The Jessica Alba Way to Losing that Post-Pregnancy Belly

 

Moms! Expecting moms! Young ladies who will eventually become moms years from now! Here's a tip from Jessica Alba, hot momma of two, on how to lose that post-baby paunch:

"It was brutal; it's not for everyone. I wore a double corset for three months. It was sweaty, but WORTH IT."

The secret to getting her pre-baby bod back at The Edit via net-a-porter.com

Actually, I can vouch for you that this works. Like a charm.

Unwittingly, I had done the Jessica Alba tactic and wore a belly wrap (just one, not 2. But I also wore a hip shrinking band) for 2 months (ok, I should have worn it an extra month pala!) day and night as soon as I popped Berry and Xavi. Well, not right after, but on the day we left the hospital, which was about 2 days after I gave birth.

This is me a few days before I gave birth

 Ten days after I gave birth

Xavi and me five weeks after he popped out

Yes, it was sweaty. Yes it was uncomfortable. Yes it bulged under my clothes. Taking it off after 2 months felt very liberating. But it was also a relief to have the semblance of a flat tummy after months of just seeing it protrude. Which was good enough.

Unlike Jessica Alba, I need to work on strengthening my core and toning my tummy. Now if only I can find the discipline to do plana forma and yoga religiously. Next week, promise!

P.S.

Oh, I have to say that using a belly wrap  has to be used in conjunction with a belly tightening cream like Palmer's Post Natal Firming Lotion or the Clarins Tonic Oil. My therapist at the Clarins Spa says you have to apply a tightening cream or lotion day and night, and soon after giving birth to see the full effect. I noticed that when I gave birth to Berry, I was younger and my skin just bounced back  with no help from a firming cream. But since I was 34 when I gave birth to Xavi, skin wasn't as elastic and got a bit loose and saggy, hence the needed boost, ahihi.

Ichigo for Mommy & Me

Berry gets a kick out of wearing similar clothes or shoes as me. Sometimes she chooses an outfit for me that complements her style. I know it sounds ridiculous, but seriously. She's like, "Mom, I don't like what you're wearing" levelz. Then she goes ahead and picks out something similar to what she's wearing.

So you can just imagine how thrilled she was when Lea of Ichigo Shoes sent us matching "mommy & me" pairs aka Ichigo and Tiny Ichigo.

 

smoking slippers in pink for Berry, black for me

 

 silver flats with velvet bows

Tiny Ichigo is Ichigo's kids line for girls 4-8 years old. Not all styles have Tiny Ichigo versions though, so when you see a pair that you like that comes in yours and your daughter's size, just go for it!

 

Tiny Sybil and Sybil

 

Tiny Nicole

 

Nicole 

 Cynthia & Tiny Cynthia

 

These styles and more are part of Ichigo's newly released collection. Plenty of pretty pastels and sandals for summer that would make your little girl, or the little girl in you clap your hands in delight.

Ichigo & Tiny Ichigo are available at The 3rd Floor Atrium Lane, Shoppesville Greenhills, The Ramp Glorietta/Shangri-la/Trinoma and at the 2nd Floor of Gaisano Mall in Davao. Tiny Ichigo is also available at Club Princess, Bonifacio High Street and SM Mall of Asia.

For inquiries and updates, like Ichigo Shoes on Facebook and follow them on Twitter and Instagram @ichigoshoes.

BC Magazine October 2011

A huge "Thank You!" to Job Ambrosio, Kariz & Tom Favis, Valerie Del Castillo and Dee Nermal for including me in the October 2011 issue of BC Magazine Philippines' feature on "Moms Online", where I got to share my life as a wife/mom/lifestyle blogger. And of course, here's a big wet kiss to Mr. Dychiao, for taking my photo above, teehee! Mwah!

Family and friends, and dear readers, hope you can check it out and buy an issue. This month is chockfull of great reads! Its out on newstands na!

Happy Mother's Day, Mommy!

My Mom, ahead of her time. 

Check out the oversized sunnies, boyfriend button down, stacked accessories on her wrist. 

So NOW, taken in the mid 1990s.

To my mom who taught me a lot about life and style, HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY!!!

THE LESSONS MY MOM TAUGHT ME:

On Keeping the Faith

- To pray and have an unwavering faith in God, because He always knows what is best for us

- Everything happens for a reason, we don't know now, but we always see how God's hand works when an event unfolds that explains why

- To pray to St. Joseph for a good husband, and to St. Anthony when I lose things

On Being a Wife & Mom

- Do not nag

- Keep the house pretty and tidy, make it a sanctuary for the family

- Do not be impressed by a guy who wears expensive clothes and drives flashy cars.  Look for a guy who is responsible, who has drive and ambition. He will make his own destiny.
- Support your husband in his career, do not add to his concerns at work

* My mom is an army wife, so we hardly saw my Dad at home when he was still in active service. He was always out on the field. Nevertheless, she never made us feel bad if our Dad did not get to attend important school affairs, birthdays, confirmations and graduations. She made it clear to us that Dad's job is to serve the country, and we have to support him.

