Stroller workouts help new moms get fit as they bond with their babies (and each other).

By Colette Bouchez
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Brunilda Nazario, MD

It's enough to drive a new mom to distraction. It seems like everywhere you look, you see photos of celebrity mothers who not only got their bodies back almost as soon as their babies were born, but look better than ever - Julia Roberts, Catherine Zeta-Jones, Madonna …

Of course, most new moms don't have access to celebrity perks like personal trainers, coaches, chefs, and nannies to watch the kids. Indeed, many feel lucky to get five minutes to themselves, let alone take the time for regular workouts.

Enter stroller fitness, a type of postnatal workout that's whipping new moms into shape nationwide - and keeping babies entertained in the process.

"The idea is to use the stroller as a piece of fitness equipment and doing exercises that actually rely on the stroller, or workouts that can be done while your baby is in the stroller," says Lisa Druxman, founder of San Diego-based Stroller Strides.

After her son was born in 2001, Druxman, a former fitness instructor, created a "stroller power walking" workout that also included a series of strength-training activities. She started with a group of moms in her neighborhood, and today there are some 300 locations nationwide offering Stroller Strides programs.

There's also the popular Strollercize program, which began 15 years ago in New York's Central Park. Other well-known stroller fitness programs include StrollerFit in Cincinnati and Baby Boot Camp in Sarasota, Fla.

You can even buy strollers specifically built to aid workouts, and many of the stroller fitness programs are available on DVD.

Burning Post-Baby Fat

While the programs differ slightly, all emphasize lengthening and strengthening muscles, as well as building cardiovascular endurance (perfect for chasing toddlers), burning post-baby fat, and improving flexibility.

"We start with a warm-up, then go into a 45-minute power walk, and every few minutes we stop and do a body toning station -- which might include exercise tubing, which we provide; or it might use the stroller, for moves like lunges or squats; or it might use the environment, [like] a park bench or a table to do push-ups," says Druxman.

Amy Clay, a spokeswoman for StrollerFit, says the company's "MommyMuscles" workout targets the core muscles of the abs and torso, which get plenty of use and abuse during and after pregnancy.

"MommyMuscle is a program that offers a specific combination of cardio and strength training, that when coupled with good eating habits, is a recipe for postnatal fitness success," says Clay.

In addition to allowing moms to spend time with their babies, most stroller fitness programs aim to make the sessions entertaining for babies and toddlers. Instructors may mix in games, songs, and visuals such as blowing bubbles.

"Your baby is not only entertained, but they begin to recognize exercise as a positive and natural occurrence," says Clay. "They develop a foundation early on that makes exercise a part of their life."

More Than Just Exercise

Although most moms join stroller programs for the exercise, many remain for the social benefits, especially the camaraderie that builds among participants.

"One of the most difficult things about becoming a new mom is the isolation and the feeling of being disconnected from your peers, particularly if you were in the work force before and may not be right now," says Druxman.

As such, she says, Stroller Strides focuses not only on new mothers' physical needs, but also the social and emotional ones.

"At each location, we have a playgroup, we have a Mom's night out, we have a variety of different social and family gatherings," Druxman says. "There is a special kind of communication that happens in these classes that is different from what you would find at a gym or other exercise venue.""

Elizabeth Trindade, developer of Strollercize in New York, says camaraderie is key to the success of her program. Each session, she says, includes time for sharing common concerns and issues.

"We talk about sex, we talk about breastfeeding, we talk about getting baby to sleep," she says. "The sharing of information and the knowing that you are not alone in what you are experiencing is powerful -- it can get you through some pretty difficult times."

Moreover, she says, instructors are trained to recognize signs of trouble, including symptoms of postpartum depression.

"If a new mom misses an exercise class she gets a call asking if she's all right, if she needs help, if there is anything we can do," says Trindade. "Our teachers … know how to recognize when something is not right, and they can encourage a woman to seek medical attention when she needs it."

Other programs say their instructors receive similar training, and most are taught to be facilitators on topics that may trouble new mothers.

Shop Around

While the nuts and bolts of most stroller programs are similar, there are differences.

Some, like Stroller Strides, offer classes indoors as well as outside, depending on weather. Others, like Strollercize, are strictly outdoor activities, conducting workouts even during the chill of winter.

If there's more than one stroller fitness group available in your area, it pays to shop around. Fees for unlimited classes can run as high as $75 a week; others can be as low as $35 a month. Many programs offer a free tryout class, as well as packages of classes that substantially reduce the price.

Nearly all the classes run 50-60 minutes long, and most programs suggest that moms come three times a week for best results. Classes are often offered seven days a week.

