Postpartum Weight Loss Tips
Postpartum weight gain is not uncommon. If you’re eager to reclaim your pre-pregnancy body, a smart way to approach weight loss is to listen to your body and give it enough time to recover. You may have to wait for several weeks or months after childbirth before you can safely begin your journey to weight loss. Here are some effective weight loss tips to help you achieve a healthy postpartum weight loss:
Keep Your Goals Realistic
Setting weight loss goals seems easy, but it is one of the most difficult parts of your journey. So, don’t set unreasonable goals because if you fail you might give them up altogether. A reasonable weight loss goal would be losing up to 0.5 kilograms (1 pound) a week. However, it might take six months to one year to go back to your pre-pregnancy weight.
Consume Healthy Foods
After childbirth, proper nutrition is important. Make wise food choices to promote healthy weight loss after pregnancy. Some changes in your eating habits could be:
- Eating more vegetables, fruits, and whole grains
- Controlling portion sizes
- Consuming lean proteins
- Limiting salt and sweets
Don’t Follow Crash Diet
Crash diets are calorie-deficit diets aimed at losing a large amount of weight in the shortest time possible. After childbirth, your body needs proper nutrition to heal and recover and if you are breastfeeding, you’ll need more calories than normal. So, don’t follow a crash diet, it may leave you feeling tired all the time.
Breastfeed Your Baby
Breastfeeding helps lose postpartum weight. When you breastfeed, the fat cells stored in your body are used to fuel milk production to feed your baby.
Include Exercise to Your Routine
If you had an uncomplicated vaginal delivery, you can start light exercises within days of delivery. However, if you had a complicated birth or C-section, you may have to wait for four to six weeks to begin exercising.
It is recommended to consult your doctor before you begin. Start slow and gradually add exercises of moderate intensity. If you experience pain, stop immediately; it could be a sign that you are overdoing it.
