Guest post written by Tania Tod of Trying To Conceive.
Have you just had a baby and you can’t wait to get back to your pre-pregnancy size? Or are you sill pregnant and want to prepare yourself for postpartum weight loss in advance? Dr Kal is quite right when he says weight loss is simple, but not easy – and with a newborn baby in tow, losing weight might seem like even more of a challenge. But you can shed those baby pounds! Postpartum weight loss doesn’t have to be torture, and with the right approach you can even do it while bonding with your new baby!
Your old body back within a few weeks
As a mother of two little ones, I can assure you that you can have your old body back within a few weeks or months after you give birth, depending on your level of activity. Perhaps, this is even the right time to work on looking better and being healthier than ever before! Of course, increasing your postpartum weight loss success already starts while you are still trying to conceive.
Before you get pregnant
Before you get pregnant, you start using a prenatal vitamin, use an ovulation calendar, and stop smoking if necessary – because you want to get pregnant as soon as possible, and make sure you are as healthy as you can be. You are more likely to feel great throughout your pregnancy and shed those baby pounds quicker after birth if you started off with a healthy weight.
Your body was taken over by another human being
It’s not without reason that many Asian medicine philosophies say it takes your body as long as pregnancy itself to recover. After all, your body was taken over by another human being for nine months, and you were plagued by pregnancy signs and symptoms. You can’t expect your body to return to normal right after giving birth, and postpartum recovery involves a whole lot more than just weight loss. Being active sure gives you a great head start, though! Here are a few things that you can do to shed those pounds:
Breastfeeding burns calories
Breastfeeding burns calories, and uses up those “reserves” of fat that your body built up while you were expecting. Breastfeeding is not only the most normal and healthy way to feed your baby, it also promotes maternal health in many ways, and weight loss is just one of those.
A healthy and balanced diet
Make sure that your diet is healthy and balanced, and that you get plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables. When you eat healthily and avoid an excess of processed foods, you don’t only avoid piling on more pounds. Healthy foods also give you lots of energy, which in turn encourages physical activity!
Mom and baby exercises programs
Go to a mother and baby class. There are a wide variety of mom and baby exercise programs around these days – there is bound to be one close by that is just right for you. Mom and baby classes are fun and encourage bonding, and help you lose those pounds!
Walk as much as possible
Get a great jogging stroller or baby carrier, and get active! This is how I got back in shape after both my pregnancies. Take your baby for walks around town, ask your friends to meet you at your local coffee place, and have a stroll around the mall, or take your baby for jogs or hikes. Walking lots in those early weeks encourages your uterus to go back to normal, and helps you lose weight.
BIO:
At Trying To Conceive, we are passionate about reproductive health, fertility, pregnancy, and babies. Our personalized ovulation calendar can help you determine when you are at your most fertile, and our pregnancy signs page helps you navigate through your magical nine months!
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