"I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week. I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals. I was mindful about what I ate, and I gained only 30 pounds"
About this Quote
The subtext is class and access masquerading as advice. Kung fu until two weeks before birth and yoga three times a week read as “choice,” but they’re also privilege: time, money, childcare, a body already conditioned by a career that rewards thinness, and a public platform that converts “I did” into “you should.” Her “mindful” eating isn’t presented as one workable option among many; it’s positioned as sanity against other women’s supposed excess. That’s why the line sticks in the cultural craw: it’s not merely personal; it’s comparative.
Context matters because the celebrity pregnancy economy runs on competing narratives: the glowing earth-mother, the chaotic relatable eater, the “bounce back” machine. Bundchen rejects the relatable mess and doubles down on control, staking her brand on performance and restraint. The “only 30 pounds” isn’t a fact; it’s a benchmark, a quiet dare. It flatters readers who already feel disciplined and needles those who don’t, all while pretending the playing field is level.
Quote Details
| Topic | New Mom |
|---|---|
| Source | Help us find the source |
| Cite |
Citation Formats
APA Style (7th ed.)
Bundchen, Gisele. (2026, January 15). I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week. I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals. I was mindful about what I ate, and I gained only 30 pounds. FixQuotes. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-kung-fu-up-until-two-weeks-before-benjamin-84551/
Chicago Style
Bundchen, Gisele. "I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week. I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals. I was mindful about what I ate, and I gained only 30 pounds." FixQuotes. January 15, 2026. https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-kung-fu-up-until-two-weeks-before-benjamin-84551/.
MLA Style (9th ed.)
"I did kung fu up until two weeks before Benjamin was born, and yoga three days a week. I think a lot of people get pregnant and decide they can turn into garbage disposals. I was mindful about what I ate, and I gained only 30 pounds." FixQuotes, 15 Jan. 2026, https://fixquotes.com/quotes/i-did-kung-fu-up-until-two-weeks-before-benjamin-84551/. Accessed 12 Feb. 2026.







