Pregnancy Weight Loss In 3 Steps

Losing pregnancy weight is one of the first things most women aim for once their baby is born. There are several steps that you can take to help you in your after pregnancy weight loss efforts.

1. Breastfeeding Your Baby

Breastfeeding is one way that you can help with after pregnancy weight loss. You can burn anywhere between 200 and 500 calories a day. Not only that but it is known to be the healthiest way for you to nourish your baby. Breast milk naturally contains all of the nutrients that a growing baby needs. There are many more things to be gained by breastfeeding than just these though. Immunities to diseases such as measles and rubella can be passed on to your baby through breast milk. It is also known that breastfeeding can halt  further chances of becoming pregnant although the proof behind this has not been presented fully. All in all, breastfeeding is a positive outcome for you and your child.

2. A Good Healthy Diet

During pregnancy, many women experience an increase in their appetite, claiming that they are “eating for two”. The additional food is also the main cause for additional weight gains. Eating normal sized portions of food will therefore greatly help your chances to lose weight after pregnancy. Many women suffer sickness and a loss of appetite during pregnancy, so there may be a sudden urge to pig out on all the foods you couldn’t eat, so try to avoid this. Avoid any fattening foods, especially fast food.

An after pregnancy weight loss program should include a well rounded diet that contains foods from all the basic food groups. Fried food is a definite no, so try and eat leaner meats. Low fat brands, although they contain the same number of calories, are still a good option. Just make sure to check the labels to see they are really low fat.

You should also avoid unhealthy snack foods. Fresh fruit and vegetables are much better for you than potato chips and pretzels. If this is too hard for you to manage, throw them out and make sure to not buy them again. Without them in the house you can no longer be tempted to snack on them.

You should also drink plenty of water to help you with your after pregnancy weight loss. Drinking at least 10 glasses of water a day is what most doctors suggest. You should also avoid drinks that are full of sugar, such as soda and juice. Ten glasses of water might sound like a lot but this is actually the same amount of fluid most people consume daily. If you simply replace all those other drinks with water instead, after pregnancy weight loss will be much easier for you.

3. Exercise

Exercising is just as important if you want to succeed with your pregnancy weight loss. First make sure to check you’re ok to perform any exercise with your doctor as your body will still be under some stress from the delivery. As a guide, you should wait at least six weeks before starting any serious exercise program. If you have had a cesarean birth, this time increases up to eight weeks.

Once you have your doctor’s approval, there are several types of exercises that can aid you with your after pregnancy weight loss. Walking can help you burn off calories while exercises such as sit ups and crunches can tighten your abdominal muscles. You may also want to try Kegel crunches, an exercise that involves tightening and loosening your pelvic muscles. This activity can increase circulation to your pelvic area and strengthen the muscles in your vagina.

By mixing together breastfeeding, a good diet, and exercise, you can implement an effective after pregnancy weight loss program for yourself and begin to see some effective results.

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