Fitness athlete Caroline Berg Eriksen sparks avalanche of haters after posting 'six-pack selfie' just 72 hours after giving birth (but shouldn't we really be applauding?) :

Caroline Berg Eriksen

New mom and fitness expert Caroline Berg Eriksen was forced to defend herself on TV after a posting a pic on Instagram in sexy lingerie – with six pack abs intact – just 72 hours after giving birth.

While it may have seemed a curious decision by the mom of three days (who is married to Norway soccer star Lars-Kristian Eriksen) she could not have forseen the torrent of abuse her pic would spark – let alone the international coverage.

The 26-year-old Norwegian model, who runs the biggest health and fitness blog in Norway, was pumping iron six times a week right up until the end of the second trimester and claimed she wanted to prove that becoming a mom was no bar to fitness.

She posted the pic with the odd caption: "I feel so empty, and still not 4 days after birth."

The resulting online furore caused Caroline Berg Eriksen into a TV interview where she told ABC News: “People kept telling me that my body would never be the same. I wanted to show everyone that’s not entirely true.

“Right after birth – like three minutes after – I felt like myself again.”

Some examples of negative comments included babo4ever who said: "Im not impressed by the body bc she was very fit before and worked out all through her pregnancy w personal trainer and I'm sure personal chef/nutritionist ... What amazes me is that after 4 days pp she has the energy (desire?) to get up, put on sexy lingerie, take a selfie and post it on IG!" (sic)

But Melissa Little, dietician with Foodtalk CIC, says women shouldn't compare themselves: "this woman is an exception and every woman is different.

"Some women will lose the weight immediately and other women will take up to a year to lose post- pregnancy weight."

She also explains that most women carry some extra weight for the first few months after pregnancy for a reason.

"It is recommended that they don't actively try to lose weight until at least six months post birth. If you are eating healthily and being active and happen to lose weight that is fine but we would never recommend dieting.

"During the first few months, hormones, lack of sleep and increased appetite all mean our body is fighting to store fat (to feed our little ones), which makes trying to lose it a pretty thankless and incredibly challenging task."
What Melissa does recommend is a healthy diet high in fruits and vegetables and slow-release carbs such as whole grains, jacket potatoes with skins and popcorn for a long lasting energy kick.

"When energy levels dip it may be tempting to grab chocolate but this will only give a short energy burst leaving you lower than you were before."

It's also key to drink plenty of water, especially if you're breastfeeding and continue with a multivitamin to ensure you're meeting all the vitamin and mineral needs of your body.