FitSugar

Reality Check: Ashlee Simpson Thanks Her Youth and Genes

FitSugar — Mon, 10 Aug 2009 14:30:41 -0700

From breastfeeding to boot camp, celebrities have countless ways of quickly shedding their baby weight - some of them more believable than others. But Ashlee Simpson-Wentz is refreshingly honest about her method, which isn't as easy to imitate.

Simpson told Celebrity Baby Blog that she credits her youth and genes with her ability to slim down after having Bronx, who is now eight months old. Though she exercised, she confesses that getting back in shape didn't require much effort:

"After I had Bronx I lucked out," she admits. "I mean, I’m 24 years old, [I have] the genes from my mother and I did work out for three months."

As many of us know, age can be a big factor when it comes to gaining and easily losing weight. I've often secretly rolled my eyes when the media marvels at how quickly young starlets like Simpson and Jessica Alba get their bodies back after baby. Do you think that age and genetics are a major factor in someone's ability to lose weight?

Heidi Klum on Losing Her Baby Weight

FitSugar — Wed, 05 Aug 2009 05:50:11 -0700

Earlier in her fourth pregnancy, Heidi Klum shared that her daughter referred to her baby bump as a "Buddha belly." Pretty cute.

As the due date of her fourth approaches, the fashionista is contemplating her post-baby body. Famous for, among other things, quickly dropping weight after the birth of her first son for a Victoria's Secret fashion show, Heidi insists that there are no tricks to her weight loss. She says:

"I've never really had any special girdle machines or anything like that. For me, it's, you know, really healthy foods, exercising, playing with the children, going to the park. Normal things."

Klum added:

"I never really put a lot of pressure on myself, but for me personally, I feel like it is always better to get into shape immediately . . . it works to kind of get back into shape, afterward, I feel great."

Learn what Heidi thinks of dieting.

Heidi Klum and Her Buddha Belly

FitSugar — Fri, 12 Jun 2009 03:30:00 -0700

On her fourth round of pregnancy, Heidi Klum told Us Magazine that she is comfortably familiar with the bodily changes that accompany carrying a child. After dramatically dropping baby weight to walk the runway two months after her second child was born, the supermodel also said, "I'm not worried. I know my body will go back again!" Her confidence is inspiring. She must be following the new guidelines for weight gain during pregnancy. It's nice to know Heidi has faith in the process of losing her baby weight, even with daughter Leni referring to her baby bump as a Buddha belly. I was pregnant twice, and both times it took a while to drop the weight. Then again, I didn't have an underwear-clad walk on the runway to inspire an intense workout regimen and a bread-free diet.

Source

How'd These Celebs Lose Their Baby Weight?

FitSugar — Mon, 04 May 2009 04:30:00 -0700

It amazes me how celebrity moms have not only lost all their baby weight and look as amazing as they did pre-pregnancy, but they do it in a few months or less. Part of the reason is the enormous professional pressures they must feel to look good, but they also have access to the best trainers and personal chefs, and time to work out. Many celeb moms have also attributed the loss of baby weight to breastfeeding. For most women, breastfeeding alone isn't some easy fix - losing the 40 to 60 pounds gained while pregnant is a combination of breastfeeding, a healthy diet, and regular exercise. Take this little quiz to see how these celeb moms slimmed down after baby.

Question 1 of 8

Can you guess which celeb lost 60 pounds after having twins, without exercise?

Reality Check: Milla Jovovich's Body Is "Sort of" Back

FitSugar — Thu, 23 Oct 2008 08:00:00 -0700

Often times, it seems celebs are pregnant one day and the next day they're not. It's as if there is no evidence of the pregnancy, except the new baby. For everyone else, it takes time to get back to your pre-pregnancy bod - they say to give yourself at least nine months; after all, it is as long as it took for you to put on the weight.

Supermodel-turned-supermom Milla Jovovich recently revealed that she has not lost all her pregnancy weight (she's down 62 pounds from her gained 70-plus pounds a year ago). And what's more? She attributes her lost pounds to hard work with trainer Harley Pasternak, not just breastfeeding. She recently said:

I was really good when I was pregnant. I wasn't the crazy pregnant chick. I'm crazy anyway, so pregnancy really evened me out. I was like, "Whatever, I'm 200 lbs. Get me another bagel." I'm sort of back to normal. But, I like this workout, I like to train. It's part of my world. It's good for me to be disciplined, because in so many areas of my life, I'm kind of lazy. It's nice to have some pattern in my life that stays the same and I get to do some working.

