After giving birth many new moms are unable to shed their baby weight. This could result from their new and busier lifestyle which consist of little outdoor activities (except for supplies run to the grocery stores) and movements, being sleep deprived, worrying about raising their kids wrong which leads to stress among other things.
This all doesn’t just make it difficult to lose weight but is also a recipe for weight gain. New moms also don’t know how much or where the pounds are if they never took note before and after pregnancy.
How to Healthily Lose Weight After Giving Birth
It is also unwise to start trying to lose weight immediately after giving birth. It is recommended to start doing that after 6 weeks to let the body heal and adjust to the new routine. In any case, this article is not a fitness plan but provides tips on how to lose weight effectively and healthily.
Get up and move
Moms are too exhausted and sleepy to work out but that’s ok, a little movement can go a long way to help burn those few extra calories.
Simple household chores while the baby is asleep or while the nanny or husband is taking care of it could also help with losing those extra weight.
But don’t overdo it especially right after pregnancy, give it some time, about a month or so, and when things start to settle down try some body weight training or strength training at home (1-2 liter water bottles instead of dumbbells) or look for after pregnancy workout tutorials.
Breastfeed
Breastfeeding, as many knows, is a great way to strengthen the bond between mother and child and boost the baby’s immune system. Apart from that it also burns 500-700 calories a day! Which in turn helps you lose weight.
But be careful. Burning additional 500-700 calories means that you might also unconsciously eat more.
So be aware that you have either to cut down calories or put your exercise routine upwards as soon as you are tapering off breastfeeding.
Eat smart
Eat smart equals avoiding those extra calories such as sodas, chips, candies and sweets, etc. Eliminating these food radically could cause emotional distress so cut them down slowly. Stop your impulse to eat them once a day then increase that to twice a day, and so on.
Eating lean protein such as fishes, and skinless chicken, fresh fruits, and vegetables will also helps fight off those extra craving because these food are full of nutrients that satisfy the hunger.
Get together with other New Moms
When you lack motivation to go outside and do sports it helps to find a local mom group where you can set up playdates outside, in the park, meet new people and share your stories. This relieves stress and forces you to do physical outdoor activities with your kids as well.
Take Naps
As mentioned before, lack of sleep causes moms to retain and gain weight. So take every opportunity you have to catch up on sleep especially when you just have a newborn. Simplest way to do that is to take power naps every time the baby is asleep.
