WFAA calls on Fitness expert, Karon Karter, to reveal how to Get Your Body Back After Baby Tips from The Ultimate Body Shaping Bible book.

Attention new mommies! Watch Karon Karter on Good Morning Texas WFFA TV on Thursday Sept. 3, 2009 at 9:00 A.M. for tips on how to get your body back after baby. Say bye-bye to the postpartum body blues!

Okay, truly one of the most humbling and wonderful moments in my life was having lunch with a living Pilates’ legend: Romana Kryzanowska. Below in this photo is me and my Pilates’ partner, Deborah Cocoran. We were both inspired and felt very blessed that day to have met her.

Who Wears Short Shorts–get your legs in shape with Karon Karter and Good Day Fox on Monday, July 27th at 8:00 Am. Karon will show you some of her favorite “get skinny thighs exercises”.

Find out more at www.karonkarterpilates.com

Karon Karter, PILATES FROM THE INSIDE OUT (Dish Network)

Get rolling down the road to great abs with the Seal position. This exercise is great for the tummy and helps with balance as well.

http://www.veriatv.com/video/rolling-out-great-abs-the-seal-position.html

For more info: visit www.karonkarterpilates.com

Karon Karter on PILATES FROM THE INSIDE OUT (Dish Network)

The modified Teaser is an ideal exercise for trimming down that waist. If you need to start slow, try the modified version. Both styles are covered in this episode.

http://www.veriatv.com/video/whittle-down-your-waist-the-modified-teaser.html

Learn More: visit http://karonkarter.com

http://www.veriatv.com/video/building-flexibility-and-strength-the-pilates-push-up.html

Choose between two versions of the classic push-up — Pilates-style. It will work your arms, shoulders, abs and back. It’s tough, but keep with it — soon you’ll be Pushing Up with the best of them.

Learn more: www.karonkarterpilates.com

Fitness Author, Karon Karter

Fighting Goal to the Finish Line

How does she smile so brightly when life seems so unfair? She knows that her tears won’t win the war waging in her body. I knew in advance that I would be working with women living with cancer, but I wasn’t prepared to meet someone in her mid-thirties. I wondered if her prognosis included the word, “terminal.” Was her cancer operable? She is cute and vivacious, thin and tall. Her body doesn’t wear the signs—no scarf, no wig. Several black and blue bruises adorn her arm—perhaps from numerous intravenous therapies. While her complexion is ashen, her unwavering smile outshines any illness she may have.

Christi Sestak has cancer. Today her brain tumor is stable, with no new growth, but the fight to stunt its growth has taken five years. From the moment the neurosurgeon spoke those dreaded words, “brain cancer,” Christi vowed to fight it. “There was no way that I would leave my family behind.” She and Michael were dating only eight months before her first grand mal seizure. She awoke in his arms, dazed, groggy, and bloody—she had bitten her tongue—unaware of what had just happened to her.

A little over a month later, July 1998, she had her first crainectomy. Michael, her family, and many devoted friends held an all day vigil. She laughs, then jokingly whispers: “I was more nervous about my mother’s sewing club girlfriends sequestering Michael than the . . . four-hour surgery. I remember, opening my eyes in the intensive care unit, and there was my mother looking down at me—so I lifted these little glasses that were put over my eyes I guess for the surgery, and said “I-C-U—get it! That’s when we all laughed—I think my family was so relieved because I made that joke. ICU, as it turns out is a wonderful place. They really pamper you there.”

Only after a few days in the hospital, Christi went home. “I felt good,” she says. She was ready to get on with her life as if the cancer was just a passing nuisance. Prior to her surgery, she exercised every day. Her favorite memory was running the relay race of the White Rock Marathon just six months before her surgery. After surgery, Christi underwent six weeks of radiation for five days a week. “After my morning radiation treatment, I would hit the treadmill. I knew that if I didn’t exercise in the morning directly after my treatments, then I would be too tired in the afternoon.” Her oncologist gave her the biggest compliment of all: “you don’t look like someone who just had six-weeks of radiation.”

