Childbirth is a happy and delightful period. The feeling of having and giving birth to a baby is beyond words. Various changes occur in a mother’s body during and after pregnancy. Such as multiple physical and psychological changes. One of the most significant changes is gaining weight post-pregnancy.
The weight gained during pregnancy is called “Baby Weight”. Losing weight after having a baby is quite tricky but not at all impossible. Pregnancy and childbirth are very stressful, and taking care of a baby can take a toll on your mental health.
It’s necessary to reduce weight post delivery and to get back in shape for health measures. Holding on to the pregnancy weight can cause serious health issues for the mother. Achieving a healthy post-pregnancy requires time and patience. There are various ways by which you can reduce postpartum weight.
15 Ways To Reduce Weight Post-Pregnancy
1. Postpartum Weight Loss Diet
Following a healthy diet, post-pregnancy is essential to achieving your desired weight loss goals. Having a properly balanced diet full of macro and micro-nutrients in the right amounts is highly necessary, both for the baby and the mother. Consulting a dietitian and eating a healthy diet is vital to reaching your goals. A dietitian will give you a diet chart according to your body and needs. For example, a lactating mother should consume a calorie intake of 1200-1500 per day.
2. Proper Sleep
Having a proper sleep cycle for about 7-8 hours is extremely important for the development of the body. After childbirth, the mother hardly gets to sleep because of on and off attention from the baby. But having an inadequate amount of sleep will have a negative impact on weight. Furthermore, it can lead to mood swings, sudden anger issues, and other problems, reflecting on the infant. Hence it is mandatory to have a good sleeping cycle.
3. Exercise
Following a good exercise regime is necessary for weight loss post-pregnancy. Exercising five days a week for an hour is required for effective weight loss and efficient results. Aerobics, high-intensity exercises can be followed for effective results. Exercise will help shed that extra baby weight and prevent various diseases such as diabetes and heart-related problems. Training should be done after a brief period post-delivery. Before exercising, consulting a doctor is essential to avoid the consequences.
4. Constraint Crash Dieting
Never follow crash dieting post-pregnancy. It will lead to various other body problems. Your body requires the utmost nutrients and vitamins at this time. Moreover, crash dieting and starving yourself increases the release of cortisol hormone, which might aid in weight gain. Consuming 500 calories or fewer a day will lead to a lack of nutrients and minerals from the body. Hence avoid crash dieting as much as you can.
5. Eat Fibre-Rich Food
Fibre is a key to weight loss. Adding fibre to your daily diet helps in effective post-pregnancy weight loss. Fibre keeps the body full and provides a sense of fullness. It helps in proper digestion and keeps constipation away. It regulates the hormones and helps in the detoxification of the body. A fibre-rich diet includes vegetables and fruits.
6. Increase Protein Intake
Increasing protein and having an adequate amount of protein helps in post-pregnancy weight loss and mass muscle gain. It helps in calorie burn as it requires a lot of energy to break it down into simpler forms. It keeps the body full for a long time, provides ample energy, fights against fatigue, and increases metabolism. Food rich in proteins such as eggs, lentils, legumes, soya beans, and lean meat should be consumed to fulfil the daily protein intake.
7. Avoid Alcohol
Avoiding alcohol is necessary to reduce weight, and it is hazardous for breastfeeding women to consume alcohol, as it might affect your baby. Alcohol has empty calories that add on as fat in the body. Hence avoiding alcohol is necessary to reduce that post-pregnancy weight.
8. Refrain From Processed Food
Processed foods are rich in unhealthy fats, sugars and are high in calories. They cause a hindrance in weight loss. Hence avoid processed food if you are on a journey to weight loss. Replacing processed foods with natural healthy fruits and vegetables is recommended for proper post-pregnancy weight loss.
9. Stay Hydrated
Drinking water and keeping the body hydrated is an essential element for post-pregnancy weight loss. Drinking water aids in weight loss as it stimulates metabolism moreover keeps the body fuller. Lactating mothers should keep themselves hydrated because of the loss of fluids from the body due to breastfeeding.
10. Weight Training
Weight training not only helps in losing weight but also helps in retaining muscle mass. A combination of weight training and a proper diet is highly effective in proper post-pregnancy weight loss. Women after delivery should practice weight training for effective results.
11. Yoga
Yoga post-pregnancy helps a lot in getting back in shape. Yoga not only is an excellent way to reduce weight but also helps in preventing various other diseases. It helps keep the hormones stable and provides vitamins and nutrients to the milk, which offers immunity to the baby. The healthier the mommy, the healthier the infant. Hence, taking care of yourself is essential not only for you but also for your little bundle of joy.
12. Walking
Suppose your body doesn’t allow for high-intensity exercises or aerobics and cardio. The best way to reduce that extra fat is by walking. Pace walking every day for an hour or more or walking 10,000 steps or more daily helps weight loss. A combination of walking and a balanced diet does wonders for post-pregnancy weight loss.
13. Don’t Stress About It
Pregnancy does take a toll on the overall mental health. The sleepless nights and days lead to stress. Stressing too much may cause an obstacle in weight loss. Moreover, it isn’t healthy for you and even for your new member. Hence avoiding stress and following meditation and doing yoga prevent stress.
14. Avoid sugary food
Consuming foods that are rich in sugar increases weight. Sugars are rich in empty calories that accumulate as fat in the body, thereby increasing weight. Hence staying away from refined sugar is vital to reduce weight. If you feel an urge to eat something sweet, have a handful of fruits or dry fruits.
15. Take time for yourself
Sparing some time for yourself is essential for your mental health. If you feel tired, ask help from your family members to look for your baby. Give some break and listen to songs, sleep or do something to divert your mind. Remember that the healthier you are, the healthier is your baby.
Conclusion
Giving birth to a baby is the most exquisite thing in the world. But it results in a lot of changes in the mother’s body. The most common is gain in weight. This weight is usually termed as baby weight. Reducing baby weight is not that hard. Following a healthy lifestyle such as a healthy diet and performing exercises such as aerobics and weight training aids in weight loss. Staying away from rich in unhealthy fats and refined sugar should be avoided for desired results. Moreover, taking time for yourself and avoiding stress is essential for your’s and your baby’s health. Minor lifestyle changes can do wonders, and you can achieve your desired weight goals.
