Tina Sugandh: How I Lost My Baby Weight

Plus, the Newlyweds' star shares before-and-after photos.

By Tina Sugandh Aug 9, 2013, 8:00 AM ET

Newlyweds: The First Year stars Tina Sugandh and Tarz Ludwigsen welcomed a newborn, Tarz, a.k.a "Tarzie," in June. It's the first child for the married couple. And over the next few months, Tina will be sending dispatches about motherhood and sharing them with the Dish: she'll open up about everything from decorating her nursery to little Tarzie's first milestones. Check back for more updates. This week, Tina talks about how she kept in shape while pregnant—and how she got her body back after birth.

Watch the clip below to see what I looked like two weeks after giving birth to baby Tarz! (Shout-out to breast-feeding-boobage! Lol!)

Our surprise baby announcement took place on the Watch What Happens Live reunion with the Newylweds cast. (What you guys didn’t know is that I hung out with Blair Late from right before the reunion, and since I could not tell him about the surprise baby, poor sweet Blair was totally devastated for me since he figured my flat stomach meant I had yet another miscarriage! I felt so bad! Look how shocked he is!

Tina and Tarz's Baby Update

Ok, so WARNING: I am going to hit you all with some tough love in this blog, but just know it’s because I FRIGGIN’ LOVE YOU!!! (See? The yelling started already!)

Before I tell you how I lost the baby weight in two weeks, here’s a couple of “fun facts” about my weight to keep in mind:

1. I “cheated” a little by not being full term since Baby-Tarz decided he wanted out at just 34 weeks. (Who can blame him...imagine being with me 24/7 for 8 long months? I'm surprised he even stayed in me for that long!)

2. For all you smack-talkers that said I had “pregorexia”, please know that I did gain the recommended healthy amount of weight for my size. I gained almost 25 pounds, and would have obviously gained more if baby-Tarz was not 6 weeks early!

OK, so here we go! Here is info that I learned before getting pregnant, that helped me to have an easy-breezy pregnancy and to lose the weight right away!

1. Eating for Two? Yes!
Ok, so you know that expression “eating for two”? I think what most of America misunderstands is that while you are, in fact, eating for two people, the second person you’re eating for is like the size of a damn seed! Now, how many calories do you think something the size of a seed eats? While I too thought my trip to Preggersville would mean I get to eat two giant meals for dinner, I was surprised to learn that for someone my size and weight, I needed zero extra calories the first trimester, 300 extra calories the second, and 300-500 the third! People, 300 calories is like a PB&J sandwich! That’s it! So learn what “eating for two” really means and quit overstuffing that beautiful baby in your tummy.

Tina Sugandh: Six Months Pregnant

2. Disgusting Greasy Cravings? Go for it!
If you ever watch all those pregnancy-comedies, they make it seem like a pregnant woman will spontaneously combust if she does not get her pickles & ice cream STAT! Listen, I love icky food and, pregnant or not, there are many days that the food-demons in my stomach crave greasy pizza, rich chocolate cake and all that delightful disgustingness. But I’m pretty sure my body will not wither away if I fight these demons off once and a while and JUST. SAY. NO. Point being, GO FOR IT, but NOT all the time! Contrary to what we believe in this country, the baby will not wither away in your stomach if you fight that decadent chocolate cake craving sometimes. Pregnant or not, moderation is key.

PHOTOS: See Wedding Pictures of the Newlyweds Stars

3. The Time Is Now, B---hes!
My dad was raised in a time where pregnancy meant being inactive so as not to hurt the baby. When I jogged up the stairs in my dad’s house, I seriously think he would picture my womb as a dryer spin-cycle, where the baby was being violently tossed around in circles. He would yell “WALK! Don’t run!” (LOL, Dad!) Thank god we now know that exercising while pregnant is GOOD!

Tina Sugandh: One week after giving birth.

I was happily surprised to learn that as long as I had been doing these classes for years before pregnancy, I could continue BodyPump, kickboxing, zumba, U-jam, Turbokick, and all of my other favorite classes at the gym! (In fact, the day before I delivered, I was at a kickboxing class!) Point being, the time is now! If you are 16 and thinking of getting pregnant in the next 40 years, START BEING ACTIVE NOW! The stronger your body is, the easier the pregnancy. (Do you really want to be one of those pregnant chicks that literally have to roll out of bed in the morning?) It is your choice...and don’t give me that “genetics” excuse because I have lots and lots of obese relatives!

4. To Swell or Not To Swell
Here is something that I learned during my pregnancy through an accidental experiment. The only time I would ever get those fun stereotypical pregnancy symptoms like swollen ankles, indigestion, trouble sleeping, etc is when I would “grease it up” for a few days straight. On the second or third day of “being bad” and eating greasy burgers and pizza and all that other disgustingness, I would magically swell up and be awake at night from heartburn and indigestion. When I ate healthy and worked out, I swear to you I had none of those uncomfortable symptoms! (Well, besides “peeing a lot”...I mean, you can’t avoid that one. There’s a human resting on your bladder for god’s sake!) Point being, you can choose to swell or not swell. (I chose “No, thank you!”).

Tina Sugandh: One month after giving birth.

Last Words: If you’re reading this, that means you have the internet at your fingertips which means you have all the info you need to have a healthy pregnancy. No excuses ladies! There’s no magic pill. Do the work, don’t give up, and you’ll get there.

My links are at TinaWorld.com if you need advice!

Happy health to all my pregnant bee-yatches! XOXO

P.S. For all you mommys, I’ll always leave you with some products that make mommy-land a better place for me. I’m in mad passionate love with the personalized glitter-pacifiers at UluBulu.com, Baby-Tarz is loving being on his tummy and learning to lift his head on his LaLaLounger, and lastly my son is too-cool-for-school beause of these Babiators.