For new moms, it’s a struggle to achieve a healthy and ideal post-baby weight. There are many things that they need to do, such as taking care of a newborn, adjusting to a new routine, and recovering from childbirth, including weight loss for new moms which can be stressful.
Some new moms can even have mixed emotions when the newborn has finally arrived. Those concerned about their body image are wondering how they will lose weight after the nine-month-long pregnancy.
However, this should also be a cause of concern when it comes to health. Studies had shown that holding on to pregnancy weight can lead to grave health consequences, putting moms at risk for chronic conditions like diabetes and heart disease. But a healthy diet, combined with daily exercise, can help these new moms shed some pounds.
Set a Realistic Weight-Loss Goal
Before you can get into a workout routine, your body needs to recover from childbirth first. It may take longer for you to recover if you lose weight too soon after giving birth. You can wait until your baby is at least two months old and your milk supply is regular before you cut some calories.
Moreover, schedule a 6-week checkup before you start losing weight. Remember that some new mothers shed weight at their own pace. Factors such as metabolism, diet, and activity level are proven to affect your weight loss journey.
Depending on the weight you gained during pregnancy, it is realistic to expect that in the next one and a half years, you could weigh at least 10 pounds or 4.5kg. However, if you gained more weight, you may end up a few pounds heavier than you were during pregnancy.
Of course, with adequate exercise and a healthy eating plan, you should achieve your weight loss goal. You can also search for other resources regarding weight loss. If you want to know more information about weight loss, you can find them here.
Do Not Crash Diet
A crash diet happens when you’re not eating enough or limit yourself from eating certain foods and getting proper nutrients. And while this method will probably make you drastically drop tons of pounds at first, the few pounds you’ll lose are just fluids, which will come back.
After childbirth, your body needs nutrition to recover and heal. If you are breastfeeding, you need more calories than the average intake. When you crash diet, the pounds that you lose may be muscle instead of fat. When you do this, you will regain the fat you lost once you return to normal eating habits.
Get Moving
Regular exercise, combined with a healthy diet, is the best way to lose weight. Exercise after childbirth may help you lose fat instead of muscle. However, assess your body first. Once you are ready, eat a little less and move a little more each day.
You may be tempted to do a challenging routine for rapid weight loss, but it’s not healthy and will be strenuous on your body. Moreover, exercise alone may not be enough to lose weight. You have to combine it with good nutrition. An analysis shows that a new mom who combined diet and exercise loses an average of 3.7 pounds than those who just practiced dieting.
Once you get the moment to start, find an enjoyable activity that you can do with consistency to get to your ideal weight.
Stay Hydrated
Drinking enough water is essential for everyone, especially to those trying to lose weight. Choosing water over a sweetened drink can save you 240 calories, according to studies. Moreover, drinking plain water is best for shedding pounds.
A typical recommended intake from health specialists is eight 8-ounce glasses each day, which is equivalent to half a gallon, or about 2 liters of water. You can easily remember this as the “8×8 rule.” Women who are breastfeeding or exercising may need more water for weight loss and hydration.
Breastfeeding
Weight loss for new moms may have a unique advantage: breastfeeding. Breastfeeding plays a significant effect on weight loss. In the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers stated that breastfeeding makes a meaningful contribution to a woman’s weight after childbirth. Researchers claim that the more a woman breastfeeds, the greater the effect it has on her weight loss journey.
Generally, breastfeeding moms can burn about 500 calories a day compared to a woman who is not breastfeeding. To sum it up, breastfeeding burns calories. Still, breastfeeding comes out as the most critical factor in whether a woman will have a greater chance of losing weight after childbirth.
Takeaway
Weight loss for new moms may be tough, but you can set your ideal weight and achieve it. And while you may find your body’s form a little different than it was before childbirth, remember that it’s okay. Although staying in shape is important, you also now have an adorable human being who adores you. Worry less about your flaws and your weight. Take a glance at your baby and cut yourself some slack.
