Fit Yummy Mummy Blog – Post Pregnancy Weight Loss – Flat Tummy Workout

Super Slim Tori Spelling – what’s her secret?














Tori Spelling is working her way back to that slim, pre-baby body.
She is one celebrity who “gets it”.

So what is she doing to lose the baby fat and get her body back?

Eat right and exercise – wow, that’s a new one….stay with me on this, the reason why SHE gets it is that Tori Spelling’s workout consists of a balance between cardio and resistance training.

This is area where a lot of moms miss out.

Too often we turn to traditional cardio to burn off the excess fat. As I have already shared, this is not the end all solution and plus this option leads us into doing more and more cardio, with the false belief that more is better, we feel like we are working so long and hard, it must be burning something….sure it is – Muscle!

Tori Spelling’s workout to help blast baby fat and get her trim figure back consists of ab work, squats and lunges – my 2 favorite lower body exercises! Not only do they boost your metabolism – because you are working some of the largest muscles in your body – but you don’t need any equipment to get started!

That’s one of the 1st steps to building a busy mom workout.

Be sure to get access to some of my Favorite Home-Based Busy Mom workouts by downloading your Free Metabolism report. Hurry – this special offer ends Tuesday, Oct. 16th!

I came across this important message posted on SolutionsForBusyMoms.com

Title:

An important reminder from my little girl

The other day I was in the car with my 3 year old daughter. I started one of my little routines with her…”Shayna, I love you more than ice cream. I love you more than flowers. I love you more than chocolate.”
“Mommy…” She interrupted…
“Yes?”
“You also have to love yourself.”…

This is a great reminder to all the busy moms out there who have gallantly taken on taken on the multitude of tasks that consume our daily schedules. It is so easy to push your own needs down your list of priorities. Soon, you chuck your good intentions to make time for you, to meet your own needs.

This is a great time to stop and ask yourself what type of example you are setting for your children. They are paying attention…and with great detail. What lessons are they learing from a mom who is too busy to stick to her own word, to take care of herself, to honor her hopes and dreams, to outwardly practice self-love?

What type of life do you want for your children? Are you living it?

The Secret to the Busy Mom Workout

“Ok, so I said I was giving this bod a rest today…but I couldn’t do it!

I feel so good when I work out…it’s so exhilarating. I walked around the neighborhood for 20 minutes then did the short burst resistance exercises and then intervals on the bike for 10 minutes. Then Stretching..”

~ Beth S. from Team: Burn Belly Fat

It is evident that Beth has stumbled upon one of the secrets that makes Doing and Sticking To a workout routine possible. Pure enjoyment.

When you truly love what you do, you will keep doing it!

Sure that is obvious, but the most surprising part? When I asked Beth how her results were coming along, this is what she said…”I don’t know if I notice any changes yet.”

Funny, because isn’t that what the majority of us hang our hat on….Results? Most of us state that our motivation is based on RESULTS. Results are what we all want. Results are what every single weight loss program promises you.

But the factors that determine whether we reach them and keep them lie deeper a bit deeper.
And that is what Beth has discovered.
It is not the destination….but the journey.

She has taken the right steps by establishing a proper mindset.

This very step has allowed her to become aware of and embrace the way she physically feels during and after each workout. This awareness has helped to not only keep her focused but also acts as a powerful drive, keeping her priorities at the forefront of her mind.

So how do you get to this place of Fitness Bliss?

It’s a 2 step process.
Grab a pen and some paper and get ready to ask yourself some questions.

1. Write out your goals – what do you want? Be specific. Be realistic.

2. What’s your Reason - why is this so important to you?

This is where you need to dig. What will happen to you, your family, your quality of life if you do not reach your goals? Keep asking WHY until you elicit an emotional response.

Next, post this where you can see it Everyday. You have just established a strong foundation from which your fitness plan can be built.

Next Up – How to Build a Busy Mom Workout

(Get a Jump Start. See what Beth has been doing at home! Take advantage of the FREE Busy Mom video offer in the right hand column. Hurry – this offer ends Tuesday, October 16th!)

