By Ruchika Kher

Mumbai, May 6 (IANS) Gone are the days when motherhood used to lead to an ill-shaped, flabby body. In-shape Bollywood moms like Malaika Arora Khan, Twinkle Khanna and Karisma Kapoor have proved that a woman can look just as fit and stylish as she used to before becoming a mom.

These hip Bollywood moms, who have maintained their figure even after having kids, have become a source of inspiration and role models for many housewives and working women.

"When I was pregnant, I was very nervous about the fact that now I will never be able to get back to the size I was before having a baby. Then I saw Twinkle Khanna and Karisma Kapoor and I realised that if they can do it, so can I," Reetika Shah, a 29-year-old mother, told IANS.

"They inspired me to not just let go of myself after my child is born. So once I gave birth to my baby girl, I started exercising and thankfully didn't gain extra weight at all," she added.

Reetika is not the only one; others too have become regular with their workout.

"Actresses like Malaika Arora and Twinkle Khanna are the new age moms. They are perfect examples of having babies, maintaining careers and remaining fit. Something every woman loves to be. Mothers are inspired by them and that's definitely one of the driving forces for them to exercise to get bodies like them," Althea Shah, vice president, marketing and fitness expert Gold's Gym India, told IANS.

After delivery, many women stop caring about their body because they get busy with their children.

Reema Hiranandani, a 33-year-old housewife, said: "I used to have a good figure before my pregnancy, but I gained weight after my son was born. Till he was four, I didn't do any exercise and I was just putting on weight.

"I had a mindset that now I'm a mother and it's okay if I look a little healthy, but my husband once commented that even Karisma Kapoor has two babies but she is still so fit. That hit me and I realized that he is right. The next day I joined the gym," she added.

There are many ways a woman who has given birth can stay in shape.

"Every individual must do at least two to three days of cardiovascular workout. It may be simple walking turning into a brisk walk. Following a pregnancy, the muscles that make up the abdominal wall will have considerably less elastic than their pre-birth condition. Toning these muscles can help increase your circulation and help bring back your pre-pregnancy figure," said Shah.

"While your body needs time to recover from the trauma of birth before resuming a regular workout, you can perform simple exercises like pelvic tilts, pelvic crunches, bicycle kick, etc., to stay fit," she added.

So it won't be an exaggeration to say that Bollywood moms like Amrita Arora, Sonali Bendre, Raveena Tandon, Juhi Chawla, Pooja Bedi and Perizad Zorabian have not only entertained their fans, they have succeeded in inspiring them too - as mothers.