Fitness

In his article “Eat Your Peas. Or Don’t. Whatever,” New York Times food critic and author Frank Bruni describes the extremes to which young children are straying - obesity on one end of the spectrum, an obsession with being thin on the other. These are subjects Bruni knows something about. In his recent memoir, Born Round: The Secret History of a Full-Time Eater, Bruni, a man who makes his living eating, chronicles his bouts with bulimia and struggles with fluctuating weight. In the Eat Your Peas article, he discusses the challenge for parents in this age of extremes. It’s “how to coach children away from unhealthy eating without sowing panic; how to make them conscious of their intake without making them too self-conscious about its consequences.”

We asked Lynn Grefe, CEO of the National Eating Disorders Association, how to accomplish this. She offers the following advice:

Dieting
A parent who is constantly dieting isn’t setting a good example. “The right example is to eat in a healthy fashion and not to set up food as the culprit … There’s really no such thing as bad foods. It’s about the moderation of foods.” (The exception: You truly do have a health issue and need to be on a diet.)

Liquid detox/Cleansing diets
A quick word on these fad diets of the moment which promise a “cleanse” after a certain period of drinking various concoctions. “It’s not healthy. It’s not the way that we’re supposed to be living.”

Talking the talk
A parent who is always asking if she’s fat or whether certain clothes make her butt look big is sending the wrong message. The focus is shifted to weight rather than “ who we are as people.” Teach kids that they should be healthy for the size that fits their body.

Walking the walk
“If a parent is on a treadmill for three hours watching TV, then what kind of signal is she sending to her child? That’s not moderation.” (The exception: You’re training for the marathon.) “People who are doing extremes in their own life, then, of course, those extremes are going to run down on the kids.” Obviously, exercise in and of itself is fine and part of a healthy lifestyle.

Enjoying food
Put the joy back into mealtime. “It’s terrible that people are setting food up as the enemy. Food is supposed to be a joyous time. We sit down to meals. We break bread. It’s supposed to be a nice time where we meet and compare notes and ask, ‘How was your day?’”

Adding perspective
If your DD comes home and tells you her BFF won’t eat any sugar, explain that that’s not a healthy approach. Try not to criticize the friend but rather the behavior. You might also want to suggest that the food restriction in question may be related to a health issue.

Being aware
“No child should be losing her self-esteem over this. And that’s what’s happening. Even if they don’t develop an eating disorder, girls think they’re never perfect. They never feel quite right. We should be measuring the size of our hearts and not the size of our hips.”

For more info., visit nationaleatingdisorders.org.

You’re now treating your clothes as an investment — meaning, they have to last. So buying duds for each trimester — little bit o’ belly, bit more belly, whole lotta belly — is out of the question.

Try something that grows with you: FIT2BEMOM just launched as a maternity active wear brand for both exercise and extracurriculars (lounging, lunching). Details like side-seam shirring, a roll-down waistband, built-in shelf bra and adjustable straps contour to your shape, resulting in a proper fit throughout the stages of pregnancy. Plus, the line’s moisture-wicking fabric will keep you cool during prenatal Pilates — or during that sweat-inducing trip to Strollerland.

A good deal is the 2BActive Kit, which includes a round-neck tee, long pant and headband in a drawstring bag, for either the active life or the active look.

Available at fit2bmom.com.

You can’t get your kid out of her tutu, but hey, maybe you’ve got the next prima ballerina on your hands.

Indulge her dance mania with Prima Princessa Presents Swan Lake, a sweet and age-appropriate new ballet DVD for ages 3 to 6. The 40-minute DVD features dancers from the Paris Opera Ballet performing select segments of the classic Swan Lake. In between acts, steps like pirouettes are reinforced through fun dance montages of young students from NYC’s School of American Ballet at Lincoln Center, little girls in tutus, and even toys and animals. The entire enchanting experience is hosted by Prima Princessa, an animated fairy ballerina.

Now, back to the barre.

Available at primaprincessa.com.

The holidays are, at their best, a time of appreciation, so we’d like to take this opportunity to thank you, our faithful, funny, intelligent and inspiring readers. UrbanBaby will be back on the beat in 2009, to bring you a hip daily dose of style, gear, tips, tricks and everything else to help you have a blast with your kids. Until then, take a look back at some favorites from the past year.

