Friday, August 7, 2009

How To Lose Pregnancy Weight

So the bouncing baby girl or boy has finally arrived - Congratulations mom and dad! However mom is still feeling and looking as though she is expecting baby number 2 to join in... that's what we call left-over baby fat after pregnancy and now you've got to wrestle with how to lose pregnancy weight!

Here are some helpful hints regarding how to lose pregnancy weight

One of the healthiest and natural ways to assist moms in the conundrum of how to lose pregnancy weight is to make the choice to breastfeed. Breastfeeding causes hormonal releases that assist in uterus contractions thereby helping moms get that flatter tummy back. Breastfeeding also can assist in melting away those pounds as it burns an additional 500-800 calories per day. Now remember, just because you may burn those additional calories - doesn't mean you get to increase your intake!

A second way to assist in the weight loss is to first of all, get the green light from your postpartum checkup, and secondly - start a workout. Now start slowly as your body has experienced a huge stretching and your muscles will experience some atrophy if you have not exercised during your pregnancy. You can ask your doctor to recommend some postpartum exercises which doctors have information on, and handouts to follow - be sure to ask! If you are breastfeeding, always be sure to breastfeed baby before your workout as your breasts will have been emptied and not be so heavy.

A great exercise that will assist you in how to lose pregnancy weight is walking. It is a fantastic way to get your body gently moving towards slenderness! There are a couple of ways you can look at your walk. You can take baby in the stroller and do some rolling hills and the stroller will assist in giving you some natural resistance that your body can sweat against. Another solution is to put baby in a sling/carrier and have that additional weight on you to make the walking more challenging. This method delivers a couple of added benefits such as a lulled to sleep baby, and close bonding time while you are getting your health needs met.

Eating sensibly is another way of how to lose pregnancy weight. It means eating as much fruit and vegetables as you can. It means eating healthy grains, lean meats (get some red meat in you as you're most likely iron deficient), skim milk products, drinking lots of water (especially if breast feeding) and try some alternatives like tofu and lentils for some added excitement and nutrition. Let's highlight one of these imperative tools - drinking water. Drink at least 10 glasses of water per day. This is will assist in feeling full thereby helping you cut down on unnecessary caloric intake. Also, water will keep your breast milk supply intact and assist in keeping you and baby hydrated.

A fundamental key of how to lose pregnancy weight is to keep optimistic about your weight loss and gently remind yourself to set realistic goals. Think about it this way, it took 9 months to gain all the additional weight you're currently carrying, therefore it could take you the same amount of time to lose the weight depending on how dedicated you are to your commitment. Don't be disheartened and just know that it is really easy to gain weight, but harder to lose it.

If there are times that you're feeling disheartened or frustrated about how to lose pregnancy weight, tune into some mom groups at your nearest health clinic, or join a baby board on line. Sharing with a community your journey of weight loss can be a great support network, and assist you in keeping a positive mind frame towards losing your weight. Support also includes family members and most importantly husbands or partners. If your husband has gained weight with you during your pregnancy, throw out the challenge of losing weight together and having fun rewards for reaching your determined milestones (massage, fun in the tub, etc).

Here's another great article on how to lose pregnancy weight.

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