5 Tips For Losing Weight After Pregnancy

5 tips for losing weight after pregnancy

Finally, you have welcomed your bundle of joy home! Now for the next few months your world will only revolve around your little one’s needs and happiness. Although you will be occupied with the busy job of being a mom, every once in a while, you will notice that your body has changed significantly. The extra weight, especially, can be unsettling for you. However, it is essential to understand that weight gain during pregnancy is the body’s natural response to fit according to the changing needs of the fetus and help prepare the mother for childbirth. In simple words, weight gain during pregnancy is essential and healthy.

Post-delivery, if you are concerned about the pounds you have put on, don’t fret! Here are some safe and effective tips that can help you lose weight and get back into shape.

Don’t follow fancy diets but eat healthy
After childbirth, for at least the first six months, you will be breastfeeding the baby to strengthen their immunity. So ensure that you don’t compromise and cut back while having food. Weight loss methods, like crash dieting, can often affect the breast milk production, which automatically affects the baby. Have regular meals but do make it a point to avoid junk. Eating healthy will help heal your body from a physically-strenuous experience like childbirth. Ensure to have fresh fruits, vegetables, whole grains, low-fat dairy, lean meats, eggs, brown rice, and legumes in your daily meals. New mothers should refrain from having sodas, processed items, and refined sugars as it can alter the nutritional quality of the breast milk and lead to further weight gain.

Breastfeed for the first six months
Certain research suggests that mothers who breastfeed their babies religiously in the first six months are more likely to lose a significant amount of weight as compared to mothers who don’t. Breastfeeding can help you burn around 600 to 800 calories per day. Although, to witness a discernible change in weight, mothers should also follow a wholesome diet and do some simple exercises. Apart from encouraging weight loss and fortifying the baby’s immune system, breastfeeding can lower the risk of some chronic diseases in women.

Drink plenty of hydrating fluids
Drinking plenty of water is a critical part of any weight loss plan. You should have at least 1.5 to 2 liters of water on a daily basis to burn more fat and curb any unnecessary cravings. Having sufficient amounts of water is also important for you as it helps replenish the fluids lost while breastfeeding.

Get rest
Lack of adequate sleep and rest can prevent the mother from losing weight as it shoots up the stress levels. Therefore, you should try and get a decent amount of sleep whenever you can. This might come across as impossible in the first few weeks; however, once you figure out the baby’s sleeping pattern, it will be easier to get some rest for yourself. Taking care of a newborn can be challenging; therefore, don’t be reluctant to ask for help from friends and family if you want to take a brief break from your daily responsibilities.

Explore low-intensity exercises
Once you completely heal and can stop breastfeeding, take up some low-intensity exercises. Brisk walking, aerobics, cycling, or jogging can help you keep active. Moreover, some amount of physical activity everyday will curb the stress levels and help keep depression, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes at bay. If you seem confused about which exercise regime to adopt, have a word with your gynecologist.

Losing weight after pregnancy might seem to be an ordeal; however, your first priority should be to emphasize on your and the baby’s well-being. Weight loss initiatives can be squeezed into your routine as you become more confident about juggling multiple responsibilities including work and socializing.

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