It’s perfectly natural to gain weight during pregnancy, and almost every pregnant lady experiences it. After enduring nine months of pregnancy when you finally deliver the newborn, you begin to worry about losing the baby weight and regaining the pre-pregnancy shape.
On an average, women gain 25-35 pounds during pregnancy period. On childbirth, the mother loses only 12-14 pounds, i.e. 13-23 pounds of weight is remainder. The following tips can help you regain your slim and healthy body.
Do Not Start Dieting Soon after Delivery
Yes, patience is the key. Since you are already stressed out of your new role as a mom, and adjusting to it, depriving the body of food could actually result into weight gain. Give yourself at least six weeks before beginning with diet or exercise plans.
If you are a nursing mom, dieting can affect the milk supply. No matter what your eating schedule is, don’t dip your intake below 1800 calories per day. Considering all the factors for a mom, it takes about 4 to 6 months after pregnancy to regain your normal shape.
Breastfeed
We all know that breastfeeding provides essential nutrients to the baby, boosts its immunity and gives other health benefits. Do you know why your body gains weight during pregnancy? One of the reasons is that the body stores caloric energy that will be required for feeding your baby. The newborn takes 300-500 calories through its mother’s milk. And your body naturally burns calories to produce breast milk when you nurse the baby.
Eat Healthy and Nutritious Foods
You are a mother now, you need more nutrition. Eat foods and fruits that are high in nutrients you require and low in fat. Don’t attempt skipping meals in order to lose weight, because if you do so, you are likely to consume more when taking other meals. A good diet and constant supply of energy is necessary not only for you, but for the baby as well.
Some foods that contain low fats but are high in protein and fiber are- Chicken, soybean, milk and yogurt.
Drink Plenty of Water Every Day
Drinking water prevents dehydration and speeds up your metabolic rate. By replacing the high sugar beverages with water, you can cut hundreds of calories daily.
How much water to drink can be determined by the color of your urine and how often the need of going to bathroom is felt. Relatively clear urine and going to bathroom every three to four hours indicate that you are drinking enough water.
Strength Training
These are the most effective exercises to burn calories. Strength training tones your muscles, raises metabolism. Even after the workouts, your muscles keep burning calories for the next 48 hours.
However, start it at least after six weeks of delivery, and start it slow. In the beginning, focus on the exercises that build up your core and stabilizer muscles. A ball workout is simple and gentle one that is right for new moms to start with.
As you get stronger, choose exercises for every muscle group to strengthen your complete body. Chair squats, hip lifts, pushups and back extensions are some of the best muscle building exercises. Skip the ones that cause you discomfort or pain.
Cardio
Remember that for a while you will not be able to do rigorous and high impact exercises such as running and aerobics. New moms should start it slowly and easily, say walking or a little jogging. As you gain strength, try some moderate intensity exercises like swimming. When a couple of months with initial workouts are over, you might like going for interval training once or twice a week, it burns even more calories.
Gaining weight during pregnancy is beneficial for your own health as well as for the baby. So don’t entertain extremes on reducing those extra pounds. Right food coupled with moderate exercise is the safest method of getting your earlier shape back.
