I've been a fitness professional for nearly two decades. I've learned the foundations of fitness from conferences to books to certifications. But it wasn't until I became pregnant with my first child that I realized what it meant to take care of my health. It changed my perspective on everything. I ate to fuel my body, my baby. I exercised in moderation - not too much, not too little. I stressed less...

I am just recuperating from 2 weeks of nasty cold and sinus infection. Yuck! I can't tell you how much it slowed me down. And if you know moms (especially moms who work), we can't afford to slow down. But it occurred to me that maybe just maybe my body is smarter than I am. Just for a couple of weeks, I didn't workout (often) and I didn't wake up at 5:00 a.m. and work late every night like I usually...

I was just appalled when I read this recent article in the NY Times Skin Deep: Is the 'Mom Job' Really Necessary? <url removed> It seems that all moms in America are being told that their body after baby is not acceptable and that plastic surgery is the only answer. I visit the gym and see moms everywhere that have been tucked, lipo'd and siliconed....

I've always taken decent care of myself but it wasn't until I became pregnant that I learned what it truly was to be healthy. All of my behaviors revolved around what was best to grow my baby. I chose foods that would fuel me, I drank more water and I stopped drinking caffeine and alcohol. I exercised but in moderation every day. Not too much, not too little. I meditated more and took time to breathe....

It's always a wonder to me why we are astounded by the rates of obesity and eating disorders in children. We are all frightened by the new realization that for the first time in history our children will have a lesser life expectancy than their parents. Yet, what are we doing to change? Moms continue to diet and to fret about their weight on the scale and we continue to feed our children with restaurant...