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Favorite Excuse for Not Working Out: My Baby

FitSugar — Wed, 08 Aug 2007 11:00:00 -0700

The transition to becoming a mom can really take a toll on your body, but you can bounce back and become a strong mom. Does your favorite excuse for NOT exercising involve being the parent of small children? Well here are some tips get you up and moving.

There are as many roadblocks to fitness as there are benefits to gain from fitness. So figuring out how to motivate yourself past your favorite excuse is beyond beneficial. So if your excuse is, "I'm too busy with my kids to workout," it is time to change your tune. I used that excuse for a while, but I soon realized if I wasn't "modeling" good health habits for my kids they would have no idea of the value of exercise. I didn't want to fall into the, "Do as I say not as I do" version of parenting.

Here are a few ideas to get you started thinking about how to fit in some exercise while hanging with your baby.

When you have a newborn

You can do tummy time with your baby. Get down on the floor and get active while your baby fusses over learning this new position.
Pack that baby up and go for a stroll since the fresh air is good for you and the baby.

Want to see what you should do when your baby starts moving? Then read more

When the baby starts crawling

Get down on all fours and explore with your child. You will work your arms and your legs as well as learn the value of sweeping the floor from first hand experience.
Carrying your child around like all the Hollywood mommas will definitely get your arms strong and toned. You know...babies can double as weights. Just make sure to alternate arms and keep your tummy pulled up and in to protect your back.

Toddler workout

Follow your new walker around and do what they do. Try to do it for 10 minutes. Granted his or her center of gravity is considerably lower so his or her up/down motions are easier. Toddlers also love, LOVE when you imitate them. It will be a nice bonding game as well as a strength training time for you.
The playground at any age even with tots can be quite a workout. Pushing the swing and the merry-go-round can work your arms and burn some calories. I like to add a squat between each push, as well as alternate arms.

So workout with your little ones and you will feel better when they start to work your patience.

P.L.O.W - Mother's Day

FitSugar — Sun, 13 May 2007 03:30:00 -0700

We all know how much we appreciate our moms. They've been there for us as listeners, teachers, role models, therapists, caregivers, and friends. We feel comfortable enough to cry with them one minute, and laugh with them the next. They inspire us to be strong women, and their love and support is what makes it happen.

This play list is for all the wonderful mothers in our lives - we wouldn't be here if it weren't for them. To hear it, press the white arrow after you read more

Total Time: 35:46

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How Germy Is Your Car?

FitSugar — Wed, 25 Apr 2007 17:30:00 -0700

I like to think of my car as a continuation of my home, my private sanctuary on wheels. Now I know there are germs in my home, I have two little ~~germ factories~~ children running around my house. For some reason though, I thought my car would be germ free. Not true, in fact, moms have the germiest vehicles around.
You would think the steering wheel would harbor the most bacteria, since your hands are on it all the time. But the dashboard is one of the leading "hot" spots. Not only is it the warmest place in the car, air vents draw bacteria via the air circulation system. Food and beverages spill and stains may look harmless but they are a haven for bacteria.

Single men have the cleanest cars, while married folks and moms have the "hottest" cars, geography does play a part. Cars in hot humid climates like Florida are likely to contain 10 times as much bacteria as cars in dry areas like Arizona.

Regardless of your geographic location or marriage status, keep some antibacterial wipes in your glove box to clean up your spills. As a mom, I must say baby wipes are great for dusting the dash.

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Get Your Butt in Gear: Strollometer

FitSugar — Thu, 09 Nov 2006 02:30:00 -0800

Using a stroller is a daily part of many of our lives. We pack up the stroller and put it in the car. Then we unpack the stroller, load it up with the kid (or kids if you have the dreaded double stroller) and gear to keep them quiet and you're off. Not the easiest thing to do in the world.

Wouldn't it be nice to know exactly what you are accomplishing (other than errands) after all your hard work?

Now you can so, read more

The Strollometer ($39.95) is a wireless speedometer for your stroller. Functions include:current speed, average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, daily distance, trip time, real clock time and ambient temperature. How cool is that? The Strollometer is supposed to fit any stroller out there and clips right to the handlebars so you can easily monitor your progress. Buy it here.

Fit Gift Guide: Healthy New Mom

FitSugar — Mon, 17 Nov 2008 12:00:00 -0800

While the new mom in your life might be sleep deprived, chances are high she still wants to work out. Here are some goodies I wish I had when my girls were newborns, so I think any new mom would love them too.

Baobei Active: Nursing Sports Bra: This nursing sports bra looks fabulous and offers support, function, and style. The ease of the crisscross front makes breastfeeding quick and easy. This bra is a must for boot camp moms, moms on the go, or any mom working to get her body back after baby.
Strollometer: The Strollometer is a wireless speedometer that attaches to a stroller. It includes every function a new strolling mom could use: current speed, average speed, maximum speed, trip distance, daily distance, trip time, real clock time and ambient temperature. The Strollometer should fit any stroller out there and clips right to the handlebars so a new mom knows how many miles she has logged over the course of a day.
Yoga Ma Baby Ga DVD: This yoga DVD is designed to help new moms incorporate their babies into their yoga practice. It comes with multiple viewing options; one includes a large screen format with images to entertain the baby, with a small screen in the corner of the yoga poses for mom to follow. It reminds me of Baby Einstein meets mommy yoga.

