★MomStars: Interview with Kendra Wilkinson

I must say, I was addicted to Kendra Wilkinson’s Girls Next Door spin-off show, Kendra. Because I was pregnant, I wrote off this guilty pleasure as “research.” The show took a peek inside her pregnancy and life with a new baby, as well as her postpartum struggles with her body image and weight.

With a 15-month-old son, a workout DVD and a stint on this season’s Dancing with the Stars (she’s got our vote!), Kendra is one busy mama! Here, she answers our burning questions about pregnancy, new mommyhood and fitness—and she gives hilarious advice on brownie consumption.

Interview with Kendra Wilkinson

• FBM: What were your favorite activities and workouts during pregnancy?
• KW: Anything outdoors, but I really didn’t get a lot of that because we were in Indianapolis during the winter. So I did a lot of indoor and gym workouts, but I didn’t work out a whole lot during pregnancy. It was my first pregnancy, so I kind of took it easy.
• FBM: What was your favorite part of pregnancy? What was your least favorite part of pregnancy?
• KW: My favorite part was getting spoiled and pampered and feeling my son growing. The worst part was the pains all over—especially my back and ribs—and morning sickness.
• FBM: Would you do anything differently if you have another baby?
• KW: I will definitely watch what I eat more now that I know how hard it is to lose it! I will eat half a batch of brownies instead of a full batch.
• FBM: What was your experience getting back into shape after pregnancy? Any lessons learned to share with new moms?
• KW: It was SO much harder than I thought! I thought the weight would come right off, but it took forever. I would say not to look at the scale and to instead look at how your clothes are fitting. Watching numbers on a scale will drive you crazy!
• FBM: You seemed to embrace not only your pregnancy body but also your postpartum body. Any advice for pregnant women and new moms on embracing their new and different bods?
• KW: Just to realize that just like your life will never been the exact same as it was before the baby, your body won’t either. And that it’s a GOOD change. It’s a change that came from something amazing and to not beat yourself up over a couple pounds.
• FBM: What does a typical workout week look like for you?
• KW: I like to change my workouts as much as I can to keep them interesting, but usually I try for around four or five days of a good workout. Hiking, running, weights—I like to switch it up.
• FBM: How do you balance “you time” with the demands of motherhood?
• KW: You just have to allow yourself to take that time. Whether it’s going out on date night or just having your partner or a babysitter take care of the baby for a couple hours so you can have a bath or take a nap. Just understanding that you will be a better mom if you allow yourself time to really get back to you.
• FBM: What’s been the biggest challenge?
• KW: The sleep in the beginning! And just my crazy schedule and balancing work and family life.
• FBM: Were there any surprises in becoming a mom?
• KW: Everything is a surprise! Every second. I had never even held a baby or taken care of one before having my son, so it was all new to me. I’m not great at taking advice and I like to learn on my own, so everything was all new.
• FBM: Any advice for other moms on how to keep family healthy and active?
• KW: Get outside! Go the park, go to playgrounds, play sports together. Just stay active over all.
• FBM: Why did you want to make a workout DVD?
• KW: I really saw while living in a couple of really cold areas that sometimes it can be really challenging to get to the gym. My workout is fun, you can fit it into YOUR schedule, and you can do it at home.
• FBM: What do you think your Be a Knockout workout offers that others don’t?
• KW: The sports theme really livens it up! Also that you can do the whole DVD or break it down into smaller sections you want to do.
• FBM: What current projects are you involved in? Any plans for more workouts?
• KW: I would love to do more workouts! Right now I’m doing Dancing with the Stars, gearing up for my next season and enjoying my family time.
• FBM: Any other thoughts or advice for our Fit Bottomed readers?
• KW: Just to always have fun with your workouts otherwise it will feel like work!

Thanks to Kendra for taking the time to answer our questions. We wish her the best on DWTS—go Kendra! Don’t forget to check out our review of her workout DVD and comment to win one! —Erin