How to get back in shape after motherhood: Experts

Six top nutritionists tell us what they did to get back in shape and stay fit after motherhood.
"MY POSITIVE ATTITUDE KEEPS ME FIT" - Shubi Husain, 41, nutritionist and entrepreneur
Mother of Rifshu Husain, 19 The toughest thing about being a mother: Maintaining a balance between my hectic work schedule and taking care of my son.
Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Ensuring that I have a balanced diet.Strict NO-NO to sugar, sugary products, junk foods and saturated fats. Also, I take smaller meals, five to six times a day, instead of three large ones. This helps regulate and normalise my blood sugar levels through the day, without the dips and spikes of heavy meals. I always keep an eye on the fat content and also include a lot of fruits and vegetables in my meals. I drink a lot of water and green tea during the day.The most important thing that keeps me going, however, is my positive attitude.
My fitness regimen: I am regular with aerobics, spot reduction and stretching exercises, brisk walks, yoga.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Fresh fruits, good quality animal protein, like lean chicken, fish or egg whites, leafy vegetables, whole grains and nuts.
Foods to avoid: Sugar and sugary products, junk food, aerated drinks and packaged fruit juices, refined flour and saturated fats.
Foods for good skin and hair: I take lots of anti-oxidants, vitamins and minerals in the form of fresh fruits, green leafy vegetables, fresh smoothies and green tea. For keeping healthy hair, I take care of my protein intake in the form of egg whites, fish and chicken.
Dealing with hormonal changes: I am a very positive person and lead a disciplined lifestyle. I am a firm believer of the fact that only when the mother is fit, healthy and men tally strong, can she bring up her child well. Hence `positivity' is my way of staying mentally strong.
Inculcating good eating habits in my child: Be a role model. A child tries to emulate the elders at home. When the family sits together, provide the same healthy set of choices for everyone. Do not eat what you don't intend giving to your child. Plus, make boring food interesting. It's important to stock up on healthy foods so that the child will not have access to junk snacks when hungry. Eventually, your child will start liking healthy foods.
My comfort food: Brownies and chocolate truffles.
Workout tracks I love: 3 by Britney Spear and ABBA's Does Your Mother Know.
My fitness icon:Jane Fonda.
"YOUR BODY IS A GIFT TO YOUR SOUL" - Suman Agarwal, 47, nutritionist, fitness expert
Mother of Priyanka, 26, Juhi, 21 and Komal, 18 The toughest thing about being a mother: Inculcating right values, and making my girls strong enough to face the challenges posed by the world.
Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Your body is the first gift to your soul, so never neglect it.
My fitness regimen: I have been exercising from the age of 12! I'd emulate Jane Fonda, buy her books and exercise for 30 minutes daily. I explore different forms of workouts, like aerobics, kick-boxing, Tai Chi, swimming, jogging, weight training and numerous forms of dancing. I do yoga regularly apart from walking, dancing and swimming.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: A mother's body needs to recover from the trauma of child birth. She requires added nutrition for lacta tion. Have milk and dairy products daily (at least 800 ml). Take sufficient protein intake in the form of dal, chicken, fish or eggs. Vegetarians can opt for almonds, coconuts, pistachios, etc. Green leafy vegetables and fruits like oranges and mangoes are beneficial.
Foods to avoid: Alcohol, junk food, colas and pre-packaged food.
Foods for good skin and hair: An apple a day is important for fibres. Eggs for breakfast, curd or buttermilk with lunch; dal, at least once a day, helps impart a natural glow. Add good fats in your body. The absence of good fat makes the skin (which is already tired) lustreless and dry.
Dealing with hormonal changes: Post-partum depression affects many mothers. Being aware of it, having your spouse support and love you and believing in yourself helps you fight it.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Kids need an explanation for everything. Explain the science behind healthy eating habits, and how it benefits them. Once they know the reasons, they will be far more receptive to healthy meals.
My comfort food: Nachos with cheese sauce and beer, but I consciously keep it to weekends.
Workout tracks I love: I love Chants of India by Pandit Ravi Shankar. I also love listening to Hindi songs.
My fitness icon: Jane Fonda.
