Salma Hayek Talks About Losing Baby Weight From Breastfeeding: "It's A Lie!"

Salma Hayek was on "Oprah" Monday talking about a tetanus vaccine program from UNICEF. But, as she gave birth to daughter Valentina last September, Oprah also asked her about getting back in shape. Salma, who had gestational diabetes during her pregnancy, got very animated when she talked about the difficulty she's had getting back in shape. She had believed the people who said that the weight would fall off as she was breastfeeding. "It's a lie! It's not true! I'm going to say something. Except for a couple of exceptions, the only reason people lose weight like that when they're breastfeeding. It's that they're not eating and they're breastfeeding. And that's not good for the baby."

Watch Salma break down the reality of postpartum weightloss for Oprah:

Comments

[cruisepuppy7452a]

Thank You Salma! Bravo. The girl tells it like it is. When I had my daughter, the only way I lost weight was to diet, and excercise. As for the huge boobs that men are like Thank You GOD for? Um, in my case, can anyone say they were suffocating? Hello. I already had a DDD chest and this just made it worse. If women gain weight, it will come off, but you can't sit on your behind and eat bon bons, you have to excercise and eat a healthy diet. No tricks or gimmicks, just the way it is. Salma you are looking as always, wonderful, and anyone who calls her fat I will potch. The lady has curves, get over it, she rocks it. Bravo.

[THP]

Many women lose weight more quickly while nursing and some do not and who has nailed down the answer? I had five kids, nursed each til they were over age two, put on anywhere from 42-51 lbs, and lost most of it within a few months and all by 9-12 months. Women's bodies are designed to store fat for breastfeeding and for the energetic care that infants require, in buttocks, hips, abdomen.
If you exclusively breastfeed for 6 months (no food) and then have breast milk as the primary source of nutrition til age one, both recommended by AA of Pediatricians and WHO, and you are not eating junk, and are physically active, most women will lose the baby weight. One great trick is to carry your baby in a backpack when they are old enough to be propped up, while shopping, dishes, shopping, walking. That is many hours a day of calorie burning and gives you wonderful freedom as it benefits baby. You won't notice the babies increased weight because you are so gradually working up to it. Nature stores that fat so we have the energy to carry lug these dumplings hours a day for at least 15 months.

[my2scents]

YEP! :)

[seekanddestroy]

Salma Hayek is absolutely gorgeous, before and after the baby. I would rather a woman carry an extra 10 pounds and be curvy, than ten pounds underweight like too many actresses.

[FrankensteinBlack]

Rent "Dusk till Dawn". Nuff said...

[transendentilist]

I'll be her, "dog," anyday.

[tatianalensky]

oh, and because of that - I forgive you for "Bandidas"

[tatianalensky]

Amen.
Finally, someone, a celebrity who speaks not with a forked tongue.
Awesome.

Because its absolutely true - the weight does NOT drop off miraculously just because you breastfeed. The only way these hyper-stick-celebs get back into shape within - what - 3 months - is by NOT eating and exercising like a bloody moron. She is absolutely right - 9 months to gain, at least 9 months to lose.
And whats wrong with that?

you rock girl.

[kyeblue]

It is working for my wife who is breast feeding our son. She eats twice as much as she used to, and maintains 130 pounds, which is 40 pounds less than her pregnant weight. It is the simple law of physics.

[my2scents]

Well, I don't know what happened to Selma, but it was TRUE for me. My pregnancy weight was 172 #'s and afterwards I went down to 140. AND I ATE A LOT, especially pasta! But maybe the difference is how long it took to loose it. Some women only breastfeed for a matter of months, I did it for two years, and it was towards the latter that I noticed my clothes falling off.

[my2scents]

Oops, typo, it's Salma - sorry. Also, I forgot to mention, I was also older, turning 38 two months after my baby's birth.

Now I am 53 and have gotten so big in my stomach/hip/thigh region. My doctor said that because of the spikey insulin levels of my blood work combined with family medical history, if I gained another 10 lbs. I'd be diabetic.

He put me on the no flour (not even whole grain), and no white rice or white potato diet. I've gone down a pant size and am getting healthier. I barely go to restaurants and have returned to making my food from scratch as I did when I was skinny and in my twenties.

[transendentilist]

I think Salma is around your age. She isn't as young as she looks.

