Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy

Feel confident and capable as a mom-to-be with Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy: A Yoga and Fitness Plan. Desi Bartlett, founder of the popular Mothers Into Living Fit program, guides you through your pregnancy. You will feel great in your own body, have the strength to deliver your baby, and recover quickly.

With the 3 + 1 Total Body Fitness philosophy, Bartlett combines yoga, resistance training, cardiovascular training, and nutrition. The emphasis on yoga improves posture, increases flexibility, and relieves low back pain and tension throughout your body. You’ll discover the techniques to nurture your mental well-being, allowing you to manage the emotional highs and lows of pregnancy and motherhood. You’ll find a plan for each stage of pregnancy and postpartum recovery, as well as the following:

• Over 100 exercises and yoga poses with appropriate safety guidelines
• 16 ready-to-use practices for various stages of pregnancy
• Desi’s quick tips and advice, including features like Mommy Move, Information No One Tells You, Love-Your-Baby Visualization, and Fun Foods

A truly fit, confident mom is created from the inside out. Let Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy teach you how to prioritize your health and happiness, Cultivate your inner power and be a fierce, strong, sexy mom!

Audience

Pregnant women, women who have recently been pregnant, and fitness professionals who coach pregnant clients.

Part I. Plan for a Strong Pregnancy

Chapter 1. Strong Is the New Skinny

• Live fit from the inside out
• Learn the secret of a strong core
• Become strong and sexy throughout your pregnancy

Chapter 2. Three Plus One Total Body Fitness

• Use various forms of movement to create your total body fitness program
• Combine yoga, resistance training, cardio, and nutrition for a healthy pregnancy

Chapter 3. Mama Knows Best

• Connect with your body and become fully present in your pregnancy
• Use meditation to bond with your baby
• Cultivate an awareness of your own and your baby’s needs

Part II. Prepare for Birth and Beyond

Chapter 4. First Trimester: Increase Endurance

• Learn how exercise can carry you through your pregnancy
• Use yoga, meditation, and cross-training to fight off fatigue

Chapter 5. Second Trimester: Build Strength

• Get strong for the rest of your pregnancy
• Find a rhythm and establish a regular exercise routine

Chapter 6. Third Trimester: Prepare to Push

• Learn about the power of the pelvic floor
• Train your pelvic floor muscles for labor, delivery, and recovery

Chapter 7. Happy Birth Day!

• Use your body and mind to be present and aware
• Create a birth plan to prepare and eliminate fear

Part III. Practices for Recovery and Results

Chapter 8. New Mama Recovery Workout

• Incorporate gentle moves and practices into your new life
• Strengthen and tone your abdomen and pelvic floor after giving birth

Chapter 9. Mommy and Me

• Exercise with your baby to strengthen your bond and both your bodies
• Learn how to hold your baby properly during exercise

Chapter 10. Belly Blaster Series

• Try deep core work to redefine your abdominal area
• Use core exercise to gain the functional strength needed to care for your baby

Chapter 11. Self-Care for Moms

• Take care for yourself so you can better care for your baby
• Create a daily routine that includes proper sleep and exercise

Chapter 12. Insights for Moms Over 40

• Be aware of the unique challenges of being a mom over 40
• Strengthen and tone your body to combat loss of muscle mass

Desi Bartlett, MS, CPT, E-RYT, has been teaching health and wellness for over 20 years. She is a dynamic motivator and widely sought after international presenter and spokesperson. Her teaching approach taps into one’s inner joy and makes movement an outer expression of that state.

Originally from Chicago, Bartlett earned a degree in kinesiology, with a minor in dance, and a master’s degree in corporate fitness. She holds advanced certifications in yoga, personal training, pre- and postnatal fitness, and group fitness. She is a continuing education provider through the National Academy of Sports Medicine and the National Council for Certified Personal Trainers. She has worked with the U.S. Navy and with several large companies, including Manduka, Gaiam, Equinox, and Mattel.

Bartlett has worked with several celebrity moms in Los Angeles, including Alicia Silverstone and Kate Hudson. Her inspiring and unique classes have been featured on networks such as ABC, NBC, FOX, Univision, Hallmark, and Lifetime. She is passionate about communicating her message of the joy of movement with people all over the world, and her DVDs are distributed in the United States, Latin America, and Europe. She currently stars in eight yoga, fitness, and dance DVDs, including Better Belly Yoga, Latin Groove, and Total Body Tone. She has a diverse background in many areas of fitness and yoga and has worked as a product director for Gaiam and as the group fitness manager for Equinox Santa Monica, and she created a new round yoga mat for Manduka. She is currently a Manduka ambassador and their director of community events.

“Professional, passionate, and patient, Desi Bartlett is the total package. Your Strong, Sexy Pregnancy will give expecting mothers and new mothers alike the peace of mind, body, and spirit they need for years to come!”
—Liz Vaccariello, Editor in Chief of Parents Magazine

“Desi Bartlett’s commitment to empowering women throughout their pregnancies is reflected on each page of this book. Mothers everywhere will benefit from her compassionate advice, the intelligent sequencing, and her ability to blend the ancient practice of yoga with modern-day fitness principles. A wonderful gift for all expecting women and new moms.”
—Mike Soenen, CEO of Manduka

“As an ob-gyn, it is the biggest honor and joy to be able to observe and accompany the patient’s transition from pregnancy to becoming a mom. As a mom, giving birth was the most amazing experience ever. I never thought my body had that much strength and power in a moment. When I was more than exhausted, my body knew exactly what to do. Thanks to Desi and her prenatal yoga class, I learned to focus on my body, to trust and believe in its strength and power, and to keep on breathing calmly in the biggest pain. Thank you, Desi! I can’t put it into words how much you helped us.”
—Conny Fendler, MD, Obstetrics and Gynecology Physician

“It is not an exaggeration to say that Desi Bartlett is my role model. She's one of those women who seems to have it all together—her family, her kids, her attitude, her body. Yet she's relentlessly positive and will do anything to uplift the people around her. Desi's secret to success is her yoga practice. In Your Strong Sexy Pregnancy: A Yoga and Fitness Plan, you get Desi's fitness plan to give you the tools to thrive during pregnancy. Desi offers advice that is accessible, yoga sequences for every body, and the practical kind of information that is road-tested—or, well, mat-tested. Become your own best role model by following Desi's yoga and fitness plan for better health and vitality for pregnancy and beyond.”
—Felicia Tomasko, RN, Editor in Chief of LA Yoga and Boston Yoga, and President of Bliss Network

“Desi Bartlett gave me one of the most beautiful gifts during my pregnancy. She coached me using her yoga expertise, and brought me on a spiritual journey that connected me to my little girl as she grew inside. I love this woman!”
—Kate Hudson

“I had the distinct pleasure of working with Desi at Gaiam, where she innovated new concepts for fitness and yoga equipment. Desi has the innate ability to distill complex information into relatable and approachable methodologies. Her passion and gentle nature radiate through her words and actions and embody her essential being. Desi’s work with new moms provides a safe place for women going through what is likely to be both a challenging and an exhilarating time in their lives. There is no better person to guide women along their physical and emotional journey to motherhood.“
—Susan Haney, Former Senior Vice President and General Merchandise Manager for Gaiam