She would never have to walk alone. Somewhere between a crainectomy, radiation, chemotherapy and several blood transfusions, Michael and Christi were married. “Michael could’ve left me at any point during my illness, but didn’t. Now, he too lives with my cancer.” With a new husband and the “okay” to return to work as an attorney, life seemed almost normal. But Christi suffered a major setback: the brain tumor was growing again. This time her oncologist wanted to treat the brain cancer with an aggressive dose of radiation. “I liked that,” she says. “But I was so bummed that I can no longer practice law. I really loved my job.”

Michael was her soul, but fitness kept her body strong and spirits soaring. After an intense dose of radiation therapy, Christi began training for a triathlon. “I needed something to do,” she says. “I loved being an attorney, and giving up work was like a divorce. I had to replace that loss with something, so fitness seemed right. It was what I also loved to do. I was trying yoga, swimming, and then I met Bev. She gave me a whole new challenge—triathlons. I had something to work for again.”

Bev Sigler, a cancer exercise specialists, trained Christi for back-to-back triathlons. “It’s not uncommon for cancer patients to use fitness to offset the feelings of isolation, depression, and fatigue,” Bev says. “Moderate exercise keeps them moving forward, despite the obstacles of treatments and the disease itself. They can make choices about their health, when the cancer leaves them none.” Most cancer experts agree.

Barbara Quash, R.N., manager of Baylor Sammons Breast Center Dallas, says “Some studies have found that exercise has a positive effect on physical and psychological well being, as well as the prevention of some cancers such as breast cancer. We cannot change all risks factors for breast cancer, let’s say family history, but we can change lifestyle factors including exercise.” Moderate daily exercise may, for example, reduce fatigue, improve energy levels, accelerate post treatment recovery and help those living with cancer feel that they have some control of their health.

Christi says she felt “normal” while triathlon training. “At first, unless I told them, nobody in the triathlon group knew that I had cancer. I felt so good about myself because I could physically keep up with them. When my teammates found out, which they eventually did, they were so surprised by my illness because I didn’t look sick. I was happy that I looked normal.”

During her triathlon training, Christi suffered a second reoccurrence. This time, she had to take an oral chemotherapy for four months. But she didn’t stop training for the triathlon. Her twelve-week training program included two-hour workouts—running, biking or swimming—topping off the week with a group workout. Her resolve, along with the support from her teammates, kept her attaining her weekly fitness goals. “Their support was tremendous,” Christi recalls.

“We were biking around White Rock Lake and it was a super hot summer day. I remember feeling tired and was falling behind the group. But there was no way that I was going to quit. Sam Leake, head of the triathlon training program at the Baylor Tom Landry Fitness Center, peddled beside me. He rode beside me, with his hand on my back the whole time, pushing me along—so I could make it around the lake.” Denise Edmiston, program director of Gilda’s Club North Texas says, “participation in a group exercise setting can unite people living with cancer so they don’t feel so alone—emotionally and physically.”

Since crossing the finish line of back-to-back triathlons, Christi has endured yet another reoccurrence. Radiation and chemotherapy were out of the question. However, her doctor suggested another crainectormy. Christi’s resolve grew stronger. “I was ready for it,” she says. “Since I lived through the first one, I knew I could do it again; it just didn’t seem so bad the second time around.” How could she not be frightened? How could she recover with such optimism? Her husband says, “Christi has maintained her exercise routine throughout her surgeries, radiation, and multiple chemotherapies.

Not only did her strong conditioning help her tolerate the treatments, it also helps her self-confidence so she can stay positive regarding her disease. She has found that exercise is a constant in her life when so many things in her life are unstable.”

