Gwen Stefani
The No Doubt singer boasts the best abs in the business, but her post-pregnancy workouts—which began soon after the birth of her second son, Zuma, in August 2008—didn’t include a single crunch. “They can actually worsen the pouch you’re trying to lose,” says her trainer, Mike Heatlie, author of the e-book Lose 10 Pounds, 10 Years, in 5 Weeks. Instead, she did high-intensity resistance-training workouts and ate superhealthy. Heatlie suggests drinking lots of water and eating fresh vegetables and lean meats, and having complex carbohydrates in moderation.
Samantha Harris
No, the rumba and quickstep weren’t the moves that the Dancing with the Stars cohost used to tone up after having daughter Josselyn in September 2007. Instead, Samantha eased back into her workout routine with yoga and light weight-training classes, which she restarted just two weeks after giving birth. “I think that the longer you wait, the harder it is to get back on the horse,” she explains.
Elisabeth Rohm
Even though the Heroes actress packed on 70 pounds while carrying her daughter, Easton, who was born in April 2008, she kept her cool and lost the weight gradually. “It wasn’t a race,” she says. “I knew my body would get back to where it was supposed to be eventually.” The main part of Elisabeth’s workout was circuit training, which she did four days a week. She also cut back on refined sugar and dairy—two things she craved during her pregnancy. “I’m sure I helped raise Cold Stone Creamery’s stock,” she jokes.
Ana Ortiz
The Ugly Betty actress returned to the set two weeks after having daughter Paloma in June. “Working out during my pregnancy made a difference in my recovery,” says Ana. Her secret for energy: a dance cardio class and smart eating (avocado, fish, handfuls of nuts, and coconut water).
Christina Aguilera
To get back to her buff self after having her son, Max, in January 2008, the singer returned to her pre-pregnancy diet, swapping fruit juices for whole fruit, and cutting out white processed foods. She also stuck to a three-to five-day a-week workout schedule that included cardio intervals (“Maybe 15 minutes on the elliptical, switching from hill work to sprints,” says her L.A.-based trainer Tee Sorge) combined with weight training to increase her metabolism.
Jessica Alba
After giving birth to her daughter, Honor, in June 2008, Jessica busted her butt six days a week using Ramona Braganza’s 321 Baby Bulge Be Gone—a 12-week program combining 10-minute sets of cardio, circuit training, and core work. Another secret: water. “Jessica usually drinks one to three liters a day, but she was thirstier during and after her pregnancy,” Braganza says. When she needed a switch, the trainer suggested Vitamin Water 10: “It is low in calories and tastes great.”
Ashlee Simpson
Trainer Mike Alexander, owner of MADfit training studio in Beverly Hills, reveals how the Melrose Place star got back to her pre-baby body.
1. Don’t torture yourself. Ashlee’s three-to four-day-a-week, 30-to 40-minute workouts show what really counts: consistency. When exercise is a steady part of your routine, you’re more likely to stick with it—and enjoy it.
2. Keep moving. “If Ashlee has any shortcomings, it would be a short attention span,” Alexander says. To limit downtime, she does two or three exercises back-to-back, with no rest in between—usually an upper-body exercise and then a lower-body exercise. “It gets your heart rate pumping,” he says.
3. Squeeze, please. To get a taut tummy, Ashlee works her transverse abdominals (the core muscles that cinch in your stomach). Something you can try: When you’re in your car, squeeze in your tummy muscles. Hold tight for 10 seconds, then release.
4. Step it up. Ashlee’s staircase (which is about four flights) doubles as a great fitness tool. “Sometimes she’ll jog up and down, hitting every step, for three to five minutes,” says Alexander.
5. Work the weights. “If you bump up your lean muscle mass, your metabolism will rev up too,” Alexander says. To tone her legs, Ashlee holds eight-pound weights while doing squats and lunges.
Source: http://www.womenshealthmag.com/weight-loss/weight-loss-after-pregnancy?page=6