Authors Laurie Kocanda and Kara Thom didn't miss their chance for a catchy title on their new book, Hot (Sweaty) Mamas: Five Secrets to Life as a Fit Mom. The Twin Cities' moms and athletes will be giving a brief talk and signing books from 2 p.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday (May 7) at the Barnes and Noble at the Galleria in Edina. With six children and more than 40 marathons (and a few ultramarathons and ironmans) between them, Kocanda and Thom have the street credibility to write on this subject. Kocanda said they set out to write a book about staying fit while pregnant, but found that the market was saturated with that type of advice. And while there were plenty of books about losing pregnancy weight, etc., there was very little that addressed the challenge of staying fit throughout parenthood. Kocanda said the book is meant for women (and men) who exercise regularly, and for women who don't. The main theme is how to make the personal commitment toward a healthy lifestyle amid all of the demands of parenting. Eliminating the "mom guilt" is step one. "It tends to plague women," she said. "You don't work out and then you feel guilty that you didn't work out. But then you do work out and you feel guilty that you didn't spend that time with your children." A recent University of Minnesota study certainly found this to be an issue. In a comparison of young adults, it found those with children had poorer exercise and dietary habits than those without children. The book offers advice for exercising with children, but also encourages parents to find their own time for focused exercise, Kocanda said. "If you're always working out with your kids, you're not going to get the complete benefits of exercise that you do when you work out by yourself and you get that mental release." Kocanda said the book isn't about losing weight, though that might by a byproduct for parents who are able to adopt reliable fitness routines. "The gist of our book is not about getting skinny, not about get yourself into smaller jeans," she said. "The focus of the book is really how to develop a fit lifestyle and how to be more fit mentally and healthier … That's why the title of our book isn't Hot Sweaty Skinny Mamas."