No crash diets after childbirth: Alia, Kareena and others chose patience and routine to lose weight

Hormonal changes during pregnancy and the extra weight after childbirth leave many mothers worried, and Bollywood stars are no exception. To stay fit on screen and remain healthy, they have chosen proper diet, regular exercise and mental calm over crash diets or unhealthy shortcuts.

Alia Bhatt surprised everyone by returning to her slim figure very quickly after the birth of her daughter Raha. But she did it not through any medicine or short-term method; she lost the weight patiently and naturally. Alia has told Indian media that breastfeeding her baby regularly burns a lot of calories, which helped her the most in losing weight naturally.

Alia never starved herself to lose weight. She ate nutritious home-cooked food in moderate amounts, and to regain energy after childbirth she kept laddus rich in nuts, raisins, coconut and other nutrients in her diet.

She did not rush exercise either. For the first two weeks after her baby's birth she only walked for 15 minutes and did breathing exercises. After 12 weeks, on her doctor's advice, she started yoga, pilates and light cardio.

Kareena Kapoor Khan, a mother of two, gained about 18 kilograms during pregnancy. But there was never any unusual hurry in her fitness journey. On the advice of celebrity nutritionist Rujuta Diwekar, Kareena lost weight while eating rice, lentils, ghee and seasonal fruit.

Kareena believes that not eating weakens the body, which is not right at all for new mothers. For exercise, instead of heavy gym equipment, she relied on regular daily walking and yoga, especially Surya Namaskar.

Actress Gauahar Khan drew attention by losing about 10 kilograms just 10 days after giving birth. She said there was no separate magic behind it; staying up at night caring for her baby, breastfeeding every two hours and doing normal household work burned a great deal of calories.

For actress Amrita the change was even bigger. When her children were born in 2010 and 2012, she gained 30 kilograms each time. But she did not try to slim down in a rush. In her words, staying fit is no magic; it takes regular effort, patience and care for oneself. Whether on the road or the treadmill, she walked whenever she could, and she also went to the gym regularly for cardio and strength exercises.

One thing is clear from these experiences: not everyone's body works the same way. Some lose weight in a few weeks, while for others it can take a year. So instead of comparing oneself with others, it is important to give one's body time to recover.

After childbirth a mother needs balanced food to repair her body and to nourish her baby. So rather than cutting calories drastically, healthy food should be eaten in moderate amounts. Especially after a caesarean delivery, a doctor and a fitness expert must be consulted before starting heavy exercise.