Work these super quick exercises into your daily routine to tone up those post-baby problem areas
You’re just about getting to grips with being a mum, have been given the all-clear by your GP and know you’re ready to lose the baby weight. Which is great, except you now have no time to work out. OK, so the good news is – there is a way. Bad news? You need a new excuse.
The important thing to remember is that you don’t have to wait until you can fit in a perfect 60-minute workout before you do some exercise.
We’ve put together these simple and effective exercises, which can be done at home in no particular order and with no special equipment. Plus they can all be done in less than 15 minutes, so you can fit them in while your baby’s napping or before she gets fidgety in her bouncer.
Start by choosing three of the exercises below and doing for one minute each, then repeat. Once you master that move up to five exercises and then all seven.
1 Get Rid Of Those Love Handles
Lie on the floor and lean on your elbow on one side, then raise your hips to the ceiling and back to the floor. ‘Lift your hips as high as possible, probably around 15cm, then drop down,’ says celebrity trainer Tim Weeks.
‘Do the same number of lifts on both sides.'
2 Bye-bye Bingo Wings
Using a bench or chair, sit down with your hands gripping the front of the chair (not behind you). Dip down off the chair so your bottom is in midair, lower yourself, then raise yourself up – make sure your hands continue to grip the chair.
Let your upper body take your weight rather than thrusting your hips up and down.
3 Wide arm press-up
Great for toning up your torso. Your arms need to be slightly wider than your shoulders. If it’s tough going, don’t be afraid to drop to your knees and do press-ups from this position instead.
Think of your body as a moving plank, so focus on keeping your bum and stomach tight.
4 Trim The Mum Tum
Lie on the floor with your knees bent and your hands behind your head. Your knees should be above your hips, so your feet are up in the air.
As you lift up, rotate your upper body towards one side, then rotate back to the centre. Lower your back to the floor. Then alternate sides.
5 Squat Thrust
One to strengthen and slim your legs, arms and tummy. Put your hands on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Stretch your legs out behind you, then in one movement, bring them into a tuck position, bending the knees into the chest.
Return to start. Try to do them in quick succession.
6 Bottom Tone Up
Get into an all-fours position. Then extend a leg straight behind you. Make giant circles in the air with your foot, keeping your leg straight the whole time.
Do this in both directions with alternate legs.
7 Burpee
These are tough, so don’t do them if you have back, hip or knee problems, and always do them properly. To start off, get into position as if you were doing a press- up, arms outstretched and supporting you.
Bring both legs in by bending them towards your chest in a jump, then jump straight up in the air with your hands above your head. These should be done continuously – if you can manage it.
Have you got any great post-baby body tone up tricks? Share them in the comments box below.