THE MOTHER OF ALL SIT-UPS
TFG'S VERY OWN MILF (MOTHER IN LOVE WITH FITNESS™), LORI SAWYER, HATES YOUR GUTS—
ALMOST AS MUCH AS YOU DO. IT'S TIME TO TAME AND RECLAIM YOUR CORE, A.K.A. YOUR
STOMACH, YOUR MID-SECTION, THAT PUFFY, SQUISHY AREA YOU SUCK IN WHEN YOU SEE
SOMEBODY YOU KNOW. YES, IT'S TIME TO STAND UP—UH, WE MEAN SIT UP—FOR LORI'S
EXERCISE OF THE MONTH.

Losing weight after giving birth—or losing weight at any point in your life—is an involved effort with many variables.
The truth is that if you don't incorporate each and every one of them, you won't reach your goals. There are no quick
fixes and no short cuts to being in good shape. Losing weight and gaining a healthy body inside and out is one of the
hardest things you'll ever do, especially now that you're a parent. But, just like parenthood, the rewards far outweigh the difficulties.

Each month, I'll give you a new exercise that, when paired with my healthy eating plan and your own big serving of discipline and determination, will deliver you back to who you are supposed to be: a healthy, fit, strong and fierce MILF (this time, we mean the other kind). So, just like you teach your little ones, let's start with the basics.

The First Five Steps to a Better You

#1 Go for the Goal—But Take Baby Steps 
Set short-term goals. For example, fitting into a pair of jeans, or being able to walk a mile without stopping.

#2 Get Moving
You must increase your heart rate to burn calories. It's okay to start slowly,  if you haven't worked out in a while. Begin with thee days a week for 20-30 minutes of walking, jogging, bike riding or anything that gets your blood flowing. You can increase your cardiovascular exercise to five times a week 30-45 minutes as you get stronger.

#3 Give Yourself a Lift
There's no doubt that weight training is a must when trying to lose those extra pounds. Lifting weights burns calories and helps tighten your muscles. Every weight program should begin with a good core-strength base (your abs). If you don't tighten and control your core area, you risk injury— and none of us have any time or patience for that.

#4 Loosen Up
Stretching is crucial in maintaining muscle strength and helps with recovery of you muscles after a workout. You should always stretch before after a cardio and weight workout. Because of our tight schedules and limited free time, this is a step we often skip. Remember: stretching is not an option; it's part of your plan.

#5 Eat It Up
Proper nutrition is often the missing element in achieving weight loss. In order to burn fat efficiently, you must keep your metabolism stable. Eating healthfully and often will help regulate our blood sugar level. Your days of skipping meals are over from now on. You need to eat five to six small meals per day to maintain a healthy diet and balanced metabolic state. Additionally, despite what all the fad diets would have you believe, always include protein and carbohydrates in every meal.

The Exercise of the Month
Full Core Contraction with a Leg Slide

This exercise will increase the strength of your lower abdominals and your entire
core area.

1. First you must learn how to contract your entire core:

• Lay on your back with your knees slightly bent and feel on the ground            
• Contract your abdominal area by pushing the side of your abs out and
  keeping your stomach flat
• Press your lower back into the ground (you want to keep your lower back
  flat and pressed into the ground for the entire exercise

2. The movement:

• Keep one foot planted on the ground and straighten your opposite leg
• Don't allow your heel to touch the ground
• Bring your straight leg back to a bent knee and place foot on the ground
• Now do the same movement for the opposite leg                                           
• Tip: Remember to keep your lower back pushed to the ground for the entire time. If you can put your hand between your lower back and the ground,
  you need stop the exercise and reset your body 
• Do as many repetitions as you can of this exercise for as long as you can keep your lower back pushed into the ground

Advanced Movements: If you mastered this exercise, give this one a try:

• Instead of keeping your feet grounded, bring both legs up to a 90 degree angle
• Straighten one leg, bring it back to 90 degree and then straighten the
  opposite leg
• Next, try to straighten both legs at the same time. It’s a real gut buster!   

Remember, you must keep your low back pushed against the ground the entire time to get benefits from this exercise. For this exercise, and all exercises, quality is
more important than quantity. And the most important thing to remember is that if you have pain at any time, stop this exercise immediately. Make sure you have clearance from your doctor before you begin this or any exercise program.

For any questions about your new goals and/or this exercise, contact:
Lori Sawyer, MA, ATC
Certified Athletic Trainer
Owner of LS-Fitness and Mommy-Moves!
732.539.7711
lori@ls-fitness.com
www.ls-fitness.com, www.mommy-moves.com

GET LOST—FIND YOURSELF
Click here to see Editor-in-Chief Jillian Swartz lose it in six weeks.