On Beauty & Style

- When you take care of your skin, you don't need make-up

- Drink lots of water

- Don't be trendy, be stylish

- Aspire for French chic - effortless and natural

- Look to Audrey Hepburn and Jackie O. for timeless style

On Fashion

- Fit is important

- When buying clothes, look for even stitching, clean seams, fabrics that breath

- Invest in pieces that last, go for the classics because that is money well spent

- When you dress in clothes you feel comfortable in, you carry yourself better (I still remember her pointing out a girl to me while we were having dinner out. The girl was wearing a short dress and hobbling in heels, obviously uncomfortable with her outfit. My mom says, if you wear clothes that aren't "you", it shows in your body language.)

- Quality over Quantity. ALWAYS. My mom used to say, it is better to have 1 pair of shoes that go with everything than to have so many pairs that are hardly used

Other Practical Advice:

- When driving, stay away from jeepneys, tricycles and rusty cars. Because "nakakahawa ang kalawang" and if they bump into you, you can't ask them to pay for the damage to your car.

- Money is not everything. The richest people are not always the happiest. Especially rich people who stole their riches or acquired it through illegal means. How can there be satisfaction in that? They will always feel empty in spite of their money.

- There is nothing more precious than being able to sleep soundly at night knowing that you did NOT lie, cheat, steal or accuse someone wrongly.

- Always count our blessings - good health, sincere friends, a roof over our heads,  hearty, tasty meals enjoyed with a supportive and loving family. At the end of the day, that's all that matters.

Yes, my mom is wise, but there are other bits of advice my mom has taught me, that I do not agree with, i.e.:

Aspire for a simple life - No, Mom, I want to live the life of my dreams. I want to be wealthy, but yes I will earn my money the clean way, just how you'd want it. 
Ignore the people who fight you - Not always, Mom, some people need to be put in their place.
Stick with the people you know best - There is always room to make new friends, no matter what stage you are in life.

Ahhh, mothers and daughters. We may not always agree with each other, but there is no denying the bond and influence they hold sway over us.

Happy Mother's Day to my fellow Mommies and to your Moms, dear readers!

Happy Mother's Day! + MFO on Stylebible.ph

There's a great Mother's Day feature over at Stylebible.ph, honeys! And best of all (Heehee. How vain. Pagbigyan nyo na, first time ko!), I was asked by Jacque de Borja of Stylebible.ph, to talk about my personal style.

I shared my favorite labels, where I like to shop, and basically, how I dress up each day - considering my mommy duties. I hope you find this interesting. There were 7 other moms featured as well (including Lloyda and Mikka, 2 seriously stylish moms whom I've had the pleasure of meeting already) and it's interesting to see how other moms approach dressing up.

I had a fun time answering Jacque's questions! Read --> HERE.

Mothers and Daughters

Since we are on the subject of Comptoir de Cotonniers, and with Cosmopolicious expressing her love for the label's mother and daughter campaign (which I planned on writing about but then it slipped my mind in the flurry of my daily activities - a nicer way of saying I may have ADHD heehee, thanks for the reminder Cosmo!) I'm sharing with you these beautiful photos of real life mothers and daughters plucked out from their daily lives and turned into Comptoir des Cotonniers brand ambassadors...








Each season, for the last ten years or so, Comptoir des Cotonniers embarks on a casting call to look for the mothers and daughters who will grace their next season's ad campaign. Which I think is a genius move since:

1) The label "attempts to appeal to both chic mothers and their fashion-forward daughters" as per NYMag,

2) Every girl, whether she likes it or not, is somehow influenced by her mother's taste and choices in clothes and accessories - she either follows it to the letter, goes the opposite direction and rebels totally, or more often than not, if it isn't generally the case, takes bits and pieces from her mother's wardrobe and makes it her own.

So really, the ties that bind go well beyond the physical and emotional, but also the sartorial. Whether it be satin ribbons, leather belts, silk twillys, organic hemp ropes, or whatever it is a girl grows up seeing and feeling.

Here are more photos from past campaigns!












P.S. A Shout Out to Mom!

Mom, I know you just learned to surf the net recently, and have spent several days reading my blog from start to finish. I think it's very sweet of you to follow my blog and I just want to let you know, everything I learned about style - restraint, discipline, quality, elegance and an appreciation and desire to achieve French chic, I got from you! I know I have frustrated you at times, like when I wanted lace socks ala Madonna when I was 7, and you insisted on proper, boring St. Michael knit socks (you were ahead of our time, by high school, all the girls in school were wearing them!). How I wanted patent shoes from SM like my classmates, and you would go for Buster Browns. How infuriated you were with me, when I was a "rebellious teenager" and I would wear Dad's shirts and spend my allowance on clunky Doc Martens and Girbaud and Gaultier jeans two sizes too big. Oh! And that whole period when I was in my early 20s and I would walk out the door clumsily in heels, when you insisted so many times that kitten heels are more appropriate for my petite frame.

Mom, I'm older and wiser now, and you'll be happy to know I've gone back to my roots and keeping in mind all you have taught me. But I won't lie, sometimes I just can't resist a little fringe here and there, and yes, I still spend all my money on clothes and shoes and all that. I know you're an advocate of saving and being frugal, that's one lesson from you I'm still working on! Heehee! I love you Mom!!!

Dear readers, check out my stylish mom! Sorry to Dianne, Nic and Drew for posting your childhood photos! Consider yourselves collateral damage! Heehee!





UPDATE: My mom told me to please please point out that these pictures were taken ten years ago in the midst of a Euro roadtrip, hence their tired, bedraggled appearance! And that they look better now! How vain no? Just kidding! Hehehe!