Top 3 Reasons WHY More Moms are not Doing Resistance Training

1. They believe the answer to Fat Loss lies in CARDIO
Can’t blame you. The fact that we are being bombarded with ads and articles on a daily basis boasting the best way to burn fat is to DO more cardio. This myth is so rampant, that the very support groups and forums women turn to for answers are littered with faulty advice.

2. They are scared of “Bulking Up”
Just the mention of the word muscle makes a lot of women cringe. Images of huge bodybuilder-type bodies make them run in the opposite direction. A very common myth – MYTH…women do not have the ability to bulk up.

Men are able to add lots of muscle because:
One – they have the hormones to do so (we do not)
Two – they lift weights in an entirely different fashion
Three – they must eat a tremendous amount of food – muscle need a LOT of calories too get big

So Moms…unless you are taking Testosterone boosting supplements, lifting VERY heavy weights and eating about 5,000 calories a day – you will NOT bulk up.

3. They think Resistance Training is TOO Complicated
It’s so much easier to just jump on a treadmill and walk or run for 45 minutes. That’s nice and all, but easy does not get you results.

Sure if you are new to the concept of Resistance Training, a little research can make you throw your hands up in frustration…..what exercise, what weight, set, super sets, repetitions, rests….Oh My!

The best way to begin resistance training is to use your own body as weight.
No gym membership, no fancy equipment….just a small space and a few minutes of your time.

Movements such as the squat and assisted push ups are 2 examples of effective bodyweight exercises.

So how do you get started?
Let me help.

For a LIMITED TIME, you will have access to TWO Free home workout videos.
Due to a technical glitch in the book launch I described in the right-hand column, if you sign up for your Free Metabolism Report, you will also be sent a link that give you access to my Favorite Body Weight Exercises.











Hurry though….this very special offer ends next Tuesday, October 16th.

So get signed up, share this with your best friend so you can work out together and get your body back asap!


I’ll leave you with this thought….
You desire to be more Toned and Defined, right?
Muscle is what makes this possible.
Do nothing to maintain or increase muscle….it withers away…leaving a soft flabby appearance.

Burn More Calories and Fat, Fast!

Intervals are the perfect solution for Busy Moms.

Intervals are a type of “cardio” workout where you alternate brief, high intensity periods of exercise (where you work out as intensely as you can), with active recovery periods, where you slow down just long enough to catch your breath.

The shorter, more-intense your session, the more calories you burn and you preserve lean muscle, which will make you look tight and lean as you reach your goals. In addition, the shorter, more intense sessions will have a more profound effect on the calories you continue to burn 24 hours after completing your interval session.

How to “Do” Intervals:
EX: Walking on the Treadmill: Basic Program

Start with your normal three to five minute warm-up. About 5 minutes into your session, you will do your first interval, 30 seconds of brisk walking (or jogging). At the end of 30 seconds, you should be winded and ready to slow down. This will be your active recovery period, slowing your walking down for the next 2 minutes. Then repeat by increasing the intensity of your speed for 30 seconds.

3-5 minute warm up
30 sec. “high”
2 minutes “low”
Repeat this pattern for 3 to 8 complete Intervals and finish with a cool down.

If you are new to this style of cardio, you will find that a mere 8 minutes feels quite long and intense. That’s when you know you’ll never have to go back to long, tedious, time-wasting cardio again.

Intervals for Fat Loss:
The shorter and more intense the visit, the better.

Plus, they burn calories and fat after the training session, and that’s something you won’t get from slower, longer sessions of cardio.


NOTE: You should not do intervals every day. You also will want to gradually add intervals to your workout routine, doing too much too soon may cause injury.


Next Up….The BEST Fat Burner

How effective is your cardio program?

What does your cardio program look like?
What does your body look like?

Well if you’re doing the same long, dreadfully boring cardio workout day after day, don’t expect results. Sure this routine may have initially caused some change, but how long ago was that? And how much longer have you made your cardio routine just to see some type of change?

Sure a machine may tell you that after 60 minutes of work, you have burned 500 calories.

Great job, right? Well this is only a fraction of what it takes to boost your metabolism and burn more fat. It’s not just the calories you burn during exercise that matters, it’s also important how many calories your body continues to burn throughout the day. Cardio causes your metabolism to increase only temporarily, during the time of the exercise and shortly thereafter.

