6 Weight Loss Tips For New Moms Who Miss Their Pre-Pregnancy Body
Reclaim your body.
getty Figuring out how to lose weight after your pregnancy can be difficult but with enough care and patience, you'll be able to reach your goal.
Pregnancy is a beautiful process that ultimately brings forth much joy and excitement. However, there’s also a great degree of frustration and discomfort associated with this stage of life.
And one of the biggest challenges is figuring out how to reclaim your pre-pregnancy body after delivery.
It's natural to gain weight while you're pregnant and keep that weight after having a baby.
But, have you ever wondered how certain women are able to quickly return to their pre-pregnancy bodies within weeks of giving birth?
Well, believe it or not, postpartum weight loss isn’t rocket science.
The key to getting back in shape after pregnancy is the same as it is in any situation: work hard, discipline yourself, and make sure you're getting proper nutrition.
What does that look like in this stage of life? What is the best way to lose weight when you're a new parent?
Here are 6 habits you need to do to lose weight and get your pre-pregnancy body back.
1. Breastfeed for as long as possible
Every baby is different. Some find breastfeeding easy, while others struggle to latch and prefer to bottle-feed. Don’t feel guilty if you can’t breastfeed, but definitely take advantage of it if you can.
Breastfeeding can burn as much as 425-700 calories per day, which means you can continue to eat a substantial amount of food and lose weight. Try breastfeeding as long as you can.
2. Keep healthy food at home
You’re probably going to be spending a lot of time at home over the first few months of your baby’s life. This means most of your meals are going to come from your refrigerator and pantry.
The best way to ensure that you eat healthy is to only keep healthy foods on hand. This removes the temptation of binge eating highly processed foods and accelerates your weight loss efforts. It’ll also make you feel better.
3. Drink a lot of water
You need to carry a water bottle around with you everywhere you go after pregnancy. Not only does breastfeeding make you thirsty, but adequate hydration is necessary for speeding up your metabolism and keeping you healthy.
Water also fills you up, which curbs hunger cravings and keeps you from overindulging.
4. Consider body contouring
Sometimes you just can’t get the body you want, no matter how hard you try. If you have certain stubborn areas on your body, you might consider a body contouring procedure.
5. Discover unique ways to exercise
You probably won’t be heading to the gym very much when you have a newborn, but who says you need weight machines and treadmills to get in shape?
Get creative and find ways to get in some exercise.
A jogging stroller is great and can be used when the weather is nice. When you’re inside, try some floor exercises where you lift your baby up, squat, lunge, or do sit-ups. You’d be surprised how effective and tiring these workouts can be.
6. Join a group
There’s something encouraging about being part of a group of people who all have the same goals and are willing to hold each other accountable.
Consider joining a local "moms" group where you can bring your baby and exercise together.
Learn to accept the "new" you.
When it’s all said and done, you have to be willing to accept that your body isn’t going to be the same as it was before. Some people are able to quickly go back to normal, while others experience physical limitations that make it impossible.
Work hard to reclaim a healthy body that you’re proud of, but don’t set unrealistic expectations.
Paula Mooney is an author or multiple books (mostly written under pseudonyms) about love and relationships. Her work has also been featured in numerous national media outlets, like Yahoo, Examiner and others.