When Christine Bearden moved to Honolulu from North Carolina last summer, one of her top priorities was getting back into shape.

But with an infant daughter and lingering back injuries related to her pregnancy, finding the time, energy and motivation to do so wasn't easy.

"I was really slow getting back into it," Bearden said. "Everything I had done to that point had been kind of lackluster. I needed a push."

That push came one September day as Bearden jogged around Kapi'olani Park by herself. There she spotted a group of women with strollers exercising together.

"It looked like a lot more fun," she said. "And it was definitely more challenging than what I was putting myself through."

In fact, Bearden is just one of scores of Hawai'i residents — many of them young mothers who are new to the state — who have found fitness, friendship, even a fresh approach to raising healthy children, through the local Stroller Strides program.

Stroller Strides, a national program that has been offered in Hawai'i (at Queen's Surf and Hawai'i Kai) for the past four years, provides the structure and the guidance for parents to exercise with their stroller-strapped offspring in a supportive group setting.

The hourlong workouts, which are suitable for athletes (or nonathletes) of all levels, emphasize full-body fitness and are ever changing.

GENTLE WARMUP

The sessions typically start out with 10 minutes of gentle warmup and stretching before proceeding into a series of short exercises designed to build muscular and cardiovascular fitness. While organizers say most children enjoy the workouts and all of the related interaction, a few need a little time to get used to being in a stroller for an hour. Hence, the impromptu singing in which the groups sometime engage.

At a recent morning workout at Queen's Surf, young mothers jogged around the 2-mile periphery of Kapi'olani Park, stopping at different stations for upper- and lower-body exercises. (The goal for participants is to keep their heart rate up for at least 30 minutes, though many are able to go longer.) The session ended back at Queen's Surf with a core workout, stretching and a bit of yoga.

"It's a good activity to ramp up," Bearden said. "You can start from wherever you happen to be physically and then push yourself to be a little bit more."

ALL LEVELS WELCOME

The program takes all comers, from people who have never exercised in their lives to professional athletes trying to get used to their new post-pregnancy bodies.

Jennifer Pang, owner of Pang Communications, is a former paddler (she crossed the Moloka'i Channel three times) who joined Stroller Strides to try and shed 20 pounds of pregnancy weight.

"It kicks my butt," Pang said of the workouts. "I was sore, the good kind of sore where you know you got a great workout. The instructors are in great shape, they're very motivational, and it has become something I truly look forward to. They tailor the workout to all fitness levels, so I've been able to increase my cardio training and resistance training slowly and safely so I have not been injured but I continue to get a great workout."

Pang has lost 12 pounds in two months.

While there are no set guidelines for when infants can participate, the program does recommend that children come out no earlier than six weeks after birth.

At that point, many young mothers could use a little exercise and a little company, said Barb Forsyth, who along with Debbie Millikan, now runs the program.

"For young mothers, sometimes you feel so stuck at home with your baby," Forsyth said. "This gets them outside and into the fresh air. They're often so exhausted that the exercise gives them a boost

"It's so important to take care of yourself, but it's so easy for moms to forget, in the hustle and bustle of taking care of young kids, to take time for themselves" Forsyth said. "A lot of moms won't do that unless it's convenient and (they) can bring the kids."

Forsyth, who is also finalizing plans for a pre-natal fitness program called Fit to Deliver, said the exercise and socialization that go hand-in-hand at Stroller Strides may also help prevent post-partum depression, which often goes undiagnosed in young mothers.

"That's the big key, the interaction," Millikan said. "And this is such a great environment for that."

Forsyth and Millikan can both attest to the program's effectiveness.

FROM CLIENT TO OWNER

Forsyth, a former art appraiser who moved to Hawai'i with her husband and daughter from New York two years ago, and Millikan, a former professional surfer with two young children, both started as Stroller Strides clients before taking over the program last year. Both said the program offered not just a chance to work themselves back into shape, but an opportunity to connect to a network of friends who understood what they were going through as young parents.

Participants often stick around after the workouts to participate in organized play groups, working of crafts with their children or taking excursions to the zoo or aquarium. The program also has regular "family days" that encourage interaction with spouses, older children and other family members. Many older siblings often join in the workouts, including Millikan's son Keenan, who rides his bike while his mother runs.

Outside of the regularly scheduled workouts, the groups have also formed book clubs, a cycling group, and other social opportunities.

OTHER ACTIVITIES

Forsyth and Millikan also organize regular "Mom's Night Out" events for young mothers to gather for meals, drinks, movies or karaoke outings.

Sumi Gerry joined Stroller Strides in February and attended her first Mom's Night Out (an evening at Lucy's in Kailua) a few weeks ago.

"I can say I have met some great people and am finally on my way to losing the baby weight," Gerry said. "It is such a great avenue to meet women who are open-minded and social."

Jennifer Lucia joined Stroller Strides shortly after her daughter Kaithryn was born.

"I like that the kids get to interact and play," Lucia said. "It's something different than being in a stinky old gym and (Kaithryn) gets to come out and play. It's her only chance to interact with kids her own age."

Jawea May said she lost all of her baby weight and gained "a wonderful circle of friends" through the program. Her experiences with Stroller Strides inspired her to become a certified group instructor with the program, although she's currently on leave. She's expecting another child next month.

"As a working mom, I found (Stroller Strides) really helped balance our life of work, play, health and fitness," she said.

And that, said Forsyth, is what it's all about.

"When moms are healthy, fit and confident, not only are they better moms but their kids at a young age have this idea that exercise is a positive thing," Forsyth said. "It sets the right tone for a healthy family."