The joy of giving birth to a baby can be euphoric and the first few weeks after the delivery you generally have little time to think or look after yourself, but it is important to prioritize your well being as well as your baby’s by shedding the excess weight that was gained during pregnancy. It is not just important to lose the baby weight gained for aesthetic reasons it is also vital in protecting you from the chances of succumbing to future health issues including diabetes and heart disease. When women do not lose weight after a baby and go on to have successive children without losing weight gained through the pregnancies, the extent of future problems they could face increases.
CELEBRITIES MAKE IT LOOK EASY
We have all seen the before and after photos of famous celebrities who seem to jump back into their pre pregnancy bodies almost immediately. Losing pregnancy weight though is also dependent on how much weight was gained during the pregnancy. If you have overindulged using the excuse of feeding the baby to gorge it will obviously take longer to lose the weight than if you only gained the recommended amount of weight which is between 25 to 35 pounds. Try not to despair when you see someone flouting their toned abs shortly after giving birth for the majority of women this is an unrealistic and unachievable goal and losing baby weight too quickly can also be as unhealthy as retaining it.
6 STEPS TO LOSE WEIGHT HEALTHILY AND EFFICIENTLY AFTER GIVING BIRTH
- HEALTHY EATING
Eating healthily is a no brainer at any time but after having a baby it takes on an even more important relevance as the huge changes in your life with the addition of a demanding child to look after requires a lot of energy. The food you eat is fuel for your body and you need to ensure you feed your body nutrients to help you cover your extra work load. It can be tempting when we are tired at any time to snack on high calorie junk foods for that kick to keep us going but these short bursts of energy do not last and then we generally need more and more sugary substances to get us through the day and with a baby at night. Indulging in the wrong kind of foods will not only stop you from losing the excess weight you gained during your pregnancy, it will also make you gain even more, so stick to healthy choices which are optimal not only for yourself but also for your baby if you are breastfeeding
- BREASTFEED YOUR BABY
Breastfeeding can burn upwards from 500 calories per day depending on how much milk you produce. The other positive benefit of breastfeeding is that it stimulates the release of hormones that help shrink your uterus along with your post baby belly. Not only is breastfeeding your baby good for your own body and well being it is also good for the development of your child.
- GET ACTIVE
Make time to incorporate some form of physical exercise into your daily routine. Aerobic exercise (which you will need to work up to) releases good feel endorphins which will help you cope with the extra workload a baby inevitably is and stop you from indulging in the wrong foods as you see your body tone up and strengthen. Yoga is also a great way to get in shape and encourages a leaner body. It is good to mix activities up so that you can work each part of your body regularly. Make it a routine to exercise every day post baby and see the weight fall off in the right places and your body get back to your pre pregnancy days.
- STAY POSITIVE AND KEEP TO THE PLAN
A baby takes around 9 months to be born .. everything good takes time. The same with getting back to a weight that you feel comfortable with. Don’t get despondent if the weight does not come off as quickly as you want it to. Slow and steady is the best way to approach long term weight loss and the same approach needs to be taken with post pregnancy weight loss that took around 9 months to gain.
- FIND ANOTHER NEW MUM WITH THE SAME WEIGHT LOSS GOALS
It always helps with motivation if we have another person to work with towards a goal. If possible if you find yourself procrastinating with your food or eating plan, find another new mum to help and encourage you when you are tired and down (as happens to all new mums) and push you into achieving your goals of weight loss together. Lots of new mums struggle with different issues and losing weight is only one of them. Together you can balance one another out and provide support when needed.
- BE HAPPY AND GRATEFUL
Lastly be happy that you were able to have a baby, which is something not all women are able to do. Be grateful for your body for enabling you to bring new life into the world and don’t allow yourself to get stressed or insecure over a few pounds that will if you stick to a healthy routine peel off and get you back to the body you once had with the added bonus of your new baby.