Expectant moms have a tendency to worry. And although their main concern is usually the health of their baby, most moms also worry about what their bodies will look like afterwards. After all, everyone likes to look and feel good about themselves, and even the most adorable baby can't cover 10 or 15 extra pounds around Mom's middle.

"I'm very concerned about losing the weight after my baby is born," says Paula Duncan, an expectant mom from Bluffton, S.C. "I'm also concerned with the length of time it will take to lose the weight."

So why do women worry about getting their pre-pregnancy figures back? Because losing weight is hard enough when you don't have a baby to take care of. And babies take up a lot of time. There's always a diaper to change, tears to dry and a growing mind to entertain. Plus, moms have to meet the other demands that come with running a household. Unfortunately, motherhood is so time-consuming that moms often forget to take care of themselves, which often results in unhealthy habits and difficulty losing weight leftover from pregnancy.

Not having enough time to prepare healthy meals causes new moms to grab whatever is available, healthy or not. Not getting enough sleep leads moms to snack for energy and reduce their levels of physical activity because they don't feel up to it. And making exercise an event that requires planning and childcare – rather than a way of life – makes it easier to skip. These "fat traps" are often the reasons moms struggle to lose weight. But they can be avoided.

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