"VEGETABLE JUICES WORK WONDERS FOR A MOTHER" - Pooja Makhija, 37, nutritionist, columnist
Mother of Ahaana, 10 and Amaira, 7 The toughest thing about being a mother: Constantly trying to be a better one. When you're a working mother, you feel guilty. So you try harder and pack more in, and that's something I always find challenging.Also, battling with guilt is a tough task. At work, you are worrying about your kids and when you are with your kids, you're stressed about work. But, in the end, guilt makes you work harder and magically makes things work.
Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Eating right and exercising. There's no magic wand or simple formula.
My fitness regimen: Right now, I am focusing on strengthening and toning my muscles. Post-pregnancy, you are left with a lot of loose muscles. I do core strengthening, ab exercises, mix of pilates with exercise-ball, plank and resistance-band workouts three times a week.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Have good protein like egg whites.Wheatgrass juice is a must. Carbs are not your enemy; if you avoid them to l o s e weight, you won't have the energy to take care of your baby. Fats are not your enemy either.Have healthy fats like Omega-3 fatty acids found in flaxseeds, almonds and fish.Take supple Take supplements if you don't eat these on a daily basis.Stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables because they are loaded with disease-fighting and anti-aging antioxidants.
Foods to avoid: Foods high in sugar and fat. Whatever unhealthy stuff you eat is passed on to the baby because breastmilk is the only source of nutrition for them.
Foods to retain good d skin and hair: Vegetable juice works wonders. Toss three different raw veggies in a blender (not juicer), season and drink. Avoid excess sugar, it's an aging food. Eat egg whites for good hair.
Dealing with hormonal changes: Razor-sharp focus keeps my mind stay strong. Raising my kids well is my final goal and I try not to get distracted.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Instead of force feeding them, try to use informative tools.
Deliver logic with love in a language that they under stand. For example, I often tell my daughters what to eat if they want their hair to grow as long as Rapunzel's. They relate to what I say.
My comfort food: A big slice of chilled, baked Philadelphia Blueberry cheesecake. It's my ultimate indulgence.
My favourite work out music: Any hot Bollywood track; I am too filmi.
My fitness icon: My husband, Ravi. He's a fitness freak. Earlier, I'd only focus on eating right but post-pregnancy, I've incorporated his way as well, which is more exercise-friendly.
"STAYING ACTIVE KEEPS ME GLOWING" - Madhuri Ruia, 53, nutritionist and pilates expert
Mother of Pareesha, 23 and Jeeya, 17
The toughest thing about being a mother: You always want to be the best mother. Your family expects a lot out of you; a mother is supposed to have solutions to all problems, be able to multi task and not feel stressed at the same time. Meeting everyone's expectations is tough.
Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: Staying active and happy. When my girls were young, I'd be super excited to spend time with them whether it was playing hide and seek, dropping them to the gym nastic class, getting them to prepare healthy whole wheat burgers. I ate wholesome meals every three and a half hours and excercised every day. Even today, my daughters get me involved in every aspect of their lives, whether its doing ab exercises together, checking out the latest iPhone apps, chilling by the beach or watching comedy on YouTube. The happiness I derive from being with them helps me fight stress and aging. It keeps me fit and glowing.
My fitness regimen: I usually wake up by 5 am and sleep by 11 pm on weekdays. My day begins with a morning power walk or a sprint for 30 minutes before breakfast to start the process of burning body fat without losing muscle. Weight training is also a part of my routine (four days a week). I also practise karate, kick boxing, rebounding and pilates. The goal is to build muscles, maintain strong bones and retain an erect posture.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Eggs for its protein content, ragi and other high-fibre foods, mushroom, milk and yogurt, almonds, brown rice, sweet potatoes, Omega-3 rich fish like rawas, mackerel and lean poultry.
Foods to avoid: Aerated drinks, maida-based foods, savoury snacks, cookies that have invisible fat, junk food and deep-fried food.
Foods for good skin and hair: Almonds, olive oil with tomatoes, flaxseed oil and paneer. Green leafy veggies, green tea and yogurt do a lot of good too.
Dealing with hormonal changes: The key is to be so involved with your babies that you're left with no time to feel low.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Engage your children in the kitchen. Start by teaching them to sort different dals, apply different spreads on breads and crackers, roll dough and eat the right amount of cooked food in the right way.Large servings, stashing food in their mouths, and encouraging them to watch TV leads to mindless eating.