ACTivism: Moms in Motion

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 11:45:00 -0800

If you're a mom who's looking for a new way to get moving and involved, then you should definitely check out Moms in Motion.

Moms in Motion is an international network of women - all moms - who have joined forces to reach their own fitness goals while raising money for charity. It's a great (and free) way to get moving, meet new friends, and add a little philanthropy to your life.

If this sounds like something you'd like to join, visit MomsInMotion.com to find a team near you - if you can't find one, you can always start your own.

Celeb Mom Slim Down Secrets: Nancy O'Dell

FitSugar — Tue, 21 Aug 2007 10:15:00 -0700

Nancy O'Dell has reportedly lost 24 of the 30 pounds she gained from being pregnant, and it's only been nine weeks since she gave birth!

O'Dell, like many new moms, gives credit for her weight loss to breastfeeding: "Breastfeeding is the best diet," said O'Dell. Plus she said her diet now consists mostly of lean protein, vegetables and fruit because since she is breastfeeding, she wants to eat healthy for her daughter. She has also been avoiding milk, cheese, tomatoes and garlic, because it upsets Ashby's, (her new daughter), stomach.

O'Dell is no fool however, and realized that along with healthy eating, she should get some exercise in there too, so she started working out with a trainer just four weeks after she gave birth. O'Dell outlines her workout: "I do ballet and dance movements for an hour three times a week. It's great, because you work out every muscle but it's not strenuous."

Curious how other moms in Hollywood lost the weight? Check out all the celeb mom slim down secrets.

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Keri Got the Votes, But All Moms Are Winners to Us!

FitSugar — Sat, 22 Dec 2007 03:00:00 -0800

While it was unanimous that anyone who is able to lose the baby weight deserves a round of applause, Keri Russell's down-to-earth attitude about it all is really refreshing, which could be why you picked her as the best new mom slimdown of 2007 - by a landslide, might I add. She recently told Self, "I stayed really physical during my pregnancy. I stuck to my normal prepregnancy workout, minus the stomach exercises and twisting. I really felt it help my whole well-being."

Marcia Cross was also ranked high for getting back to her prebaby weight after having twins. You were also impressed that Mel B did it by dancing.

It's always important to keep in mind that celebs have resources many of us do not, so it's OK if it takes you a little (or a lot) longer than Keri to get back to your prebaby weight. Regardless of who you are there are many things to be proud of as a new mom and getting back to a healthy prebaby weight is definitely one of them.

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New Moms Need Their Zs to Lose Lbs.

FitSugar — Mon, 26 Nov 2007 07:30:00 -0800

I will be the first one to tell you, if you don't already know – when you are sleep deprived because you have a newborn baby to take care of, you don't want to workout or count calories and you don't have time to really focus on yourself. This just might be one of the reasons that new research has found a correlation between lack of sleep and lack of weight loss in new moms.

The study showed that mothers who slept five hours or less in a day when their babies were six months old were three times more likely to have kept on the extra weight at one year when compared to more rested mothers. On average, the underslept moms, at one year postpartum, were more likely to have kept on 11 pounds. The relationship between lack of sleep and weight gain is not new, but the study once again emphasizes the importance of sleep for physical health and in a special population. Losing weight gained with pregnancy is an important goal for maintaining a healthy lifetime weight. Getting the pounds off, may seem impossible, but it is well worth it.

Fit's Tip: One thing I trained myself to do was nap when my girls were napping. Sleeping during the day can make up for lost nighttime sleep.

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Celeb Mom Slim Down Secrets: Jenny McCarthy

FitSugar — Mon, 18 Jun 2007 11:45:00 -0700

Jenny McCarthy has come a long, long way since her Singled Out days. After giving birth to son, Evan, McCarthy is no stranger to gaining a lot of weight during pregnancy...

Personally, I think it is good to hear that a celeb had to actually work at losing weight, rather than just seeing it melt away. AOL got the scoop on how McCarthy ultimately lost all her pregnancy weight.

French fries and Duncan Hines brownies were the snacks of choice for former MTV personality and best-selling author Jenny McCarthy, who gained 80 pounds while pregnant. After giving birth to her son Evan, Jenny followed her mother's advice and joined Weight Watchers. She attended meetings at a center in her neighborhood where she swapped recipes with other new moms and eventually dropped the weight.

How cute is she with Evan? And yes, she definitely looks fab. I know there are a lot of Weight Watchers fans that read FitSugar, so share your success stories with all of us in the comments section below.

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