Sarah Jessica Parker’s Workout: Benching Her Babies

Splash News Online

When it comes to keeping her super-slim figure fashion-ready, Sarah Jessica Parker has two very special workout buddies by her side — her 2-year-old twins with husband Matthew Broderick, Loretta and Tabitha.

“Well, honestly, my daughters insist on being carried at the exact same time,” Parker, 46, who’s also mom to James Wilkie, 8½, said on the U.K.’s a.m. TV show This Morning.

“I know there are a lot of mothers out there that have young children, and probably, if not twins, who are close in age.”

So how much is she benching when she’s on mommy duty? “They’re like 25 pounds now each,” she says.

Then again, Parker is no stranger to the balancing act, which her on-screen alter ego also tackles in her latest film, I Don’t Know How She Does It. But even as a working mom who works out with her little ones, Parker says she feels fortunate.

“I know that there are women that are working not because they want to, but because they have to — and sometimes more than one job,” she says. “And I’m far more in awe of how they manage to do it all than [of] myself, because I think I have the liberty to pick and choose when I can work, and I have the kind of support I need.”

She notes, “A lot of working mothers don’t have that.”

– Alison Schwartz

Comments

Sara on September 6th, 2011

I admire SJP so much. What an intelligent, beautiful woman.

A, Heilbrunn on September 6th, 2011

Just adorable.
NOTE TO THE JOLI/PITT GROUP,

Child’s hair brushed, clean and with ribbons. Not too hard to do.
Please clean up your clan.

Leandra on September 6th, 2011

Ya hear that ladies? All you have to do to be as thin as a rail is carry your children around all day! *eyeroll*

Sara on September 6th, 2011

Hi.

akri on September 6th, 2011

I’ve been her fan for 26 yrs and counting…LOVE, LOVE HER!!

scheila on September 6th, 2011

SJP is gorgeous, a great actress and a super mom. I love her!! I can’t wait to see her new movie ‘I don’t know how she does it’.

Kimberly on September 6th, 2011

way better than comments about being a working mom spewed by Gwenyth.

Stephanie on September 6th, 2011

I love SJP, she is great, but really…of course she is thin, she didn’t even give birth to her twins…

k8lyn on September 6th, 2011

I thought her daughter’s names were Tabitha and Marion?

Monie on September 6th, 2011

Leandra, are you one of those moms that reached ‘whale status’ during pregnancy, and maybe shrunk to dolphin size after? Is that why your comment is so unecessarily bitter?

Felicity on September 6th, 2011

I like SJP, but I don’t understand why she never talks about her workout regimen. I’ve certainly never read every article about her, but from the ones I have seen she always seems to shrug off fitness questions with some answer about being busy or lifting her babies. She is a very thin, very toned woman. It would be great to hear how she maintains that physique!

Kristin on September 6th, 2011

k8lyn – One of the girls is named Marion Loretta, but she goes by Loretta, not Marion.

Love SJP and her adorable kids!

Big SJP Fan on September 6th, 2011

I love Sarah Jessica Parker and have been a fan for years. She seems so down to earth. I really like the fact that she stayed in NYC and doesn’t raise her kids in Hollywood. I saw her walking her son to school a couple of years ago and she smiled to everyone. She’s so unpretentious.

Big SJP Fan on September 6th, 2011

Thanks for this SJP story. It’s so nice to have a positive story for a change.

Sharon on September 6th, 2011

@ A, Heilbrunn – hilarious.

Big SJP Fan on September 6th, 2011

Thanks for this story about SJP. She’s always been one of my favorite actresses.

J on September 6th, 2011

I think SJP is a good actress, but she is far from beautiful. Horse face and bug eyes. Her daughters are cute though.

Kenna on September 6th, 2011

I love this woman even more everytime I read something about her! I saw her with the twins in Washington Sq Park the weeekend of Mother’s Day and she was so nice and smiling to everyone around and looked so happy and just was enjoying her children like the rest of us in the park. I think it’s a testament to her character that she can realize that there are a lot of working women who have it alot harder. Kudos to SJP and her beautiful family!

fanofboardwalkempire on September 6th, 2011

I admire SJP and all that she accomnplishes in her life.

How blessed is she to have two beautiful babies to lift up and keep toned arms happening! I know she is on the natural thin side as it is!

Hope your film does well SJP!

HarperLee on September 6th, 2011

@Stephanie…if you stopped to learn anything about this woman you’d know how hard she’s struggled to have another kid after her son. Check your facts before you show the world how ignorant you are.

