After nine months of allowing your body to grow and change for a healthy baby, it's time to shrink your waist. But your new schedule, paired with fatigue, can impair your efforts to lose weight. Giving yourself enough time and putting in the effort to lose weight is the key to getting your old body back.
Time
While you might be eager to lose weight, remember that it took nine months to gain it all. You should expect at least nine months to lose it all as well. Forcing yourself to diet and exercise when you're tired and dealing with a newborn baby can be counterproductive. Take your time and aim for a steady but slow weight loss rate of 1 or 2 lbs. per week.
Breast-feeding
While not all women can breast-feed successfully or choose to bottle-feed, breast-feeding for at least six months can help you lose weight faster, according to a study published in a 2004 issue of Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology. Despite the added appetite you might experience while breastfeeding your baby, the act of breast-feeding burns calories while contracting the uterus. This can result in faster weight loss and regaining your old shape.
Diet
Avoid restricting your calories until at least six weeks after birth. Going on a diet too soon while breast-feeding could disrupt your milk supply. Allow your supply to regulate and think about eating healthier instead of eating less. You need an array of nutrients, so look for healthful foods that are low in calories so you can eat to appetite. Fruits, vegetables, whole grains and lean protein all make up a balanced diet so you're less concerned about counting calories and more invested in eating well for you and your baby.
Exercise
Visit your doctor for a six-week checkup before you begin to exercise because your body needs to heal from pregnancy and childbirth. Of course, when your baby has been up the night before and you're tired, exercise may be the last thing on your mind. Your baby's schedule will come first, so find ways to incorporate your baby into daily exercise. Take your baby for stroller walks, head to the mall for a walk or try yoga with your baby. Incorporating your baby in exercise allows you to stimulate her senses while staying ft. As your baby becomes more independent, it'll be easier to schedule more workout time for yourself.
References
- MayoClinic.com: Weight Loss After Pregnancy; June 19, 2010
- La Leche League: Postpartum Body Image and Weight Loss; Marie Zahorick et al.; Oct. 2000
- "Advances in Experimental Medicine and Biology"; The Optimal Duration of Exclusive Breastfeeding: a Systematic Review; M.S. Kramer et al.; 2004
- Babycenter.com: Diet for Healthy Post-Baby Weight Loss; March 2010
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