Our bodies can do amazing things, especially during pregnancy.  Moms watch their bodies grow and drastically change shape in a matter of nine months.  It really is miraculous and beautiful.  But after a pregnancy, many women are keen to regain their shape and get back into their favorite pre-pregnancy outfits.  Who can blame them?  Just because you become a mother doesn’t mean you have lost your interest in fitness and style.  It just means you have to work a little harder to maintain them.

Obviously the most important element to regaining your pre-pregnancy shape is regular exercise. Even if you’ve been active in the past most doctors recommend waiting several weeks postpartum to resume your workouts.   You may want to discuss the changes in your body that have taken place during pregnancy and ask your doctor if there are any red flags you need to be aware of while exercising.

Diet is another key component to keeping fit after pregnancy.  Proper nutrition and an adequate number of calories should be maintained at all times, particularly if you are breast feeding.  Remember, your metabolism speeds up the more often you refuel, so having several small, healthy meals throughout the day will help you slim down and keep your energy levels up.  You can also discuss with your doctor which nutritional supplements are going to meet your specific health and nutrition needs.  Along with a proper diet, you should also make sure you’re drinking enough water to help your body burn fat optimally.

One of the many benefits of breastfeeding is that it also helps moms lose pregnancy weight.  Up to 600 calories a day are burned for full-time breastfeeding moms!  Of course, you need to make sure your diet is compensating for those calories or you run the risk of depleting yourself physically, but striking a balance will allow you to drop pounds and provide a rich, nourishing start for your baby.

Finally, there are many products designed to help moms reshape their bodies after having a baby.  These are the “secrets of the stars”–the reason why celebrity moms look so great just weeks after they’ve given birth.  Our Shrinkx Hips postpartum belt, for example, takes advantage of the hormone relaxin that remains in the body up to 8 weeks after you’ve had your baby.  Wearing Shrinkx Hips daily will gently guide your hips back to their pre-pregnancy dimensions.

We’re thrilled to be able to offer one of our random readers a Shrinkx Hips belt in an exclusive giveaway this week.  The belt comes in two sizes:  S/M or M/L and retails for $49.95 at BabiesRUs.com.  To enter, leave us a comment and describe your favorite pre-pregnancy outfit–the one you’re dying to get back into. We’ll select one winner at random on Wednesday, January 20 and notify you via email.  Entries received after midnight on January 20th will be disqualified.  U.S. Residents Only.

Good Luck Ladies!

To enter, leave us a comment and tell us the most surprising thing you’ve discovered about motherhood. (Or fatherhood!)  Winners will be chosen at random on Tuesday, January 12, 2010.  Deadline for comments is midnight, CST on Monday, January 11, 2010.  U.S. residents only.

Good luck!