Join the Get-Fit Guy/Mighty Mommy Belly Burn Project!

I grew up in a very active household where my parents encouraged us to be physically active as well as competitive. Therefore team sports, bike riding for pleasure, exploring parks and hiking were part of the norm for us.

I became a first-time mom when I was 30-years-old (at least 5 years after most of my closest friends earned that title). I watched many of them go from healthy and fit, to tired and frumpy because they were too exhausted raising their kids to take care of themselves. The one promise I made to myself when I was going through the tired motions of changing diapers and breast feeding around the clock was that no matter what, I would never “let myself go” and schlep around with a soft pot belly and a sagging double chin. Sigh!

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I certainly had all the intentions of keeping my pre-kid, healthy lifestyle going once I started my family, but as many busy moms know—the demands of family life somehow take over and exercising and making the right eating choices go on the back burner.

Though parenting is an amazing job that I wouldn’t trade for anything, 8 kids and an extra 25 pounds later, Mighty Mommy is ready to get off the unhealthy roller coaster of inconsistent exercise routines, poor eating habits, and lame excuses and take charge of this very important part of my life again!

As I approach turning 49 years young, I’m super excited to start this journey of becoming the healthiest version of me that I’ve ever been. That’s why I’m absolutely thrilled to have my Quick and Dirty Tips colleague, Ben Greenfield— aka Get-Fit Guy, here to help me get started. Ben is the author of, Get-Fit Guy’s Guide to Achieving Your Ideal Body, and has a ton of expertise to help not only Mighty Mommy, but busy parents everywhere, who are struggling to stay in shape in the throes of parenthood. 

The Mighty Mommy Belly Burn Project!

Ben has created the dynamic Mighty Mommy Belly Burn Project, which I will personally be beginning on April 19^th! (Check out the link for more details). Ben is putting together the best fat burning workouts and exercises for me, along with a customized diet plan.

And here’s even better news: This isn’t going to be just for me! Mighty Mommy and Get-Fit Guy fans are in for a real treat because Ben is going to make the same plan that I’ll personally be using available to the public, and he’s even going to do live webinars throughout the year to provide us with strategies and answers to our questions about optimal workouts and exercises for stripping fat fast.

So you are invited to join Mighty Mommy starting April 19, 2013 and follow Ben’s awesome fat-burning routine to get your pre-baby body back – fast! Get your friends and family members to join us as well! We’ll have live webinars, regular web updates with Get-Fit Guy’s exclusive tips, and even a photo journal of my progress throughout the Belly Burn project. Ben will be providing us with easy-to-follow, expert information and advice every step of the way. 

In preparation for this exciting Belly Burn venture, Ben Greenfield, our very own Get-Fit Guy is joining us today to share some helpful information about fitness for busy parents.

Mighty Mommy: It can seem overwhelming to commit to an exercise regimen if you haven’t been following one consistently. What are some things we should keep in mind before getting started?

Get-Fit Guy: Great question, Cheryl. Here’s the deal: When you get a fitness book or a diet plan, there is often a ton of complexity. Many authors and personal trainers even feel that the more complex a fat loss program, the more impressive it is or the smarter it makes them look. But the best plan is often the simplest and the one that allows you to consistently do what you’re supposed to do. Otherwise, you feel bad about not completing a workout, and you fall off the bandwagon! So keep things simple, and don’t feel bad if you even end up doing many of the same, reliable workouts or exercises during your plan – when you’re stressed out at the end of the day, the last thing you want to do is figure out how to learn 10 brand new exercises.

Mighty Mommy: Two of the main reasons why most busy parents don’t stay on track with a healthy regimen are because of we have limited time and because often exercising isn’t fun. How can we fit a realistic program into our chaotic lives and make it as fun and motivating as possible?

Get-Fit Guy: You have to make your workouts accessible for you Cheryl. Don’t feel like you need to go to the gym to exercise! A good fat loss plan should be something you can do in the living room while the kids are taking a nap, or in the backyard or park while the kids are playing outside. This means that you’ll want to include body weight exercises like push-ups and jumping jacks, elastic band exercises like curls or presses, and calisthenics that can be done in a small area, such as jumping jacks or even the dreaded burpee – all of which I guarantee you’re going to learn at some point during the Mighty Mommy Belly Burn Project!

