5 great moves to help you firm up, plus tips on postnatal weightloss, sex, and eating well

Take things one day at a time, says trainer Michelle Dozois, pictured here with her 9-month-old son, Luc.

Name a movie star, model or neighbor who looks fantastic and who is also a new mom. Got someone in mind? Well, there you have it: proof-positive that getting back in shape after having a baby is possible. With a little healthy know-how, there's no physical reason why you can't have a great postpartum body - even a flat belly. In this special section, we'll give you a progressive workout to get your body, especially your abdominal muscles, looking better than ever. We'll also provide tips on changing your eating habits to meet your postpartum weight goals. And we'll answer your most pressing questions about sex, exercise and weight loss, and whether breastfeeding really helps those pounds come off.

[Q] What should I do food-wise to Lose my postpregnancy pounds?
[A]The "secret" formula is decidedly un-sexy, but it works: Eat well-balanced meals of protein, carbohydrates and little saturated fat. Aim to eat a variety of fruits, vegetables and whole-grain products. Cut back on sweets, salty snacks and large amounts of cheeses and fat-marbled meats. Instead of high-calorie dressings, try vinaigrette made with a little olive oil; for creamy pasta sauces, substitute tomato-based sauces.

This sensible approach is the best way to permanently shed pounds and helps you to have optimal energy for taking care of your new baby, notes Megan A. McCrory, Ph.D., research scientist at the jean Mayer USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston.

[Q] Does breastfeeding help melt away pregnancy pounds?
[A] Not necessarily. In a recent study of -236 women, those who breastfed exclusively or partially for approximately nine months lost weight at the same rate as those who bottle-fed. However, don't let this news discourage you from nursing, which has many medically proven benefits for mother and baby. "Instead, it should help you have realistic expectations about what breastfeeding can do for weight loss," says the study's lead researcher, Laura N. Haiek, M.D., M.Sc., assistant professor of family medicine at McGill University in Montreal.

[Q] Can I diet if I'm nursing?
[A] Yes - as long as you stick to a balanced diet and wait at least a month after you deliver to alter your eating habits. But don't reduce your calorie intake to below 1,800 calories a day, says McCrory, adding that combining dieting and exercise is recommended over dieting alone.

[Q] How soon can I start exercising again?
[A] Most experts say that if you had a normal vaginal delivery with no complications, you can slowly begin exercising after two weeks. But progress gradually: Start back at about 50 percent of where you left off during pregnancy; then increase your workouts in small increments. If either your pregnancy or delivery was complicated, ask your doctor when you can begin.

[Q] I'm just so tired all the time! How can I get motivated to work out again?
[A] Enlist a friend. Studies have found that exercising with a buddy is a great way to stay motivated: You're less apt to blow it off when someone is depending on you. Meet another new mom for power walks (you can both bring your babies in strollers) or meet a friend for a class at the gym.

[Q] How can I find time to exercise?
[A] Learn how to squeeze exercise in whenever you can. Got 20 minutes? Get outdoors and take a walk with your baby. Got 15 minutes? Pop in an exercise video while the baby naps or plays nearby, suggests McCrory. Be ready to cut yourself some slack, too, especially right after your baby is born. There will be days when you can't work out; just do your best.

[Q] Why do some women gain weight after having a baby?
[A] "Lifestyle factors are probably partly to blame, given what havoc new motherhood can wreak on your eating and exercise habits," says Erica P. Gunderson, Ph.D., a research scientist at Kaiser Permanente in Oakland, Calif. A harried new mom may gobble any fattening food she can find. And it's easy to forgo a walk or workout after a sleepless night. If this increase in eating and decrease in exercise persists for months, the result is added pounds.

[Q] What about my sex Life?
[A] Some women find caring for an infant so exhaus ing and stressful that sex is the last thing they want to think about. The type of delivery you had also may affect how fast feelings of desire return. According to a Harvard Medical School study of 615 women, those who had medical interventions (the use of vacuum extraction or forceps) during delivery were 270 percent more likely than others to experience painful sex at three months postpartum.

Others may find that their libido quickly returns and that they are ready to resume sex as soon as they get their doctor's OK (usually four to six weeks after delivery). If you are healed physically but you still feel sapped of desire and it's bothering you or your partner, you may want to check with your doctor.

