Having trouble getting kick-started on that New Year's Resolution for good health? Has it become easier to make excuses than it is to make it to the gym? Are you pregnant - and not sure how to start up a fitness routine, or know what to do? Fitness trainer and health industry leader Erin O'Brien, author of the new DVD release "Strong Body, Ageless Body" has some ideas and suggestions on how to commit to a life of healthy living... today.

Carly Hope Finseth: Do you have any tips on what women can do to get a jumpstart on good health for 2008?

Erin O'Brien: Hire a great trainer. if you can't afford it, find some exercise classes that inspire you. There are all kinds of terrific classes out there - I'd recommend trying Kettlebells, Pilates, Spinning, or Yoga if you haven't already tried them.

CHF: Do you feel that New Year's resolutions relating to workout regimens and/or weight loss goals are helpful or harmful to starting a fitness routine?

EO: I think it is a great way to start/reinvest in your fitness program. Everybody likes a fresh start.

CHF: Your training style encourages women to become excited and re-energized about health and fitness by incorporating an element of fun. Do you have any advice for women who are having a tough time getting started on a regular fitness routine - or who have become burned out by their current routine?

EO: Get a workout partner, or like I said earlier, treat yourself to 10 sessions with a trainer.

CHF: One of your latest DVD titles is aptly named "Strong Body, Ageless Body." Why is strength training so important to overall health?

EO: On so many different levels, strength training is vital to keeping your body fit. Improving bone density, lowering body fat, and raising metabolism are just a few of the benefits.

CHF: Do you think that maintaining one's body strength can help women gain strength in other areas of their lives as well?

EO: Absolutely. When you feel strong and confident in your body, it naturally affects other areas of your life as well. I've seen some amazing transformations happen with clients once they start feeling confident and strong in their bodies - it's terrific to witness.

"When you feel strong and confident in your body, it naturally affects other areas of your life as well. I've seen some amazing transformations happen with clients once they start feeling confident and strong in their bodies - it's terrific to witness."         - Erin O'Brien

CHF: In 2007 you also released a DVD box set entitled "Complete Pregnancy Fitness," which includes both prenatal and postnatal workout routines. Why is it important for women to keep up a fitness regimen during and after pregnancy?

EO: There are so many reasons to keep fit during pregnancy. It will be easier to get back to your pre pregnancy weight and you'll have more energy. I found it to be really helpful with my morning sickness, my recovery was much quicker, and I found I really enjoyed going to the gym and staying active while pregnant. I also had a lot of old prenatal clients who were watching me to see if I was living up to my own guidelines. And I did. I only gained 28 pounds with both pregnancies, and did step aerobics the day before I gave birth. I was teaching again 3 weeks after my first birth, and 2 weeks after the second. (I gave birth vaginally. I recommend you wait the full 6 weeks if you've had a C-section.)

I also found that I had some postpartum depression with the second baby, and exercising really helped me through that. Exercising postnatal was time I could spend on me, which was really needed having 2 small kids. It simply made me happier and I always say, "A happy Mommy means a happy family."

CHF: In the "Complete Pregnancy Fitness" set, you include a fun 20-minute partner workout with your husband, James Denton. How might it help women (pregnant or not) jumpstart a fitness plan by getting their partners involved in a regular workout routine, too?

EO: If you have a workout partner who can keep you motivated, it really helps you stay on track. I also wanted Jamie (James) to be more involved in our pregnancy, and I found if he worked out with me, it was really special time for he and I to just focus on our baby.

CHF: What's the number one stumbling block (psychologically, intellectually, physically, or otherwise) you've found that women must overcome - or achieve - before being able to achieve their health and fitness goals? Any advice to those women on how best to move forward, toward a healthy, happy life?

EO: Making time for themselves. As mothers, we always are putting our family's needs ahead of ours - and we almost become martyrs because of it. I tell women to schedule your workout days like you schedule your child's immunization appointments: write them in ink, and make no excuses for canceling.

Get the DVD

Strong Body, Ageless Body with Erin O'Brien
Acacia Lifestyle, 2008. Available online at Amazon.com.

Also Available: Complete Pregnancy Fitness

For more information, or to purchase Erin O'Brien's workout DVDs, including "Strong Body: Ageless Body" and "Complete Pregnancy Fitness," visit www.acacialifestyle.com or www.erinobrienfitness.com.

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