Celeb moms can, so can you BT tells you how and why you should lose that post-pregnancy weight... NOW!

We've all envied celebrity mommas who go back to their as-they-were figures, mere weeks after delivering a child. So have they been popping wonder pills, we all ask. Or do they starve themselves? Are they gym rats, maybe? Surely, they've had a little nip n' tuck? Well, whatever their elixirs and secrets, we're telling you, you can do it, too a la Beyonce, Posh and their ilk.  HOW SOON IS TOO SOON?  When Dr Anita Soni, consultant obstetrician and gynaecologist told us that a woman can return to her normal figure within 40 days of delivery, we were gobsmacked and a further revelation (you can start exercising as you're home from the hospital) busted another myth. She offered a tip: "The trick is to permit yourself to do what your body allows you to. It can be anything from a brisk walk or a light jog. If you have a cranky baby who keeps you up all night and leaves you tired, walk for just half an hour each day. A woman's physiology is such that the Basal Metabolic Rate (BMR) is high when you're lactating. So why not take advantage of the situation and knock off the extra baggage in the first three months when you are on maternity leave rather than after you join work and are pressed for time? Keep weight gain to bare minimum during pregnancy and you won't have a problem losing it later."  HOW MUCH IS TOO MUCH?  How much weight can you lose or gain without being tagged anorexic or obese respectively? "Gaining around 12 kgs is healthy in a normal pregnancy. The maximum amount of weight one can put on would be 15 kgs, nothing more. If a patient is already obese, I'd advise them against gaining more than six kgs," says Dr Soni. Dr Bindu Balani M.D., a gynaecologist, offers, "You lose up to six kilos as soon as you give birth. The baby, placenta and liquor (amniotic fluid) make up for that weight which means you have to lose only 10 kgs after having a baby. Of that weight, 10-20 per cent is fluid retention. So that takes off two more kilos off the 'to-lose' list."  What about eating for two during a pregnancy?  Nobody knows where the concept comes from. There's no need to pig out on calorieladen food. It is, however, extremely difficult for the Indian woman to 'diet' responsibly with mothers and mothers-in-law breathing down their necks, stuffing their faces and making them stay indoors at all times. Most go along with the fussing to maintain peace.  What can you do?  Remember that the earlier you start your weight loss regime the better. Wait a few months and you're never going to lose that weight. Although, Dr Balani admits that women with thyroid ailments or those already obese to begin with or are suffering from Poly-Cystic Ovarian Disease (PCOD) have difficulty losing weight.      "Everyone must start going for brisk walks in the first 10 days. If you have had a normal delivery, you can start working out like you used to (pre-pregnancy) within 20 days. If you have had a baby through Caesarean-section (C-section), you can return to normal workouts after 40 days," advises Dr Soni. Dr Balani also suggests pelvic floor exercises, which women must startdoing as soon as they are discharged from the hospital. Fitness expert Leena Mogre says you must focus on core strengthening to avoid chronic pain as your body loses a lot of calcium and other vital nutrients during the birth of your child.      Remember that each pregnancy is different and permissions to exercise depends on your gynaecologist. "Weight loss also depends on how well you have taken care of yourself while you were pregnant," signs off Mogre.  QUICK TIPS 1 How much weight you gain during pregnancy is very crucial to how soon you can lose weight. 2 Do not workout without yourgynaecologist's permission. 3 Do not starve yourself silly in pursuit of your pre-baby figure. 4 Do not push yourself to work out at the risk of facing a burnout. A healthy, normal baby can take a toll on your physical and mentalhealth. And a cranky baby can absolutely drive you nuts. Ensure that you get enough rest and sleep. 5 Do not stop breastfeeding in the quest to lose weight. Breast milk is essential for your child's immunity. 6 Avoid going on crash diets in any case; you might end up with chronic pain in the back and other places. YUMMY MUMMIES: Karisma Kapoor, Jessica Alba and Sapna Kumar soon got back to their original shapes post-pregnancy MYTHS BUSTED 1 You don't need to eat for two (and bloat up to resemble a mammoth and give any more mileage to those annoying old wives' tales). 2You don't need to eat for two even after your baby is born. Your baby is onlygoing to need about 500 calories per day, which you can easily make up for with a healthy diet. 3 You absolutely must not put up your feet during a pregnancy. While there's no need to overzealously exercise, you must keep that body in motion. Being active and regularly exercising (even bouts of brisk walking counts) stretches and strengthens the muscles, which means you cope with labour and birth better. But yes, you must sleep with your feet up. 4Tying up your stomach tightly in yards of cloth (also known as belly wrap) is just going to make you look like a ninja. The belly wrap is not going to shove your belly in but will hold in the loose skin and fat. Beyonce before her pregnancy and (in red) a few weeks after she delivered her baby Malaika Arora Khan is one of the fittest hot mommas in Bollywood