Post Pregnancy Weight Loss

You fit into a size 8 before the baby, so why can’t you get down to that size now? Post pregnancy weight loss is a common struggle for most women who have just had a baby.  If you’re one of them, you are probably interested in fitting back into your pre-pregnancy clothes because you are tired of wearing maternity clothes and telling people you gave birth four months ago. However, losing the pregnancy weight is always easier for your skinnier best friend then it ever was for you. Plus, now you have the baby to juggle along with everything else in your life. Sound familiar? There is hope!

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Thank goodness you listened to doctor’s orders and were careful to eat the right foods while you were pregnant. This was important for both you and the baby as you were providing the baby with foods high in nutrition to give the little one the best possible start in life. It is necessary to continue to with these strong nutritional eating habits now that your baby is born. This is particularly crucial if you are breast-feeding your baby. However, you will need to make additional adjustments in order to reach your post pregnancy weight loss goals.

Safe and healthy guidelines for post pregnancy weight loss:

•  Choose foods which are high in nutrition and low in fat. Include the following foods on your grocery list.

a) Fresh (or frozen) fruits

b) Fresh (or frozen) vegetables

c) Beans - both green and legumes

d) Whole grains

e) Low-fat dairy products

f) Lean meats including skinless chicken, pork and beef

g) Small amounts of healthy fat such as unsalted nuts or olive oil

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•  Keep foods which are highly processed and high in fat, sugar, and / or salt out of your diet as much as possible. They provide very little nutrition, but do add lots of calories and sodium, which will not help your post pregnancy weight loss efforts. If those foods are difficult for you to resist, don’t set yourself up for temptation. Don’t buy them or keep them in your home, but if you must indulge then do so in very small portions. 

•  Keep your portions small. Since this is easier said than done, a trick some people find helpful is to use smaller plates so the portions look bigger. But that does not mean you get seconds! Don’t skip meals – you need all your energy and nutrition for the baby. In fact, to boost your post pregnancy weight loss and keep your energy level high, you may want to eat 5 or 6 small meals throughout the day. This will help keep you from getting so hungry, and will also keep your metabolism higher. Some new mothers find it easy to graze every time the baby eats (on carrots of course).

•  Don’t eat when you are not truly hungry. You may find yourself at home for six to ten weeks for the first time in your life. Don’t eat out of boredom or to curb emotional discomfort. Find an activity such as a walk with the baby in the stroller or a phone chat with a supportive friend. But the important thing to remember is that food is not an emotional comfort for you to indulge when you are feeling upset or stressed.

•  Don’t rush post pregnancy weight loss. Too many women want to lose weight as fast as possible, because someone else came home with their baby from the hospital wearing their pre-pregnancy jeans. Remember that we are all different and you don’t want to lose weight in an unhealthy manner. A good rule of thumb is to aim for a slow and steady weight loss of one to two pounds a week. You may notice fluctuations between weeks as that is usually just water weight and will quickly return. Losing weight more slowly will help you to keep it off over the long term.

•  Get back or start a good exercise routine. If there were no complications with your delivery, such as having a C-section or other delivery issues, you should be able to get into a light duty exercise program within a few days of giving birth. Build up to your traditional exercise program within a few weeks especially if you were exercising regularly while you were pregnant or before pregnancy.

Please Note: Always consult your physician with your diet and exercise plan after giving birth. 

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