Exercising with a Toddler?

My two year old loves suicide runs! We often argue over weights so I had to get her some one-pounders of her own. She is always eager to exercise but mostly just gets in my way so I have to fit workouts in after she goes to bed at night. If you are looking for active play to do together, try tag. My daughter would play tag for hours if I had the lung capacity for it! We also love dancing to one of those wii games (I also have a teenager!) and playing freeze dance.

I love walking to the park in our development with the kids! (My daughter is 7, my son is 2). I either pull them both in the wagon (which is challenging lol) or my daughter rides her scooter and I run along with my son in the jogging stroller. When we get there, I let them run around and I do a "mini" park exercise! Step-ups on the benches, tricep dips on the benches, jumping jacks, high knees/butt kicks, jumping lunges. I use the parking spaces as "lanes" and tell them they have to stay in their "lane" as we race across to the other side (so I sprint and they just laugh and try to stay in a straight line! lol). It's really fun and a great way to mix up my regular high-cardio routines!

I just posted this idea on another thread the other day for a lady with the same problem but I will copy my idea here for your benefit:

You could try turning it into a game that you can do together. I recently did something like for my 10 year old daughter who needs to stop gaining weight until her height catches up with her! I picked a show she likes to watch that they have on Netflix instant play that has lots of catch phrases and off repeated lines and made her a chart that associated each one with a particular exercise. So for instance every time the theme song plays she does 10 jumping jacks. For another line she has to jump rope 20 times and so on. In between times the rule is she has to keep moving and not sit down. I know a two-year old can't read yet but you could make the list for yourself and narrate it for him as you go along. Say if he likes "Blue's Clues" for instance, every time Joe finds a clue you could do windmills or squat punches or jumping jacks. Anything you like....that way you are both exercising and he is getting a good example from a young age while still spending quality time with mommy....all of which are invaluable investments of time!

In general, just make it fun and something he/she can be a part of whenever possible. For grown up stuff, early morning before he gets up, nap time or trade play dates with other moms for some alone time or there's always evening after his/her bedtime if you have the energy then -- which I don't!! ) But mostly the more you can include your child in exercising, the healthier he/she will be and the more lifetime good habits he/she will have locked in at foundation level! Good luck! )

When Im bored I put my daughter over my shoulders and do squats and military press.

Im guessing thats not what you meant though.

When I used to babysit, a great one I found was pushing the stroller with the toddler, normally or up a hill. Or if the toddler is feeling very lazy and you don't have a stroller, carry him/her (I found that very tiring up a hill). But general pushing the stroller/running/playing with the toddler should help.

Bench presses? I supose though it depends on how much the toddler weighs. If you had a matching pair you could try doing chest flies or squat presses. Nah just kidding.

I would have thought running around the park playing chase would be enough! :flowerforyou:

Mavis

I work out b/f they are up..take them on walks and to the park (where i dont let myself just sit and watch) and my 2 year old WILL get involved in my exercise, but is also the reason I fell 2 days b/f delivering my son and sprained my foot wrist and tailbone, so I try to do it when shes sleeping :P

I put my son in the stroller and rollerblade with him. I give him a whistle and I found a MP 3 player that plays without ear phones, so he is the "coach" and the D.J. We will go out for over an hour and I blade from playground to playground and let him play for a few minutes and then move on. He is quite happy about it. Also, I found stroller classes, you should google stroller fitness and see if there are any in your area. We love them.