Gaining weight during your pregnancy is normal and necessary. Water weight is responsible for some of the added pounds and is usually lost as soon as your baby is born. The U.S. national guidelines on gaining weight during pregnancy indicate you have a greater chance of long term weight problems if you do not return to your normal weight within six months to one year after childbirth. Aerobic activities and dietary changes help you create the caloric deficit required for weight loss.
Starting Date
It's common for your heath care professional to advise a waiting period of at least six weeks. However, your doctor may grant you permission to start a moderate exercise regimen earlier than six weeks after childbirth -- particularly if you had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery and you were an active fitness enthusiast before and during your pregnancy.
Combined with Dietary Changes
Combining exercise with a calorie restricted diet is more effective than exercise alone for weight loss after childbirth, according to the January 2008 issue of the journal, "Evidence Based Nursing." The results of the study showed new mothers who used exercise in combination with a calorie restricted diet lost significantly more weight than those who followed an exercise-only plan. If you're breastfeeding, it's important to eat a well-balanced diet in order to give your baby proper nutrients through breast milk.
Benefits
Exercising after you have a baby produces more heath benefits than just weight loss. Regular exercise restores your muscle strength, increases energy and improves overall mood. It helps prevent and reduce the duration of postpartum depression.
Walking
Taking regular walks is an easy exercise for weight loss after you have a baby. Walking tones your legs and burns calories. A pair of good walking shoes is all you need to get started. Use walking as a way to have some alone time or get a sporty stroller and use your walks as bonding time with your new baby. Walking at 3.5 mph for 30 minutes burns 140 calories and walking at 4.5 mph for 30 minutes burns 230 calories for a 154-lb. person.
Swimming
Swimming is an effective option for exercise after childbirth, notes KidsHealth. Swimming slow laps freestyle burns 510 calories in 1 hour if you weigh 154 lbs. and 763 calories if you weigh 240 lbs.
Low-Impact Aerobics
Try low-impact aerobics after childbirth as a way to burn calories and lose weight. Exercise with low-impact aerobics for one hour and burn 365 calories if you weigh 160 lbs., 455 calories if you weigh 200 lbs. and 545 calories if weigh 240 lbs.
Breast Milk
Engaging in the exercise required to burn the calories required to lose weight can elevate the amount of lactic acid in your breast milk. It is a natural substance that gives a sour taste to your breast milk that your baby might not enjoy. To correct this situation drink plenty of fluids while exercising and pump before and after exercise.
References
- MayoClinic.com; Labor and Delivery, Postpartum Care; 2011
- EurekAlert; 3 to 6 Months to Lose Weight Gained in Pregnancy is Normal; 2009
- Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews; Diet or Exercise or Both for Weight Reduction in Women After Childbirth; A.R. Amorim et al.; 2007
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention: Physical Activity for a Healthy Weight; 2011
- MayoClinic.com: Exercise for Weight Loss, Calories Burned in One Hour; 2009
- KidsHealth: Recovering From Delivery
Member Comments