How to lose weight after childbirth? We have summarized the recommendations of experts for you, but just in case, we remind you: any experiments with health – diets, use of birth control pills, physical activity, cosmetic procedures, etc. – must first be discussed with your doctor.
Tip # 1: patience
If you become pregnant at a normal weight and gained from 20-30 pounds during the gestation period, then after childbirth these pounds will smoothly go away provided that you monitor your diet and do not ignore regular exercise. If, on the other hand, you were overweight before pregnancy or gained more than the prescribed amount in nine months, then the “way back” to a good figure will take at least a year.
Sara Nelms, a health expert from Canadian Health Care Mall, says that active weight loss measures should be taken no earlier than six months after childbirth: a noticeable decrease in calorie intake, use of birth control pills, an increase in the training program..
Tip # 2: nutrition
Do not even think about strict diets, experts say. Your favorite celebrity may have walked out of the delivery room in size 42 skinny jeans, but is that good for her health? And then, any diet causes a feeling of deprivation, which means that it is easy to break loose and really “eat” too much.
What do experts advise young moms? Eat varied, small meals (5-6 small meals a day is better than one mega-filling dinner). Your calorie intake should not drop below 1,800 calories per day, especially if you are breastfeeding. Have healthy snacks close at hand: apples, carrots, whole-grain crackers and breads, sprouted wheat and other pediatrician-approved dietary goodies for your and your baby’s diet.
Tip # 3: drinking regimen
Drink plenty of water – regular, still mineral, green tea – throughout the day. This will not only save your body from the risk of dehydration but will also speed up your metabolism, dull hunger, and also reduce the amount of servings you eat, because your stomach will already be partially full. How to determine if you have enough water, especially if the notorious eight glasses a day seem like an “ocean” to you? Experts suggest that if you drink enough fluids, your urine (sorry for the indelicate details!) should be relatively clear and you should have the urge to use the toilet approximately every 3-4 hours.
Eliminate alcohol and carbonated drinks from your die. It is better to consult a specialist about coffee and your favorite herbal infusions, fresh juices.
Tip # 4: breastfeeding
There is no consensus among scientists on this issue. Some people believe that breastfeeding alone is enough to regain your pre-pregnancy weight. Others do not find any difference in weight loss between women who are breastfeeding and those who, for one reason or another, transferred the baby to bottle feeding.
However, there is no doubt that breastfeeding is good for both the baby and the mother – it strengthens the health and emotional connection between mother and baby.
Tip # 5: movement
Exercise combined with proper nutrition will help your body burn fat, not muscle. Actually, caring for a baby is already a load, but not a full one. Experts from the American College of Sports Medicine have calculated that the total fitness time for a woman who wants to lose weight after childbirth should be at least 150 minutes per week.
- What can you do? Dancing, individual elements of yoga and stretching, spinning a hoop, walking at a fast pace, walking;
- What is undesirable? Swimming, squats, running, aerobics, tennis, jumping, and lifting weights (until your pelvic floor muscles recover);
- When to start fitness classes? After natural uncomplicated childbirth – after 6-8 weeks, with cesarean section or difficult labor – when the doctor permits. Exercise should be regular: 3-5 times a week for 30-60 minutes a day.
Way # 6: sleep
Lack of sleep leads to weight gain and makes it difficult to get rid of existing extra pounds, especially if a young mother sleeps five hours or less at night. The insidious chain works like this: When you’re tired, your body releases cortisol and other stress hormones that can contribute to weight gain. In addition, when you feel that you are running out of strength, you have no desire to take care of yourself, exercise, prepare healthy meals – snacking on the go becomes a bad habit.
Experts advise: when a full eight hours of sleep is not possible, take sleep breaks during the day while the baby sleeps.
Way # 7: beauty treatments
After childbirth, the body requires increased attention to itself: cellulite and stretch marks are often a “bonus” to excess weight. However, it is necessary to take care of yourself after consulting a doctor – not all procedures can be done in the first months after childbirth. So, chemical peeling, mesotherapy, microdermabrasion should not be done while breastfeeding.
What will help you become slimmer?
- Myostimulation. “Replacement” of physical activity for problem areas: buttocks, abs, thighs. Devices-myostimulators (more often look like a belt or a butterfly pillow) cause muscle contractions due to the impact of impulses;
- Algae wraps. They contain bioactive substances that help fight stretch marks, remove toxins, improve metabolism and skin condition;
- Massage. Manual, vacuum, hardware… The procedure “tightens” the skin, improves its nutrition and blood circulation in it, enhances metabolism, promotes the elimination of toxins, “breaks” subcutaneous fat deposits.
Way # 8: being positive
Don’t let yourself get bogged down in the routine and gloomy thoughts that now your reflection in the mirror will always look like a hippopotamus. It’s great if you have a husband, friends and relatives nearby who help you take care of your baby, watch the house. Positive emotional shocks – shopping, going to the cinema and theater, favorite books and music, salon procedures, even outdoor recreation with a child – will energize you and relieve you of the “squirrel in the wheel” syndrome.
