Want to align your chakras and slim your body? On the October 4 "Live with Kelly and Michael" show, yoga guru Hilaria Baldwin demonstrated her moves that can help you lose weight and feel great.
Wife of Alec Baldwin and mom to five-week-old Carmen Gabriela, Hilaria has created her own yoga DVD: "@ Home with Hilaria Baldwin: Fit Mommy-to-be Prenatal Yoga" (click for details). She showed Kelly and Michael (who both looked lovely in leotards) how to use gentle yoga moves to tone and strengthen their bodies.
Although Hilaria had an intense fitness routine before her pregnancy, doing spinning classes, she turned to yoga for a mind-body way to stay fit. In an interview with Reuters on October 3, the 29-year-old new mother said that her easy pregnancy resulted from her consistent exercise.
"When I had aches and pains in the middle of the night, I’d just get out of bed and stretch," said Hilaria. "A lot of people are so afraid to exercise they do damage by becoming sedentary."
She practices with her husband, who also appears in her DVD. And Hilaria is eager to begin yoga practice with her baby.
"She’s going to totally do yoga," Hilaria said, "I have high hopes for her." She hopes that the baby will encourage her daddy Alec to join them regularly.
"We do yoga together. I think we should do more," she said. "She is (Carmen) going to tell her father to get off his butt," laughed Hilaria.
But is it safe to exercise during pregnancy? The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists says yes, unless complications crop up. But in most cases, the ACOG advises 30 minutes of moderate exercise almost daily.
Dr. Raul Artal, who specializes in exercise and pregnancy, believes that women who follow Hilaria's example do have an easier pregnancy than those who are sedentary.
"There are also positive effects on mood that may prevent depression," said Dr. Artal, a professor and chairman of the department of Obstetrics, Gynecology & Women’s Health at Saint Louis University School of Medicine.
In terms of yoga, he recommends moderation. In addition, women should be sure to add enough water to their diets, as hydration is essential.
"Pregnancy is one of the main contributors to obesity," he pointed out. "Obese women have a higher incidence of infants with birth defects."
And Hilaria emphasizes how much it helped her during her pregnancy.
“[The program] I’ve designed helped keep me fit and feeling great throughout my pregnancy,” she told People magazine on October 3.
