Sharon Feanny during pregnancy - File photos

Having a child is a blessing but getting back that pre-baby figure is not an easy task.

To some women like Sharon Feanny, Tishan Lee and Ayanna Kirton, getting the body they once had seemed like a walk in the park; but nothing comes without proper dieting and lots of exercise.

Feanny, owner of Shakti Mind Body Fitness, said the quickest way to lose that baby fat is "exercise, exercise and exercise".

She said that pregnancy is not an excuse to stop working out. She noted that women have to remember that the more they exercise, the better they will feel and the more energy they will have during pregnancy. She added that as long as the doctor approves, women should walk, swim, indoor cycle, lift light weights or do yoga, or all of the above.

Healthy lifestyle

Feanny has been very successful in keeping the baby fat off.

Fitness guru Feanny said that when she had her son at age 43, she was fitter and stronger than during her first pregnancy. She pointed out that maintaining a healthy lifestyle was important and she ate organic foods. She said a friend once told her that during pregnancy you should eat five colours of foods daily, fresh vegetables, fruits and whole grains, and avoid anything with white flour, sugar and rice.

She said women should not use pregnancy as an excuse to let bad eating habits creep in because they will be very hard to break once they have had the baby.

Proper eating habits

She suggested they stay on track with proper eating habits throughout the nine months. This, she said, would make them happier when the babies are born because the last thing they would want to worry about is losing a lot of weight. She said breastfeeding also helped in peeling away the pounds.

Feanny noted that if mothers did not do a Caesarean section, they could begin exercising six weeks after giving birth. The most important thing she said mothers ought to remember is: "you have to take care of yourself before you can take care of anyone."