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Ellen Regenstreif, 40
Stay-at-home mom, Manhattan Beach, Calif.

The shimmy in her hips and bounce in her step keep Ellen going back every Tuesday to her hour-long hip-hop class. Last January, after yet another boring Spinning session, she found herself riveted by the grooving going on across the hall. “Everyone was laughing and smiling,” Ellen says. “It just looked like fun.” She joined the class, hugging the back corner at first. But soon she was bopping to the kind of “music with an attitude” that her mom used to make her turn off. “It’s like I’m a kid again,” she says.

Frost/Nixon movie full Her three daughters now think their by-the-rules mom is a bit cooler. And Ellen agrees. Dancing feels indulgent, a sexy treat that lets her take a breather and remember that she’s so much more than a mom. And she revels in the breakout feeling of being fed by the music. “I know I’m exercising—it’s very cardiovascular, and I have more energy and stronger muscles—but I completely forget about that. I just feel the dance getting into my body.”

You’ve seen them: big rubber balls that look like they belong on a playground rather than in the gym. But don’t be fooled, stability balls are a serious training tool and their wobble factor can spice up a tired routine.

A recent survey from the IDEA, the health & fitness association for fitness professionals, found that 71 percent fitness facilities surveyed nationwide were offering stability ball-based classes. You can check out the schedule at a club near you to join one of these classes. Or order a ball along with a workout video to do at home. Before you start, brush up on your ball basics. Read the rest of this entry »

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Running Scared rip If you’re a new mom with no idea how you’re ever going to work your way back into your old jeans, we may have a solution for you. Fitness classes (not to mention books and DVDs) that show you how to involve your baby in your workout are cropping up across the country.

In cities from Pittsburgh to Sacramento, California, groups like Stroller Strides (www.strollerstrides.com) and StrollerFit (www.strollerfit.com) combine pram-pushing power walks with frequent stops for full-body toning sessions that turn your tot, her stroller, and outdoor props like trees and park benches into fitness tools. For a more laid-back approach, try a yoga class that specializes in mom-baby poses, like New York’s Baby Om (www.babyom.com).

Incorporating little Susie into your exercise routine makes you more likely to stick with it, too, notes Michelle F. Mottola, PhD, director of the R. Samuel McLaughlin Foundation’s Exercise and Pregnancy Laboratory at the University of Western Ontario. After all, you don’t have to worry about child care; plus, you get extra bonding time. With the popularity of these classes growing as fast as your little one, now’s the time to check with your local gym or yoga studio or visit one of the sites above.

By Ginny Temple