Getting Back into Shape...

Hi B.,

I am M.,

I may have a suggestion that may help. I can't afford a gym membership either. So what I have done is bought a work out dvd called Walk Away The Pounds. By Leslie Sansone. You can get it at walmart for 20 dollars maybe less. I do it 4 times a week when my son is napping. It really gets me energized and Its a stress reducer. It's the only work out dvd's that I have stuck with. I have tried other tapes and I always go back to Walk away the pounds. There are different ones to by Leslie Sansone. I recomend you try her videos. I have been woking out for a month have have already can see a change. I also do walk and jog.That is a really good one for cardio. I hopes this helps some. If you try it please let me know what you think.

Take care,

M.

I did Weight Watchers after my son, I signed up when there was free registration. I was also nursing, they actually have a program for nursing moms!! It was very helpful, I lost all my baby weight and even got into a size smaller than I had been prebaby, but most of all I learned a whole different way of eating that has been HUGE in my diet as well as my little guy's diet!!

This may be a small thing, but for Christmas I got a set of pilates flash cards and I love them. You can start easy and just do 10-15 minutes of exercises, and you can tweak the order of the cards to gradually add more exercises. I only have one child, but in the morning after her bottle, she'll sit and play in her room and I'll do the cards then right next to her, as long as she'll 'allow' me to. I can tell I'm at least getting stronger in my core, and I break a sweat.
Hope that helps!
Jen

The only thing I found that worked both time- and schedule and money-wise was to get myself a good pilates DVD and do it at home after my son went to bed. I like the Windsor Pilates series - they have an easy (sort of) 20 minute workout and an "accelerated body sculpting" one that's about 1 hour long. I have the 3-DVD series, which might have cost as much as $60, but if you consider that's equivalent to attending 4-5 classes or 2 months of a club membership, it's not bad at all. Plus, pilates really helps get your core back into shape - which, in my experience, is what suffers the most during pregnancy.

Even now I'm 22 weeks preg with #2 and my husband travels frequently and I work full time, so I just don't have time to exercise (and can't get out without my son). I have a prenatal pilates DVD that I do 2-3 times a week that is great.

I must say Weight Watchers. Not only do you lose weight but you learn how to eat right. I have been doing it for over a month now and love it. I am never hungry and eat what I want. I am amazed at the new eating habits that I have and how my own husband and kids have taken to it. Honestly it is not a diet it is a life style change and well worth it. Along with weight watchers I do the biggest loser 2 workout. Remeber one thing the slower it comes off the better chance it stays off. Plus if your nursing you do not want to start poping any kind of pill. Good Luck!!!

I am in the exact same bind you are, and I have to work full time on top of it. Thus I do exercise videos. U have to make time for it; just like brushing your teeth. You can find a million excuses not to exercise if you don't have the motivation.
"Slim in 6" is nice, but she can be extremely boring and plain. It's effective, but not something you would look foward to doing each day because it's so bland.

I use Chalene Johnson's "Turbo Jam" videos. She combines kickboxing with dance music to give u a great cardio workout. It's so much fun that you don't realize u are excercising. Go to www.amazon.com and type in "Turbo Jam" and read the 100+ positive reviews on Turbo Jam.

I have lost 20 pounds in a matter of months doing turbo jam. I got it off ebay. Good luck!

Also keep in mind that you can check out exercise videos at the library so that you can pick out the right workout before committing to buying tapes. It took me almost a year to lose all the baby weight, and once you're finished breastfeeding, I highly recommend a few weeks of the South Beach Diet. The extra lingering pounds will melt off. Good luck.

Get some excercise videos and do them early morning before the kids get up or after they go to bed. I used to think I was too busy with 2 kids until I got a new manager who has 5 kids and still manages to go to the gym every morning. If a mother with 5 kids ages 8-1 can do it I can!

Hubby and I are having amazing results with the slim in 6. I highly recommend it.

http://www.beachbody.com/product/fitness_programs/best_se...

I am a mom of four my youngest is two I still struggle with the weight. But one thing I have begun to do, along with walking and riding bikes in good weather and doing videos when I can, I have combined exercise with something I don't like much: housework.
I took my cleaning routine and kicked it up a notch.
I make myself keep moving my feet as I walk around picking things up. When things need to go upstairs, I take one thing at a time and make myself go up and down the stairs more. I will turn on music while I clean and with my kids, will dance and clean. "Keep moving" is the only rule. It may not be quite as complete a workout as a video or something like that, but I can still work up a sweat, I can involve my kids, it is fun, and most of all, I am acomplishing two things at once and I am all about acomplishing multiple things at once!

Hi B.,

I know it is very tempting to buy a video. Personally I get very bored at watching the same video over and over. What I have done, I have gone to Fit TV on cable and recorded a whole series of fitness shows (through Tivo) it's cheaper than the gym! I never get bored and I am always watching a new workout, they have yoga, pilates, belly dancing, strength training and your old-fashion aerobics. I enjoy the variety and I get to stay home with my kids as well. By incorporating these exercises in my daily routine and well balanced diet I have lost 10 lbs in the last three weeks! No pills, powders or quick fix gimmicks and the pounds are coming off. Hope this is helpful B. and good luck!
E.