UnderReview: Shannon Miller Body After Baby

Jumping back into workouts after a hiatus is never easy. I should know—I’ve taken workout breaks on occasion. Of course, my most recent vacation was taken after the arrival of my beautiful little bundle of joy. In those first months, there was no way I was trading precious sleep for a sweat session!

No matter what the reason for taking a workout break, the key to getting back into shape is to ease into fitness and not do too much too fast. As Olympian and rockin’ mom Shannon Miller said yesterday, new moms shouldn’t rush back into working out; there’s plenty of time to get back into shape. Her Body After Baby DVD came along at the right time for me as I try to squeeze in fitness (and hopefully, eventually, all of my jeans!).

The DVD is split up into four segments—two boot-camp workouts and two sculpting sessions—and all are right at 20 minutes. The length is perfect for new moms: Long enough to make you feel like you accomplished something but short enough so that you don’t feel overwhelmed and super out of shape. Plus, they were great for squeezing in during my daughter’s (short) daytime naps.

All of the workouts include their own warm-up and cool down, so you’re never thrown into exercises without getting warm first. The boot-camp segments weren’t too scary, but definitely had me skipping a rep here and there. They got my heart rate up with exercises one after another—push-ups, squats, lunges, planks, reverse crunches and burpees. The toning segments got me more sore than the bootcamp though. My calves were burning after the calf raises, and my abs definitely felt it the next day after incorporating the stability ball into core work. I was shocked at how challenging one lateral leg lift move was when the ball was used!

While this postnatal workout DVD won’t shock you with anything newfangled, it’s a solid workout for new moms. The instruction is great, modifications are included, and as a new mom, Shannon really understands what new moms are going through and has cute commentary throughout.

FBG Rating (Out of 5):
Instruction: ★★★★
Long-Term Likeability:★★
Music: ★★
Fun Factor: ★★★
Meets Expectations: ★★★

Overall: ★★★1/2

Best for: New moms who are transitioning back into fitness. This DVD will get experienced exercisers back to the basics and won’t overwhelm fitness newbies with anything too fancy.

Want to get back into shape after your baby arrives? Or are you a new mom who has a few pounds to lose? Comment to win this DVD! We’ll notify winners by email. U.S. residents only, please! —Erin