When Working Out Is Child's Play

Lately, my daughter is about the only thing that gets me to exercise on a daily basis. My own personal motivation ain't cuttin' it. But something about an almost 3-year-old and her adorable, energetic insistence ("Come ON, Mommy, dontcha wanna jump rope with me?") get my pregnant butt moving like nothing else.

(Pictured here: Cassie running around the swingset with Mommy jogging close behind. A common sight in our backyard.)



I was wondering exactly how many calories I'm burning doing some of our usual playtime activities. So I looked it up on a calculator.

In 10 minutes of doing each of the following activities with Cassie, here's how many calories I burned:

• Dancing (the Hokey-Pokey, Ring Around the Rosie, etc.) = 85 calories


• Jumping Around (usually because something is very exciting or there's a jumprope involved) = 64 calories


• Jogging (in the "Run, Mommy, Run!" game or "Tag, You're It!" and I'm always It) = 100 calories


• Housework (which is also playtime for Cassie, when she "helps") = 41 calories

OK, so not too shabby. I may not be hitting the gym as frequently as I used to (as in, not at all). But I'm still getting some exercise each day as I spend quality time with my cutie pie. All she needs is a whistle and a clipboard!