Pregnancy was one of my favorite things. Knowing that another human being was growing inside of me was fascinating and terrifying at the same time. But as much as I enjoyed pregnancy, and for the most part I really did, it was the post-pregnancy that I tended to struggle with. This was the case especially with my most recent pregnancy with my youngest. Though I gained roughly the same amount of weight as I had with my previous pregnancy; losing this pregnancy weight was proving to be a challenge. In fact it’s something that I’m struggling with so I wanted to share a few tips and tricks for post pregnancy weight loss.
Pregnancy is a magical and mysterious time of life and many women worry about how to achieve weight loss after they give birth. During the first six weeks of postpartum, a healthy diet is much more important than a weight-loss diet. Continue to eat a balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, calcium, and iron. Whether or not you’re breastfeeding, your body is still recovering from the pregnancy and birth, and a nutritionally balanced diet will help you heal and feel better much faster.
Your care provider or doctor may recommend that you take an iron supplement for the first six weeks postpartum, while your body recovers.
If you’re breastfeeding, it’s even more important to eat a well-balanced diet, since you’re still sharing all the calories you’re consuming. If you count calories, a breastfeeding woman should consume the same amount as she did before pregnancy to maintain her weight plus about 500 calories. For many, this means about 2,500 to 2,700 calories a day, which will support milk production and allow for moderate weight loss of half a pound per week.
Continue to avoid fish that are high in methyl mercury in your weight loss plan. Other foods, such as sushi, raw milk products, and deli meats, are less risky these days, but you should still take reasonable precautions to avoid food-borne illnesses. Precautions include cooking meat and poultry all the way through, washing all cooking utensils thoroughly, washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly, and only eating raw foods like sushi from a dependable source.
Healthy weight loss
Other than feeling good and having more energy, there are many motivators for systematically striving for weight loss following pregnancy. If you carry extra pounds, you have an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. Losing weight will improve your health not only now but it can also influence your weight in future years to come. Studies have shown that women who breastfed beyond 12 weeks and participated in postpartum aerobic exercise had lower weight gain 15 years later. Excess pregnancy weight gain and failure to lose weight in an appreciable time are indicators of obesity in midlife. Weight loss following pregnancy involves three things: Nutrition, exercise and scores of patience. It’s generally difficult to lose weight without exercise being part of your weight loss program.
If you’re breastfeeding, a good bit of the pregnancy weight will come off fairly quickly. But this isn’t a time to try to lose weight. Whether or not you’re breastfeeding, your body won’t recover as well or as quickly if you cut back drastically on your portions or calorie intake. If you ate a lot of sweets or treats during your pregnancy, you can start to cut back on those. But otherwise, there’s no need to add the extra pressure of dieting to an already stressful period pf taking care of a newborn baby.
Cautions of exercise
The six-week postpartum visit is a simple check-in with your caregiver or doctor. You’ll be weighed, have your blood pressure taken, and you’ll be asked about any problems. You will probably be given the green light on exercise.
Most caregivers recommend waiting until the six-week postpartum checkup before starting vigorous exercise, but that’s a somewhat arbitrary time frame, based on the typical model of obstetric care. If you’re stitches seem to be have healed, and if you want to be more active. Moderate exercise before the six week postpartum visit shouldn’t be a problem
Listen to your body. Don’t push yourself hard. Start out slowly, and if you find you’re tired or uncomfortable, take your activity level down a notch. There is no reason to rush the healing process. There will always be time to exercise and address weight loss.
If you suffer from obesity, your doctor will tell you what kind of diet and exercise you should follow following the childbirth for weight loss.
Eating for one
When you were pregnant, you may have eaten more than usual to support your baby’s growth and development. Proper nutrition is still important after the baby is born – especially if you’re breast-feeding – but your needs and goals are different now. Making wise choices can promote healthy weight loss after pregnancy. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains. Foods high in fiber – such as fruits, vegetables and whole grains. These foods provide you with many important nutrients while helping you feel full longer. Other nutrient-rich choices include low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk, yogurt and low-fat cheeses. White meat poultry, most fish, beans, and lean cuts of beef and pork are good sources of protein, as well as zinc, iron and B vitamins. These foods will help in your weight loss program.
1. Avoid Temptation- Buy healthy foods at the grocery store and don’t keep junk food in the house.
2. Eat smaller portions – Don’t try starving yourself or skipping meals. Just cut back on the portions.
3. Eat only when you are hungry – Distract yourself with an activity if you are constantly hungry.
4. Drink water before meals.
Beginning exercise
It’s a good idea to start taking short, easy walks as soon as it feels comfortable for you. If weather permits, simply load up the baby in the stroller and take brisk walks to the park, library, neighborhood coffee shop or anywhere that makes the exercise walk enjoyable. If you have a reliable baby sitter, joining a local gym would be an excellent idea.
I’m fortunate to live within walking distance of a local park; isn’t the view lovely?
The most important factors in weight loss after pregnancy will be patience and consistency, along with a sensible, healthy diet and an exercise plan. It generally takes about 6-12 months to achieve the total weight loss following pregnancy.
While I’ve come to terms with the fact that I won’t fit back into all of my pre-pregnancy clothes, I’d love to be able to wear some of them again. Creating a consistent fitness routine at home and watching my caloric intake are two of the factors in my post-pregnancy weight loss. But I’ve also looked into other viable options, like SculpSure.
- SculpSure is a non-invasive body contouring treatment for the reduction of stubborn fat in areas such as the abdomen and love handles. The 25 minute procedure destroys up to 24%1 of treated fat cells without surgery.
- SculpSure is the world’s first FDA-cleared laser treatment for non-invasive lipolysis of the flanks and abdomen.
- SculpSure is ideal for people with trouble spots, particularly those that seem resistant to diet and exercise.
Are you trying to lose those stubborn post-pregnancy pounds? Do you think that SculpSure would be something that you could benefit from?
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
Kori
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