Weight loss after pregnancy can be a major challenge for some women, who have struggled with regaining their ideal weight and body shape. Many of these new moms have turned to postpartum shapewear to get the instant gratification that these foundation undergarments to regain their pre-pregnancy shape sooner rather than later. Now let's face it, we live in an era of television and the ever-present images of celebrity moms who enlist the help of dieticians and other fitness experts, to help them get back to their original shape faster than the average mom.
Be patient very often what you see on television is not a good example upon which to base your own postpartum weight loss goals. So, don’t be too impatient, trying to lose weight too fast can rebound on you. You should "Go Easy" and take these few steps to lose your weight after giving birth to your baby.
Give Your Body Time to Recover After Pregnancy
You definitely need to give your body time to recover after pregnancy, after all it took your body months to prepare to give birth, and it takes time to recover. So, don’t be in too much of a hurry to achieve weight loss after pregnancy by cutting calories, give some time for your body to recover, it takes up to 6 months after pregnancy for your body to return to normal. Now you have a new baby to take care of. It will require all your energy, especially as you come to grips with daily challenges like "night-feeds".
So rather than focusing on your weight loss for the first 3 months, it’s better for you to focus on eating healthy food with enough calories and nutrients to give you the energy to cope in taking care of your new baby.
Exercise When You Feel Up to It
Giving your body time to recover, does not mean that you should not do anything at all or ignore the increase in body weight gained during your pregnancy. You can start an exercise routine consisting of some gentle exercise almost immediately after returning home with your bundle of joy. But make sure to avoid any type of vigorous or strenuous exercise until after your first post-pregnancy check-up.
There are a lot of post-pregnancy exercise available on the internet, get some guidance from there or better yet consult an expert on what types of exercises are suitable for you during this period
Breast Feeding and Weight Loss After Pregnancy
All the health benefits of breast feeding your newborn child are well documented but did you know that breast feeding is a good way of burning your body’s calories? Generally, a new mom who breastfeeds her new born child produces an average output of 850ml of breast milk each day. To generate this amount of breast milk, mom needs to consume approximately 500 extra calories per day during lactation.
Start Your Weight Reduction Program after 2-3 Months
Normally after 2 to 3 months, your strength is returning and your period will get back to normal. At this time, you can start following a healthy, weight loss diet, and taking more vigorous exercise. Don’t aim for fast weight loss, about 1 pound per week for optimum health, and be guided by your doctor. And remember you still have your baby to take care of so you should continue to focus on eating nutritious foods and get as much rest as possible to keep up your strength & energy.
How long to take to regain your shape?
Most doctors and pregnancy weight control experts will give you the same answer: It depends on how much weight you gained during your pregnancy. On average, a mom will gain 25 to 30 pounds while pregnant and during the birth, she normally loses 12 to 14 pounds, leaving 12 to 21 pounds that needs to be shed after pregnancy. If you start your weight reduction program after 2 months of recovery period, and you lose 1 pound per week, it will take 12 to 21 weeks to lose the extra weight. This means that you should regain your pre-pregnancy weight within 6 to 8 months after the birth.
In Summary Weight Loss After Pregnancy is Achievable
Every woman wants to regain their pre-pregnancy weight and body shape as soon as possible after giving birth to their baby. However, trying to lose weight too fast can rebound on you; hence, you should take it easily and patiently giving your body adequate time to recover. So be patient and start your weight loss program after the recovery period and be guided by your fitness expert or doctor.