[pushkina]

i had an actress friend who was a size 4 when she got pregnant with twins. she carried those babies the full nine months and gave birth to 2 9+ pound monsters. she had gained over 120-130 pounds. i thought she could never lose the weight but what she did was crazy: she hired 2 nannies and basically moved into the gym. it opened at 6AM and she was there until 7PM. i have no idea what she ate aside form some skinless chicken breasts, 100grams a day, and a protein shake. by the time they were 4 months old, she was back at a 4 and just kept going until at 6 months, she was a size 2. i had never seen such sacrifice for anything, that wasn't one's own child. later she told me she w as motivated by the thought that her husband would leave her if she kept an extra ounce (he left her anyway 15 years later, for his younger, even skinnier secretary).

[pushkina]

PART 2

when i had my baby 4 years ago, she wouldn't nurse, but i pumped milk for 6 months (I was a human dairy cow). folks would stop me and say, "well, if you weren't so selfish and would nurse her, you'd lose the weight" -- with them not knowing anything about my health or life situation.

a year later, after i had moved into the gym, spending DAYS there and hadn't lost more than 10 pounds, my doctor sent me to an endocrinologist who specializes in women. she diagnosed that as I had a difficult delivery with lots of blood loss, my pituitary gland had just shut down, closing off all my metabolic functions. when she tested me, i didn't even have a measurable level of vitamin D, something one gets from sunshine, or most of any of the other major vitamins and hormones one needs, even though I took vitamins. for the rest of my life, i will have to take MASSIVE daily doses of vitamins and minerals, as well as bi-weekly shots of B12.

evidently, most women (or their doctors) have any knowledge of this particular syndrome. once we got the vitamin, mineral and hormonal levels worked out, the weight began to fall off me. i'll never be a 90 pound wonder again but at least i know why i'm always tired, cranky, forgetful and not my old 'normal' chipper self: if i begin to feel that way, it is time to recalibrate the meds!

[Nooneyouknow]

For some reason, reading the words "breastfeeding" and "Salma Hayek" in the same sentence makes me so happy.

[transendentilist]

For anyone who thinks God does not exist, just look at Salma.

[Beachrunner]

Salma is one smokin' hot babe!!!

[CulureFX]

Well, I was a young mom, and breastfed till my baby was 9 months. Salma is right!!!
The weight doesn't just fall of, it takes time..
GO SALMA!!

[transendentilist]

I think Mexican women naturally get fat as they grow older. I think it's genetic. I don't really know, but it seems that way. Same for Italian women. I don't mean this as a racist comment, I just wanted to point out how difficult it is for these women to keep the pounds off, without going buleimec or anorexic.

[MadxAsxHell]

OK. You don't want to be racist...How about just ignorant and stupid?

It's difficult for most women of any racial type to lose weight after kids. Classic stereotype is of big Black women, especially after having several kids. We have two Black women in our office, one with 4 kids, one with 5 and BOTH are slim and stunning. We have here White women who look great, and some who look about the shape of a barrel.

You will find more in common ACROSS ethnic groups by body type than you will within those ethnic groups--Just think of NFL offensive linemen. They all look pretty much the same, except for their skin color. Or wide receivers. Or baseball pitchers.

Ok--here's a stereotype: Italian women are more prone to speaking Italian than American women....

[quadman]

Salma is actually of Spanish and Lebanese-Assyrian decent, though she was born and raised in Mexico.

[Sarah76]

I had gestational diabetes too. That seriously affects everything as it messes up your metabolism. Also, losing weight doesnt necessarily make your stomach smaller. Exercise does that.

[Reporter19]

Hi Sarah - I am a reporter for ABCNews.com doing a story on Salma's comments and gestational diabetes. Would you talk to me about your own experience? Please give me a call or e-mail me today.

Susan James
ABCNews.com
[e-mail]
212-456-4875

I look forward to hearing from you. Susan

[AdultFilmLegend]

What a lucky baby.

[rbspickles]

Good grief. Grow up. Adult film legend? Yeah, in your own mind.

[kendra]

With my 4 kids, I exercised all 9 months of pregnancy & resumed immediately afterwards.

THIS, accompanied with breast feeding will shrink up your stomach.

I'm thinner now than was in H.S.

You gotta exercise people. Esp. if an older mom.