Leisa Hart's Fit Mama Pre-Natal Workout

Drawing on exercise guidelines from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, and featuring women in each stage of pregnancy, this exercise program hosted by Leisa Hart ("from 'Buns of Steel' to 'Buns in the Oven'") is designed to help keep mother and baby healthy while preparing the body for childbirth. Viewers are reminded that the focus of exercise during pregnancy is to stay healthy--not lose weight--and encouraged to pace themselves, listening to the dictates of their own bodies (the program clearly delineates the changes in exercises and difficulty levels for women as they enter each trimester). Sporting fun and varied exercises, the video encourages expert/longtime exercisers to do the entire 54-minute routine, while newcomers are advised to choose one of the 20-minute routines (the Salsa Dance or the Yoga Fat Burn), along with the two shorter routines which focus on stretching and relaxing the body and preparing it for labor and delivery. Hart also addresses many of the physical changes that occur during pregnancy and offers special focus on such areas as the pelvic muscles, abdominals, and lower back/sciatic area. Sure to be popular, this is highly recommended. Aud: P. (K. Sullivan)