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post-baby-related stories

How Can I Tone My Abs After Pregnancy?

Fitness, Your Personal Trainer: Joe Dowdell

I lost all of my baby weight, but my stomach is still squishy -- how can I get my toned abdomen back? - Lisa, San Francisco

Even if your body shrinks to your previous size after giving birth, the stomach can still seem as though it will never snap back. During pregnancy -- especially in the second and third trimester -- some women can experience a separation of their abdominal muscles, which is a condition known as diastasis recti. Basically, this condition occurs when the rectus abdominus begins to pull apart leaving it thinner and weaker. Try adding in some core exercises, such as the front pillar bridge, at the end of your normal strength training routine. This exercise will help strengthen the muscles on the anterior side of your core; and in particular, the rectus abdominus.

The Exercise Prescription: Try performing two to three sets of the front pillar bridge (or the Kneeling version). Ideally, the goal is to hold for 30 seconds in the top position without breaking form and that would equal one set. If you are unable to hold the top position for that long, try holding for five to 10 seconds per rep and perform as many reps as you need in order to total 30 seconds in the top position.

Here's how to do the moves:

Get Your Pre-Baby Body Back

Motivation, Best Life with Bob Greene

Exercise physiologist and certified personal trainer Bob Greene has helped millions of people slim down, most recently with his online program TheBestLife.com. The best-selling author shares the sure-fire strategies for losing weight, protecting your health and living your best life.
Photo: Ed Yourdon/Flickr
Welcoming home a new little one is an amazing experience, but it's not always easy. As a father of a two-and-a-half-year-old and a newborn, balancing my growing family with workouts and other responsibilities is a constant juggling act. And of course, it's even tougher on the mom, whose body has undergone drastic changes. But studies show that moderate exercise will not only help you shed those post-baby pounds, but it can also boost your mood and improve your fitness level. (Don't stress if you're breastfeeding: Moderate exercise doesn't seem to affect milk production, according to research.)

To get back on track after baby, you should be:

Patient. You gained your pregnancy weight gradually so don't expect to lose it right away. While it's not uncommon to drop 10 pounds shortly after childbirth, the rest may come off more slowly. What might be even more frustrating is that many women aren't able to return to their original fitness routine right away, particularly if they've had a C-section. Once you get the OK from your doc to start exercising, aim to build up slowly. For instance, if you used to go for a 30-minute walk three times a week, start with once a week for 10 or 15 minutes, or as long as you can comfortably go. The next week, try to increase the time by a few minutes. Once you get back up to 30 minutes, add another day of walking, and so on.

Tori Spelling's Bikini Body Boasting

Celebs & Entertainment


Seven months after giving birth to her second child, Tori Spelling is in In Touch wearing a bikini and not afraid to say, "I kick ass!" I kind of think she does, too -- she gained 50 pounds while pregnant, lost 10 right away, and has worked for more than half a year to drop the remaining weight, and here at That's Fit, we're big fans of hot mamas who drop the weight healthfully.

Tori SpellingTori didn't count calories, but focused on eating healthfully. She shared a typical diet in the interview: "Breakfast was yogurt, fruit and nuts. Lunch was homemade soup with a sweet potato or soy milk base. We'd snack on celery and peanut butter, and then I'd make lean protein with vegetables for dinner."

The former 90210 star said she was proud of getting a bikini body back after the baby, adding, "I could've gotten here sooner if I was fanatical and worked out extensively every day, but I'm glad I didn't. I'm so happy I did it with my family and in a healthy way."

Other Celebs Who Dropped the Baby Weight ... FAST!(click thumbnails to view gallery)

Brooke BurkeConstance ZimmerNicole KidmanJessica AlbaJennifer Lopez

Looking to get yourself in a bikini? Check out the tips at America Takes It Off, and you'll be giving Tori a run for her money in no time!

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We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Round-up: May 16, 2008

We Love To Gawk At Fit Celebs Weekly Roundup, Diet & Weight Loss, Fitness, Celebs & Entertainment, Nutrition & Supplements

Celebrity moms Cate Blanchett and Halle Berry are out and about and looking amazing. Halle dished up the details on what she's doing to get her body back, but Cate, as usual, hasn't really made mention. Cate looked like she was right back to her pre-baby svelte figure this week at the Cannes Film Festival, and it's only been four weeks since she gave birth to her newest son. Do you think it's natural that her body bounced back so quickly, or does it have more to do with the pressure a 39-year-old actress faces in Hollywood?

Valerie Bertinelli, who dropped weight last year alongside Kirstie Alley with Jenny Craig, is working hard to maintain the slim figure she achieved, but she's not complaining about it. She's continuing to follow the good habits that helped her lose weight, which means no snacking in front of the television and making sure she gets in 10,000 steps each day. With her healthy new figure came another bonus -- a rediscovery of her love of being in the water. Valerie has gotten back into watersports, like surfing. It's great to see her maintaining her weight and living a healthful life!

Sarah Ferguson admits that she continues to have negative body image issues on a daily basis, saying, "I think I'm fat, ugly, and disgusting -- that I'm unworthy and nobody likes me." The formal royal has an interesting way of dealing with these problems -- after her daily morning workout, she takes an ice bath and feels "invigorated" for the rest of the day. Hey, whatever works, right?

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Jaime Pressly used the Cabbage Soup Diet to lose the baby weight

Celebs & Entertainment

Though she only gave birth a few months ago, gorgeous TV star Jaime Pressly has been dazzling the red carpet with her svelte post-baby body. The secret to her success? The Cabbage Soup Diet. The My Name is Earl star has done it twice since giving birth. The diet is a long-standing favourite among people trying to lose weight fast, and it seems to work quite well ... if you can follow it, that is.

But for those who think you can get Jaime's shape by simply eating cabbage soup, consider this. She worked out a lot. As in two hours a day, five days a week. So I think she certainly deserves her physique. What do you think?

(via the Skinny Website.)

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