Book Review: The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being Mummylicious

by Martine De Luna

 

Glam Guru Christine Amour-Levar’s new book, The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being Mummylicious, is a candid yet refreshing take on post-partum proactivity. (Think Nina Garcia’s “The 100” meets “What to Expect in the First Year.”) Don’t judge the book by its title immediately, though. This is not a book about self-glorification, nor does it encourage new mums to obsess about getting their figures back or indulging in shopping sprees. Rather, it proclaims that being a new mum is a confident, positive, purposeful, and yes, even sexy new way of living. It also details specific steps that new mums ought to take in order to achieve “mummyliciousness.”

 

Mummylicious defined

Amour-Levar describes “being mummylicious” this way:

 

“Mummyliciousness is about embracing motherhood and addressing your physical, mental and emotional needs as a woman, while finding your own distinct brand of beauty and brains. But being Mummylicious doesn’t mean that you spend hours in front of the mirror or at the gym while you neglect to care for your children at home. Your family and your children are your top priority, but you nurture them without losing your sense of self, or giving up on your figure and on your looks.” – from The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being Mummylicious website

Like advice from a girlfriend

The tone and voice of The Smart Girl’s Handbook is fun and light, and can be likened to a pow-wow with your dearest and closest girlfriends. No sugar-coated flattery or exaggerated claims here; the handbook reads like a guide, filled with actionable tips that mums can apply right away. From basic exercises to making delicious yet easy meals for the family, Amour-Levar motivates you throughout each chapter. For instance, in Chapter 18’s “I’m Bringing Sexy Back,” Amour-Levar writes, “No foods should be seen as completely forbidden.” (Thank God!) She then outlines how mums can balance small allowances for favorite foods with disciplined exercise and portion control.

 

Personally, I enjoyed chapter three, “Weapons of Mass Lactation: Your Breasts and Damage Control while Breastfeeding.” As a former nursing mum (I nursed my son for two and a half years before he self-weaned), I know how hard it can be to get through the first few weeks of breastfeeding, especially when you don’t have a go-to guide. New mums who read The Smart Girl’s Handbook need not fret. Christine’s tips for new nursing mums are detailed, direct and to the point. From recommendations for nursing bras and breast pumps to how to look fabulous while nursing (read: NO to sagging boobs), her advice is taken from her own personal experience, and is practical and refreshing for any new mum.

 

Committed to mum’s success

Think of The Smart Girl’s Handbook as a motivational manual that is filled with many proactive steps towards a whole new “you” as a mum. It covers everything from breastfeeding and exercise (as previously mentioned), to healthy eating, weight loss, gussying it up in style, and getting back into a healthy mindset and self-esteem as you navigate the strange, new world of first-time motherhood.

 

Not to be missed is the Mummylicious Weight Loss Contract, which helps post-partum mums draw up a specific action plan towards their desired weight loss goal. It progresses to the following chapter on portion-control and mindful eating, which focuses on imbibing a healthy meal regimen that is balanced with exercise.

 

Mums will appreciate Christine’s specific and detailed meal portion charts and exercise matrices, as well as her recommendations on how to beat the bulge and wage “all out war on cellulite.” It does not promise quick fixes, though; Amour-Levar stresses that new mums need to commit diligently to their action plan, which could take anywhere from six months to two years to carry out. She points out early on in the handbook that even the desire to get your mom-sexy back is not enough, not without the proper guidelines and tools to achieve it.

 

Fortunately, The Smart Girl’s Handbook offers several proactive and helpful tools for a new mum to get her groove back, such as the Progressive Measurement Table for your figure, as well as Christine’s 25 Mummylicious recipes, which may be used in-line with the book’s suggested post-partum workout plans.

 

All in all, The Smart Girl’s Handbook to Being Mummylicious is about each mum finding her own place in this new world of motherhood, a place where she is whole physically, mentally and emotionally. As Christine herself puts it, “Being mummylicious means being a woman who loves and respects herself.”

 

Photo credits: www.thesmartgirlshandbook.com

AVAILABLE  in National Bookstore!