You'll be surprised at how good you feel when you start exercising again. This is because pregnancy builds stamina. So, though you may retain some extra weight early on, your heart and lungs are probably more fit than before pregnancy. Lots of women athletes have felt this advantage. One study of German champion women athletes showed that most made objective improvements in performance after pregnancy and childbirth. Let the statistics motivate you: 70 percent of women who exercise postpartum are more fit a year after delivery than they were before pregnancy!

Exercise is an important part of getting back in shape, especially in the first year after delivery. Women who combine a healthy diet with moderate exercise lose more weight than women who diet after delivery. Exercise does a lot more than burn fat; it also tones your muscles, jump starts your metabolism and builds lean body mass (which makes your body burn more calories even when you're not working out).