PLUS, scientific studies have shown us time and time again that after about 90 minutes of cardio, the body begins to become more efficient, not at burning off fat but instead at breaking down muscle for fuel… and with intense accuracy.

Clearly, this is not what you want!
Less Muscle = Lower Metabolism

Your goal with cardio should be to burn fat without burning muscle.
Besides….as a busy mom, do you really want to be spending this much time on an exercise that gets you nowhere?

Stay Tuned for more information on cardio INTERVALS: The TRUE Fat Burning Cardio
(takes less time than you’d ever imagine!)

Coffee: The Busy Mom’s Energy Drink of Choice

The Coffee habit is hard to break for many moms who are in search of the energy boosts needed to start the day and keep the day going. Unfortunately this habit becomes one obstacle in the quest to lose the baby fat and get your Fit Yummy Mummy body back. The extra calories from sugar and fat quickly add up to stall any fat loss efforts.

I spent many a morning and afternoon in my Favorite coffee shop, Starbucks. If I had known what I know now, my ability to lose that extra belly fat might not have been so difficult.

Here are some Shocking Calorie Facts about what your favorite energy drink may contain:

• Dairy Queen Mocha MooLatte: 590 calories
• DQ’s French Vanilla MooLatte: 570 cals
• Dunkin’ Donuts Coffee Coolatta: 350 cals
• Dunkin’ Donuts Caramel Swirl Latte: 230 cals
• Dunkin’ Donuts Iced Mocha Swirl Latte: 240 cals
• Starbucks Venti Vanilla Creme: 520 cals
• Starbucks Caramel Frappuccino, 430 calories
• Starbucks Venti Double Chocolate Chip Frappuccino: 750 cals

If you are consuming these hard-to-resist treats on a daily basis, you’re likely to notice the numbers on your bathroom scale creeping upwards. Hopefully, now that you know you the nutritional information you might think twice about your next coffee run.

Now a gourmet coffee every once in a while is perfectly fine. Life without yummy treats like this would be boring and it’s a proven fact that deprivation does not make for a nutrition plan that works long term.

If you must drink coffee on a daily basis, you can make healthier choices. Go for black or control the amount of sugar by requesting non-sweetened drinks, or add your own sugar or artificial sweetener if you prefer.

I do enjoy my caffiene every morning too, but I do so with a large cup of freshly brewed green tea. I save my trips to Starbucks for those “once-in-a-while” occassions when I treat myself, which usually accompanies a trip to the mall or to the salon.

Fit Yummy Mummy Fat Loss Quick Tip
Do NOT drink your calories

SAVE over 300 + Calories a Day by cutting out colas, coffees and juices.

Did you Know….?

~ Every 20 oz. container of cola has 2.5 Servings and 10-15 teaspoons of SUGAR = 250 to 300 calories.

~ A 16 oz. glass of OJ has 42 grams (10 teaspoons) of sugar

~ The typical coffee all the way up to the gourmet Lattes and Cappuccinos range from an extra 250 to 575+ calories (oh and just because it is non-fat does not mean it is calorie or sugar free).

The Habit of Drinking your Calories can quickly account for over 50% of your daily sugar intake. More than cookies, cakes and other processed carbs and candy.

If you are taking in 250-300 extra calories per day, this will lead to a ½ pound weight increase each week or around 24 pounds of extra fat in just one year.

Turn it around and REDUCE your calorie intake by about 300 a day and within 4 weeks….you will LOSE 2 and a half pounds by simply cutting out the empty, sugar based calories you have been drinking.

What could be easier or faster?

Do you have any really good ab exercises I could do?
That’s my problem area FOR SURE.

Here’s a crazy FACT: $207 million is spent each year on abdominal “equipment”.

Catchy phrases such as:
“Target Ugly Belly Fat”
“Get ripped 6-pack abs in just 30 days or your money back”
“Yes you can have abs of steel just like mine.”

Easily lure us in, with simple sounding soultions. But thousands of crunches, later…your belly fat remains.

I’m here to help clear up the myth of what it takes to burn belly fat and get flat abs…but I am also going to be upfront with you….you must embrace the fact that it’s going to take more than the latest exercise routine or gadget to get rid of your mommy belly.

