Women often face weight problems after having children. After you have your baby, it may be a while before you feel motivated to exercise. That's okay. Even without a planned exercise routine, you can begin to get back into shape.

Bridget Swinney, M.S., R.D., author of "Eating Expectantly"($12; Meadowbrook Press), says there are many reasons why exercise is so important. Research has shown that people who exercise regularly lose more weight and have the best odds of keeping it off.

Other benefits of exercise include improved cardiovascular fitness, lowered heart rate, lowered blood pressure, toned muscles, less body fat, improved immunity, and more, says Swinney.

Here are 10 sneaky ways to exercise from Swinney's "Eating Expectantly":

1. Walk the dog. Not only will you be getting some exercise, your pooch will appreciate it as well.
2. Shop til you drop. Or you can walk around the entire mall and window-shop.
3. Go dancing! Ballroom, country-western, or even square dancing will do. Or put on your favorite music at home and cut a rug!
4. Take a stroll around a scenic place like a lake, a tree-lined avenue, or a forest trail.
5. Go canoeing or paddleboating.
6. Do arm exercises using one-pound weights or cans of soup while watching your favorite show.
7. Go to the pool and just walk from side to side. Bring a friend. You wont notice the time passing as you chat.
8. Try aerobic lawn mowing. Cut your grass with a push mower and start a fad in your neighborhood.
9. Plant a garden. A bonus of gardening is enjoying the fruits of your labor. If you dont care for gardening, clean your house often; vacuuming can be aerobic.
10. Set a walking date with a neighbor or coworker. Once you get to talking, you'll hardly notice the time or the exercise.

Always remember that you should start at your own pace, no matter how slow it seems. You may need some time to get used to having a baby in the house and to set up a new routine. Also, stretching is important, even if you dont feel like exercising. And if you can find activities that you, your friends, and your family enjoy, you wont even notice that you are exercising during all the fun!

"Eating Expectantly" is a practical guide to prenatal pregnancy, as well as offering helpful advice for the new mother. Covering topics from high-risk pregnancies to menus and recipes for all trimesters, this must have book will help any expectant and new mother through one of the most incredible journeys in her life.

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