When you're eight to nine months pregnant, you probably wonder if you will ever see your toes again. If you're already feeling as big as a whale, you may think a candy bar here and an extra slice of pizza there don't matter all that much. In truth, if you take in too many calories during pregnancy, you'll have extra baby weight to take off after your little one enters the world. Fortunately, you can take off that weight and regain the body you had before pregnancy.
Big Changes With Little Effort
Some of the weight will come off on its own during the days and weeks immediately after delivery. The Knot website Breastfeeding.com recommends putting off any attempts to diet until three months after your baby is born. You will lose about 15 pounds right away. As you are busy nurturing your baby and settling into life with your changed family, you body is decreasing your blood volume, reining in stretched skin and using up some of your pregnancy fat stores. You'll notice many changes to your body during this time, whether you start your diet or not.
Breastfeeding Burn Calories
While ultimately you should choose breastfeeding because it's best for the baby, it's also good for your weight-loss efforts. Breastfeeding moms lose 1.3 to 1.6 pounds more per month than moms who formula feed, according to La Leche League International. Creating an abundant milk supply uses calories. The La Leche League reports that most moms can lose weight while breastfeeding by keeping daily calories at 1,500 to 1,800, which is probably similar to what you were eating before you got pregnant.
You Don't Need a Personal Trainer
If you watch reality TV or read diet magazines, you may think you need a personal trainer and hours of time at the gym to shed pounds. In truth, you can tip the scales in the direction of fat loss with activities as simple as daily walks and core-strengthening stretches, according to the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. Just 20 to 30 minutes of daily exercise, paired with an overall healthy diet, is enough to shed excess baby weight at a slow and maintainable pace.
Avoid a Strict Diet
After you give birth, your body goes through an intense healing and restoration process. Nourishment facilitates these changes. If you're breastfeeding, you also need adequate nutrition and enough calories to keep up your milk supply. La Leche League International recommends that new moms use how they feel to dictate when to eat. It advises eating when you're hungry and stopping when you're satisfied. The Mayo Clinic website advises new moms to focus more on eating nutritious foods than counting calories. Plan your diet around fruits, vegetables, lean proteins, whole grains and low-fat dairy.
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