Out pops the little bundle of joy, but now comes the real task losing weight after pregnancy. How do you get back into shape, and trim away the 30-plus pounds put on in the last nine months? Most likely, it won’t be quick or easy. Especially considering the fact there’s a newborn baby who will be wreaking havoc on your schedule. It will take patience, and equal parts exercise and healthy, not necessarily less, eating for optimal weight loss after pregnancy.
Before formulating a plan, there are a couple things you need to consider. Whether you’ve chosen to breastfeed and whether you received a Cesarean section during delivery will both affect the capabilities and options that you have in post-pregnancy weight loss plans.
Most women lose more than 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms) during childbirth, including the weight of the baby, placenta and amniotic fluid. Water retained will follow in the days after. What’s left to deal with is the fat stored during pregnancy.
It will take up to six months to lose that excess fat. Losing a pound a week is the most reasonable goal. Anything more might prove to be unhealthy. Whether breastfeeding or not, good nutrition is ultra-important. It’s just as important that you eat healthy after pregnancy as it is during. Good nutrition is not cutting back; it is doing the best with the things you eat.
A good diet is going to include the things that are good for you. Eating fruits and vegetables and five times daily is the best place to start. Fruits and vegetables, along with whole grains, will be the best sources of fiber. Additionally, they help keep you full longer. Good examples are apples, pears, citrus fruits and whole grain bread. Along with fiber, it’s imperative that your diet contain the necessary amounts of protein and dairy. Skinless poultry, beans and lean cuts of pork and beef all provide protein. Zinc, iron and B vitamins are also good sources for protein. Low-fat dairy products such as skim milk, low-fat cheeses and yogurt are nutrient-rich choices of dairy products.
Eat smaller portions and don’t skip meals. Trade the traditional meals for scaled-back, smaller ones. Avoid the temptations of junk food. If not keeping them around is the only way, then it’s the best way. As a rule, it’s best to eat only when you’re hungry. If you choose to breastfeed, it will take an extra 500 calories a day. That makes the intake for a breastfeeding mother about 2000 calories per day.
Just as the new mom has to watch her nutritional intake during and after pregnancy, she also has to engage in an intelligent, individually tailored exercise routine. If the wrong program is implemented too soon, damage may be done and overtraining is a real possibility. Vigorous exercising may be harmful and should be avoided until after the first visit with the OB-GYN. Gentle exercise may be commenced within days after returning home from the hospital. Start slowly and begin light. Walking, stationary cycling, and swimming are all good starter workouts. Break up your exercising sessions throughout the day. Only when stamina improves should workouts be lengthened to more than 20-30 minutes in duration.
Once again, a new mother should hold off beginning any sort of vigorous exercise routine until after the first doctor’s visit following childbirth. Once the physician gives you the green light, begin slowly, usually following the advice of a trainer or a specifically designed program made just for you. For mothers who delivered by a Caesarian-section, exercise must be supervised and medically approved to assure you do not do unnecessary damage to the surgery site. Until the stitches have healed, only walking and light and gentle stretches should be attempted. In most cases, this will include the first 4-6 weeks after the birth of your new baby. In all cases, wait until the doctor gives the go-ahead, no matter how anxious you are to regain that figure you had before the pregnancy.
As with exercising, dieting should be supervised by your physician. Listen to your body, as noted in a previous article by this author on this topic, Rome wasn’t built in a day. It will take time and patience but the results will come. Provided you engage in regular, aerobically-based exercise on a daily basis, 20-30 minutes and increasing slowly to 45-60 minutes as time permits, weight should drop off at a fairly consistent rate. It will take patience and time, but keeping a healthy lifestyle will be well worth it. Once the weight comes off, simply continue the exercise program, you will keep your newly found figure for as long as you continue to live a healthy lifestyle.
For breastfeeding mothers, be sure to feed your baby prior to working out, there are many reason for this, some fairly obvious. When possible, involve the baby in the routine. Going for walks, even jogs, with the appropriate stroller, will keep the baby near and provide fresh air and sunlight for mother and baby alike. Remember, drink plenty of water before and during workouts, hydration is extremely important, particularly if breastfeeding. If at any time you experience pain, dizziness or shortness of breath, stop exercising immediately and consult your physician.
Exercise and proper dietary habits will go a long way toward returning you to the size you were prior to the pregnancy. Additionally, the increased activity will hasten the weight loss, so you do not have to starve yourself to drop a few dress or jeans sizes. Be consistent and do not over do your routine, it is the fastest way to burn out and over-train, either of which will ultimately lead to a loss in enthusiasm and, ultimately, quitting. Remember, start slowly and eat properly, not less and you will see the results in the mirror and on the tape measure in no time!
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Professor John P. J. Zajaros, Sr.
216-712-6526
Skype: johnzajaros1
johnz@ultimateweightlossplan.com
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