Yoga or Something Else?

I have been using Windsor Pilates and it works really well. I have two children and wanted to get back into shape...this has really helped!! windsorpilates.com...I think. I have also seen it at target sold as a big set....Hope this helps.

I would recommend Winsor Pilates. That is what worked for me. I still do them three times a week and am in really great shape. I have two boys 7 and 13 months.

I like to do both. Mari Windsor Pilates videos are great. In regards to yoga, there are many different styles so try a couple different videos (from video store or netflix) to see what you like. I like the Baby Mom yoga video by the method. It was fun and my baby loved it!

Hi M.,

I'd start yoga right now. They have a lot of tapes and classes available for pregnant women, and it's supposed to help make delivery easier.

I've purchased several tapes. Most I find too slow, too meditative. I'd get one for beginners and then a more advanced one. Classes are great if you can get a sitter. They have them for preggies and after preggies all over. I live in Fresno, CA and I can recommend a few places. Yoga makes you feel great. Now for pilates can kill a girl!! Unless you are in SUPER shape and like to challenge your body in inhuman ways -- steer clear girl!! That is just my own opinion, I've known people who actually live through their workouts and choose to do it again, which I don't get at all! Plus, you'd have to wait until you recuperated. Yoga can go slow and meet your needs at whatever physical place you are. Don't get me wrong, I'm not one of those "OM" people. In fact, I try to do yoga to help me slow down, center myself. Still working on that! Hope things go well for you!

V. T.

Why don't you do both? Alternate days. M W F yoga and T TH pilates. I don't have any suggestions on any videos. Maybe try going on Amazon.com and check the reviews.

Hi Megan,

Congratulations on your upcoming arrival. I know you were asking about dvd's but I thought I'd tell you about my business. I own a Baby Boot Camp franchise which is stroller fitness for prenatal and postpartum moms. I currently offer classes in Plumas Lake and will be starting classes in Marysville next month. It is a great workout with your child. You can find out more into at www.babybootcamp.com. Your first class is always free! Come check us out after your baby is born and you are ready for a work out!

J.

Yoga! Rodney Yee is great for video instruction.

I went to Target online and bought Pilates Weight-Loss Workout for Dummies. It was only about $9. You should ask your doctor about waiting 6 weeks post pardum to exercise (longer if you end up having a C-Section.)

You're going to want a variety. The same DVD everyday gets old after awhile. I couldn't recommend a DVD without knowing your fitness level. Check out collagevideo.com. It has descriptions of each DVD and you can even view a clip of each one. They have a huge selection and you can even buy fitness equipment, if needed, i.e., balls, ropes, yoga mats, etc.

You have probably already purchased your dvd of choice but I thought I would chime in : ) I have seen amazing results with Stroller Strides. There is nothing like have a group to inspire and be accountable to...I also push myself harder and get a better workout when someone is physically there motivating me.

www.strollerstrides.com The Vista class is awesome!
-F.

I do power yoga. It's really good for strength training & relaxation. I go to a studio in Studio City but I know there are some great dvds out there. Try Fry's they have better selection than Target.

Hi-

One of the other moms recommended Baby Boot Camp & I absolutely agree. I started doing it when our youngest son was about 4 months until he was just over a year. I loved it & it got me in better shape than I had ever been. It was nice to be outside & also meet other moms. So, definately go to their web site. I also recommend doing planks. If you're not familiar, it's an ab exercise where you put yourself in a position similar to a push up only instead of being on your hands, you lean on your forearms & can either have your legs out or in the modified push up on your knees. Then you hold it for as long as you can. Maybe start out at 30 seconds & work your way up. When I started Baby Boot Camp, I could barely hold the position 30 seconds on my knees & now I can do a minute w/legs straight out. I may not have explained this very well so try googling ab exercises & you should find it. Hope this helps & good luck!

My super favorite is

Crunch
The Perfect Workout (Fat Burning and The Joy of Yoga)
Sara Ivanhoe

online $10. Good Beginners one.
has 2 on there I always pick the Fat burning yoga.
I love it so much I never got to the other one!
Not too slow/boring. Not to hard either by 2-3rd time you got it down! And you only get stronger. Definitely help you loose weight and sweat. Plus they dont bore you with 80's music or slow boring put you to sleep talk.

Hi! I too LOVE yoga and do quite a bit when I have the time to go to our Club but since having our second I really haven't found that time. I just got a new DVD from YogaFit (excellent workouts) called Flex and Flow and I highly recommend it. You can visit their site at : www.yogafit.com

Hope this helps!

C.

check out restore the core. It's a class, also available on DVD that focuses on rebuilding the strength in your core (abdominals and pelvic floor) exactly what you'll want to strengthen after your son is born!

it's awesome, and hands on classes are available in many areas throughout the us now. Good luck with your delivery and baby!

www.strollerfit.com or call ###-###-####

I am a mother of 3 (ages 5,4,2) & have used Pilates to get back into shape after all my pregnancies. I recommend Winsor Pilates. You can get it online for cheap & at Target. Comes w/ a 20min session which done 3x/week like advised works wonders.
I continue to do it & feel rejuvenated afterwards.
Hope this helps.

