Recently in Fitness Category

Is this thing crazy or what? First of all, you need room for this, preferably a built out basement space where it won't be a total eyesore and I would probably think professional installation is a must, I wouldn't trust myself to it. But if you have the space (they claim this works for apartments but I disagree), how great is this home gym sets to work out all that energy your tots have? And loads of fun as well as being good for their coordination and muscles! Forget about joining My Gym, you can invite tots over for playdates and start your own class! The basic compact model is $329 and the more complex jungle gym sells for $769 at LimiKids. The one shown is the basic model for $329. (Correction: I originally said this model was the bigger model for $769).

This is Quentin Coor, 2 years old and is giving Tiger Woods a run for his money. I am from a golfing family and I have yet to take my 4 1/2 year old golfing much less my 2 year old! She would run amuck! Quentin wanted to play because his daddy plays and they do not push him, they just let him do what he loves most! I mean, he still needs to learn proper etiquette and rules, like no grounding your clubs in the bunker. But I'm just getting too technical =) Via Crooks and Liars.

I have been working out with my trainer for years now. I know he is disappointed that I am no longer in the pre-babies shape he got me into but he loves a challenge and he knows how to get results! I am still hanging on to 30 pounds of stubborn baby weight and I am finally motivated to get it OFF!! He developed this workout for me because I complain about lack to time but he really wanted something that will make every second count. Let me tell you, this is the toughest overall workout that you will ever do, compacted in 30 minutes and best of all, you can do this at home. I don't care how busy you are, let's be honest, we can all find 30 minutes in our day. But don't be fooled, after this workout, you will feel like you have just run a marathon. My trainer, Sun Lee, is available for consultation and can customize a work out for you by emailing him. This is the one I do:

We've all asked our pediatrician this question about breast feeding, well at least I have, "How much alcohol can I drink without getting my baby drunk?" The answer that I got was, as long as you have eaten something with your cocktail, very little gets in the breast milk. Really? I find that hard to believe and there must be a limit to this because let's say I have 3 martinis, at least one of those martinis is going straight to the boobs, right? Of course I would never have 3 martinis while breast feeding but let's just say I did for sake of argument. That's when the Breast Milk Alcohol Test Kit would come in handy, give me peace of mind and make me feel like a better mom. Everyone metabolizes alcohol differently so you really want a definite answer when it comes to this. at Amazon for $19.99 for 20 test strips.

This is your basic gym ball but with a base at the bottom to stabilize but once you have a stable ball, a whole world of uses opens up! This will take you from pregnancy, to bouncing a fuzzy baby to getting rid of the baby fat and beyond. I used a ball during my labor and it more or less was a distraction and something different to do to keep my mind off the pain, but many women find it helpful when laboring down. But the best use of the ball is for rocking, or actually bouncing babies when nothing else works. I sometimes sit on the edge of the bed to do the slight bouncing that seems to lull babies like magic. But with the ball, you can control the motion much easier AND it helps to build your core while you're doing it. You get a pretty good workout if you bounce for 10 minutes, you definitely start to feel it in your abs and thighs. How great is that? And for play, nothing beats giant leaps on your lap while you bounce as high as you can. I do this without the stabilizing base but I have to admit, things do get a bit hairy when we are having too much fun, so as with everything else, better to be safe than sorry. And when the tots are napping, crunches and push ups on this will get you back to tip top shape. My trainer developed a workout for me that allows me the whole routine in 25 minutes at home and it kicks my butt like you would not believe. I will share the workout with you on Friday for our Mom Snob Quickies series but you will need this ball to do it. The Luna Lullaby Bounce-a-Bye Baby ball is $58 and comes in really cute designs, which are great for your tots because they LOVE playing with these balls (if you have the room in the house, that is) but you can save some money for the same thing if you forgo the cute designs - the Baby Bouncy is only
$39.99 for a plain blue ball but without the book that you can do without.

I absolutely love Bach's Rescue Remedies . They're huge in Munich where my parents are from so I've grown-up taking drops of these stress relieving homeopathic remedies -- they truly work wonders! So I think it's wonderful that they've come up with a special line of their remedies for children! Bach Kids is an all-natural, alcohol free, non-narcotic healing system that can help relieve children's stress, build confidence, and focus attention. Like Original Flower Remedies the line is created from a combination of flowers recognized for their healing powers, but they contain no alcohol and they are, much unlike the original, sweet. The packaging is also kid-friendly with lively colors. The line features--

• Stress: Bach Kids Rescue Remedy ($12.95) which is Dr. Bach's original blend of five individual flower remedies. Rock Rose for stress and anxiety, Impatiens for irritation and impatience, Clematis for inattentiveness, Star of Bethlehem for agitation, and Cherry Plum for irrational thoughts. Rescue Remedy helps eliminate the negative emotions that lead to stress in a number of situations such as school, performances, and travel.

