A recent article in the Des Moines Register September 17 of Mom's and Me featured my friends Jill and Laura Olsen. If you have not had a chance to read the article, a short snipit and photograph is included below. Laura Olsen of Urbandale does push ups on a picnic table while her son, Tate, 21 months, rides and is spotted by trainer Jill Olsen at Walker Johnston Park In Urbandale.



Moms routinely put themselves last, but following a few simple fitness gurus' tips and inspiring moms' stories can help shed the mommy guilt, along with a few pounds or high cholesterol points.


Keeping up with the kids, work, housework, volunteering, whatever it may be, moms really do need to eat healthy and exercise regularly. But how?

"First, make time for yourself before you do anything. Take five minutes first thing in the morning to be still, which is so hard to do," said personal fitness trainer Jill Olsen of Des Moines. "Even if you take (only) 20 minutes a day to exercise, that's 20 minutes more than what you were previously doing."

Olsen works with a variety of moms, from new moms to stay-at-home moms to working moms. Some fun exercises to do at home are squats while holding a baby and planks while kids sit on your lower back, rocking from side to side and front to back.

"Some moms have way too much going on, so I help them fit in exercise at their homes. I also work with moms at the gym," she said. "I've taken moms and their kids to the playground and put together an obstacle course for exercise. I try to make exercising fun and incorporate several body parts in one exercise to make the best use of their time. I also help with nutritional guidelines, too."