Gaining weight during pregnancy is normal; however, one the baby is delivered, the desire to lose the excess weight is just as normal. There isn't any magical way to lose this weight. It takes time and considerable effort to lose the maternal fat stores that you gained during pregnancy. Following a healthy lifestyle of eating properly and exercising is essential to losing this weight.
Time Frame
Losing pregnancy-related weight starts at childbirth. MayoClinic.com notes that you may lose more than 10 pounds during childbirth. Additionally, in the week following birth, you will lose more water weight. Once you are able to start a reduced-calorie diet, which is usually after your postpartum checkup, you can expect to lose about one pound per week if you follow a healthy diet and exercise program. The amount of time between birth and being able to lose weight depends on the type of delivery you had. Generally, complicated births and C-section births require a longer healing period before diet and exercise are possible.
Types
There are two types of diet plans you can follow to lose pregnancy weight: breastfeeding diet and nonbreastfeeding diet. A woman who is breastfeeding needs to make milk for her baby, so she needs more calories per day than a woman who is exclusively formula-feeding her baby. For a woman who is breastfeeding, approximately 2,200 to 2,700 calories daily is usually sufficient, notes FamilyEducation.com. Women who aren't breastfeeding need approximately 500 fewer calories. If your diet doesn't contain a sufficient number of calories, you may not be able to make enough milk to support your baby and you may slow your postpartum healing.
Identification
A healthy diet for a woman trying to lose pregnancy weight includes eating a reduced-calorie diet based on the food pyramid. The exact number of servings from each of the five major food groups depends on your age, weight, height and activity level; however, there are some general guidelines you can follow. Two to four servings of fruit and three to five servings of vegetables per day are needed. You need 6 to 11 servings of grains daily, preferably whole grains. You should eat three to four servings of milk and milk products and three servings of lean protein or beans. Lastly, you should eat only a small amount of healthy fats or oils, such as canola oil, daily.
Solution
While you aren't able to start a reduced-calorie diet immediately after you deliver your baby, you can eat a healthy diet. By choosing healthy foods, you will minimize postpartum weight gain, and you may even lose a little weight without trying. Because your body is still healing from birth, you should eat whenever you get hungry instead of trying to stick to a strict dieting schedule. For example, instead of grabbing snack cakes, chips or other unhealthy foods when you get hungry, snack on fresh fruits, vegetables or whole grains. Choose to eat lean protein sources, such as white-meat chicken or fish instead of fatty meats. Drink low-fat milk, all natural fruit juice and water when you are thirsty instead of soft drinks or sugary drinks.
Considerations
To lose the maternal fat stores that your body accumulated during pregnancy, you have to exercise in addition to eating a healthy diet because dieting alone won't burn fat. You can start light workouts as soon as your doctor approves after the birth. Usually, you can start taking short walks shortly after birth. After your six-week checkup, you should be able to start working your way up to more intense exercises. Ideally, your goal is to exercise 60 to 90 minutes per day as recommended by the American College of Sports Medicine.
