During your pregnancy, you gained weight so that your baby could develop properly. Now that you have had your baby, you are probably anxious to be able to fit into your pre-pregnancy clothes. During childbirth, you will lose more than 10 lbs. of your pregnancy weight gain, according to MayoClinic.com. This will include the baby, amniotic fluid and placenta; however, the maternal fat stores you gained during pregnancy won't go away without some work on your part.
Time Frame
When you try to lose baby weight, you can attempt to lose 1lb. per week, notes MayoClinic.com. Depending on the amount of your pregnancy weight gain, it may take six months or longer to lose all the weight you have gained.
Components
There isn't any magic formula to losing baby weight. You will have to eat a healthy diet and get some exercise to lose the baby weight. Your diet should be based on the food pyramid, which includes six food groups: oils, whole grains, milk, lean protein, vegetables and fruits. In addition to eating a healthy diet, you should exercise at least an hour, and possibly as long as 90 minutes, each day to lose weight, states the American College of Sports Medicine. Walking, lifting weights, Pilates, yoga, swimming and aerobics are all ways to get your daily exercise.
Breast-Feeding
If you are breast-feeding, you will be able to lose weight slightly faster than a mother who isn't breast-feeding. While you breast-feed, you need an additional 500 calories per day; however, breast-feeding burns 600 to 800 calories per day, states FitPregnancy.com. When you are planning your breast-feeding diet, add healthy calories, such as those from whole grains, milk products, nuts and lean protein. Adding calories with little or no nutritional value, like those in soft drinks or desserts, won't improve your breast milk and may work against your weight-loss goals.
Warning
It is important to let your body heal after childbirth, and starting a weight-loss program too early can slow your healing. Until your doctor approves, you shouldn't try to restrict your caloric intake, notes BabyCenter.com. You will usually get the approval to diet when you go to your six-week postpartum checkup. Until then, you can cut back on the amount of junk food and other unhealthy foods you eat. Unless you have had a complicated delivery or a cesarean section, you may be able to start doing light exercises like walking within a few days of delivery, if you feel up to it.
Simple Solutions
Simplifying your weight-loss program is vital when you have a new baby. Instead of cooking daily, cook double batches of meals that you can freeze so that you can reheat them another day. Casseroles, spaghetti sauce, taco meat and gumbo are some possibilities. You can walk while pushing your baby in a stroller or while she is in a front carrier. You can also find an exercise program that incorporates your baby so that you two can get some extra bonding time.
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