Bellie Fit Basics: The Ultimate Guide for a Fit Pregnancy and Fabulous Recovery

Monique Hollowell
iUniverse (2009)
ISBN 9780595519170
Reviewed by Vicki Landes for Reader Views (6/09)


‘Losing the baby weight’ reigns among the top complaints made by post-partum mothers.  But as most can attest, after the sleepless nights, the endless piles of laundry, and the growing mound of dirty diapers, getting back into shape seems to fall towards the very bottom of the ‘actually tackled’ list.  Certified Personal Trainer and first-time author Monique Hollowell hopes to change that with her newly released book, “Bellie Fit Basics: The Ultimate Guide for a Fit Pregnancy and Fabulous Recovery.” 

“Bellie Fit Basics” begins by quickly introducing various body systems and the stressors that pregnancy can inflict then outlining weight management with some pre-pregnancy and pregnancy numbers, nutrition and food guides, and fitness regiments.  Throughout the book, Hollowell prompts the reader to make notes of meal ideas, heart rate calculations, warm-up and cool-down activities, and more, truly making it an interactive guide.  All of her exercises are well-explained and are accompanied by multiple pictures for illustration purposes.  Many, if not most of these pictures are helpful; some are difficult to tell what exactly she is trying to accomplish as they either do not have detailing arrows or are taken from dissimilar angles.  Hollowell’s step-by-step descriptions of each move are remarkably clear, making it very easy for even the most fitness-challenged woman to follow along; however; she switches between a paragraph style and numbered lists.  This makes the fitness portion of the text feel a little inconsistent and uneven.  Overall, though “Bellie Fit Basics” is a great resource for women during those significant, body-altering months of pregnancy and beyond.

“Bellie Fit Basics: The Ultimate Guide for a Fit Pregnancy and Fabulous Recovery” is the perfect read for any woman considering, in the throes of, or following pregnancy.  Even women who have given birth some time ago and still not happy with their resultant bodies would benefit from its information just the same.  In a culture where obesity is an out-of-control epidemic and the quick-fix, yo-yo diets bombard everyday life Monique Hollowell is the voice of astute confidence, encouraging deliberate and purposeful action for the enduring health and wellness of all women.

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