Many programs require instructors to complete a certifying course that trains them to coach new moms. Trindade, who has chosen not to franchise Strollercize, runs a certification class for pre- and postnatal exercise instruction.

Druxman also runs a certification program for her Stroller Strides instructors, and so do many of the other programs. Many of the instructors are also certified by the American Council on Exercise. Still, experts say, it's a good idea to check the credentials of the instructors in your particular group before joining.

Some of the stroller groups require a doctor's note certifying your postnatal health, so be sure to ask about that before signing up.

Before you jump on that Stairmaster or start pounding the pavement, make sure you have a cardio exercise plan that will give you the most bang for your muscle burn.

By Heather Hatfield
WebMD Feature

Reviewed by Michael W. Smith, MD

Whether it's pounding the pavement, logging miles on the bike, or climbing those stairs that seem to go nowhere, it's all about cardio exercise. But other than a sweaty t-shirt, what do you have to show for your workout? A slimmer stomach? Killer quads? Are you exercising for the right amount of time to reap the full health benefits of cardiovascular fitness, or often enough?

Exercise experts, including fitness maven Denise Austin, answer cardio questions for WebMD, so you can make the most of your muscle burn.

Cardio Exercise: The Heart of the Matter

"Cardiovascular exercise is any type of exercise that increases the work of the heart and lungs," says Tommy Boone, PhD, a founding member of the American Society of Exercise Physiologists. "Walking, jogging, and running are common forms of cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise."

From running and walking, to swimming, elliptical cross-training, biking, Stairmaster, and rowing -- to name a few -- the physical benefits of cardio exercise abound, explains says Len Kravitz, PhD, senior exercise physiologist for IDEA Health and Fitness Association. They include:

Reduced risk of heart disease:

-          Improved blood cholesterol and triglyceride levels

-          Improved heart function

-          Reduced risk of osteoporosis

-          Improved muscle mass

"The American College of Sports Medicine and the CDC recommend, for health, that adults should accumulate 30 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity on most days of the week," says Kravitz, who is also a coordinator of exercise science at the University of New Mexico. "And to improve cardiovascular endurance, they recommend 20 to 60 minutes on three to five days per week."

Now that you know the benefits of cardio exercise, where should your heart-pumping fitness plan begin?

Getting Into the Zone

To help you make the most of your cardio exercise workout -- help your heart, increase muscle, and lose fat -- Denise Austin, fitness expert, author of seven books, including Shrink Your Female Fat Zones, and star of 50 fitness videos, gives WebMD some tips.

"To reap all the benefits of a cardio workout, you should sustain your workout for 20 minutes or more -- I do 30 minutes myself -- on a schedule of about three to four times per week," says Austin.

Not only that, but you need to get in the zone, which calculates into burning calories and fat.

"The best way to find out if you are burning fat is to take your pulse halfway into your cardio workout for six seconds, then add a zero to that number," Austin tells WebMD.

This number is your heart rate per minute.

Next, calculate your zone.

"Take the number 220, then minus your age, then calculate 70% of that number for your target beats per minute," says Austin, and that's your zone. "If your heart rate halfway through your workout is over that 70% mark take it down a level, and if under, pick up the pace."

Not a math wiz? There are easier ways to figure it out.

"Another great way to find out your zone is to get a pulse monitor, which takes the math out of it," says Austin. "Or very simply, take the talk test: while you are doing aerobics, talk a sentence. If you are too winded to finish the sentence, you are overdoing it, or if it's too easy to say, kick it up a notch!"

Getting Cut With Cardio

If you're looking for ripped abs and toned arms, interval training will help get you there -- especially if you throw in some weights.

"I love interval training because it consistently jump-starts your metabolism," says Austin. "Let's say you are walking -- you could power-walk really fast for three minutes to get the burst of calorie burn, and then walk calmly and slowly for one minute, which offers recovery. By switching back and forth, you push the muscle and let it relax over and over and this gives you maximum results." You can do interval training on any type of cardio exercise machine -- alternating a high intensity with a more moderate level.

Austin suggests doing weights during your recovery time, such as bicep curls or tricep toners, to reap the benefits of both cardio exercise and weight training, and along with interval training, add dedicated weight sessions to your regimen to burn fat and sculpt muscle at the same time.

"Do cardio four days a week for 30 minutes, and add a weight-training workout at least two times a week at 20-minute sessions," says Austin. "Cardio will burn the fat, and it's the weight training that gives you the toned sculpted look that will have you bikini ready."

Cardio's Best Fat Burner

So you want the bottom line: Which cardio exercise will fat-bust the best?

"Running is the best option for calorie burning, in my opinion," says Niki Kimbrough, personal fitness expert with Bally Total Fitness. "Whether it's outside or on a treadmill, it's the best exercise because you're burning calories and you're strengthening your legs and heart -- it'll get you nice and lean."