Sometimes meeting your postpartum fitness goals means taking things one day at a time. Michelle Dozois, co-owner of Breakthru Fitness Studio in South Pasadena, Calif., simply wanted to be able to do a roll-up (a type of sit-up) after she had her baby, Luc, now 1. "Even if you're in great shape throughout your pregnancy, your abs take a beating," says Dozois, who appears here and in the video Breakthru Core -Conditioning Pilates (available at www.breakthrufitness.corn). A progressive exercise program in which you start slowly and then work your way up to more strenuous exercises is one of the best ways to go. Start with our "First Exercises" (at Left) right away (with your doctor's approval, of course). Continue doing them and, when you're ready, add the moves beginning here to your routine. "When you do [these exercises] in order, you progress gradually and continue to challenge yourself to get back in shape," says Dozois. As you master each move, add the next exercise until you complete the series. It might take you three months or more to be able to do at[ five moves, but be patient; the payoff is greatlooking abs. For best results, do this program every other day. (Note: This workout requires a stability ball; see our Shopping Guide on page 107 for where to find one.)

1. BASIC BALL CURL-UP Sitting on a stability ball, walk your feet in front of you, rolling the bat[ up your back until your torso is leaning on the bat[, knees bent and feet on floor. Reaching your arms toward your knees, pull navel in toward your spine and lift your head, neck and shoulders [A], Maintain position, inhale and extend right arm overhead [B]. Exhale and lift your left arm overhead as you lower your right arm to your side. Switch 9 more times; then rest (this is 1 set). Work up to 3 sets. Goal: To keep tops of shoulders lifted, with abs pulled down and in, the entire time.

2. BALL BRIDGE WITH KNEE LIFT Lie faceup on the floor, feet together on the ball. knees bent. Contract your abs, putting navel toward spine, and lift hips until your upper torso forms one straight tine ~ [A]. Using your abs to maintain the position, draw one knee in toward your chest [B]. Hold for 3 breaths; lower and repeat. Switch and repeat. Work up to 3 sets 91 set is a knee Lift on both sides). Goal: To remain still as you hold your hips level with one leg lifted.

3. MODIFIED ROLL-UP Sitting with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, place your hands behind your thighs (A). Pull your navel inward, inhale and curt your spine, holding in your ab muscles and rotting back as far as you can without feeling any tension in your back [B]. Exhale, roll up and repeat. Work up to 10 reps. Goal: To lower and lift yourself with your feet flat on the floor the entire time.

4. FOREARM PLANK Kneel with your forearms on the floor, elbows Lined up under your shoulders, hands clasped. Position your knees hip-width apart, just behind your hips. Contract your abs, putting your belly up and in (A). If you can hold this position for one minute, progress by extending both legs behind you so that you're balancing on your forearms and the balls of your feet, your body in one straight Line from head to heels [B]. Hold for 10 seconds to start, working up to 1 minute. Work up to 3 reps. Goal: To keep your body in one straight line and your abs contracted the entire time.

5. MODIFIED HUNDRED Lie faceup on the floor, knees bent, feet up, calves parallel to the floor. Lift your head and shoulders off the floor; tip your chin down. Extend arms, holding them about 6 inches off the floor; reach toward your heels (A). Maintain position and pulse arms up and down, keeping them straight. inhale for 5 counts and then exhale for 5, putting navel toward spine. As you progress, extend both legs to a 45-degree angle [B] Begin with 3 sets, working up to 20 (1 set is an inhale and exhale). Goal: To keep back against the floor and head and shoulders lifted. 0

Get on the Ball for Perfect Posture
Want great abs? Start with your posture: Standing, sitting and bending all require the support of your abdominal muscles. Wake up those tax postpartum abs by concentrating on putting your navel in toward your spine; eventually, you'll be able to hold the muscles in all the time. To Learn how, try sitting on a stability ball, which forces the muscles to work harder to maintain control and balance, Once you've mastered sitting on the ball, you'll feet it when your abs are working. - LINDA SHELTON

A free-lance writer in Ithaca, N.Y., Janis Graham is the author of
The Athletic Woman's Sourcebook (Avon, 19991 and a mother of two.