Leandra on September 6th, 2011

@monie Did I say ANYTHING about having children myself? Take your own advice and stop being so bitter…..EVERY celebrity mother says they keep fit by chasing their toddlers around…..so typical! so mind your own f#@$ing business about my post!

Rebecca Christiansen on September 6th, 2011

What i don’t understand is why she insists on her son going by both names but only uses the daughters’ nicknames. I think she avoids talking about her “fitness” program because she feels guilty she has the time to pursue one. She is represented as this “working” mother but as she says herself she has the time and the means to pick and choose what she will work on and she has the support she needs. And Leandra does make sense..its wild to hear celebrities doing movies on “I don’t know how she does it” when she does it because she gets millions a year, has a staff, gets all her designer clothes for free and can afford surrogates. Everyone knows how she does it..so this pretense that she is a regular mom is kind of worn out by now.

Suz on September 6th, 2011

I love that she’s so unpretentious. She has said before that she’s lucky to be naturally thin and live the life she does. She does not pretend to be a “real” mom, but she’s still so relatable.

Kat on September 6th, 2011

Stephanie, she did give birth to her son. The choice of a surrogate wasn’t to save her figure.

Felicity, it is probably part of her private nature. Maybe what works for her won’t work for most other people.

Kiki on September 6th, 2011

I admire SJP because she is so down to earth and she really “gets it”.

Anonymous on September 6th, 2011

first of all, i dont think her kids name is loretta. Also is that Charlie sheen in the background??

shut up on September 6th, 2011

wow, had to comment. @Stephanie that was pretty much the rudest comment i have seen in a bit. SJP wanted to have more children but was unable to concieve…how dare you say something so completely insensitive and hurtful. Honestly, i’m not quite sure what you were thinking but in the future keep things like your heinous rudeness to yourself. Seriously…think before you comment.

dawn on September 6th, 2011

I really like that she acknowledges the difference between her situation and the rest of us Moms. I like her a lot.

SweetCaroline on September 6th, 2011

SJP has been thin as a rail her whole life. Girls Just Want to Have Fun? Not an ounce of fat. Footloose? Skinny, skinny, skinny. She was blessed with “skinny genes.” I’d love to have her shape without trying.

@ A, Heilbrunn, very funny!

If I were over 40 and still wanted children and had the funds to do so, I’d hire a surrogate too. Even if I didn’t have problems conceiving, because many complications and birth defects rise the older a woman gets. Hello? Her eggs were 42 years old.

Marie on September 6th, 2011

She and Kelly Ripa annoy me by shrugging off workout questions. It makes me think they are not as nice as they pretend to be — so unwilling to share. We all know you didn’t get that perfect body (six pack and all) by “lifting your little girls.” *rolls eyes* That’s so stupid and insincere to me.

bevvie on September 6th, 2011

@Heilbrunn and those who like her comment: the article is about SJP, so the snide remark was out of order and unnecessary.

laura on September 6th, 2011

I love SJP….she seems so real and down to earth..

nancy on September 6th, 2011

I love SJP — she’s real and down to earth. Rich, yes, but who can blame her for that? My husband had the pleasure of videotaping her in an interview a couple of years ago. She was nice, polite and not puffed-up like other celebrities. Needless to say, he just loves her and thinks she’s a lovely person.

acorr on September 6th, 2011

I remember when my kids were little and I used to carry them all the time, my whole body was toned so much more than it is now. I didn’t have to work out all that much because lifting and moving them around took care of that. On another hand SJP in Footloose was definitely thicker than she is now but she was also very young and still had sort of “baby fat”. If you’ve ever followed Sex and The City you’d see that she’s always been thin, even when she was pregnant with her son. Who knows what she does? Obviously whatever she’s doing, she’s got it down pat cuz she’s looked the same to me for years.

denise speara on September 6th, 2011

Please, that woman is so thin she looks anorexic. Nothing sexy or admirable about that.

rachel on September 6th, 2011

Were her eggs used in the surrogate?

carrie on September 6th, 2011

if you go to imdb.com it says that her daughters’ names are Tabitha and Marion.

someone said earlier that they thought the one was Loretta. I don’t think that is true. imdb website is pretty accurate with celeb info.

If I had the money I would go the surrogate route. Good for her, happy she is successful, a good mom and looks great! She’s not anorexic (sp?) She looks to be a naturally thin person.

