Techno jams possible key to dancing my tummy off

Having children changed my life. Laying on the carpet and watching them play makes me laugh more than a comedy ever has, sunny days are warmer and offer more things to do and taking time to stop and smell the roses takes on a whole new meaning. Of course, my energy levels have plummeted, I envy my friends who can just take off and do something just because they feel like it and lets face it, my body will never be the same.

Noah is going to be one in just over a month. The experts say that it takes most women a full year to lose the baby weight after giving birth. Some are lucky and are naturally thin and the weight just sort of melts off them in a month, others give birth to small babies that leave no trace of ever having been in the womb and still others work out, have a trainer, a nutritionist or damn good genes and sweat it off.

With Lucas, I dropped most of it within a month and worked the rest off within six months. Then came Noah. My almost ten pound wonder. Here we are at almost 11 months and I would say I need to lose roughly, between 5 and 7 lbs. OK- now that doesn't sound like much, but next time you're in the grocery store take a look at two pounds of hamburger meat and think again.

While I would love to hit the gym, first, I don't have the time and second, I can't afford it. Instead I have the play room where I have crunched until I thought my spine chipped on the floor, ran in place until I almost stepped on Noah and wiggled and jiggled until I thought I would faint. The problem with that is that I'm inconsistent, the children are always under foot and honestly, the space just isn't meeting my needs.

Lately I have been trying to work past all that by tuning in to my Ipod. Noah goes in the excersaucer where he gets mad and tries fruitlessly to escape, I make Lucas stay on the other side of the line and I just pump up the jam.

While I like all different types of music I never was a big fan of techno until I decided it could be the key to my weight loss. With the ups and downs, the sudden stops, the build, who wouldn't get excited enough to move? I mean- just freak out. Punch the air, kick and spin in circles like 'Flash Dance,' run around hands over head like Kevin in 'Home Alone.' Freak Out.

It's so easy to do if you just forget yourself for awhile. One advantage of not being at a gym I suppose. And did you know that just about every song sounds good after the end of a techno jam? Personally, I'm keen to sandstorm followed by everybody dance now (sweat). Now if only I could make it routine.