Makeover Momma

TARGET BABY ZONE= Inner and outer thigh

The Move= “Sweeping Leg Lift”

Perhaps one of the hardest areas to target on the female body is the inner thigh, but this move will firm your jiggle areas, while giving your baby (or toddler or child) a very fun ride.

Starting Stance: Start by sitting upright on the ground, with one leg relaxed, and the other extended straight ahead. Let your little one straddle your leg as a “ride”- creating a challenging resistance from their body weight.

1. Swing your leg across your body as far it goes using your inner thigh (as if you are about to cross your legs when sitting down). Keep core engaged…

2. Using controlled movement, sweep your leg in the opposite direction until slightly to the side (away from your body).

Continue this careful movement of across and away from your body for 30 counts. You should feel an intense burn in your leg as you go…but this means it working!

Make It Harder: Half way through the set, add an “up” motion with your leg until creating a pattern: sweep across and press up, sweep away and press up. This will bring more muscles into the movement.

      It is very common for expecting mothers to hear the ever-present compliment, “you are just glowing”…whereas newly post-partum mothers are rarely informed of their current glow quota. Luckily, ladies at any time in life can achieve a feminine glow, by mastering a soft blushing look á la Kate Hudson. And since we rarely have time to artfully create anything these days (that doesn’t involve Play Dough), this look can be created with just 2 products. How’s that for 5 seconds?

1. 1-3 Seconds: Evening out skin tone to create a creamy canvas is the key to having a beautiful blush rather than a blotchy mess. Try smoothing a silky, simple liquid tint over skin, preferably one with anti-aging or hydrating properties and SPF protection.

TRY:  E.L.F Cosmetics Shielding Hydro Tint with SPF 15

2. 4-5 Seconds: Having an all-over glow will help you pull off this romantic face, but the majority of us mothers don’t have hours to spend on blush, brushes, and blending. Instead, try a 3-in-1 creamy pencil and smooth on eyelids, the tops of cheekbones, and across lips for a subtle rosy shimmer.

TRY: Wet n’ Wild 3-of-a-Kind Twist Up Stick

* All product suggestions at Makeover Momma™ can be purchased at your local Wal-Mart, Target, drugstore, or online at www.drugstore.com.

Trend In Motherhood: Using a designer purse for a diaper bag.

Makeover Momma™ Rating: B

Why:

      At first we thought the trend of trading your diaper bag for a brand-name purse was haughty and impractical (like with rumored Balenciaga-toting Gwyneth Paltrow.) After all, who wants leaky formula and sticky diaper balm rolling around the inner layer of your beautiful bag? Never-the-less, Makeover Momma gives this motherly trend a B, because something can be said for making an effort to carry a stylish diaper bag.

      Although we feel for all mothers and the plight of the tacky DB, the typical baby-gunk vessels (i.e. diaper bags) seem to be created from plastic rain-slickers and slathered in cartoons. Try to be a true mystery woman and choose a diaper bag that resembles a purse… keeping the secret of its contents (baby wipes, anyone?) to yourself.

Double Duty Diet Food – JIF On-The-Go Peanut Butter and Apple wedges

Why: Sharing apples and peanut butter with your child is not only an ideal healthy snack, but it’s also fun to eat. By splitting one *On-The-Go JIF peanut butter container (a pre-portioned cup of creamy peanut butter), you and your little one can get a dose of heart healthy fats from nuts, as well as muscle fueling protein.

What: Try dipping your peanut butter with pre-packaged apple slices, such as *Appeeling Fruits bag of apple wedges. Each bag contains 2 ounces of sliced apples, at only 30 calories a pop. Although peanut butter is naturally higher in calories, splitting a container with your little ones give you about 195 calories of positive protein. Best of all? This snack can last for the day in your diaper bag or purse without getting messy or stale.

Remember: Although the peanut butter and apple combo adds up to about 200-250 calories (a wonderful amount for a heart-healthy snack), eating above the recommended portion size will tack on more calories than needed for this quick treat.

*All meal suggestions at Makeover Momma™ will include allergen information and suggestions for children with allergies, celiac disease, or additional health concerns. This snack is gluten-free (although  not peanut free).

