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How to lose post pregnancy weight
Posted under female workoutCongratulations on your new role as a mother! You are faced with many responsibilities to think about such as when to feed your baby, how to soothe your baby’s cries and how to lose extra weight you put on during your pregnancy.Here are ways to lose post pregnancy safer than you know.
When you started on a normal weight during pregnancy and only gained 25 to 35 pounds based on your doctor’s advice, it may take you no more than a couple of months to return to your pre pregnancy weight by watching what you eat and regular exercise.
On the contrary, if you went beyond the weight gain recommended by your doctor’s advise then weight loss may take much longer up to a year to get rid of excess weight. It is especially critical to take any baby weight off or it could stick with you for a long time. If you don’t then you increase your chances of being overweight and obese 15 to 20 years in life.
Every new mom is more than willing to look like her old self again. One of the most essential attitudes to possess is to be patient with yourself. Don’t compare yourself to celebrities who gave birth and went straight from delivery room into her size 0 jeans. Chances are she may not have chosen the healthy way to gradually lose the baby weight. A gradual approach to weight loss is a healthier way to go. New mothers should have a certain amount of patience with their body. Nine months were allotted for a full term pregnancy so it should take at least the same amount of time to get back to their usual weight. Here are some tips to guide you on losing weight after pregnancy and dress in your usual size jeans.
No to diets
Putting yourself on a strict diet where you deprive yourself of your favorite foods can sabotage your post pregnancy weight loss goals. You are stressed enough by your new role as a mother which could actually cause you to gain more weight. Most women find that the weight easily comes off following healthy and eating when hungry.
Try not to eat less than 1800 calories a day especially if you’re a breastfeeding mother. Rather than subjecting yourself on “diets”, aim to eat a well balanced variety of foods. Keep a regular stock of healthy snacks high in fiber to energize you throughout the day.
Meet and eat “super foods”
All mothers who are nursing their babies need all the nutrition they can get. Make wise food choices by selecting only foods high in nutrient but light in calories and fat.
Meet one of the super foods that are packed with DHA. Fish contains the essential omega-3 fatty acid that nourishes your newborn for the development of a healthy brain and nervous system. The best sources of DHA are cold water fish such as tuna, sardines, and salmon.
Enrich your diet with milk and yogurt as super foods that are high in calcium to maintain strong bones and teeth. Don’t skip on super foods rich in protein. The best sources are lean meat, chicken, and beans that are low in fat and high in fiber and protein. Fiber plays an integral role on keeping you full for longer period of time.
Breastfeed
Some studies have shown that exclusive breastfeeding can help you go back to your pre pregnancy weight faster. Contradicting studies find no substantial difference in weight loss between women who breastfeed from those who bottle feed.
The only thing that is certain is that breastfeeding is good for your baby. It boosts immunity and supplies a number of other important health benefits. Exclusively breastfeeding your baby enables you to increase 300 calories a day to your intake. A word of precaution is to make sure not to think of this extra calorie allowance as an excuse to overeat on junk foods and processed foods high in salt, fats or sugar.
Hydrate
You should avoid getting dehydrated. Drinking more water helps you fuller that make you eat lesser. Some research has concluded that drinking more water may boost your metabolism. Don’t rely on the eight glass of water a day recommendation. Use your observation of the color of your urine and how often you need to go to bathroom as guides. Your urine should be relatively clear when you drink the adequate amount of water. The frequency of urinating should be about every three to four hours a day.
Get moving
What you eat and how much are only a part of the over all post pregnancy weight loss plan. You need to integrate aerobic and strength training exercises after pregnancy to burn calories and keep your muscles and bones strong. Exercise does help in your weight loss goals but provides many other benefits to new mothers. It helps mothers to cope with depression, sleeplessness issue, and stress reliever.
New mothers don’t need to enroll in gym classes to whip yourselves back into shape. You can take a brisk walk with your baby in the stroller to get your heart pumping and muscles working. You can start slowly until you can complete the recommended 150 minutes a week cardiovascular forms of exercise. It may overwhelm given the demands of nursing your baby thus you can divide the time into 10 minutes increments until you work your way up to 20-minute or 30-minute sessions.
Firm up your muscles by incorporating strength training with the use of soup cans, for example, as resistance. Make sure to consult and seek your doctor’s approval especially for mother who delivered via C-section before embarking any exercise programs.
Sleep
When your baby calls on you throughout the night, it is impossible to sleep for a full eight hours. However, sleep deprivation could make it harder for you to shed off the excess weight. A study had new mothers slept for seven hours or less a night who retained extra pregnancy weight longer than mothers who slept for seven hours. A tired body actually releases cortisol and other stress hormones that encourage weight gain. In addition to, you tend to make poor food choices or neglecting self care when tired.
It is a best advice to sleep when your baby sleeps. Try to catch as many naps as you can during daytime and go to bed early or at least try to do that until your baby begins to sleep at night.
Enlist help
When you think you have done your best but the stubborn excess weight just won’t go away then you can enlist the expertise of your doctor and dietitian. A doctor can guide you on how much weight you need to lose and when you can begin exercising while a dietitian can design an eating plan that will help you lose weight safely.