Mighty Mommy: My problem area is my belly, and for others it might be their thighs, butts or arms. Should we specifically target these areas or take more of a well-rounded approach to our workouts?

Get-Fit Guy: When you exercise a muscle, it will certainly look more toned and shapely. But you can’t just take one specific body part and burn significant fat off that body part by exercising it over and over again. Instead, it’s better to do full body exercises that burn far more calories and strip lots of fat off your entire body all at once. Take a crunch, for example. Sure, it targets your abdominal muscles, but it doesn’t burn many calories. In contrast, picking a set of dumbbells off the ground and pressing it overhead still works your abs, but also works lots of other muscles, burns significantly more calories and fat, takes far less time, and doesn’t create a high a risk for overuse, imbalance, or injury.

Mighty Mommy: I’ve heard about the benefits of drinking lots of water while getting into shape in addition to taking a multi-vitamin and sometimes, even nutritional supplements. What are your recommendations, Ben?

Get-Fit Guy: Well, you’re going to perspire more as you exercise, since that’s one of the ways that your body stays cool! So you definitely need more water – although there is no significant magical fat burning effect of water, and just like anything else, you can have too much of it! It’s important to realize that you get water from fruits, vegetables, meats and, yes, even coffee and tea. I recommend simply listening to your body and drinking when you get thirsty.

See also: How Much Water Should I Drink?

When it comes to nutrition supplements, it completely depends on you Fat burning supplements, for example, might produce a very small effect on fat loss – much less than what most people are led to believe. But, let’s say that you’re getting joint pain, afternoon fatigue, brain fog, frequent colds, and experiencing other issues that are getting in the way of your workouts. In a case like that, it may make sense for you to perhaps add some fish oil, probiotics, or even like a digestive or liver cleanse – but these are all things that need to be considered on a case-by-case basis. They are certainly not required for healthy living or weight loss.

See also: Do Weight Loss Supplements Work?

Mighty Mommy: I have about 25 pounds to lose. What is the recommended time frame to lose this amount of weight in a healthy fashion?

Get-Fit Guy: I’ve found that safe, healthy, and long-lasting fat loss is typically accomplished at a steady rate of 5-10 pounds per month. In many cases, it can happen faster, in which case you’ll be pleasantly surprised, but you shouldn’t try to speed things along with excessive calorie restriction and over-exercise. That’s a recipe for burnout and injury, plus you’re far more likely to gain the weight back with crash dieting.

Mighty Mommy: What would you say is the key ingredient to a successful body makeover? Also, what are some of the “markers” to look for along the way even if the scale isn’t going down as quickly as we’d like?

Get-Fit Guy: Consistency is key. Every single day you must expose your body to physical movement and nourishing, healthy foods. It can’t be 5 days on, 3 days off, or one month on, followed by a week of hectic eating while traveling. You must use a fat loss plan program that works into your daily life no matter where you are or how busy life is.

If you do begin to plateau, it can be due to a number of factors, including your body getting used to the exercises you’re doing, too much stress and not enough sleep, overtraining without enough food, and even nutrient, vitamin, or mineral deficiencies. Part of my job in this process is to ensure none of that happens to you!

Mighty Mommy:   I am definitely motivated and ready to get going! What’s the next step, Ben?

Get-Fit Guy: You’ve already got full access to the fat loss plan I’ve designed for you. It’s the same plan that I’ll be giving our listeners access to in our live webcast on April 19. The next step is to simply choose the first day of the plan and get going! I’ve given you exercise videos, photos, and instructions, so there’s no guesswork for you – you just follow the roadmap for the Mighty Mommy Belly Burn Project and I hope lots of listeners join you!

Are you interested in getting into the best shape of your life, too? Let me know in the comments section or on the Mighty Mommy Facebook page. I’m also on Twitter @MightyMommy.   You can also email me at mommy@quickanddirtytips.com. 

Check back next week for more practical parenting tips and don’t forget to join Get-Fit Guy and myself for our live webcast on Friday, April 19^th at 9am, Pacific Time (that’s 11am Central and 12pm Eastern). 

Check out the Mighty Mommy Facebook page for more parenting advice and Belly Burn Project updates.

Don’t forget to check out my family-friendly boards at Pinterest.com/MightyMommyQDT.    Think about how you can start getting more active with your families and until next time—happy parenting!

Sneakers and Dumbbells image from Shutterstock