One hundred seventeen female research subjects were involved in a single blinded randomized control study to assess the benefits of an exercise and diet program in restoring posture and balance and fitness in women who have given birth to 1or more children in the last 18 years. The program lasted for 2 months. There were 3 groups of subjects, an exercise group (E), a control group (C), and a pre pregnancy group (P). E, followed a diet involving exchanges for breakfast, lunch and dinner. The exercise involved a 10 minute abdominal exercise program and a 20 minute aerobic and strength video. Abdominal strength, whole body posture and balance, body weight and girth were assessed at the beginning, and at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 2 months after the start of the exercise. The data on 37 subjects were compared to 2 other groups of subjects. One group of 40 subjects were matched for age and were mothers (C) and the other group of 40 subjects were younger women who never had children (P); in the former group subjects participated in all measurements while in the later group only posture and reach were measured. The research personnel taking the measurements were blinded as to which subject was in each group. The results of the study showed that control subjects had no change in any parameter measured over the 2 month period. For the exercise group, body weight at the onset of the study was 79.6+/- 12.1 kg and, after 2 months was reduced to 75.2+/- 11.0kg. While the average weight loss was 4.4 kg, this loss was significant at each measuring period (ANOVA p < 0.05). The top 10% of the subjects lost, at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks respectively 3.1, 4.8, 7.7 and 8.6 kg while the top 20% lost 2.6, 3.5, 5.4 and 5.9 kg respectively. For the exercise group, girth at the waist started at 97.4 cm +/- 10.7 cm, was reduced to 94.2 +/- 7.8cm, a significant loss (p < 0.01) and a loss amounting to 3.2 cm or about 2 dress sizes. But for the top 10 and 20% of the group, at 1 week, 2 weeks, 4 weeks and 8 weeks, the respective losses were 3.4, 4.1, 4.7 and 5.6 cm for the top 10% and 2.6, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.1 cm for the top 20% respectively. Finally, posture and balance increased in the exercise group over the 2 month period. By the end of the diet program study the subjects' perception of their life stresses decreased as measured by the Perceived Stress Scale; in all, showing the efficacy of this diet and exercise program for women's health physically and psychologically. When posture and reach were compared, E restored their posture and reach to the same as P.

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