The loss of choice is the worst thing about having cancer. She is retired at thirty-two years old. She can’t ride the roller coasters at Six Flags—she and Michael used to love Six Flags. She wanted to sky dive on their vacation in Hawaii but decided against it. She would have done those things in a heartbeat if she were not sick. She says, “I’m lucky to be here. Given the choice between life and Six Flags, well . . . giving up a few rides is not such a big deal. I can’t ride my bike anymore—so no more triathlons for me. My balance was okay before my cancer, but now I’m not as coordinated. But I love Spin classes; I’ve become a high maintenance exerciser, she laughs. I like air-conditioning and having my water bottle within reach. I like fun runs such as the Jingle Bell and Freedom runs. Michael and I like to run or walk the Katy Trail on most Saturday mornings. And, of course, there’s Pilates.”

And that’s where this story begins. Several months ago, I began teaching Pilates at Gilda’s Club North Texas. Christi walked into class as if she truly loved getting up each morning. She was physically strong enough to perform, without modifications, exercises such as the hundred, roll up and rolling-like-a-ball. She oohed and aahed and was not shy to embrace the very essence of this mind body work. When she genuinely expressed disappointment that the hour was over, that’s when I knew I was blessed—and the one inspired.

Bev confirms, “Christi’s fighting spirit, to live as normal of a life as she can, gets her through this.” She recalls that only five or so minutes into the triathlon, Christi crashed her bike directly in front of her mother. Perhaps many would have quit. But Christi dusted off the dirt and got back on her bike. During the 5K run, Christi decided to walk rather than run. Along the trail to the finish line, she picked the daisies and lemon and purple wild flowers. At the finish line, she gave her mother the bouquet of flowers.

Fitness Author, Karon Karter

The Dallas Morning News May 9, 2003

Moms and Daughters: It all works out Women of two generations form special bonds as they work toward a healthy lifestyle together

By KARON KARTER – Special Contributor

On a hike with my mother through the awesome aspens of Colorado, I asked her about my birth. With a devilish grin, she said, “Darling,you entered this world with lots of drama.” She described the beautiful January morning in New York – a day that began with champagne snow flurries – and how she awoke to what she thought was mild heartburn. By midmorning, both the snowfall and her belly pains had intensified. The flurries were the beginning of the blizzard.

And. the heartburn was the beginning of a beautiful friendship. “As she gripped her belly, my father maneuvered the Volvo through 26 inches of snow, making it to the hospital, only to spend the next 16 hours in the waiting room while my mother lay in bed, pushing to the point of exhaustion. vividly remember the wind howling, rattling the windows; it calmed me. I gave one more push, and then I awakened cradling a beautiful I baby girl in my arms,” Mom recalled.

Looking back, my most cherished moments with my mother have been spent exercising together – at times,even our shopping sprees have escalated into cardio workouts.My mother, Victoria Zummo of Palm Springs, Calif., has gone to great lengths to show her love and support. When my Pilates book was published, she e-mailed Oprah Winfrey, asking her to mention the book on her show. (Gee, thanks, Mom.)

When I began teaching Pilates, she attended my first class, despite having no experience. I was a little nervous about teaching; so when my mother attempted to “roll like a ball” but flopped, we burst into laughter.

We get together once a month and we spend our holidays in Colorado,where we hike, ski, and do Pilates and yoga together. On my worst day, she stands behind me. On my best, she’s my cheerleader. But it’s our shared commitment to fitness that has strengthened our bond and given us warm moments filled with laughter. Other mothers and their daughters enjoy similar bonding.

Here are five Dallas women and their daughters whose love has grown while sharing fitness time. Moms are proud of their daughters, and we daughters are proud of the extraordinary women who have made us who we are.

Happy Mother’s Day!

Mothers and daughters share a bond of healthy activity

The Pilates bodies: Alice Ann and Megan Dailey

Megan, 15, once thought Pilates was “strange,” but now admires her mom, Alice Ann, 56, who owns the Oasis Mind-Body Conditioning Center in Dallas. Alice Ann remembers her pregnancy, when she could feel Megan kicking in her tummy as she taught class. Today, if her school schedule permits, Megan won’t miss a mat class, and she’s beginning her “Reformer” workout (exercises on equipment to tone and shape her body).

