After many months of carrying around extra weight and wearing maternity clothes, most new moms are anxious to fit back into their pre-pregnancy jeans as soon as possible. While there's no reason you can't return to your former weight, slimming down after childbirth has its own set of challenges and moms need to take special care to lose weight without compromising their health.
Step 1
Squeeze in activity any way you can. Pop the baby in the stroller or carrier and take a walk. Some new moms have time to hit the gym a few times a week, leaving the baby at home with Dad or at the gym's child care center; for other moms, this isn't an option. If you can't leave your baby to exercise at the gym, try doing a cardio or weight-lifting video at home while she naps or enjoys time in her swing. Whatever activity you can make time for, be sure to wait until your doctor has given you the OK to exercise again and start out slowly. Your body is still recovering from pregnancy and birth and needs time to work up to long or intense exercise.
Step 2
Wait until your six-week postpartum checkup to begin counting calories. If you're breastfeeding, wait until your milk supply is well-established to cut calories and don't dip below 1,800 calories; most nursing moms need to eat between 1,800 and 2,700 calories daily, according to BabyCenter.
Step 3
Pick foods that fill you up and give you energy. Fortunately, the best foods for losing weight are the same ones that your body needs to recover in the weeks and months after delivery. Stock your pantry with foods that offer fiber and protein to fill you up and nutrients to keep your body strong, including fruits and vegetables; whole-grain bread, pasta and rice; low-fat milk, yogurt and cheese; beans and lentils; and chicken, turkey and fish. Include some heart-healthy unsaturated fat sources in your daily diet to help you feel more satisfied, recommends BabyCenter. Good sources include avocados, nuts, olive oil, canola oil, seeds, peanut butter and salmon.
Step 4
Eat frequently to avoid the sudden hunger pangs that will tempt you to reach for fatty and sugary snacks. When you're sleep-deprived and trying to juggle never-ending child care and household responsibilities, it's easy to forget to eat real meals and rely instead on packaged foods when hunger strikes. Aim to eat five or six small meals every day as well as snacks in between, if you need them. Try taking just an hour or two every week to chop vegetables, wash fruit and cook up big batches of food so you have a constant supply of ready-made foods on hand all week.
Tips and Warnings
- When it comes to exercise, try to incorporate both cardio and strength-training into your routine. Cardio will burn major calories while you're doing it but building muscle with strength-training will increase your metabolism, says FitPregnancy, helping you burn more calories all day long.
