The Complete Guide to Fitness for Mothers

Excerpted from
Buff Moms: The Complete Guide to Fitness for All Mothers
By Sue Fleming

You may be asking yourself, "Does the Buff Moms workout guide really work?" Yes, it does, and I have a couple of success stories of its exercises and those from Buff Moms-to-Be to prove it. Sure, at times these women found it hard to get motivated and find the lime to lit exercise in. but once they got going, they felt better and started to see the results of their hard work I his is even true for women who hadn't lost the weight they'd gained from previous pregnancies! Here's Jennifer's story...

It wasn't until she gave birth to her second child that Jennifer's weight problem began. At five-four, she weighed 145 pounds postpartum, and she hadn't lost the weight from her previous pregnancy. "I was always skinny and never worried about my weight." Jennifer says. Not only did the demands of her two small children take up her time, but she was also working full-time as vice president of an investment firm. When her weight jumped to 150 pounds nine months after having her baby, she knew that she needed to do something. I looked in the mirror, looked at old photos, and still appeared pregnant! I couldn't believe that my weight had gotten to that point." she says.

After checking with her doctor, Jennifer started to walk two to three times a week and followed the exercise suggestions in Buff Moms. "It didn't matter that I wasn't exactly a new' mom. This plan got me going and guided me back to a healthier way of life."

Jennifer found the time to work out by asking her husband, family, and friends to babysit so she could exercise at least three times a week. She also looked at her eating habits and started to make better nutritional choices. "It was amazing how much I was eating. I would taste the kids' food to make sure it was okay, have my dinner, then finish what the children didn't eat!"

As she implemented these changes, Jennifer started to lose one to one and a half pounds a week. "I was so excited; I was on my way to becoming a Buff Mom. The ironic part about all this was that I was able to keep up my workout commitment because I felt healthier with all the new energy I had." Over the next six months. Jennifer lost ten pounds. "I feel great; this plan certainly helped me get started and focused. My kids see me exercising, and I know I'm teaching them valuable habits."

Virginia has brought three magnificent children into this world in the last three years. She has watched her body go from 135 pounds to 165 pounds then back down to 135 pounds three times. During each pregnancy, she worked really hard at staying in shape while eating plenty of the right kinds of food to help her baby grow to a healthy size.

"To eat healthy and stay in shape is a lot easier said than done, especially when people are saying, 'Oh, have more, you're eating for two!' Basically; it comes down to eating right, sleeping, and exercising. I am a firm believer that a woman's body that is actually reproducing another human being is like the most complex computer and needs at least eight hours of sleep to run successfully. I also believe that regular exercise is key to having more energy and making my deliveries easier. Following the Buff Mums-to-Be exercises has made it easier for me to incorporate exercise into my daily life. I don't have the lime to figure out my own exercise program."

Virginia found that breaking the stereotypes and jokes about pregnant women was hard. "We are surrounded by pictures of pregnant women eating ice cream and two pieces of chocolate cake, hating for two is encouraged! I really had to buckle down and remember that I must eat the foods that contain nutritional value for me and my growing baby. I feel that really taking care of my body and myself by eating right and exercising when I carried my children has prepared me a great deal for being a healthy mom. Pulling the baby's health as first priority is the first of many sacrifices a mother will make for her child. Creating a child is truly a miracle!

"I really owe my three physically challenging yet successful quick labors lo exercising through my pregnancies. I feel that delivering a baby is like being in a marathon, yet you have not been told the date, time, and place. In that ease, you must eat right, have had adequate sleep, and be in shape when it's lime. I never pushed my pregnant body: I just felt that it was important to incorporate exercise into my daily life three times a week. Getting in shape after I had my babies was also easier. I have tested the exercise-while-pregnant theory three times and now that my youngest is four months old. I can say the Buff Moms-to-Be program worked every time! I am now back to my original size. I was able to start exercising right away after giving birth, thanks to staying active and lit throughout my pregnancy. I continue to exercise daily: soon my three little ones will be joining their mommy!"