Maggie on September 6th, 2011

Right, Marion Loretta. And SJP’s explained a million times that James liked the name Marion, so they gave it to her without any intention of ever calling her it and that she goes by Loretta. She’s said it in a bunch of interviews and on talk shows.

Emily on September 6th, 2011

Just because you have privileges in life (wealth, resources etc) doesn’t mean that you don’t know or understand the challenges in parenting.

It’s a testimony to SJP that she has the insight to acknowledge that, though she may struggle at times keeping balance, facing challenges, etc, that she is more fortunate than others because she does have more options available in her life.

Slamming her for that isn’t helpful or fair.

If you acknowledged that you had a lucky position in life, compared to civilisations squandering in poverty in other regions of the world, and were then slammed for it, with people saying, “Well that’s easy enough for you to say, because you have access to clean water and food, etc” it would be quite unfair also. Just because you have a more fortunate position, doesn’t mean you don’t have compassion for the other nor understanding that they do it tougher than you.

As far as I can see it, celebrity mothers never win; if they say they struggle but don’t acknowledge their support systems and wealth, they’re idiots who aren’t part of the real world. If they do acknowledge it, they’re also slammed. It sounds as though a lot of you want a “I Do It Tougher Than Anyone Else In The World” Nobel Prize. Guess what, all Mums do it tough in some way (whether financially, emotionally, maritally, physically or otherwise).

Also, there is a good possibility that it’s just SJP’s genetic makeup that keeps her so thin. Sure, she probably runs and does a few weights, but I would bet that it’s mostly metabolism or genes or something. And yes, carrying two toddlers around would probably give you pretty awesome muscles!

On a side topic, I really like SJP and think she’s extremely down-to-earth. Also, Loretta looks so much like her Dad!

Heather on September 6th, 2011

I have triplets that I birthed and I’m 20lbs lighter than pre-pregnancy. It’s called the stress diet. I’ve always been naturally thin and my arms look like I work out daily. Some people are just born this way.

shell1213 on September 6th, 2011

It’s my understanding that growing up, SJP and her family struggled financially relying on food stamps when things became really tough. She came up watching how hard her own mom worked while taking care of a family at the same time. Kind of keeps her perspective in check regarding how fortunate she is now.

As to her size and fitness regimen — eye rolling is wasted energy. I have a good friend who has had 2 children, does not work out aside from walking the dog each evening yet, she has the same tiny, flawless figure she had when she was young (we are the same age as SJP). I say, keep your judgments to yourself unless you’ve walked in the other person’s shoes (whether they be Jimmy Choo’s or Payless).

Kgp on September 6th, 2011

I remember reading an interview with her years ago where she acknowledged how fortunate she was to be able to afford to have a trainer/yoga instructor come to her house. I love her!

Annie on September 6th, 2011

If I’m not mistaken, her brother is her personal trainer. He specializes in yoga, but can certainly provide a well-rounded workout (weights and cardio). So, not only is she taking care of herself physically, she is helping her family.

BTW, I remember an interview last year where she stated the girls were going by the nicknames Babe and Kitty. I wonder if they still are.

Christina on September 6th, 2011

First of all I would like the say thank you to SJP for her take on how hard it is to be a working mom. I’m a single mom, I work full time and I go to college full time. It’s hard work and it deserves recognition.

Secondly, the hostility displayed by some women on here is down right disgusting. Ok, so she’s thin! So what? Some people have better metabolisms than others. It doesn’t mean she’s puking her breakfast or on a treadmill 18 hours a day. It just means she was gifted with a fast metabolism. My mom for instance gained 55 pounds while pregnant with my sister. She left the hospital wearing a size 5! I gained less than 50 pounds while pregnant with my son and wore sweats home because my jeans were still too tight. Everyone is different. No need to judge just because she’s thin. And speaking from experience, carrying a 25 pound baby around is quite a workout. I can’t imagine toting around 50 pounds of baby at once.

Christina on September 6th, 2011

One more thing, it’s not fair to knock her for not giving birth to her twins. She had fertility issues. That’s like calling a paralyzed person in a wheelchair, lazy. You just don’t do it. It’s wrong.

cn tower on September 6th, 2011

Marie, I think it’s a bit of a stretch to compare SJP’s figure to Kelly Ripa’s. SJP has been a skinny minny from way back when — (anyone remember “Square Pegs?)I guess she’s what you might call “genetically blessed” (or cursed, depending on your perspective). Kelly Ripa was not always this thin and (IMHO) used to be a lot healthier looking.

