical is the right word, no?) While they can understandable be a bit difficult for some people, they are extremely effective and work a number of muscles in a short amount of times. Planks are the same way (although they require far less impact.) There a number of challenges you can set for yourself, and they’re easy (timewise) workouts to fit in while you’re basically in plank position anyway to play with your child.

Zumba

Although this is a lengthier workout, it’s still one that I’ve found is pretty easy to fit into a toddler-inspired schedule. While Zumba had always looked like fun, my lack of rhythm had kept me from considering attending an actual class. But when my daughter started swaying and hopping along to music, I decided Zumba might be a fun way for me to get my heart rate up while entertaining my child. While she’s definitely more the type to “dance” vigorously for five minutes and then sit and watch while chugging her water, it’s still a (mostly) fun time. Plus, it supposedly improves coordination, so that should be a great benefit when it finally happens.

These are just a few ideas of things that have helped me. Hopefully they can help some other parents eager to feel fit again, or who just want to find ways to match the seemingly endless energy levels of their toddlers!