Baby Boot Camp offers fitness classes to moms
By Amy Lynne Bowes
After having her son, Evan, 11 months ago, Heather Wied started looking online to find a fitness class that would suit her athletic lifestyle.
“I tried attending a stroller walking class to workout and meet other moms, but I just couldn’t get my heart rate up,” Wied said. “After attending a Baby Boot Camp class, I had my heart rate monitor on and I was in the zone the whole time.”
That’s when Wied decided to find out how she could bring Baby Boot Camp to San Diego.
“Fitness has always been an important part of my lifestyle, and now I am making a career of it, while spending time with my son,” she said.
The organization’s press release describes Baby Boot Camp classes as stroller-based, 75-minute workouts designed specifically to help new moms get back into shape after having a baby. The innovative, fun and highly effective format combines strength-training exercises with cardiovascular drills to maximize fitness for time-crunched moms. This boot camp-style formula increases strength and tones muscles while boosting energy levels and increasing cardiovascular endurance. All classes are held outdoors, and moms bring their babies in strollers or joggers as an integral part of the workout. Being able to bring their children to class eliminates the stress, guilt and added expense of finding childcare.
“While I was at the gym working out, I found myself thinking about my son in the gym daycare,” Wied said. “Baby Boot Camp gives me the opportunity to workout and spend time with my son and other moms.”
Baby Boot Camp requires that their teachers are nationally certified personal trainers through the American Council on Exercise (ACE), plus Baby Boot Camp teachers are required to attend additional Baby Boot Camp instruction courses.
In addition to teaching Baby Boot Camp classes, Wied also organizes Baby Boot Camp’s monthly Mom’s Night Out events and playgroup activities, such as a day at the zoo and a visit to Legoland.
“Baby Boot Camp does not offer just a stroll in the park. I’m excited to use my fitness expertise, training and education to help San Diego moms get fit,” Wied said. “In our groups now we have 6 weeks to 2-year-olds - as long as children are in strollers.”
As part of the Baby Boot Camp, free nutrition assessment and body fat measurements are offered. Within a month, Wied said that her clients noticed that they were losing inches and lowering body fat percentages.
Carrie Marguet has a 6-month-old boy, Will, and has been going to Baby Boot Camp classes for about a month.
“Being a new mom, it’s great getting in a great workout and having your child there, plus you get to workout at the beach,” Marguet said.
Marguet will be a working mom in a couple of weeks, but still plans on attending Baby Boot Camp classes. Baby Boot Camp offers a flexible schedule and a variety of meeting times and places.
Marguet especially enjoys the atmosphere in the class with the other moms, and enjoys how Wied keeps every class fun and plans fun activities to do outside class.
“Being with the other moms keeps me motivated,” Marguet said.
“It’s all about moms teaching moms,” Wied said.
Baby Boot Camp San Diego will hold its grand opening celebration from 9 to 11 a.m., Sept. 10, at Fanuel Park in Pacific Beach. Baby Boot Camp classes will be offered throughout North County and class times are flexible for working and stay-at-home moms. Visit www.babybootcamp.com for details or call Heather Wied directly at (858) 442-6473.
Baby Boot Camp follows the guidelines set by the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology (ACOG) and ACE. Kristen Horler, an ACE certified personal trainer and mother of two, launched Baby Boot Camp in San Francisco, Calif., after she could not find a fitness program that addressed the physical and logistical challenges of being a mom. Since that time, the company has expanded the program through franchising and licensing. Over 300 locations across the United States - as well as Bermuda, Canada and the United Kingdom - feature Baby Boot Camp classes.