You can get your pre-baby body back
Now that you have a baby, your mind will be pre-occupied with a lot of things such as feeding your baby, what to do when she cries and also….. how to lose all the weight you’ve gained during the process?
It’s very critical to get rid of this weight since it may not seem to be much of a problem now but may be the root cause of obesity 15 to 20 years down the road.
How long will it take to loose all that extra baby weight? The answer to this depends on whether you started out at a normal body weight or not. If you started at a normal weight and you just gained 25-30 pounds that your doctor had recommended, it’ll hardly take you a few months to lose that weight. Whereas, if you were over-weight before pregnancy and you gained more than the recommended weight, it may take up to one year or maybe even more. Try being realistic here so that you don’t lose hope in the beginning and please don’t compare yourself with celebrities and their post baby weight loss stories. It’s not about how long its going to take to lose that weight…It’s about how you do it!!!
Follow these simple steps and work your way back to your pre-pregnancy body:
• Don’t starve yourself
Instead of cutting down on your food cravings and feeling deprived about food all the time, try making healthier food choices. It’s very crucial to get a minimum of 1800 calories everyday, particularly if you are breastfeeding. Try consuming meals that are rich in nutrients and relatively low in calories. Replace unhealthy foods with healthier alternatives such as fresh fruits, vegetables, low fat dairy products, yogurts, etc. The best way to fend off your snacking temptation of the unhealthy stuff is by keeping these foods out of your house. The more the distance the lesser will be the cravings for these.
• Breastfeed
If you’re lucky, you can lose all your baby fat just through breastfeeding alone. You can burn up to 600 to 800 calories a day though this. But try adjusting your diet accordingly once your baby gets off this diet or you will end up gaining weight again. Cut down on your calories or increase the volume of your exercise routine once your baby is supplementing on a solid diet.
• Drink it up
Drinking lots of water can help you stay hydrated throughout the day. At the same time it also boosts your metabolism. Drinking water before a meal can also give you feeling of fullness which helps you eat less.
• Work it out
A healthy diet with a good workout regimen can be ideal for a healthy weight loss after pregnancy. Incorporating aerobic exercises along with strength based exercises will not only benefit you with the weight loss but will also help sleep well and the release of endorphins will help you with depression and anxiety.
Even walking your baby with a stroller can be a great form of exercise or lunging behind the stroller while moving with it is an even better form of exercise. You can even lunge or squat holding the baby close to your chest. This way, as the baby gets older and bigger, you get stronger.
If you're unsure about what you're doing, hire a personal trainer with a certification in prenatal and postnatal fitness.
• Get some sleep
It may seem absolutely impossible to get straight 7 hours of sleep every night, but sleep deprivation can slower down your metabolism and also have an impact on your food choices. Try to get as many naps as you can throughout the day. Sleep when the baby sleeps. It’s as simple as that.
• Be patient
Find other moms who would be interested in losing weight and who would also be willing to give you company while working out. This way someone keeps urging you to workout and you can also push your workout partner whenever required. Have patience and try to enjoy the whole process.
Remember, it took you almost 9 months to reach your present weight; so it should take at least that long to get back to your old self.
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