It's not true that women are asked to eat a lot after delivery. In fact traditionally, at least in south India, women are not given rice at all the first few days but a kind of porridge called "ganji", and then gradually the intake is increased. Breast feeding correctly requires that the woman should have a lot of proteins in her diet,and the regular body massage and oil baths would keep the weight under control/ Of course the main thing is that we should start walking even in the hospital itself, even if it is in the corridor at least.Be active within reasonable limits once you return home,and as one reader has said, once the baby starts crawling, there's enough running around for us to do.