Singer Shakira was spotted in Hawaii this week showing off her toned post-baby body in two revealing bikinis. The new mom said that losing the baby weight was "a little stressful."

"At first it's hard to deal with your image in the mirror," she said on the Ellen Degenerous Show earlier this year. "I looked like a Shar Pei when I first delivered."

Shakira, 36 years old, had her son Milan on January 2nd. It is her first child with boyfriend Gerard Pique. The singer has not been shy about expressing her concerns about being a judge on The Voice just two months after giving birth. She wanted to be fit when she returned to the public eye, so she made sure to exercise — even during pregnancy.

"I do Zumba," she said. "Zumba has been actually really great for me. Even during pregnancy, I kept doing it until almost the end."

Zumba worked for Shakira, but what could work for everyday moms like you? Here are three tips that could have you running across the beach in a bikini in no time:

1. Start exercising right away. In the past, doctors have told women to wait at least six weeks before starting to exercise. While that advice may be accurate for women who had a C-section or birth complications, the Mayo Clinic says that women who had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery can begin exercising just days after giving birth. The earlier you start, the sooner you'll see results.

2. Breastfeed your baby. According to lactation consultant Susan Condon, mothers who breastfeed naturally lose their baby weight because their bodies burn calories to produce milk every time they nurse. Breastfeeding burns about 500 calories a day, so women who breastfeed tend to lose weight more quickly than those who use formula. Combine breastfeeding with a healthy diet and exercise, and you'll be on your way to your pre-baby size quickly and healthily.

3. Use your baby as an exercise buddy. Take your baby for a walk in a stroller. Join a mommy-and-me workout class. Or, it could even be as simple as lifting your little bundle of joy. "We always have a joke — rather than lifting a 3-pound weight, you lift the baby," said fitness expert Simone De La Rue.

For more information on how to drop your baby weight, visit BabyCenter.com.