Lori on September 6th, 2011

I think SJP had such a good, solid upbringing that she is still able to appreciate the true blessings in her life. Also, I’ve noticed that women who have to try harder to have children, whether through IVF, adoption or surrogacy, tend to appreciate their children a bit more than someone who gets pregnant easily. Not all of the time of course, but often.

AVERAGEMOM on September 6th, 2011

I’m glad, for the children’s sake, that Sarah has stopped trying to be Carrie Bradshaw, she is less of a workaholic now. Back in 08, she spent too much time trying to become a multi millionaire, promoting Sex in The City, and Matthew Broderick cheated. It did not surprise me. She was married to her career. Maybe Sarah has finally got her priorities straight. That’ a good thing for the children.

AVERAGEMOM on September 6th, 2011

Some people are just blessed, aren’t they?

Steady work when she was young. A hit show on HBO for many years. Matt Broderick, one of the nicest men in NYC, for a husband. Three shockingly beautiful children. Money to burn.

I have a friend whose child is dying of osteosarcoma in the hospital, and they can’t pay the bills for treatment.

My daughter is fighting bipolar illness.

Well, there are always the Sarah Parker’s of the world to show us that God does, indeed, play favorites.

JL on September 6th, 2011

Regarding the comment about the Jolie-Pitt clan…you are exactly right. The adopted children usually look well dressed and groomed. The biological children usually look like they slept in their clothes and they don’t appear to be learning anything about grooming and hygiene.

m on September 6th, 2011

why do they say that carrying their kids is their workout. she is not just thin shes built and too thin she is working her ass of and lifting heavy ass weights to get her arms like that be honest normal people dont have arms like that unless you work them out alot and hard. like commenter felicity said why play coy about how you stay in shape be honest yoga cardio and strength training all the dang time.

Denise on September 7th, 2011

Wow! total cat fight on here. She is a real mom. It isn’t how you get a child to love but that you have the opportunity to love a child. She takes care of her babies and yes may have help but many of us do. We may not call them nanny’s but help we have. She seems to be open to those who aren’t going crazy around her. She after all is a person, one who entertains us on screen doesn’t mean we are in her life all the time. The struggle to have more children is a sad one and yes expensive one. Why do we care these are their kids and they love them. I love hearing how she picks up her kids and carries them. I am a single mom and had 2 babies to have to carry alone. With no family close enough to help out. So more power to her and glad she is enjoying the wonderful kids she has. As for her thinness we as women should band together not lash out. She may suffer from a condition she doesn’t feel we are close enough to her to share. Again her right.

Jillian on September 7th, 2011

Carrie, I hate to break it to you but imdb is wrong more times than not, just like wikepidia. Plus, the parents have said her birth name is Marion.

Grow Up on September 7th, 2011

@Monie: I was wondering about the bitter tone in Leandra’s comment. Some women just get thinner faster. Life’s not fair.

@Leandra: Get some class.

KRS on September 7th, 2011

AVERAGEMOM, I’m sorry for your difficulties and hope all is well for you in the very near future. I find your comment about god playing favourites to be very intriguing and I’m wondering if you meant that literally or not. I’m an atheist, so I have no god(s) to thank or blame for my blessings or hardships. Only myself and luck/circumstance. If I did believe in any god, though, I’d be right pissed off about the unfairness of so many people’s lives worldwide. So much suffering and so much injustice…I often wonder how all the theists can still believe? Regarding SJP, I think she was just lucky to be born with a talent for singing and acting, which paved the way for all the future blessings you mentioned.

KJT on September 7th, 2011

LOVE SJP. I Have to get my Sex and the City fix everyday. I am watching it right now. Have the entire collection on DVD. I am todays Kari. All the same we like, clothes, shoes, great career and of course BIG and Carrie were just meant to be and so it was. Love everlasting. So that was TV and the movies but in her real life she is still about the Love of Life Matthew and her children. She is truly blessed and we love her for it because reality and family is what counts the most and TV and movies just gets us through the day and a feel good thing if you really like it.