       London living and long-time momma’s Madonna and Gwyneth Paltrow seem to have it easy when it comes to exercise… lots of money, lots of babysitters, and a really famous and fit BFF. For the rest of us mortal mothers? Sometimes we can barely find time (or energy) to stand up, let alone fit in a strenuous workout. Instead of stressing over your fitness level, try to fit in little bits of exercise every chance you can get, keeping in mind our Makeover Momma™ philosophy: every little bit counts.

            In this case, you don’t even have to stand up to fit in exercise! Try these tips for the Sit Down Workout, and use it whether simply nursing your baby, watching TV, or being stuck behind your desk at work.

• Warm-Up: Sit upright in a comfortable chair, making sure to tighten your stomach, straighten your back, and use good posture throughout. Begin by straightening one leg in front of you and raising until equal with your lap.
• Start slowly lifting and lowering your leg for 30 seconds, as if about to touch your toe to the ground (it should start to burn over time…this is good!)
• Continue lifting and lowering leg, but alternate between flexing your foot and pointing your foot.
• Keep lifting while turning your leg out (rotate toes slightly away from body) for 10 seconds, and turn your flexed foot in slightly for 10 seconds (as if you are pigeon toed).
• Hold your leg parallel at the top (as high as you can raise it) and begin doing small pulses.
• Continue pulsing but turn leg out, turn it in, flex foot, and point the foot.
• For the finale, try to draw 5 wide circles in the air with your toe, and then reverse the circles in the opposite direction.

-          Make It Harder – Once you get this simply painful (but painfully simple) leg lifts down pat, try to get really creative with movements. Try “writing your name” in the air with your toe, keeping the leg lifted and moving throughout. This will help hit all parts of thigh and leg muscle. You can also make it harder by eventually resting a small weight on your upper thigh for added resistance (try a 5 lb. dumbbell or any heavy object).

      If there is one product that almost every mother has lying around their house (or diaper bag or bathroom) at all times, it’s… baby oil. Although typically used to lather your baby’s bottom and soothe cracked skin, baby oil can do more for new (or seasoned) mommas aesthetically than simply make your baby slippery. In fact, baby oil is an ideal mommy multi-tasking product, because it can serve 4 mom beauty purposes.

1.   Easy Manicure – Create an easy mommy manicure by using baby oil to hydrate hands and feet, preventing against rough paws and calloused heels. Create a “just had a mani” shine by using this multitasking product on nails and cuticles.

2.   Create Lean Legs — Use your baby oil beauty product to make legs look thinner, just like the shimmery and toned Victoria Secret models on the runway. Their shiny legs are not simply angel glow… so try spreading a little “glisten” on your own legs to highlight your assets.

3.   Pamper Your Lids– Baby oil can even remove eye make-up in a hurry, while hydrating the delicate skin around your eyelids. Simply wipe your mascara away with baby oil on a cotton swab, and enjoy the wrinkle-preventing hydration this beauty product provides.

4.   Enhance Strand Shine — Try smoothing the oil “residue” over the ends of your hair as a shine enhancing product to eliminate the appearance of split ends and flatten the cuticle of hair. Make sure to avoid roots when smoothing to avoid a flat or greasy ‘do.

         New mothers rarely have an opportunity to dress up, let alone make it out of the house for hours at a time. In fact, a majority of mothers may find themselves so desperate to feel “womanly” again (after weeks of spit-up and nursing night gowns) that they practically don a three-tiered-taffeta ball gown just to hit up the grocery store. Although the beautiful actress and new mother in her own right Bridget Moynahan certainly has every chance in the world to dress up and leave the house…she also knows how to flatter her post-partum figure flawlessly.

    Whether enjoying a well-earned date night, heading to church, or simply wanting to ditch your elastic waistband pants post-partum, create a similar look for much less. Try New York & Co’s classic LBD- the City Knit Little Black Dress- marked to only $14.99, which has a balletic neckline and oh-so-flattering fit. Instead of buying a dress with a satin waistline (much like Miss Moynahan), try adding structure and nipping in your own waist with a classic belt. Wet Seal offers a Horse Shoe Buckle Belt in black for only $10. Voila- the perfect going-out outfit with pennies to spare! 