Hi M.,
I would actually get one of each :) The pilates will help stretch and lengthen your body and help tone you back into your old shape. The yoga tape will energize and/or relax you depending on what type you get. They have some that have a morning and a night session. You may need both with a new baby! Best of luck! And don't forget the aerobic tapes too to help you lose that baby fat. Congrats on the new addition!
Hugs,
B.
www.teatreewellness.org
www.mylatasia.com/Elegance
www.bethsbambooshop.com

For pilates, I use this dvd: http://www.amazon.com/More-Than-Pilates-Beginning-Sarah-P...

I use my yoga mat. A puffier mat would work too.

Hope these links work!

For yoga, I have two dvds I like:
http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Beginners-Barbara-Benagh/dp/B0...

http://www.amazon.com/Yoga-Complete-Weight-Loss/dp/B0000V...

For those, I also have a yoga strap and a block I like to use. I don't think you need to have either, though. I used to use my bathrobe strap for the yoga strap and I rarely use the block.

And just for the sake of hyping my new favorite workout dvd:
http://www.amazon.com/Cathe-Friedrich-Body-Fusion/dp/B000...

It's not pilates or yoga, but it provides such a great workout. Right now, my muscles are killing me because I did the upper body workout. You'd need a step, resistance band, and hand weights for this one, though.

Hope that helped!

M., I would start at your local Ross Store looking for videos. Ours in Thousand Oaks has a dozen different ones - VERY inexpensive. Your local library would be another FREE place to 'try them out' till you find the ones you like best.
P.

Hi M. -- Just wondering if you had any luck finding a good video? I had my beautiful girl on Oct 18, 2007 so I'm definitely still working on the post-baby body! I did a lot of yoga before I got pregnant and then a great pre-natal yoga vid during my pregnancy (by Gaiam Videos, with Shiva Rea) -- but I'm still not strong enough to go back to the yoga I was doing before I got pregnant. Plus I'd really like to find something that incorporates my daughter...

Thought I'd try to revive an old thread!

Thanks in advance!

Hi Megan,
I am a personal trainer and an instructor of both pilates and yoga. I would recommend yoga dvds by Baron Baptiste and pilates dvds by Romana/Naturaljourneys. If you have any more questions, please feel free to e-mail me back.

-C.
____@____.com

Try Winsor Pilates. You can get it online and its only about $10.

Good morning luv! How's your world? I sed you my joy and wsh you well. If youhave high speed on your internet access thre is no need to spen money for a yoga CD there are many accessable options availabl fr free onutube and oher such video sites such as google video. You can find yoga for beginners at:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5S1jBk-zmeI
or
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=20gBKnJ343w

Just copy and paste it in your url address bar. I hope this was helpful. Have a great day and good luck...M.

I am a Yoga/Pilates instructor and often get asked the same question. As yoga styles can vary so much, i'd advise going to your library and borrowing them for free. I've brought a few that were for beginners and they were jumping from pose to pose! So be careful, find a style that suits you. Even people going into classes at gyms will find they like some instructors more than others. When you find your match you will get so much out of it and will want to continue for the rest of your life.
If you have any other questions please feel free to contact me personnally.

Try yogayak.com :) They offer online yoga and meditation classes, and you can get your first month free. The classes are wonderful :D

I have a a prenatal Yoga dvd and post natal yoga dvd available on my website
www.natiyoga.com
they are great since you have the option of spanish or english narration.
please feel free to contact me
N.

Hi M.!

Pilates all the way, if what you want is to lose the belly. Yoga is a wonderful, wonderful thing, but it is not a workout and was never intended to be. Yoga is more about a mind-body connection than working out or toning any muscles. Pilates will help get those stretched-out tummy muscles back into shape. What also helps are cross crunches: right elbow to left knee, left elbow to right knee. Start these at 6 weeks after delivery, unless you have a c-section. If you wait too long, it's much harder to get the belly to go back down.

Good luck!
P.

On the Oxygen channel there is a yoga program called "Inhale". It is wonderful. It comes on at 6am in Los Angeles and I have been recording it to do during nap times, etc. It is challenging but can be easily modified. The instructor is fun and not too serious. It was recommended by a fitness magazine and I was pleasantly surprised.

hi M.

congratulations on your upcoming birth of your son, hope all goes well, if you are interested in yoga and want to save some money there is a program that comes on at different times on KVIE channel its called Priscilla's yoga stretches, she takes you through some Yoga exercises, it runs for 1/2 hr each time, I tryed it for a while it worked well for me, you can check out KVIE.com for more info.

hope this helps
good luck