[Katie Franklin]

Ok, I can't afford to buy exercise equipment or a gym membership and I'm limited on time because I have a newborn. What kinds of exercise ideas to y'all have?

[Cebsme]

Doing housework, when you do dishes dance around a little. Vacuuming burns calories, any house work you do burns calories, and burns more if you bump it up a bit and dance around or move your arms more, any extra movement.

Public broadcasting stations all over have exercise programs every morning that require no equipment.

Canned foods make great light weights for light toning in your arms.

When/if you can start going on walks with your baby in a stroller that's great exercise a short walk will help you, and will probably help put your baby to sleep.

[mandalinn82]

Exercise does not have to require expensive equipment or hours at a time.

Anything you do is more than sitting on the couch! Can you walk up and down stairs in your house, if you have any? Get some workout videos that are short enough you can work them in while your newborn naps? Whether you do 10 minutes 3 times a day, or 30 minutes once a day, it's still 30 minutes of exercise. Even without videos, you can walk with your baby in a stroller, you can put on some music and have a baby dance party...you get the idea.

[Idealmuse]

There are lots of exercise videos that have shorter workouts. Walking is great too... you can take the kids out in the stroller and make it a family thing.

[geoblewis]

A gallon of water weighs 7 lbs., so fill up a plastic gallon jug and go for it! That baby weighs a little more than that, I'll bet. Check to see if your local library has this DVD in their collection.

Georgia

[benchmarkman]

1) Take a Jog/Walk around neighborhood
2) Jump rope, you don't even need to buy the rope improvise
3) Jumping Jacks
4) Homemade weights (Like already suggested)
5) Walk up and down stairs in your house/apartment complex

[iaradajnos]

Hi,

I've lived in small places since the birth of my first son (now 10 yrs). Luckily, I've not have anyone below me. My workout has been dvd aerobic workouts. My favorites for high calorie burning: Kari Anderson's Benchworks (only available on vhs), Kelsie Daniel's Firm 500 Calorie Burn, the Biggest Loser's Cardio Max, BL Boot Camp, and BL Workouts Vol. 1 &2.

My livingroom space is quite narrow but I have about seven or eight feet by four feet (roughly) area in front of my dvd player. I have a nice plastic lidded tub with all my various workout gear stored under the couch.

The kids and my spouse give me this time. I've had to be very specific--"don't talk to me. I don't exist while I'm doing this." The space in front of the tv/dvd player is mine for the entire exercise time. I will stop and take care of emergency issues only (well also might, but rarely includes--toilet keeps running, spill, or something, too). Really, though, I've carved out this time and the family both is trained to respect and respect is enforced. Normally, my exercise time is before people wake. However, I've noticed that the kids are waking up much earlier on the weekends and I'm getting a bit slower. They just have no expectations any more of Saturday cartoons (shocking, really, but they just don't care).

I've really amped up my exercise routine since January 09 because I was determined to lose for this year. So, they've really had to give me extra time. However, they are all on board. I think there's been a build up of years of "mommy gets her time" so I think it's easier than if I just started this whole thing in January.

One other thing that I really like about the Biggest Loser workouts and also with Kelsie Daniels. If you just sit and watch to make a full list of all the exercises they do, you can do these at the park or anywhere. All the other videos I've watched, you really need their music, instructor, and equipment. However, the Biggest Loser and Kelsie Daniels are just helping me to move my body. It's really great.

I remember an episode on the Biggest Loser where the contestants are left near the Grand Canyon and lots of equipment. No one did anything except walk and goof around a bit with some equipment. Now, watching the video, I really see that I'm informed on many different kinds of ways to move my body. There are so many ways to do jumping jacks for example. I could entertain myself at the park for a good hour with just running through various exercises. I like that. I feel empowered and in control of my own needs--not dependent on an instructor.