Alter Your Workouts to Alter Your Appearance

Try Something New

Can't think of how to mix up your routine? Here are some ideas to try this week.

• Join a stroller workout group such as Stroller Strides. You'll meet other moms, get an instructor-led workout outside in a park, and spend time with your little one, who will love the wind in his face.
• Take a Zumba or hip-hop dance class. You'll have so much fun, you'll forget that you're burning calories.
• Walk faster! If you normally walk for an hour on Mondays, try to complete your course in a shorter period of time, then cool down with a more leisurely walk with the time you have left.
• Start running. Begin by running for one minute, then walking for three minutes. Do this for a week, then try running for one minute and walking for two. Keep playing with the ratios until you're running as much as you're walking. Pretty soon, you'll be jogging along like a pro.
• Go for a hike this weekend with your spouse or a friend.
• Get in the pool. Even if you can't swim well, you can hold onto a kick board and kick up and down the pool for 45 minutes. Or simply walk as quickly as you can up and down the pool. The resistance of the water will make it a terrific leg, glute, and back workout.
• Lunge behind the stroller instead of walking behind it. Lunging up hills will really bring on the sweat!
• Borrow a friend's kickboxing video (or take one out of the library) and punch away your stress as you rev up your metabolism.
• Take a boot-camp class in your area. Many private boot-camp instructors and local gyms offer a "try before you buy" free introductory class. It's free, so report for duty!