Kate Middleton pregnancy fitness secrets

During her first pregnancy Duchess of Cambridge, Kate Middleton, put on 29 pounds. She lost the weight in a stunning 2 months after giving birth, and with baby #2 on the way, she will likely do her best to have a repeat weight loss experience.

While 32-year-old Middleton did her fair share of exercising post-pregnancy, experts indicate it was her pre-pregnancy health that truly made weight loss afterward easy. Celebrity Health Fitness reports the Duchess worked out an hour a day and followed a protein-controlled, low-carb diet before she became pregnant with her first son.

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Kid’s Health, a pediatrician-led website dedicated to the health of children and parents, indicates exercise before pregnancy helps prepare the body for the long months it takes to grow another human being. Women who exercise before and during pregnancy won’t lose weight, but they will put on less fat and will maintain their natural fitness level. This allows women to return to their pre-pregnancy bodies much sooner than women who do not exercise.

Exercise and diet control before having a baby also prevent some of the common aches and pains mothers-to-be experience, such as constipation, insomnia, back aches, gestational diabetes, and joint pain.

But staying fit before and during pregnancy isn’t going to drop all those baby pounds. After her first pregnancy, Kate Middleton stuck to a rigorous schedule of running, walking, yoga and circuit-training workouts, complimented by a low-carb diet. She combined the best of cardio workouts with strength and flexibility training like yoga to ensure her muscles stayed toned and lean.

Just remember not to overdo it, and though Kate’s before and after fitness had a role in how quickly she lost her baby weight, some critics say celebrities push themselves too early to get back to camera-ready slenderness.

“All the magazines ask, ‘How did she do it?’ The more important question is, ‘Why did she do it?’” Melinda Johnson, MS, RD, registered dietitian and spokeswoman for the American Dietetic Association (ADA), told WebMD. “They do this with very, very strict diets, and a lot of them do it by getting back into activity before their body is really ready for it. “The number one thing new mothers have to have is a certain amount of patience with their body,” she says. “It took nine months to get there. It should take at least that long to get back to their fighting weight.”

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Every women is different, especially when it comes to pregnancy. It may be natural for Kate Middleton to lose baby weight quickly, or it may be from the efforts of fitness professionals at the disposal of the royal family. Whatever the case, the goal is to remain healthy. If you are expecting a baby, do what you feel benefits your body the most, and do not hold yourself to the standards of celebrities.

WebMD recommends the following weight-loss tips post-pregnancy:

• Eat a balanced diet of smaller, more frequent meals.
• Load up on super-foods like blueberries and dark, leafy veggies.
• Breastfeed to burn an extra 300 calories a day.
• Drink plenty of water to prevent water retention.
• Exercise every day at a reasonable pace.
• Get plenty of sleep.
• Consult with your doctor to come up with a regimented weight-loss plan.