1. Stay savvy, smart and sane as a SAHM.

2. Juggle not one baby, but two (or more).

3. Teach your kid it’s chic to be a geek.

4. Get ready to make a comeback.

5. Help your DD act her age.

6. Make time to work out — even while pregnant.

7. Find a job that’s family friendly.

8. Kick postpartum depression to the curb.

9. Turn a picky eater into a little foodie.

10. Raise a bilingual child. Si, se puede.

Still looking for the perfect present? Check out the UrbanBaby gift guide.

Happy holidays!

You know those women with perfect bods who prance around in yoga clothes all day? You want to be one of them. Too bad you have a job, a new baby and a post-pregnancy tush to attend to.

Well, at least you can dress like them with Beyond Yoga’s new collection of ultra-comfy and workout-friendly leggings, camis and hoodies (just to name a few styles). Founded by A-list yoga instructor Jodi Guber, the line will keep you looking chic and serene from downward dog to daycare pickup. The fabrics are soft, the colors are cool and the fit is so flattering it might actually inspire you to go to the gym.

Suddenly you feel at peace.

Available at iambeyond.com.

That one hour at the gym is your “me time” — not to mention your get-my-body-back time. The baby sleeps so much, he won’t even notice you’ve ditched him for the elliptical.

But what to wear? You’ve got sports bras, you’ve got nursing bras, but never the twain shall meet. Until Bao Bei Maternity launched its Partum Me (get it?) sport bra, which is super supportive with a criss-cross front to make post-Pilates breastfeeding a snap (enough with the puns).

Now there’s really no excuse not to work out. Sorry.

Available at baobeimaternity.com.

With the frenzied playdate circuit and the stress of preschool admissions, your progeny needs to get centered.

Yoga Planet cards may do the trick. This deck of activities “for a greener world” is divided into the elements of Air, Earth, Fire, Water and Space. Each element inspires five kinds of activities: breathing, individual and partner poses, games and action. The series also includes kiddie tips for no-waste lunches and building focus, as well as ways to use “force and finesse” to deal with frustration.

Use it for more OM and less OMG.

Available at amazon.com.

– L.B.

You’re a Spanx girl — the more sucked in, the better. But after giving birth, there are only so many sit-ups a new mom can do. You need an extra push to pull in that tummy.

The Belly Bandit is an abdominal compression binder to help flatten the belly and redefine the waistline post-baby (moms around the globe have been doing this for centuries). The wrap also helps decrease bloating caused by water retention, give support to legs and back, improve posture and reduce back and shoulder pain associated with breastfeeding. It’s OK for use after a C-section, and can be worn all day (even while sleeping).

That will help you rest easier.

Available at bellybandit.com.

As a superwoman, you want to do it all — which includes exercising while pregnant. But even if you loathe the gym, you may want to lace up those old sneakers: The American Pregnancy Association encourages fitness for a healthy pregnancy (talk to your doctor first and check out these guidelines).

Katalin Rodriguez-Ogren, creator of fitness DVD Can’t Stop the Mamma geared toward moms-to-be, offers these tips on working out while preggo:

1. Dedicate at least 20 minutes in your schedule to moving and exercising your body each day. Exercise will reduce constipation, swelling and help you sleep more soundly. Not to mention, it will help keep your body healthier and stronger.

2. Incorporate some form of strength or resistance training in your 20 to 30-minute daily workout. Strength training will help your body adjust to the unavoidable weight gain. You will also be able to maintain a healthier body composition when gaining the extra pounds. You are better off gaining muscle. Easy examples of this are: step ups, leg lifts, dips, push-up plank holds, lunges and squats.

3. Stay ahead of hunger and nausea. Eat every 3 hours or so, even if it is just a few almonds, a piece of cheese or a half of a banana. This will also curb binge eating.

4. If are not already, try to get to sleep earlier. Because the quality of sleep changes so much while pregnant you need to allocate more time for your body to sleep. You will feel so much better taking on all your other responsibilities.

5. Keep a schedule and stick to it.

Getting back in shape post-baby is tough, even for the pros. UB checked in with tennis star — and new mom — Lindsay Davenport, on her off-the-court tips for getting your bod back.

• Once you get the OK from your doc, start back slowly. Get out and walk with baby in the stroller — and try some hills for an extra push. Obviously you’re exhausted, but try to be as active as you can.
• To get energy for your workout, nap whenever the baby naps (and don’t be ashamed to sleep during the day — Lindsay does it, too!). Perhaps during his third nap of the day, you can fit in a little exercise at home.
• Aim for 30 minutes of physical activity a day, five days a week. Try to do something different every day, to change up the routine and get your heart rate going. Lindsay recommends the elliptical machine, which doesn’t put too much stress on your body but burns more calories than the stationary bike.