Spotlight Mom: Tracy Anderson

Lately I've been feeling bored with my regular exercise (treadmill) routine... there comes a point where you feel like it's just not doing it for you anymore, you know what I mean? Sometimes it's just fun to switch it up and go back to some old favorites - so I'm going back to Tracy Anderson's treadmill routine. I'm sure most of you have heard of celebrity trainer (and mother-to-watch) Tracy Anderson (her method really blew up in the past few years). I first read about her in an article featured in Cookie Magazine. It was right after I gave birth to Freida, and from what I read, it sounded like she had a pretty little method going - the line that really got me was "it's healthier for your kids to see you dig into a slice of their birthday cake with gusto rather than always seeing mommy counting her weight watcher points" - she was selling that as the main payoff for all the fitness work. I really related to that so I searched YouTube and started doing a preview video of her workout routine - I loved it, and after seeing results I ordered her Post Pregnancy DVD.

Now, I can't claim that I lost weight from it - a couple pounds at most - but that is because I wasn't properly dieting or doing serious cardio. What I will say for the DVD is that it completely strengthened my most important muscles in the most fantastic way! After giving birth (aside from the extra stomach pouch) our abdominal muscles tend to disconnect and fall lazily idle; making it extremely important to work those muscles afterward. The sequences in this routine made me the strongest I've ever been - my core, my abdominal, my thighs, and my abs were whipped into shape! I didn't even realize what kind of amazing results I got until I went to a class and showed these moves to some women - toned, fit, and slim women - who were not able to keep up at all! Again, this DVD alone will not yield wight-loss results, but Tracy promises that mixing this (or her Mat Workout DVD) with here Dance Cardio DVD or her awesome Treadmill Workout Routine (which I looove!) - will make your body issues dissipate and provide a "teeny-tiny" lean figure.

I would highly recommend the Post Pregnancy DVD for all post-partum mothers (come to think of it, this would make for a useful and original baby gift)! It is calming and low-key, set to classical music, and makes for a relaxing and strengthening post-partum workout (aside from the fact that the room decor she does the workout in annoyed me to no end!!). I did it for months with little Freida on a blanket on the floor right in front of me, she seemed to enjoy the calm of the music, and she would watch intently as I'd lift my legs or arms up and down... was good exercise for her development as well! :)

You can find out more about Tracy and her method here.

Here is the original video that I found and did for a while before buying her DVD:

[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=taCiMBFc0sc]

A Little (less carbon) Footprint

These sweet soles from Livie & Luca would make lovely back-to-school shoes for your little one's first day in Pre-K. Handmade from high quality leather that would otherwise have been discarded - these toddler kicks were created and designed by three very hip mamas in search of some good lookin' shoes for their cuties growing tootsies. I just love all things mom-made! : )

From Sixx to 9... by design.

I've been a longtime fan of the Novogratz family and their keen eye for immense versatility in design and their ability to remain wholly unique in this modern world of architecture and interiors. My husband is always the form-for-function architect, and I'm always about the artistry (he's super pragmatic about everything and how it works, while I'm more into the depth and warmth an item features). Since Cookie magazine featured a home tour of the Novogratz's New York Marketplace building-turned-home, I've been obsessed with their style. They make things fully functional and family-practical while still looking like they live in a magnificent art gallery (no eye-sores whatsoever)! I've kept up with their company Sixx Design (after their (then) 6 children), and naturally I've ogled over their recently published design book, Downtown Chic. And now, TV's Bravo has introduced the family and their design entrepreneurship to the world and invited us all to take a good look inside their incredible homes and into their design-inspired world. The show, 9 by Design, premiered last week, and airs on Bravo, Tuesday 10/9 central - tune in for some serious decor inspiration!

You can read more about the family and what they're all about in this article for the New York Social Diary.

Here's a little glimpse into what I'm going on about...:

'Aint no Jack in this Box

One of my favorite moms-to-watch is Kiersten Hathcock of ModMom Furniture. A woodworking mom who creates and builds all her modern, mid-century kids furniture right out of her home garage! Kinda tough to beat gorgeous handmade furniture built by a mom with a power saw! I'm especially fond of these toy boxes... makes keeping toys in the living-room blissful : )

Today ModMom is having a raffle for Haiti relief. The object is this beautiful keepsake box, raffle ticket is $10. Click here for details.

Diamond in the Concrete Jungle

For those of you living in New York - you must make this your next rendezvous! When innovative mom, Tracy Stewart couldn't find an inspiring place to take her two kids - she opened her own! Moomah - a rustically chic modern, creative playscape for kids; a relaxing, beatific space for mom. Nestled in the Tribeca neighborhood of Manhattan, Moomah aspires to bring kids to connect, discover, nourish, and create. Don't get thrown off by the cafe, which obviously is not of the kosher fare, skip that - and check out the rest of this wonderful zone: Piratepalooza music circles (with original moomah tunes), Gloga Classes (glow-in-the-dark yoga!), DIT (Do-It-Together, as opposed to DIY) tables - where you can select an art project to do with your kids, and receive all the materials and how-to etc. They even have their own mascot/super hero dubbed "SuperTryer" - who encourages all the kids to try new things! Stewart says the goal is to provide all the fun without setup and cleanup. Yes, there are moms sitting in the corners on the sofa sipping their lattes alone - but Stewart encourages moms not to think of Moomah as a baby-sitting service, there are enough of those in NYC - connect with your child and appreciate the joy that comes with it...