Take a cue from celebrity mothers and shed those post-pregnancy kilos. Here are a few things that work in your favour and make the ordeal easier
Celebrity new-mothers such as Amrita Arora, her sexy older sibling Malaika Arora Khan, Hollywood hotties like Angelina Jolie and bootylicious singer Jennifer Lopez prance around setting an example for young mothers everywhere. While they may have a slew of helpers and nannies to take over when they tire, getting back into shape post delivery is as rewarding as it is difficult, much like childbirth itself. Gone are the days when all you could picture were double chins, saggy tummies and excess weight that's impossible to shed.
Here is a cheat sheet on how they do it and what you can do to get rid of your motherhood fat.
Eating on the run
When coping with a newborn it's almost impossible to sit down and enjoy three normal meals. So mums tend to eat little and often — between feeds and while the baby sleeps.
"This style of eating keeps energy levels up and boosts the metabolism," says nutritionist Louise Khan. The other secret for a faster fat-busting metabolism is breastfeeding, which burns an average of 500 calories a day. "It also helps stomach muscles contract and tighten post-birth for a flat tummy," says Louise.
It fixes your hormones
More and more mums — including celebs such as JLo and Victoria Beckham, have suffered from the common hormone imbalance polycystic ovarian syndrome (PCOS).
Symptoms of this condition include irregular periods, infertility, miscarriages, excess hair, acne and obesity.
But although it can be tougher to conceive with this condition, after pregnancy many women with PCOS find their hormones balance out for the better. This means more stable blood sugar levels, so it's easier to keep weight off.
You burn more calories
It might sound obvious, but when you think that weight loss is down to a simple calculation of substracting calories, it's clear why the additional activity involved in looking after a newborn shifts fat.
Many new mums find that after years of leading a relatively sedentary life — sitting down at work all day, for example — they're now find themselves racing around from the moment they wake up until their head hits the pillow. Some also find it easier to walk to more places rather than load and unload the pram into the car for every short journey. Plus, the bigger your family the better, as with every additional baby your activity levels increase even further.
Exercise for the first time
For many new mums, trying to lose weight after pregnancy is the first time they've done any real exercise since school, so even women who were slim before wouldn't have had much muscle tone if they weren't working out. Wanting to shift the pregnancy weight gives mums an incentive to visit the gym or start swimming, which can reap big rewards. They find their body becomes stronger and better toned than ever before.
Respecting the body
Having a baby can put you more in tune with your body. You feel more confident and appreciative of your body and what it's capable of doing. Serial yo-yo dieters can find this newfound respect ends the 'binge-then-crash diet' cycle and they lose weight without trying, for the first time in their lives. New mums must eat well to have enough energy to cope, and this change of focus often stops them from obsessing about calories. They follow a healthy diet, with everything in moderation and no meal skipping, which is the real secret to sustained weight loss.
Post-baby body
Exercise throughout : Swimming or walking three times a week while pregnant will keep your muscles toned and fat stores down, without overdoing it.
Go steady after the birth: Ask your doctor at your six-week check up if you're safe to start exercising, and listen to your body— don't rush into exercise until you feel up to it.
Move more: If it's impossible to get to the gym, try to walk everywhere with your pram — the faster you go, the more calories you will burn.
Breast-feed: It's not just the best thing for your baby — it will help you lose weight faster too.
Eat right: A healthy diet with plenty of fruit, veges and lean protein is vital, and eating small mini meals fives times a day boosts your metabolism.
