With pregnancy comes weight gain, some of which is not easy to lose. According to WomensHealth.gov, women lose an average of 10 lbs. after giving birth. Considering you may gain 20 to 40 lbs. during pregnancy, this amount does not seem like a lot. Eating healthy can help you lose and maintain your weight. Exercise is another vital component to baby fat loss.
Time Line
Your doctor may not recommend exercise for six weeks after birth. The reasons may include, but are not limited to: a complicated delivery, a cesarean section and vaginal damage. However, you may be in the clear to start performing moderate exercises as soon as you recover from birth, if such situations do not apply to you. Exercising during pregnancy makes exercising easier after delivery.
Quantity
The amount of exercise you engage in depends on how you feel. If you are new to exercise, FitPregnancy.com recommends simply walking around your neighborhood each day until your cardiovascular fitness level increases. Once you are physically able, the goal is to perform 30 minutes of exercise five times a week.
Types and Intensity
Aerobic exercises, such as walking, running and swimming are all calorie-burning activities that can help you lose baby fat. Also, incorporate toning exercises into your routine. MayoClinic.com recommends abdominal exercises, kegels and pelvic tilts. By adding variety to your routine, you are less likely to get bored and give up on exercising all together.
According to MayoClinic.com, exercise may make breast milk taste sour, caused by high-intensity workouts. This can be prevented by toning down the exercise while nursing or by pumping out excess milk prior to working out.
Benefits
In order to lose 1 lb. of fat, you must shed 3,500 calories. Reducing calories through your diet is not a sole method of weight loss. In addition, strength-training exercises can help you re-tone your body. Exercising post-pregnancy also prevents fatigue, post-partum depression and stress.
Considerations
There are no methods of instantaneous weight loss, especially after you give birth. Healthy weight loss through exercise and diet takes months. The quickest way to lose baby fat is to take on an exercise routine and to stick with it. If you attempt to lose a great amount of baby fat at once, you are more likely to gain it back in the long-run. Exercising too much early on can also put you at risk for injury. Keep in mind that your body must re-accustom itself to an exercise regime, especially if you did not exercise during pregnancy.
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