KJT on September 7th, 2011

SJP if the whole package. Wife, Mother, Actress, Best Dressed all the time. Just has it all. Love, Love, Love SJP. I am today’s Carrie and Love Love Love it. Clothes, shoes etc. the whole package toooo

Marie on September 7th, 2011

Makes me curious to think what the egg donor looks like

Marie on September 7th, 2011

What does the egg donor look like?

carolinablue on September 7th, 2011

Love Love Love SJP Her little girl is beautiful and looks just like her hubby Matthew(who I also love)Great family. I also saw them in NYC. They are very nice and down to earth.I agree with the comment about the Jolie-Pitt kids.

opinions&thoughts on September 7th, 2011

Sarah Jessica Parker did not grow up with a silver spoon in her mouth. She’s worked for everything she now has. From Annie to Carrie she put the work in. She’s also managed to do it with out scandals and major breakdowns. Her family struggled but they instilled great values. Parker and Broderick have a lovely family they both seem to treasure.

God does not play favorites. We don’t know what private struggles she and her family have had to endure. Money does not ensure happiness, or good health, or a lasting marriage. It can make things easier but it’s no guarantee.

Sarah K. on September 7th, 2011

AverageMom, I’m sure SJP has also had her share of struggles. You said she has such a nice husband, but also said he cheated on her (you implied that was her fault, which I find to be just wrong). Yes, she has beautiful children, but she faced serious fertility issues. She is blessed and lucky, but that doesn’t mean her life is perfect and nothing ever goes wrong. We all have good and bad luck.

Marie, SJP never said she used an egg donor.

She seems to really love her kids and she knows how blessed she is. I don’t even know how this turned into such a negative post.

Laura on September 7th, 2011

I do think that SJP is one of the more down to earth celebrities, but lets not forget that she is a celebrity and does not live like the rest of us. She has help, can afford the best of everything, etc etc. But i do think she appreciates what she has been given due to the nature of how she grew up.

As far as her exercise, it has always been reported that she is a serious exerciser. She has a trainer and i have read in the past that she has done gymnastics and that tracey anderson method…which is a hard workout. And just like Kelly Ripa, she is a serious exerciser too. So for her to say she gets her body by lifting her children, is only half the story. I don’t know why she never talks about her exercise program, maybe she doesn’t want to come across as obsessive about it?? who knows.

RachelJane on September 7th, 2011

Does the Marion Loretta thing have to come up on EVERY SJP post?!

I also don’t get why it’s selfish of SJP not to share her workout secrets. Why does she owe it to any of you?

ecl on September 7th, 2011

First off, she may be naturally thin, but women DO NOT naturally have a six pack, which she does. Lifting kids may help, but she works out. She should own that since there is nothing wrong with working out.

Second off, no one was faulting her for using a surrogate. I believe that person just made the comment that she didn’t have to go through the bodily changes of having twins, which makes it easier for her to retain her figure. And no one said that she used a surrogate in order to do this, just that having a surrogate meant this.

Finally, this conspiracy about the Jolie-Pitt kids is ridiculous. You guys should stop being so obsessed with image. Who cares if kids look sloppy? They’ll be ridiculed for their looks soon enough. Let them be kids.

one_love on September 11th, 2011

@Felicity and @ marie,
Don’t know if other people answered b/c I can’t read through all of the comments, but SJP has mentioned her workouts a while ago. She does ballet/pilates workouts. She even has her own DVDs that my friend ownes (SJP appears in them…called ballet workout or something).

Jessica on September 12th, 2011

WELL said and right on @Emily!! I was getting more and more irritated as I scrolled down the comments and was prepared to say the same thing, but you took the words right out of my mouth!

Will the women bashing women and mothers bashing fellow mothers never end? We’re all women, we’re all mothers, in some shape or form, whether biologically or otherwise, and yet we’re constantly trying to beat each other down by saying we’re better in this or that way, and so-and-so isn’t a “real” mother because of such and such.

We all love to read about celebrities. In some form or another, whether we want to admit it or not, we read about them, we “follow” them, because we’re curious about their lives, even envious. And then we each love to sit on our high horses and criticize them for either revealing too much about their lives and sharing their children in the spotlight TOO much (ala Jolie-Pitt children, even though that family is followed night and day BECAUSE of OUR interest in them. It’s a vicious circle of us causing the demand for them by checking out the photos and then us criticizing them for being in the spotlight too much) or in this case above with readers criticizing Sarah Jessica Parker for not revealing ENOUGH about her life, her work-out plan, etc.

I love reading People as much as the next gal, and admittedly, I typically check it out every day, but I mostly avoid reading the comments for this exact reason, because it only leads to me getting irritated.