My comfort food: Ice-cream, marzipan and chocolates.
Workout tracks I love: The Pump It Up series and other music mixes.
My fitness icon: Ernestine Shepherd, the world's fittest 80-year-old body builder who started body building in her late 50s.
"LET FITTED CLOTHES MOTIVATE YOU TO BURN FAT" - Ishi Khosla, 52, clinical nutritionist
Mother of Karanvier, 27 and Dev, 25
The toughest thing about being a mother: Going through labour pain and having sleepless nights for a couple of months after the baby is born. It leaves the mother exhausted.Once your kids grow up, it's a task to decide on a healthy menu on a daily basis. You want to feed them good food that also tastes great. Another stress factor is maintaining work-life balance; this worries most working women.
Mantra to staying fit post motherhood: There is no mantra; it's just an ingrained belief that being a m o t h e r shouldn't be an excuse to gain extra weight. If you have gained a few kilos, try and wear fitted clothes instead of loose ones. It's a great motivator to lose excess flab.
My fitness regimen: Cardio exercises, light weights, stretching, toning, yoga, eating mind fully and staying positive.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Nuts, seeds, digestive fluids like saunf-ajwain ka paani, green vegetables, jaggery and honey.
Foods to avoid: Trans fats, gassy legumes and pulses like beans, too much sugar, sweets and caffeine.
Foods for good skin and hair: Fresh sal Foods to retain good skin and ha ads, vegetable juices, good fats like nuts, seeds and fatty fish. Iron-rich foods are important for good hair growth. Good fluid intake and adequate sleep are essential.
Dealing with hormonal changes: Your husband plays the most crucial role here. A supportive partner can make a lot of difference. Also, talk and share expe riences with close friends who are mothers. Reading books on motherhood is also a great way to accept certain facts that may seem intimidat ing. Keep some time exclusively for yourself.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Apart from getting them to help you in the kitchen, take them to the vegetable mart when you buy groceries. This way, they'll learn to make smart, healthy food choices.And remember, never ever say a straight `NO'. Inculcate the right habits through positive messages. Kids tend to become rebellious if they hear the word `NO' all the time without any explanation given.
My comfort food: Mom's lemon cake; it's irresistible and out of the world. Also, ganne ke ras ki kheer with coconut and cream, made annually at my home on Lohri.
My favourite workout track: Karunesh for my meditation sessions.
"DON'T EVER ELIMINATE THE FUN FACTOR OUT OF YOUR LIFE" - Anjali Mukerjee, 54, nutritionist
Mother of Anchal, 27 and Suchita, 19
The toughest thing about being a mother: It requires a lot of hard work, as you go through a lot of pain when your children are unwell. Then dealing with them lovingly when they are in their teens is a big challenge.
Mantra to staying fit post childbirth: I skip dessert and have antioxidants regularly. Getting enough sleep is important as most of the repair work takes place in your body at night. I also believe that one must spend their waking hours productively as that leads to utmost happiness, which in turn leads to good health.
My fitness regimen: I work out five days a week. I have an instructor who teaches me yoga. I also walk on the treadmill for 40 minutes three to four times a week.
Five must-have foods post childbirth: Mixed seed laddoos (made out of jeera, flaxseeds, black til, dill seeds etc and jag gery). They are good for lac tation. Dry fruits, seasonal fresh fruits, fresh vegetables and greens and dairy products like milk and curd.
Foods to avoid: Heavy meals, extra spicy food deep-fried food, mithai and very cold foods and drinks. They affect lactation and digestion.
Foods to retain good skin and hair: Antioxidants, both in the form of natu ral foods and supplements, is a must. Have raw juices, fresh fruits, vegetable juices, wheatgrass, black til etc. Supplements help your skin and hair deal with stress and enviornmental pollution.
Dealing with hormonal changes: It's a part of pregnancy. Accept it. Stay aware of it and counsel yourself to constantly attract positive thoughts.
Inculcating good eating habits in children: Parents who don't eat vegetables shouldn't be surprised if their children do the same. Yelling at them doesn't work. Tell them what is right and wrong. They will hear you eventually. Teach them to be physically active from a young age. Even one hour of exercise a day is fine.
My comfort food: I love chaat and I indulge in it once in a while.
My favourite workout music: Bollywood.