Weight
loss following pregnancy and hanging up the tent sized
maternity clothes is something all new mothers look
forward to with anticipation. For most women, but
for others, the baby fat is a bit more difficult to
shed. Each woman is different and there is no "one
size fits all" formula for shedding the weight
gained during pregnancy. However there are a few weight
loss guidelines to follow that will have the new Mom
back feeling great and wearing her jeans once she
gets her strength back.
How much weight did you gain during pregnancy?
The 25 pounds the average woman
gains during a pregnancy are spread out more or less
like this:
If you were already a little
overweight when you first became pregnant, remember
that the numbers on your scale kept going to go up
almost every time you stepped on it. Fasting or Weight-loss
fasting diets following pregnancy are absolutely not
a good idea.
A Latino tradition following
pregnancy
One of the best Latino traditions
during the time right after childbirth is cuarentena, or
the quarantine. The mother will spend forty days resting
with the newborn after delivery and only worry about taking
care of the baby. The new mother doesn't even consider weight
loss issues during this time. Other members of the family
will keep house and watch over the other children. While
this may not be practical for most new mothers of today,
if you do have relatives who live nearby, it would be a
good idea to follow some version of this tradition. You'll
feel like a new woman after those forty days of recuperation
(or even twenty).
A nutritious diet is more important than weight
loss for the first six weeks.
Pregnancy
is a magical and mysterious time of life and many women worry
about how to achieve weight loss after they give birth. During
the first six weeks of postpartum, a healthy diet is much
more important than a weight-loss diet. Continue to eat a
balance of fruits, vegetables, whole grains, protein, calcium,
and iron. Whether or not you're breastfeeding, your body is
still recovering from the pregnancy and birth, and a nutritionally
balanced diet will help you heal and feel better much faster.
Breastfeeding
Your care
provider or doctor may recommend that you take an iron supplement
for the first six weeks postpartum, while your body recovers.
If you're breastfeeding, it's even more important to eat a
well-balanced diet, since you're still sharing all the calories
you're consuming. If you count calories, a breastfeeding woman
should consume the same amount as she did before pregnancy
to maintain her weight plus about 500 calories. For many,
this means about 2,500 to 2,700 calories a day, which will
support milk production and allow for moderate weight loss
of half a pound per week.
Avoid Fish
Continue to avoid fish that
are high in methyl mercury in your weight loss plan. Other
foods, such as sushi, raw milk products, and deli meats,
are less risky these days, but you should still take reasonable
precautions to avoid food-borne illnesses.
Precautions include cooking
meat and poultry all the way through, washing all cooking
utensils thoroughly, washing all fruits and vegetables thoroughly,
and only eating raw foods like sushi from a dependable source.
Healthy weight loss
Other than feeling good and
having more energy, there are many motivators for systematically
striving for weight loss following pregnancy. If you carry
extra pounds, you have an increased risk of diabetes, hypertension,
and cardiovascular disease. Losing weight will improve your
health not only now but it can also influence your weight
in future years to come. Studies have shown that women who
breastfed beyond 12 weeks and participated in postpartum
aerobic exercise had lower weight gain 15 years later. Excess
pregnancy weight gain and failure to lose weight in an appreciable
time are indicators of obesity in midlife. Weight loss following
pregnancy involves three things: Nutrition, exercise and
scores of patience. It's generally difficult to lose weight
without exercise being part of your weight loss program.
If you're breastfeeding, a good bit
of the pregnancy weight will come off fairly quickly. But
this isn't a time to try to lose weight. Whether or not
you're breastfeeding, your body won't recover as well or
as quickly if you cut back drastically on your portions
or calorie intake. If you ate a lot of sweets or treats
during your pregnancy, you can start to cut back on those.
But otherwise, there's no need to add the extra pressure
of dieting to an already stressful period of taking care
of a newborn baby.
Cautions of exercise
The six-week
postpartum visit is a simple check-in with your caregiver
or doctor. You'll be weighed, have your blood pressure taken,
and you'll be asked about any problems. You will probably
be given the green light on exercise.
Most
caregivers recommend waiting until the six-week postpartum
checkup before starting vigorous exercise, but that's a
somewhat arbitrary time frame, based on the typical model
of obstetric care. If you're stitches seem to be have healed,
and if you want to be more active. Moderate exercise before
the six week postpartum visit shouldn't be a problem
Listen to your
body. Don't push yourself hard. Start out slowly, and if
you find you're tired or uncomfortable, take your activity
level down a notch. There is no reason to rush the healing
process. There will always be time to exercise and address
weight loss.
If you suffer
from obesity, your doctor will tell you what kind of diet
and exercise you should follow following the childbirth
for weight loss.
Eating for one
When
you were pregnant, you may have eaten more than usual to
support your baby's growth and development. Proper nutrition
is still important after the baby is born - especially if
you're breast-feeding - but your needs and goals are different
now. Making wise choices can promote healthy weight loss
after pregnancy. Focus on fruits, vegetables and whole grains.
Foods high in fiber - such as fruits, vegetables and whole
grains. These foods provide you with many important nutrients
while helping you feel full longer. Other nutrient-rich
choices include low-fat dairy products, such as skim milk,
yogurt and low-fat cheeses. White meat poultry, most fish,
beans, and lean cuts of beef and pork are good sources of
protein, as well as zinc, iron and B vitamins. These foods
will help in your weight loss program.
1. Avoid Temptation- Buy healthy
foods at the grocery store and don't keep junk food in the
house.
2. Eat smaller portions - Don't try starving yourself or
skipping meals. Just cut back on the portions.
3. Eat only when you are hungry - Distract yourself with
an activity if you are constantly hungry.
4. Drink water before meals.
Beginning exercise
It's a good idea to start taking short, easy walks as soon
as it feels comfortable for you. If weather permits, simply
load up the baby in the stroller and take brisk walks to the
park, library, neighborhood coffee shop or anywhere that makes
the exercise walk enjoyable. If you have a reliable baby sitter,
joining a local gym would be an excellent idea.
The most important factors in weight loss after pregnancy
will be patience and consistency, along with a sensible,
healthy diet and an exercise plan. It generally takes about
6-12 months to achieve the total weight loss following pregnancy.