Beginners should start with 20 minutes, explains Kimbrough, and work their way up.

"It takes about 20 minutes for your body to get going, and then your body starts to kick it to another level," says Kimbrough. "Ideally, you want to run for about 30 or 45 minutes."

For those with bad knees, Kimbrough recommends the elliptical machine as a good second choice.

In case running isn't your game, Kravitz takes another track.

"I really feel the most important message is to chose a cardio modality or modalities that you like," says Kravitz. "Because in the final outcome, if a person enjoys a mode of exercise, that is what all research shows they will choose."

Splitting It Up

While it may not be the fastest way to a body built for the beach, splitting up your cardio exercise still has its benefits.

"In order to achieve the best results, and also in order to maintain a healthy heart, it is best to not split up your cardio workouts," says Austin. "You need the consistency of 20 minutes or more of an elevated pulse to ensure great results. However, something is better than nothing.  If all the time you have is 10 minutes or even five minutes, it is better than sitting still; you will still be garnished benefits and lose weight."

Kick Up Your Cardio

Let's be honest -- cardio exercise can get boring after awhile. How can you jazz it up and make it interesting again? The experts recommend never letting it get stale in the first place.

"I believe you should do different types of cardio exercises during the course of a week, if possible," says Austin. "The thing to remember is that too much repetition will fatiguemuscles and you will plateau, which will slow your results down.  By adding variety to your workouts you give muscle groups a chance to recover on their days off and you can maintain a steady progress."

Kravitz agrees with adding options to cardio exercise.

"Vary the mode, vary the place you train, vary the workout, vary the time of day, vary the intensity of the workout, vary the duration -- vary, vary, vary," says Kravitz. "That is what I have found to work the best for exercise compliance."

Before starting a new exercise program, it is important to have a discussion with your doctor about types and levels of activity. Your doctor can advise on any limitations or restrictions you may have.

WebMD Feature from "EatingWell"

By Amy Paturel

Help or hype?

What foods can you count on to go the extra mile, and which foods fall short? See what recent studies reveal before your next workout.

1. A Spoonful of Honey
Recent research suggests that carb blends (foods containing fructose and glucose) may be superior to straight glucose for boosting energy during endurance activities. But before you reach for a sports drink, consider honey: like sugar, it naturally has equal parts fructose and glucose, but it also contains a handful of antioxidants and vitamins. Upshot: While not exactly a “super food,” honey has plenty going for it besides being sweet. The darker the honey, the more disease-fighting compounds it contains.

2. A Cup of Joe
Studies that demonstrate performance-enhancing benefits of caffeine often imply that drinking coffee will give you a boost. Not so, according to the latest research. Scientists put nine endurance runners through five trials after ingesting either a capsule (caffeine or placebo) or coffee (decaffeinated, decaffeinated with caffeine added or regular coffee). Only the caffeine capsule increased endurance. Researchers think that other compounds in coffee may counteract some of the benefits of caffeine. Upshot: Have your cup of coffee if you need it to get moving, and your stomach can tolerate it, but don’t expect it to keep you going through a long workout.

3. A Glass of Chocolate Milk
A small 2006 study (partially funded by the dairy industry) found that chocolate milk might help tired athletes refuel as well or better than popular sports drinks. In the study, nine cyclists rode until exhaustion, rested for four hours, then biked again. During the rest period, they drank either low-fat chocolate milk, Gatorade (a fluid/electrolyte-replacement drink) or Endurox (a carbohydrate-replacement drink). The cyclists who refueled with chocolate milk were able to bike about 50 percent longer during the second bout of exercise than those who drank Endurox and about as long as those who drank Gatorade. Upshot: You don’t need a “sports drink” to refuel after a workout. Regular or chocolate milk—both of which contain a mix of carbohydrate and protein—may work just as well. Before or during a workout, however, stick with Gatorade or a similar carb/electrolyte drink.

4. A Bowl of Yogurt
Constant training takes a toll on your immune system, leaving athletes susceptible to upper respiratory tract infections, but new research suggests that probiotics—the live active cultures in yogurt—may help keep you healthy. A 2008 study of 20 endurance athletes (published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine) found that taking daily probiotic capsules enhanced the activity of the athletes’ immune-boosting T-cells and cut the length of time they experienced upper respiratory tract infection symptoms by more than half. Probiotics can also help calm a queasy stomach, which is great for nervous athletes. Upshot: You’d have to eat vats of yogurt to reach the levels of probiotics the athletes in these studies consumed. Still, yogurt has a balanced mix of carbs and protein, so it’s a great post-workout recovery fuel.