When it comes to celebrity pregnancies, Jessica Simpson’s may just trump them all. The 32-year-old star and new mom was nothing shy of stalked throughout her pregnancy by paparazzi and adoring fans. Now that it’s been four months since giving birth to daughter, Maxwell Drew, everyone seems to have the same question in mind: “When will she lose the baby weight?”

“I didn’t realize it didn’t all come off with the baby,” Simpson admitted to USA Today in a recent interview. “It’s been a challenge to lose the baby weight. I let myself indulge in everything I wanted because it was the first time I was pregnant and I wanted to enjoy it.”

What exactly did Simpson indulge in during her pregnancy? Anyone who recalls her days on MTV’s reality show Newlyweds knows that the southern star loves her carbs and decadent foods, including macaroni and cheese and fried chicken. If she was giving into temptations like these quite often during her pregnancy, it’s no wonder the star gained her fair amount of weight.

Though Simpson hasn’t confirm exactly how much weight she gained during pregnancy nor how much she hopes to lose, she seems in no big hurry to slim down despite signing a $3 million dollar contract with Weight Watchers to start trying to shed the pounds once the baby arrived.

Simpson was spotted hitting the gym in L.A. this week for the first time since giving birth. People also reported that the singer-turned fashion designer has been working out with personal trainer Harley Pasternak several times a week, though she mostly walks and hasn’t tried running yet since her “boobs are way too big to run at this point,” she said.
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The best part about this weekend is the fact that Labor Day is Monday and many Americans will enjoy their day off observing the holiday. But before the weekend can officially commence, it’s time to wrap up the week with some healthy news. This week’s HealthBuzz includes several stories, including why you should consider ditching soda, how exercising for 30 minutes is better for weight loss than one hour, and breakfast recipes for a healthy four-day weekend.

30 Minutes of Exercise May Yield More Weight Loss Than 1 Hour

Researchers from the University of Copenhagen followed 60 overweight Danish men for 13 weeks. One-third of the group performed 30 minutes of intense aerobic exercise, another one-third of the group exercised for 60 minutes, and the last group was ordered to remain inactive. The study found that 30 minutes of physical activity helps produce more weight loss than one hour.

How Much Sleep Do You Really Need? New Research Points to a Magic Number

It seems people are never getting enough sleep in today’s fast pace society. According to a new study, eight hours of sleep isn’t the magic number for sleep anymore. Find out what the new magic number is!

Celebrity Trainer Tracy Anderson Attacked in Media

Tracy Anderson is known for providing her fitness and diet expertise to stars like Jennifer Aniston, Reese Witherspoon, Jennifer Lopez and Gwyneth Paltrow. This week, she came under fire for some statement she made in DuJour Magazine regarding woman and their post-baby bodies. Tracy appeared on Good Morning America to defend her comments. What was her controversial quote?
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I’ve never had a baby, let me first say that. In fact, one of the things that terrifies me most about pregnancy is that it may change my body forever. Call it narcissistic, I call it “I care about what I look like.” When did wanting to look and be fit become such a crime?

This week, celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson made famous by her Method Workouts and string of celebrity client endorsements, came under fire for comments she made in DuJour Magazine regarding women and post-pregnancy bodies. But as the media loves to do, it was all taken a bit out of context.

Tracy was quoted saying, “A lot of women use pregnancy as an excuse to let their bodies go, and that’s the worst thing. I’ve seen so many women when who come to me after having children with disaster bodies that have gone through hell,” she said, adding that they use their kids as an excuse for letting their bodies go.

Sure, at first glance this seems harsh. Pregnancy is difficult and it changes our bodies, and it’s certainly a season in which we put the needs of our baby before our own.

But isn’t she right to a certain extent? My own mother had two very difficult pregnancies during which she gained a fair amount of weight. But as soon as she was able to, she started right back up on her walking routine and got back to her pre-baby weight within a year of giving birth.

To me, that’s normal. So when I see women who gain a lot of weight during pregnancy as a result of eating poorly and being inactive, I don’t feel that bad for them just like I don’t feel bad for myself after week of heavy eating and I’m left a few pounds heavier for it. It all comes down to personal responsibility.
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By Emily Wade Adams, CNC for Natal-Nutrition.com

We’ve all heard the old adage, “You are what you eat.” This concept is even more important during pregnancy. Not only are you what you eat, but your baby is what you eat. As soon as conception occurs the embryo requires nutrients for developmental processes like cellular division and protein synthesis to occur. The baby’s growth and development are extremely rapid, and if the appropriate nutrients aren’t available when the baby needs them that part of its development will be abnormal or could even fail completely. With that in mind, it’s easy to see how nutrient deficiencies can seriously compromise your baby’s health.

While in utero, the baby’s nutritional needs take precedence, so it’s not uncommon for mothers to become nutrient deficient, too. Nutrient deficiencies can set you up for a more difficult pregnancy and postpartum period. Whether you want to prevent health complications for your baby or yourself, it’s imperative to get the best nutrition possible while you’re pregnant.

With its reliance on processed foods, which have had their nutrients refined away, it’s easy to see why the standard American diet lacks essential vitamins and minerals (Hudson, 2008). This is bad enough for everyday health, but it’s especially harmful during pregnancy, when many vitamin and mineral needs increase to account for the baby’s growing demands. For example, the RDAs for folate, magnesium, zinc and iron all increase during pregnancy.

Here are five tips to help you eat a nutrient-rich diet and ensure your baby’s optimal development:
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Blond bombshell Kate Hudson has been gracing the set of Glee lately looking quite scandalous as Rachel Berry’s (Lea Michele) dance teacher, Cassandra July. The 33-year-old actress is slated to star in six episodes of the sitcom’s upcoming fourth season, according to People Magazine. And fans of the show and Hudson couldn’t be more thrilled.

Hudson certainly has one of the most enviable bodies in Hollywood, making her an obvious choice for this skin-bearing role. But what some people may not realize is she’s maintained her stunning figure throughout two pregnancies. A mom with that kind of physique deserves some serious praise.

It doesn’t hurt that the Hudson lives in sunny California most of the time, which allows for plenty of walks, jogs, and bike rides outdoors. But to maintain her toned body, Hudson frequently relies on Pilates sessions with celebrity trainer Nicole Stuart.

Hudson didn’t use pregnancy as an excuse to be sidelined from fitness, even though she did admit to eating whatever she wanted when serious cravings hit. To stay in shape with an expanding belly, Hudson turned to celebrity trainer Tracy Anderson, famous for her Method workouts and sweat sessions that cater specifically to moms-to-be.
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