• Confidence: Bach Kids Confidence Remedy  ($12.95) was created specifically to give children a safe and all-natural boost to aid in overcoming the frustrating obstacles of self-doubt. Confidence Remedy uses the essence of the Larch flower to help do away with the shyness that can hinder a child's performance in school or in new social situations.

• Lack of Concentration: Bach Kids Daydream Remedy ($12.95) is natural and safe way to help reign in students' misdirected energy. Daydream Remedy uses the essence of the Clematis flower which helps bring the focus into the present, allowing students to have more productive days in the classroom.

All it takes is a few drops directly on your child's tongue or a few drops mixed into water and voila!  It certainly is worth a try before you venture into more invasive measures.

Don't you wish there was a place you could take your kids where they could play, take classes, you can enjoy a good meal and get spa services done all at the same time? Sounds like Fantasy Island? This place is real, I went there and wished it was next door to my house. It is the Tree House Social Club in Los Angeles, started by 2 moms (of course), Jeannine Chanin and Tricia Leigh Fisher. The giant space has a tree house in the middle with dining tables to one side and class rooms and additional play areas on the other side. There is a manicure pedicure room, a private spa room for massages and facials, video game room, art room and a room for dance and music classes. They provide babysitting service for an additional fee so you can actually enjoy your spa services, otherwise, you just enjoy your lunch and coffee while your kids run around and play in the big play space, right where you can see them. I had lunch there and the food is excellent! It would have to be for this concept to work because the idea is that moms should enjoy the experience as much as their kids. Mommies meet there for lunch and enjoy real conversation - seriously! They also hold special events like slumber parties where they bring in local sample sales to entertain the moms while kids watch movies, make crafts as well as enjoy the visiting clown or magician. I am sorry to make everyone outside of LA jealous but I had to share this concept so that more of these will open in every neighborhood!! The open Play is $9 and memberships are available starting at $35. For more information visit The Tree House Social Club website.

First Fitness Kids Treadmill ($109.99) and Exercise Bike ($89.99)

I love the idea of educating kids about health, nutrition, and fitness. I think it is fantastic to keep kids active. The treadmill and exercise bike (both above) are only the beginning of exercise stuff that First Fitness Kids offers. You can also purchase dumbbells, balls, fitness mats, and pedometers. In our house we have an adult-size elliptical machine and a treadmill. My daughter loves trying to workout on the machine I am not using, but I am always telling her no afraid she will get hurt. With this pint-size equipment, there is no need to worry. However, I fear what might happen if these items end up in the home of the weight obsessed. Would a parent actually force their kids to exercise for a specified time each day? Then, I think the premise of First Fitness would backfire causing your child to revolt against *Arnold* and hit the couch. Remember fitness for kids should be fun and enjoyable.

Available at SHOP.COM
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As many moms fear not being able to return to their pre-baby size post-baby, so did I. I completely relate to Gwen Stefani and her reported waistline woes, although she appears to have it under control to me. Like her, I have been on a diet or watched every morsel put into my mouth since Junior High. A virtually impossible feat when your parents are in the restaurant biz. Anyhow, fast-forward several years (let’s not specify how many), and here I was eight months pregnant with my first child approaching a fast food joint to satisfy the craving of the moment. “Who am I?” I thought to myself. I smell french fries and gain weight. I shudder to think what is going to happen after I actually eat them and wash it down with a chocolate milkshake?? After ordering I pat my beautiful belly and decided it should take only a dozen spin classes to get rid of this one craving splurge. Great! And, that was my third trip in a week. My body will never rebound. But then, I found the solution: stroller skating, a mom friendly version of roller skating! Thunderbird Skate Center in Plano, Texas devotes Thursday mornings (9 am – 12 noon) each week to let moms wither away their waistline while having fun with their kids. Just strap on your skates, push the stroller on the rink and you are off. I met a group of friends there regularly. We had a blast chatting and listening to mommy music all while squeezing in our daily workout. I returned to my pre-baby size in no time. If you have more than one child, toddlers are welcome too; although, I haven’t tried it yet. Outside the Plano area, visit rinktime.com to see if your area offers a similar program.