In years past, Megan’s feet didn’t touch the Reformer foot bar,but now she’s the perfect size. I enjoy teaching my daughter because I just love her with me, plus I enjoy watching her explore her body. I see the light bulb going on when she gets it – understanding the difference between balanced body alignment and poor posture,” says Alice Ann.

Exposure to healthy living has positives for Megan. She doesn’t have to find a place to work out, and she’s learning that daily exercise is vital for a healthy life. When she was little, Megan took advantage of her mother’s studio and started exercising.

I like exercising with my mom because we spend quality time together. We set a date, time and stick to it. I’ve been trying new workouts like Pilates, which helps my body every day. I can jump higher on the trampoline and I enjoy riding my bike around White Rock Lake,”

Megan says. Mother’s Day special: “My hope is for Megan and the Woodrow Wilson High School Band to blow them out of the water in band competition in Houston” says the proud mom.

The gym rats:

Kathy and Leslie Wall

Kathy, 49, and Leslie, 18, work out at Premier Athletic Club in Dallas every day at 5:30 a.m. But their workouts didn’t start out that way. Since school has limited Leslie’s time in the afternoons she, tried running before school. “But that scared me” admits Kathy. “It was dark and isolated, so I started running with her.” But I slowed her down. The only solution was to find Leslie a safe place to work out in the mornings.

Leslie inspired Kathy to get in shape. Leslie kept asking her to come along. Kathy thought, “If my daughter rises at the crack of dawn to exercise, so could I.” Kathy says, “I wanted to support her goals. But, she is really my inspiration for staying in shape; I think it’s amazing that a teenager wants to get up that early. We enjoy running side by side on the treadmill, sharing stories.”

Depending on the class schedule, we take body pump, spin or aerobics together. I love this precious time together because, as most mothers know, seniors in high school have very limited time, but we dedicate this time just for us.” Leslie often asked her mom to join her in exercising. “I really wanted my mom to come with me so we could spend time together and talk about motherdaughter stuff. It’s also fun exercising with my mom. Many times I want to sleep in, but I don’t because my mom is getting up with me. Next year, I’m going to college,so I’ll miss her, but I look forward to coming home for the holidays so we can run the Jingle Bell and Turkey Trot together,” says Leslie.

Mother’s Day special: Kathy will stay in bed for her morning coffee and her newspaper.

The yogis: Stephanie and Jessica Young.

This mother-daughter team shares a yoga business and a deep bond. “Since Jessica is an only child, we’ve spent many years together as one. Yoga was a natural extension of our love,” says Stephanie, 56. “Although I started yoga more than 30 years ago, it was Jessica who introduced me to Vinyasa flow (power yoga) three years ago.”

Stephanie became a true believer,and began taking Jessica’s yoga classes around town. “I started going to her classes to learn from her and support her teaching,” Stephanie recalls. “I was very surprised – being as old as I am to witness the dramatic changes in my body. With yoga, my mind became sharper and my body became stronger – both acting as if one.

“After opening our studio, Yoga Power [in Dallas], it was a natural progression for me to get, my yoga certification. During that time, Jessica kept telling me that I had mental and physical strength to go through the program.”

We feel very blessed to have one another, on and off the yoga mat. We open our doors in the morning, give each other a hug and then teach yoga,” Stephanie says. “Though Mom and I practice yoga six days a week; I wasn’t into fitness until I tried power, yoga five years ago admits Jessica, 32 “My, mom tried to get me to exercise when: I was a kid,. But there was no way. She was big into aerobics but I never felt coordinated.”

Today, Jessica and Stephanie share, ideas and suggestions, and in discuss ways to enhance their practice and business. They spend up to three to five hours a day together and most weekends, because yoga is what they love to do. Yoga brings us such joy,” Jessica says. “We support each other a lot when it comes down to the teaching part of yoga. We like practicing together, because we both put 100 percent into our yoga. We each have our own way of helping our students, but we both love giving a new voice to our students. It’s similar to a nature hike. We’re on a path, heading in the same direction,but it’s a different experience for each hiker.”