I love that she is honest about her weight after the baby is born, and how hard it is to lose it (even with a superstar trainer helping you out). So if you're working to get rid of those pesky pounds that crept up on you during your pregnancy, remember that it takes time for everyone, including the rich and famous.

Flynet

Reality Check: Losing Baby Weight

FitSugar — Thu, 25 Jun 2009 09:57:28 -0700

Women get pregnant and gain weight. Then they have the baby and have to lose the weight. Celeb moms just seem to do so at an alarmingly quick rate. We read tales of Naomi Watts simply using breastfeeding to get back to her pre-baby weight in a matter of weeks, and Jessica Alba bouncing back in record time. This, however, is not the reality for most women.

European healthcare officials are trying to add some common sense to the conversation about losing the baby weight. For most women it takes three months to a year to lose the weight, and it is important to do so. While breastfeeding can help burn calories and help new moms shed pounds, many new mothers cannot lose weight because they are breastfeeding. The body holds on to excess fat to ensure the mom has enough energy/calories to produce milk for the baby. Common sense tells us it is easier to lose the baby weight if you don't gain excessive amounts while pregnant - there is no real need to eat for two. Since the vast majority of new moms are without a personal trainer, a personal chef, and a nanny - common elements of a celeb's life - losing the baby weight will take some time. Instead of embarking on a crash diet to drop pounds, it is best to eat a healthy and balanced diet, while increasing your fitness level at a reasonable rate. Slow and sustained weight loss is the best approach, and a new mom who is cutting too many calories is a cranky new mom.

Post Pregnancy Baby Weight: Reality Check

FitSugar — Tue, 26 Jun 2007 08:45:00 -0700

I have been posting about celeb moms and their slim down secrets. It is interesting to get a glimpse into the celebrity world, especially if you have dealt with working off the pounds that accompanied your nine month journey to motherhood. I do, however, want to provide a little reality check: these women have resources that regular, normal, non-celeb moms do not. I am talking about nannies, personal chefs, personal trainers as well as a lot of external pressure to "tighten up."

It is not a good idea to go on a severely calorie restricted diet, especially if the new mom is breastfeeding. Cutting back on calories means the loss of significant nutrients for the mother and the baby. For some women, breastfeeding actually can help take off some baby weight. A lactating mom needs at least 1800 – 2000 calories a day. Plus cutting back on food can make a new, sleep deprived mom cranky, and cranky is not what you want to be when facing the unique challenges of tending to a newborn.

Exercise, on the other hand is highly recommended. Not only will it help new moms lose weight, it can help ward off postpartum depression. It is key to remember that exercise should make you feel better not worse, and it always a good idea to check with your OB before beginning a postpartum exercise program, especially if you had a difficult pregnancy, delivery, or a C-section. I highly recommend walking, as a way to begin exercising it is enjoyable for both you and the baby. Get out and go for a stroll.

Fit’s tip: After taking time off from vigorous exercise for nine months, it will take you some time to get back to your pre-pregnancy level of fitness. Start with the level of exercise you did in your third trimester and work you way back, adding elements from your second trimester, and so on. Good Luck!

FitSugar Roundup

FitSugar — Sat, 21 Nov 2009 05:50:03 -0800

You can go easy on the butter in your mashed potatoes when you use Yukon Gold spuds.
New Moon star Nikki Reed says hiking with her boyfriend is her fitness secret.
How well do you know the calorie counts of Starbucks's holiday drinks?
Worried about falling off the healthy wagon? Here are eight ways to get back on track.
I'm curious to know how many days a week you work out.
Ashlee Simpson-Wentz firmly believes in taco night and baby weights.
If you're starting to strength train, check out this guide to beginning weights for lifting.
Learn just how long you need to exercise in order to burn off a slice of T-day pumpkin pie.
I have some great gift ideas for the healthy cook in your life.
Learn a bit more about the fat-burning zone.

