Lisa Druxman - Lean Mommy: Bond with Your Baby and Get Fit with the Stroller Strides Program

Neither this diet and exercise program nor any other diet and exercise program should be followed without first consulting a health care professional. If you have any special conditions requiring attention, you should consult with your health care professional regularly regarding possible modification of the program contained in this book.

Copyright 2007 by Lisa Druxman

All rights reserved. Except as permitted under the U.S. Copyright Act of 1976, no part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, or stored in a database or retrieval system, without the prior written permission of the publisher.

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First eBook Edition: May 2009

ISBN: 978-1-59995-300-7

HOW CAN I dedicate this book to anyone but my children? It was Jacob who inspired me to start Stroller Strides. And it is both Jacob and Rachel who inspire me every day to be a better mom. I have learned the pureness of love and the joy of life from both of you. While my children were the ones who inspired me, it is my husband who supports me. Without you, Jason, I could not get through a day of what we have taken on. Without your blessing and support, there would be no Stroller Strides or any of these other wonderful projects. Every time I come up with a new idea, you encourage me to follow through. You are the wind beneath my wings! I dedicate this book to my family. I love you more than youll ever know!

FROM LISA

It is not often enough that we have the opportunity to thank those who help and support us each day. I am grateful for the opportunity to thank you all now.

Thank you to my co-author, Martica. This has been an unbelievable learning experience and I thought we made a great team. I hope you have learned and been as inspired as I have.

Thank you to my agent, Linda Konner, for believing in me and introducing me to such a great publisher. I do hope that this will be the first book of many that we create together.

Thank you to everyone at Hachette Book Group. Chris, you have been a joy to work with and we cant wait to share Lean Mommy with you now that youre a mom yourself.

And one thousand thanks to my Stroller Strides team. They didnt have a hand in writing this, but I could not have done it were they not doing such a fabulous job running my company. You are all amazing and I am so blessed to get to work with you each day.

I am blessed to have much support. Any mom knows the impossibility of getting things done with children around. I thank my Michael, Joel, and Bobbi for always helping with the kids so that I could finish this book.

And finally, this book is about how you as a parent can shape the future for your children. Thank you, Mom and Dad, for having such a positive impact on me. If you are proud of me, you should be proud of yourselves because I would not be who I am were it not for you.

FROM MARTICA

It is never easy to write a book. Much like having a baby, its a process. I hope that Lisa and I have managed to give birth to not only an effective body-transforming plan, but a powerful way to help overcome the internal struggles that all women face.

I have come out of this experience with even more respect for Lisa than I had when we started. If anyone can be an inspiration to moms, its she. Lisa is truly genuine and her passion is real. And she has an extremely wise head on her front-pack-strapped shoulders.

Thank you to Lisa, Linda Konner, Chris Park, Sarah Sper, and everyone at Hachette, and my friends and family. And even though he cant read, I thank my beloved sixteen-year-old cat, Fred, who purred on my lap during endless hours on my computer.

A Mom, a Baby and a Mission

M otherhood. Welcome to the ultimate life-changing experience. As a new mom, no part of your life is recognizable, including your body, which is why youre now reading this book.

Being a mom can be the most wonderful and joyous time. But its not always easy. Suddenly, on top of all your other normal obligations, youve got this new little one who trumps all other priorities! If you have a husband, other kids who still need your TLC, or another job among your responsibilities, its no surprise that you feel overwhelmed, overworked, and, well, exhausted. And with societys focus on appearance, its hard not to obsess on the physical aftermath of having a baby.

The one most likely to suffer from this scenario is you. If youre like most new mothers, you probably make yourself the last priority. Being a mom is all-encompassing. Its easy to become a martyr momgiving up precious minutes for yourself, even though now is when you need me-time the mostnot just to regain your pre-pregnancy shape, but to stay energized and healthy so that you can be the best mommy possible!

Im a mom of two young kids. Ive struggled through these pressures, tooand I continue to do so. As the owner of a national company and being a full-time mother, I find it extremely hard to practice what I preach. But on most days, I feel like Ive mastered that juggling act. And through my company, Stroller Strides, Ive helped tens of thousands of other struggling moms make it work, too. As a result, they look better and feel more confident than they ever have before (even before motherhood). You will read some of their inspiring testimonials throughout this book.

In the following pages, I will share with you the methods that have worked for Stroller Strides moms across the country. Youll see how becoming a Lean Mommy is not just a training of the body. Its a training of the mind. This book isnt about undertaking drastic dieting or boot-camp workouts to get back into shape. Its about getting more energy from food and exercise and overcoming the mental obstacles that block your ability to stay fit and make healthy choices. Whats unique about this book is the focus on you being a positive role model for your family. If you dont do it, who will?

We all know what we are supposed to eat, and that we are supposed to exercise. So why dont we do it? The secret tool to achieving the body you want is changing the way you think to develop a health-oriented perspective on your body. Its time to get off the diet cycle and start living a balanced lifeif for no other reason than to teach your children healthy living.

I grew up in Southern California in a loving family. Yet, I remember from a young age feeling the pressure to achieve a better body. I spent my teens and early twenties going from one extreme diet to another and obsessing about exercising. I spent hours dissecting what I ate and even longer logging in workout sessions. When I would let up from my rigid patterns, I would binge. Despite my discipline, I never looked the way I wanted to. I was in shape, but I weighed thirty-five pounds more than I do today.

I gradually realized that the way I was living was not healthy, either physically or mentally. So I decided to release the constant pressure I put on myself. I took away all the food rules I lived by, and I started picking foods that would not only fuel me, but that would taste good and not leave me feeling deprived. I cut back on workouts and changed my motivation to exercise: I now exercised because I felt like moving, not to burn off as many calories as possible.