Mother’s Day special: “We never get the chance to cook together or eat lots of garlic for fear that we’ll offend our students.Guess what “we’re doing both,” says Stephanie

The ballerinas: Patricia and Anna Roberts

Patricia Roberts, 45 has taken ballet all her life. She attended classes four to five times a week, even during her pregnancy. “Anna came out dancing,” she says. “When she was a baby, I’d bring her to class – carrier, diapers and all. She’d fall asleep listening to the piano music. She never cried. By age 2, she dressed ballerina costumes to twirl around the house.”

Patricia enrolled Anna in her first ballet class at age 4, and now Anna,15, is an accomplished ballerina.Mom and daughter love taking classes together. “I remember thinking I couldn’t wait until Anna turned teaching 14, so we could take classes together,” recalls Patricia. “I cherish having my daughter dance beside me. I leave the mother-daughter role behind, because in class we share the same challenges and experiences. Last summer, we were enrolled in ballet class, but I was diagnosed with breast cancer. So we put our dancing on hold during my treatments. Now that I’m in recovery, we’re dancing again. “Having my daughter beside me has helped me heal.”

Anna clearly remembers being mischievous as a little girl. When she was little, she’d go to her mom’s Saturday-morning ballet classes. “The Houston Ballet had six huge ballet studios upstairs with windows facing the hall,” Anna says. “So as my mom and the company dancers practiced, my sister and I would dance up and down the hall, waving and making funny faces at the dancers we knew. My mom would stop dancing and scold me for being too loud. I’d then have to sit and watch the class. But I didn’t mind. I loved every part of going to class with her. Going to ballet class as a small child, I just sort of kept going.

Dancing lets me express and release all of my emotions in a positive way. “My mom and I love dancing together because we’re doing something positive for our bodies. We used to go to dance together all the time, but this year was horrible. My mom got sick, but, we’re back on track and have made plans to dance every day this summer.”

Mother’s Day special: Patricia hopes she’s served breakfast in bed. Then they’ll all work off those calories with exercise.

Golf provides precious links for one family

The golfers: Linda, Lila and Maggie Barton

Lila often sings to me: “Anything you can do, I can do better,” laughs Linda, 46. “She began out driving me at age 11 and outplaying me at 13. We still laugh when I tag a drive and after measuring the drive’s distance, we find Lila’s ball still ahead of mine.”

Lila, 13, played in her first tournament when she was 8. And Maggie, 10, is following in her footsteps. So Linda spends most weekends driving her girls to and from lessons, practices and tournaments. “If I can caddy for them in a tournament, then I do,” Linda says; “Since I played competitive sports as a child, I can emotionally and physically prepare them for golf.” Although tears are never shed, there are many consoling hugs.

“I know my girls appreciate the time I spend with them. Golf creates a family bond, on and off the course. I have the greatest respect for their hard work and dedication. These qualities will come in handy later in their lives. I’m lucky, because my children want to be with me, which is the biggest reward of all.”

“I enjoy spending time with my family, sometimes choosing them over my friends,” says Lila. “mom is always there for me, at my lessons and practices. In tournaments, she helps me get through hard rounds, and praises me when I hit the ball well.” Maggie agrees: “My mom helps me understand what I need to do.” But golf lessons are a two-way street. Lila sometimes gives her mother pointers. After all, it was a family practice session that helped

Linda got her swing out of a slump. And the girls seem to really appreciate the sacrifices their mom makes. Lila says, “Playing golf with my family has brought us closer. I look at my parents as friends, not just people who feed me. We’ve become best friends, and I always want to be with them.” Mother’s Day special: Lila will be playing in a tournament. Maggie and Linda will be hitting golf balls together.

Karon Karter is a Dallas freelance writer, a student of yoga and the author of Complete Idiot’s Guide to the Pilates Method (Alpha Books, $16.95).