The best Ab exercises in the entire world will work to strengthen your core muscles. However, until you do things to make your body lose the fat that COVERS your abs, you will be disappointed, annoyed and frustrated over, and over, and over again.

So it is time to dispell the MYTH of SPOT Reduction! Meaning…it is impossible to remove fat from one particular body part. Loss of Fat comes from fat cells all over your body – not just one wishful area.

Fat Loss is a 2 step Process:The only way to decrease overall body fat percentage is to create a slight caloric deficit.

WHAT? All this means is that you must burn slighlty more calories than what you take in. You DO THIS by eating supportively and following an effective exercise program – right amount of cardio and effective, short burst resistance training that is progressively challenging in order increase lean muscle which in turn will boost your metabolism.

Quick Tricks:
1. Try readjusting your goal to “Reduce my Body Fat”
2. Redefine ABS – to include your entire CORE – all the muscles that wrap around your midsection.
3. Move More
4. Eat Better

Now, that you know the basics, I would love to share my favorite CORE exercises. My Fit Yummy Mummy workouts involve engaging all the muscles in your body, not just for calorie burning and toning, but also for strength and balance. Your CORE is your body’s pillar. It must be strong in order for the exercises you do to be most effective, delivering faster results.

Therefore some of my favorite and most effective “ab” exercises require NO equipment – just my own body weight.

My Top 3 Favorite “Ab” Exercises

Plank







Belly Blaster

Side Plank

You may choose to try one Ab Exercise at a time, holding for 20 – 60 secs and repeating 2 to 4 times. Or perform all 3 and repeat 2 to 4 times. Follow this routine for a couple weeks, use the quick tips and you will feel and see a big difference in your belly – as you strengthen your core, you are taking the most important step so you can go from flabby mommy belly to fit and flat abs.

A Peek inside my Grocery Cart

I made a trip to Aldi today.
If you have not been….you need to go!
This is one of those tips you WANT to share with your girlfriends!
SO many good deals.

Here is a list of my great finds~

>Fit and Active Unsalted Dry Roasted peanuts
>Fit and Active Dried Apricots
>Southern Grove Pistachios
>Salsa – all varieties – mild, medium, southwest, peach-pineapple
>Olives – green and black
>Grandessa Portabella Mushrooms
>Spices – any variety
>Olive Oil
>WALNUTS
>Eggs
>SPINACH
>Quick oats
>Canned Salmon, tuna, chicken, oysters.
>Grandessa RICE – Brown and Basmati
>Grandessa Pasta sauce
>Fat free refried beans
>Diced tomatoes
>Black Beans -
>household goods (paper towel, baggies, garbage bags…)
>Cheese – real stuff (block or thick sliced)
>String Cheese
>Grandessa Smoked Chicken Sausage

> Fresh PRODUCE
I tend to choose at least 2 different fruits and Lots of fresh Veggies…..cherry tomatoes, bell peppers, zucchini, baby carrots, AVOCADO

>frozen section
Boca Burgers, grilled chicken tenderloins, Salmon fillets, Tilapia, Ground Turkey
VEGGIES and FRUIT – berry medley, raspberries, big bag of strawberries

I have heard that early shoppers have a better selection in the produce section. If possible, work it into your schedule to get in there the first half of the day.

I go grocery shopping once a week – I spend – on average – about $20 at Aldi’s and $20 at Kroger (a list for another time). I stock up on essentials about 1 a month which adds another $20 – $40 to my bill (includes household items as well). I feed myself, my husband and my 6-year-old son (I pack his school lunch and afternoon snack every day).

So yes you can eat healthy on a budget!

The biggest help is PLANNING your meals ahead of time – it save you time, money and energy! Knowing exactly what you need will prevent you from spending money on things you DO NOT need and eliminate wasting money on foods not used that end up going bad.
Every meal I make, I always take a moment to see how I can reuse at least one item over the next day or two.

Consolidate and be Creative. You will surprise yourself!

PLUS….this is all about managing those calories. Once you are aware, you see how to use these calories and yummy, family-friendly foods to your advantage!