            Studies have shown that skipping breakfast will slow down a person’s metabolic rate throughout the day (i.e. they burn less calories), and make them consume more unintended calories as the day goes on. Although we all know that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day”, as a busy parent… it can be difficult to act on our know-hows quickly and healthfully.

3 Easy Breezy Breakfasts

1. Pop one container of Eggology Egg Whites in the microwave (the micro-safe container has a healthy serving of 4 egg whites), pour into a serving dish, and add chopped vegetables (can pre-chop or use pre-frozen variety). The more variety of the veggies, the better!

2. Toast one 100-calorie English muffin or bagel (they are pre-portioned for you), add one tablespoon of peanut butter for protein, and sprinkle with 100-calorie pack of Craisons. Voila! A creamy, crunchy, sweet breakfast with ideal calorie count!

3. Create a protein and calcium packed concoction by pouring *¼ cup of low-fat cottage cheese in a bowl, and topping with 1 tablespoon of fresh berries, 1 tablespoon of chopped walnuts or almonds, 2 packets of Splenda (or no-calorie sweetener), and ½ sliced banana. Full of nutrients, but zero cooking time!

*All meal suggestions at Makeover Momma™ will include allergen information and suggestions for children with allergies, celiac disease, or additional health concerns. Note- above recipe not dairy free.

  Last month we at Makeover Momma™ reviewed DVD’s that the entire family can enjoy, and this month we are finishing the Fit Family reviews (as practiced on our own families).

• Sesame Street Dance and Move Box Set is the ideal way to workout with your toddler, especially once they are walking and interested in bizarrely furry monsters. In my daughter’s case, Elmo is the rock star of her world, and this box set is the perfect way to save both, A) her from zoning out to a near Grover-induced coma, and B) my sorry butt from joining her. Although this is definitely an activity I prefer to save for when my spouse (or any other witnesses) is not around, I firmly believe that getting off the couch at any time to join your child in an activity and encouraging movement is a good thing. This particular set includes “Elmocize”, “Zoë’s Dance Moves,” and “Dance Along with Sesame.”

LESSON LEARNED: If you have a toddler (and not a lot of pride), then join in jumping, dancing, and moving with your baby…any movement is good movement, so who cares if you are burning calories with Big Bird?

• Infantastic Dance Baby Dance is a post-natal “cardio” workout where you dance and groove holding your baby, which helps you bond with your little one and burn fat at the same time. Personally, I loved this DVD in the first few months post-partum when I wanted to sweat without hurting myself. We had a lot of fun shaking and grooving, and carrying my daughter’s body weight provided a challenging (but not overwhelming) workout.

LESSON LEARNED: This tape is fun and relatively good exercise for newly post-partum mother. Although, I can’t wait to use it with the next baby, best to try it while they are still young!

• Have an exercise video that you’d like us to review exclusively and extensively? Please email questions, comments, or suggestions!
• Next Month: How to get outside and get moving with kids of every age!

New Momma Mayhem: Whether you are a brand new mother or veteran of delivery, it goes without saying that the majority of us mothers are lacking in sleep. Although the ‘just got out of bed look’ may be “bed-head sexy” in college, it has more than likely lost its appeal in the real (sleepy) world of motherhood. Try combating the raccoon circles and puffy eye syndrome that parental peril may bring with the following products:

THE FIX:

• Cool As a Cucumber- De-puff your swollen lids in the early morning hours with a cooling cucumber based gel.

We Recommend: St. Ives Cucumber Eye and Face Stress Gel for $3-4.00, which replenishes skin, reduces swelling, and even has the word “stress” in the title.

• Perk Up Your Peepers- Now that you have hydrated and calmed your eyelids; you cannot look more awake without opening up those eyes! Try using discreetly colored mascara to widen your eyes, preferably in a shade of navy (which makes the whites of eyes stand out). 

We Recommend: Max Factor Vivid Impact Highlight Mascara for $8-10.00. Try the shade “Blushing Blue” which has a deep-blue base to enhance whiteness of eyes, while the burgundy highlighting shade makes eyes appear extra wide if applied to bottom lashes.

Have a motherly beauty dilemma, post-partum problem, or product that you want solved or addressed? Let us know!

* All product suggestions at Makeover Momma™ can be purchased at your local Wal-Mart, Target, similar drugstore, or online at www.drugstore.com.