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Hot (Sweaty) Mamas
Achieving and maintaining fitness for busy Moms
©Outdoor Adventure Canada

Authors Kara Thom and Laurie Kocanda share five secrets to life as a fit mom in their audacious book Hot (Sweaty) Mamas. But it's not about getting that perfect body, it's about acheiving and maintaining a healthy lifestyle while managing the balancing act of being a Mom.

The five secrets are...

You have to train your brain before you can train your body.

There are no good excuses.

Be as good to your body as you are to your children.

People can sabotage your fitness faster than a cookie binge.

Act like others are watching because they are.

There are two secrets that have stuck with me the most.

One is "there are no good excuses". As a Mom of two great kids in an extremely busy household, working as a self-employed writer, trying to maintain an individual relationship with each of my children, plus my husband (who travels extensively for his work) and making time to do all the other things I enjoy (photography, needlework, drawing, and reading) I am the Queen of Excuses. There are no good excuses really hit home and as I continue my quest for fitness and head towards running my first half marathon in May 2013. I'm pretty sure that this secret will be my mantra during my training.

The other is about people trying to sabotage your efforts as this happened to me quite recently with someone who I thought I was as close to as a sister.

The book is chalk full of tips and tricks on how to make each secret work for you. Included within are sidebars of motivational and helpful quotes from other mothers as well as from the authors.

Kara and Laurie have a passion for getting fit as a family. My husband and I have always maintained that not only should we set good examples by being fit ourselves, but that we encourage each of our children to be active with us. We bike as a family, run as a family, hike, camp, walk and play together as a family. Even cooking nutritional meals is a family affair. Laurie and Kara are absolutely correct: when they say "We're convinced a family that sweats together, gets closer together."

Even though Hot (Sweaty) Mamas is a practical guide for women who wish to adopt a healthier lifestyle during every stage of motherhood. It contains sound fitness guidance in each chapter that will work for all members of the family. For more tips, advice and laughs from Kara Thom and Laurie Kocanda check out their website Hot Sweaty Mamas and follow them on Facebook.

Written by the Outdoor Girl