New Mothers Staying Fit

Marie Osmond’s Exercises for Mothers-to-Be, by Elizabeth Noble (New American Library: $12.95).

This clearly ranks as one of the most honest celebrity exercise books in that it acknowledges that the exercises are designed by someone else (Noble) and merely demonstrated by the person who’s name is in the title. Though the title might be even more accurate if it were “Elizabeth Noble’s Exercises for Mothers-to-Be Performed by Marie Osmond,” it’s nice that, at least in this case, Noble alone receives author credit. Osmond merely performed the exercises for photographs in the book (and its accompanying videotape) and has her name signed to a three-paragraph introduction.

The rest of this slim, 128-page volume (nicely spiral bound, so it won’t snap shut on those performing the exercises with opened book) is filled with sound advice on everything from calf stretches to relaxation techniques and instructions on checking for separation of abdominal muscles (an indication that some exercises may be contraindicated).