How to lose weight after pregnancy is one of the top concerns of women today. After gaining all those pounds during pregnancy, will you ever get back in shape? How will you do it? How soon can you do it? The answer is YES, YES, and YES! Achieving weight loss after pregnancy is going to be tough, but if you were able to carry another human being inside you for nine months, then nothing is impossible. Just follow these 10 ways to lose weight after giving birth.
- Think positive.
Most women are emotional eaters. When they feel sad or depressed, they binge on chocolates and junk food. While it is true that women need to eat more when they start breastfeeding their babies because of the higher demand in calorie intake, binging will never do you good. Instead, motivate yourself into thinking that you will be able to shrink down to your original size, eventually.
- Have patience with yourself.
Don’t rush into downsizing yourself. Say no to crash diets and heavy workouts. Those are not the answers to the question “how to lose weight after pregnancy.” Just take baby steps, pun intended. It’s not healthy for you to drastically lose more than one pound a week. If you don’t want any health complications that could further delay your journey to weight loss after pregnancy, then remember that patience is a virtue.
- Make a plan on how to lose weight.
Plan your meals and exercise routines. Make sure that you are getting an adequate amount of calories every day, especially if you plan to breastfeed. Gradually increase your exercise routine as you feel that you have already recuperated. As you plan, you should be able to integrate your baby’s needs (his feeding times) into your schedule. So if eventually, you plan to go jogging or taking yoga or Pilates, you have to work around your baby’s feeding needs.
- Breastfeed
Breastfeeding has a lot of benefits for both mom and babies. Aside from being the number one source of nutrients for your baby (you can feed exclusively until your baby is six months old), breastfeeding your child could pave your way to weight loss. You actually burn 500 calories, more or less, when you exclusively breastfeed your baby. Studies have actually found that women who breastfeed (whether exclusively or combined with infant formula) reduce their hip size more than those who do not breastfeed their baby at all within six months after giving birth. If you are new to breastfeeding or having any difficulty in it, use a nursing bra to make this process easier.
- Stay hydrated.
Drink whenever you are feeling tired and thirsty. It is not necessary to consume eight glasses a day; just consume enough water to satisfy your thirst. Avoid your usual thirst quenchers, you know, Coke, Sprite, and other very sugary beverages. While it is true that your caloric consumption increases if you breastfeed, soft drinks freely provide too many calories that you might not be able to burn off in time.
- Don’t diet; just eat healthy.
Since you’re still eating for two, dieting isn’t such a good idea as of now. If you are breastfeeding, you need to maintain at least 1800 calories a day to support your needs as well as your baby’s. However, while your caloric requirement increased, it wouldn’t be a good idea to feed on empty calories either. Go big on servings of fruit and vegetables. Try five portions a day. To meet this, why not munch on an apple for your midday and mid-afternoon snacks. Add carrot sticks and a slice of watermelon. Pineapples and oranges are a good source of vitamin C. Eat papaya for a dose of extra fiber to help with your bowel movement. You can also snack on bread and potatoes for extra energy.
- Keep yourself active.
This tip is on all “how to lose weight” guides. Exercising is a big factor in dropping off pounds, but you have to slowly increase your physical activity until you are totally ready. Consult your doctor about the level of activity that you can do and when you can progressively increase it. Well, carrying the baby around and dancing him to sleep is a physical activity in itself, especially if your baby wakes up at night. That’s something good to start with. Maybe you can progress to taking a short walk outside to give your baby some sunlight in the morning. Just take it slow as you don’t want to startle your body.
- Get into yoga.
Yoga can gently give your body a workout. It’s a wonderful and relaxing way to lose weight after pregnancy. With every stretch and pose, you slowly activate parts of your body that have been quite dormant for some time. Yoga is good for your mood and your posture too.
- Get into Pilates.
Pilates can tighten your tummy area and thighs back after you gave birth. However, don’t be too excited to get rid of the unwanted flats. You may have to wait a few months after delivery before you can try Pilates. Ask your doctor for advice.
- Be happy.
Being happy should be at the top of your list when you are trying to lose weight. It comes with the acceptance of your current body image and patience with how you can progress into getting your pre-pregnancy body back. If you are happy, your baby will be happy too. You won’t get stressed, so you won’t need to binge to make you feel better. You’ll be more motivated to exercise too.
Bottom Line:
Every woman wants to get her pre-pregnancy glamour back, but always remember that you can’t shake all the weight that you’ve gained with just a snap of a finger. You became a big ball over the course of nine months, so don’t expect to downsize within just a matter of weeks. Just keep a healthy diet that will support you and your child while you are breastfeeding. Also, keep yourself active by taking walks, fidgeting around the house, dancing your baby to sleep, and maybe doing some yoga and Pilates. Soon, you’ll see the inches coming off your hips.