Trista on Losing the Weight After Baby, Not All Roses

FitSugar — Mon, 29 Oct 2007 09:30:00 -0700

Trista Sutter, perhaps the only person who's been in a successful relationship after appearing on The Bachelor, has added a new addition to her family. Turns out however, that losing the weight is not as easy as she expected. US Weekly got the scoop from Trista on how the weight loss has been going and while she's not a big Hollywood celebrity, I think it's interesting because she has a real perspective on it all.

Here are highlights:

How are you feeling about your body?
My friend said that when I came home from the hospital, I’d be back in my old jeans. Fifteen pounds did fall off immediately, but the fact that it’s been three months and I’m still not in them is a bummer.

What’s your routine? Five times a week for an hour we do a combination of yoga, Pilates and power-lifting exercises. But I’ve had abdominal pain, so I haven’t been able to do the more aggressive exercises. When I danced for the Miami Heat, a lot of times I led the ab exercises, so the fact that I can’t focus on it when it used to come easy to me is frustrating! Still, I’m getting into the groove. After Max has gone to bed, I do abs at night while I watch TV. I try to do situps for entire commercial breaks.

Is it hard to find the time to work out? That’s the question! If I have a date at the gym with Brock [her trainer], I’ll do it. But if I’m home, I’ll find something else to do, because there are a million things to get done. If I didn’t have a trainer, I’d have a friend call and say, “What’s your workout time today?” and put it in my calendar.

There's more, including what she's been eating, so read more

What’s your eating plan? I know if I try a crazy crash diet I will rebound from it. Those diets are just not realistic with my lifestyle. I’m trying to keep it a little bit looser, so I don’t burn out, but the main philosophy of my diet is that it’s higher in protein with healthy whole-grain carbs.

Because I’m breastfeeding until Max is 6 months old, it’s just not safe to cut calories, so I’m eating smart: five to six meals a day to keep my metabolism running. Sweets are a huge problem in this house - we love ice cream, especially Ben & Jerry’s Oatmeal Cookie Chunk - but we don’t really drink, so that helps. My father-in-law just said this is a sad time, because we have more healthy food in our refrigerator than beer!

Is it tough to find time to eat healthy? I showed up at the gym one day at 3 p.m., and the only thing I’d eaten all day was a bowl of cereal! Max is my top priority, so when he needs me I’m feeding him or playing with him. Food just doesn’t pop into the picture a lot of the time; I really need to think about that, or I will ruin my metabolism by not eating.

How Octomom Slimmed Down to 125 Pounds

FitSugar — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 03:00:37 -0700

Whatever your opinion of Nadya Suleman's decision to carry eight babies at once, most can agree that her quick slim-down is rather astonishing. When her octuplets were born nine months ago, Nadya weighed 270 pounds. In the latest issue of Us Weekly, she admitted she packed on the pounds by "eating everything in sight." Now this five-foot-seven single mom of 14 has lost 145 pounds and 39 inches off her waist and weighs 125 pounds.

How did she do it? To find out, read more.

With her previous pregnancies, the Octomom admitted she had no problems getting back to her pre-pregnancy size 1 or 2, thanks to her skinny genes. This last time around, simply delivering the eight babies in January helped Nadya lose 40 pounds instantly. Losing the rest of the weight, however, wasn't a walk in the park. This mama joined the local gym and sweats it out three times a week at midnight! Yep, after her children go to sleep, a nanny stays with them while she exercises late-night for 90 minutes. Since Nadya gets her cardio from chasing after the kids, her gym workouts are devoted to strength training. She does top-secret crunches (which she hopes to reveal in her own fitness video), tricep kickbacks, bicep curls, shoulder presses, and lunges. Her dumbbell of choice? A set of 12-pound weights. I don't know how she does it, but Nadya claims she gets by on only three hours of sleep a night. She can't possibly keep that up for too long.

A healthy diet also helped Suleman lose her baby weight. Her day is filled with five protein-based meals or snacks, including turkey, sushi, eggs, and lowfat cheese. She also includes whole grains such as oatmeal, and veggies by eating salads and stews. Her favorite snacks include Pinkberry frozen yogurt and cottage cheese with fruit.

Although Nadya needed help to get pregnant and deliver her babies, she boasts that she's slimmed down with diet and exercise alone, and didn't need any surgical help.