The lower body is one of the hardest parts to work out and it seems like a lot of women struggle with toning muscle and losing fat down there.
Don’t worry; with the proper diet and workout plan, you will have an absolutely shapely butt in no time!
The common problem with lower body weight loss is that we don’t get the proper exercise that we need for our glutes (your buttocks) and that hinders us from gaining the ideal combination of definition and functional strength.
As a mum on-the-go, you’re going to need as much lower body strength to help you keep up with your kids, and of course you will also be able to shed excess fat.
So, here are 5 easy and effective butt, hips and thigh exercises that will only take up a couple of minutes of your time!
Squats
This is probably the most basic form of lower body exercise but it’s proven to be extremely effective at helping you firm your behind and lose some baby weight. There are a few different squats that you can perform and they all work at different degrees of difficulty. The best squat to start with is probably the ‘Chair Squat’:
1) Stand in front of a regular height chair.
2) Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder width apart.
3) Raise your arms till shoulder height and bring them in front of you.
4) Slowly squat back like you are about to sit on the chair.
5) Touch the chair briefly.
6) Stand back up, dropping your hands to the side.
7) Repeat for 2-3 sets with 8-10 reps each.
When this gets extremely easy for you, try adding higher level squats like the sumo squat, split squats, squat jumps, one legged squats, and so on.
Lunges
Lunges work a couple of muscles on your lower body at the same time. It’s highly effective for gaining some nice definition on your glutes, hamstrings, quads and calves. And just like squats, there are so many types of lunges that you can add into your post pregnancy workout routine!
Walking lunges:
1) Stand straight and place your hands on your hips.
2) Take a ‘lunge’ forward. Make sure that your knee never goes over the toes when it’s bent forward.
3) Simultaneously lower your back leg until the knee is close to the ground.
4) Push off with your back foot back to a standing position.
5) Repeat with the other leg.
6) Breathe out on the way up and breathe in on the lunge.
Step ups
This classic lower body exercise is sure you boost the rate of your weight loss plan and it’s also extremely fun and easy to do. It also improves stamina and helps tone up your butt and thighs. You will need some sort of platform to raise your leg onto like a bench or a short chair about 6 -16 inches in height.
1) Stand in front of the platform and place your hands on your side.
2) Raise one foot onto the platform and straighten your leg to raise yourself onto the platform. Don’t completely lock your leg when you straighten it.
3) Make sure your right leg is still slightly behind you and the foot doesn’t touch the platform.
4) Whilst in this position, slowly lower back down to the ground.
5) Repeat again with the opposite leg.
Hip Extensions
A great workout for glutes and your hips, this exercise is easy and quick to do at any time and any place.
1) Support yourself on the floor with your elbows and knees.
2) Then lift one knee and contract your glutes.
3) Fully extend your leg.
4) Slowly lower your extended leg back to the starting position.
5) Alternate legs and repeat for 2 -3 sets at 8 -10 reps.
Single Leg Romanian Deadlifts
For this exercise, you are going to need two dumbbells. Also, make sure that the weight of the dumbbell is just right for you and not too heavy.
1) Hold the dumbbells in each hand and place them to the side of your body.
2) Lift one leg to the back and bend the knee of the leg that is supporting your body.
3) Lower your body with your back straight at the same time.
4) Lift your body back up and straighten your supporting leg until you are at the starting position again.
5) Repeat this with only a singular leg for 8 – 10 reps and then switch to the other leg. When you are done with both legs, it will be considered as 1 set.
6) Do 2 – 3 sets.
Get Our Exercise DVD
And for the ULTIMATE SAFE, EFFECTIVE & TRUSTED Post Pregnancy Workout – see our EXPERT Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD below – you can purchase and see more information on it here
The DVD can be followed by all mums (for example new mums or mums with older children) and can be followed by someone with a basic or a more advanced level of fitness.
Lisa Westlake is our incredible fitness instructor and postnatal exercise specialist throughout the DVD. With her extensive physiotherapy experience and qualifications (Lisa is one of the most awarded fitness professionals in Australia), Lisa is the perfect fitness instructor to bring The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD to life – you will love working out with her. (You can see our Q&A with Lisa with commonly asked questions on the DVD here)
The exercises in The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD are effective and safe and Lisa will guide you through each of the workouts. As well as assisting in the improvement of your overall fitness levels, the workouts in the DVD will also help in the burning of calories, the improvement of your core strength and the strengthening of your pelvic floor.
The six workouts are broken down into 10 and 15 minute sections that you can do when it suits you – or if you have the time and energy you can do the DVD as one 70 minute continuous workout. The Healthy Mummy Post Pregnancy Exercise DVD also covers special considerations post-birth, such as caesarean sections, back strains, muscle separation, incontinence and pelvic floor issues.
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GET YOUR 10% DISCOUNT
If you are ready to lose weight then the Lose Baby Weight plans offer a healthy and safe exercise and diet routine and you can get a 10% discount by using code LOYALTY at the checkout
PLUS our BEST SELLING 28 Day Diet & Exercise Plan has now launched as an 84pg Printed Book and you can get your copy here – with free express postage if you order the book on its own
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