Ready to lose the baby weight? Find the nearest staircase, park that stroller nearby, and follow this plan designed by Erica Ziel, a trainer in Newport Beach, Calif. and creator of Knocked-Up Fitness. You may have used stairs for cardio, but it turns out they’re great for toning, too. “Doing an exercise on an incline like a staircase intensifies it, making it even more effective,” Ziel says. This sequence burns up to 300 calories in one 30-minute sesh. That’s next-level awesome!

HOW IT WORKS:   2 or 3 times a week, warm up by walking up and down the stairs for 5 minutes, then do 3 circuits of the strength moves with 1 cardio interval before each circuit and 1 minute of rest after. For your cardio interval, go up and down the stairs for three minutes before each strength circuit. When climbing up, step your entire foot (not just the toes) on the stair and press through the heel to engage your glutes and protect your knees.

RUNNING LUNGE Works legs and glutesStart in lunge stance facing staircase, with left leg on bottom stair and right leg bent behind you on landing (A). Shifting weight to left leg, exhale as you press up to straighten left leg, bringing right thigh forward, parallel to ground (B). Return to start and do 10 to 15 reps; repeat on right foot to complete set.

STEP-UP ROTATION Works outer thighs, back and obliquesStart in lunge stance with left side toward staircase, left foot on bottom stair and right foot behind you on landing. With palms together, twist upper body toward stairs (A). Shifting weight to left foot, exhale as you push to straighten left leg, bringing right thigh parallel to ground and twisting upper body away from staircase (B). Lower to start and do 10 to 15 reps; switch sides to complete set.

SIDE PLANK TWIST Works core and backStart in side plank with left hand on third stair and feet on landing, right arm raised, engaging abs and squeezing glutes (A). Exhale as you bring right arm around the front of your body, twisting it toward left knee as you send hips back over heels and shift weight into feet with toes pointing toward stairs (B). Move back to start and do 5 to 10 reps; switch sides to complete set.

REVERSE-PLANK DIPS Works triceps and backStart in an upside-down plank (facing up!) with hands on second stair, shoulders pulled together and drawn away from ears, and body in straight line, parallel to stairs (A). Inhale as you lower hips and bend elbows (B). Exhale as you press up, squeezing triceps. Do 10 to 15 reps.

SWIVEL KICK Works glutes, arms and absStart in plank position on the stairs, hands 3 steps up from landing. Inhale as you bring right leg in and across the front of your body, rotating to the left (A). Exhale as you kick right leg back and away from body, allowing upper body to twist toward right (B). Return to start and do 20 reps. On last rep, hold right leg out and do 10 small pulses up, reaching leg even higher. Switch legs and perform 20 reps and 10 pulses on opposite side to complete set.