Fit Moms for Life Review and Giveaway! Win the Book and $25 to Amazon.com ~CLOSED~

Not "Fit Moms for a Season" or "Fit Moms After Pregnancy", not even just "Fit Moms", but rather... "Fit Moms for Life". I have to admit, as an overweight mother of two who just turned 40... and who has yo-yo-ed between skinny and fat since high school... I like the title of this book.

Other than liking the title, I had my initial doubts about this book's contents. Fortunately, you really can't judge a book by it's cover... or in this case by it's title, so fortunately I actually opened the book and read it.

My initial thoughts after seeing the youthful face of this book's author looked a bit like this... What could this young author and fitness guru know about middle-age"ish" moms and their weight-loss struggles? In other words, what could Dustin know about me and "my stuff"? The other thought was... How many books on diet and fitness do I already have sitting on my bookshelf and how have those books helped me? How would this book be any different?

In a nutshell... here are the thoughts I've cultivated "after reading" Fit Moms for Life:

REAL MOMS/REAL STORIES
Fit Moms for Life is REAL. We all like real don't we? The book contains dozens of moms... with before and after photos (from Dustin's boot camp), along with their stories, their challenges, their goals, advice and shared encouragement. So, you're apt to feel a real connection (as I did) with one or more women in this book. REAL women. It's not just a book of tips and recommendations... many of which we've all heard a million times. You know a book of facts on healthy living, but without a plan, without encouragement and without one ounce of ongoing support or community?

Dustin's dream is to one day see Fit Moms for Life communities spring up all over the United States; where moms like you and I can enjoy the personal encouragement and accountability lacking in simply reading a book or watching a video. There are already a handful of such communities in existence and Dustin offers tools and resources from his website at fitmomsforlife.com to help you launch a program in your own neighborhood. Thousands of women are subscribed to a monthly DVD program through Fit Moms for Life too.

Another thing Justin addresses is why it is moms get out of shape in the first place... or why it is they feel they've lost control of their bodies. The root of the problem could be different for you than it is for me. Perhaps it's lack of motivation? Maybe you're surrounded by negative influences? Perhaps you have no energy for thoughts of taking care of youself simply because you're eating the wrong foods at the wrong time of day? Maybe you've forgotten how to take care of yourself, or decided a long time ago that part of being mom means putting yourself last? The bottom line? Getting to the heart of what is holding you back is key.

I NEED TO BE FIT
Why do moms need to be fit and why is it so easy to put ourselves last? Dustin reminded me that we need to be fit and healthy in order to be happy and productive. It doesn't hurt to look good either. lol What besides looking her best makes a mom happy? For one thing, being able to keep up with her active children. I got winded tonight just bathing our 14 week-old puppy. Seriously?

I'd also like to think that it's my job to successfully model a healthy lifestyle to my children. As I get older every year (and yes, you do the same thing) I also have to consider the benefits of remaining mobile and keeping my heart pumping in my later years so I might enjoy an active life with my grandchildren. Like it or not, my body (and yours) is changing. Wouldn't it feel incredible to take that change by the horns and lead it to a smaller pair of Levis? I think I have a Kohl's coupon somewhere.

I was reminded that some of "life as mom" is and should be about me taking care of me. That the healthy lifestyle I live and demonstrate to my children will affect them in multiple ways... both today and tomorrow. Wow... what a hard pill to swallow. Fortunately with Dustin's plan you'll not need a pill. Don't even get me started.

~Win it!~

One winner will receive a paperback copy of Fit Moms for Life by Dustin Maher (ARV $19.95) and a $25 to Amazon.

This particular giveaway is the product of a co-effort between Fit Moms for Life who graciously offered a copy of this motivational book to one of our readers and The Homeschooling Blog who tossed in the $25 gift card to Amazon just to sweeten the pot!

This giveaway widget it much shorter than most of those you'll see published on The Homeschooling Blog (Bonus!)... so I hope you'll have time to pick up all possible entries! You'll also find opportunities for daily entries if you're into tweeting and voting for me on Picket Fences.

a Rafflecopter giveaway The Homeschooling Blog did not receive monetary compensation for this review and giveaway. I was provided with a complimentary copy of Fit Moms for Life in exchange for this review. Additionally, Fit Moms for Life generously offered to gift one winner a copy of this book, which they'll assume responsibility for shipping direct to the winner. I'm providing the $25 Amazon.com gift card in order to drive additional interest and traffic to this giveaway! So... tell me, did it work? lol The gift card will be sent electronically to the winner of this giveaway via email. By entering this giveaway you are giving us permission to share your name if you should be the winner. Please see complete contest rules and restrictions on the Raffelcopter widget.
 
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