Motherhood is a wonderful experience, but it can really take a toll on your body. Every woman dreams of getting back to her pre-pregnancy shape, but the journey through pregnancy and childbirth can be tough. Hormonal changes, cravings for unhealthy foods, lack of energy, and reduced mobility make it hard to stick to a healthy lifestyle. Even if you were super fit and health-conscious before, it might take a while to get back to where you want to be after your baby arrives.
It’s easy to think that once the baby is born, you should dive into intense workouts to shed the baby weight. But it’s crucial to give your body time to heal after childbirth. The most important thing right now is to take care of yourself. Proper healing takes time. You might worry about not losing those last 20 or 30 pounds and blaming it on the baby for years, but don’t rush the process.
You can start getting back in shape, but timing is everything. You just had a baby, and that’s no small feat. Take your time to heal properly. Once it’s safe and comfortable, you can ease into some exercise. First, talk to your doctor to make sure you’re ready for a moderate fitness routine. If you get the go-ahead, here are some tips to help you reach your goals.
Easy Ways to Lose Weight
Some of the best weight loss tips are also the simplest: watch what you eat and get moving. But putting these simple guidelines into practice can be challenging.
Watching What You Eat
During pregnancy, many women crave sweet or fatty foods, and there’s no shortage of people willing to indulge those cravings. Partners might make late-night runs for snacks, grandmothers bake your favorite cookies, and friends bring over comfort food. It’s great to be pampered, but once the baby is here, it’s time to get back on track. Your little one will soon be crawling and walking, and you’ll need all the energy you can get!
Experts say that keeping a food journal is the best way to track your daily intake of nutrients, vitamins, calories, and fat. It also keeps you accountable. It’s harder to overeat when you know you’ll have to write it down later. Plus, a food journal helps you see how everything adds up and can reveal patterns in emotional eating that might be sabotaging your weight loss efforts. If you think you don’t have time for a food journal, there are plenty of apps and websites that make tracking easy. These tools also let you log your physical activity, weight, body measurements, and goals, helping you see your progress.
Increasing Physical Activity
Finding time for a structured workout while caring for a baby can seem impossible, but you don’t need a gym or a personal trainer to be effective. You don’t have to choose between bonding with your baby and exercising—combine the two! Take your baby for a 20-30 minute walk in a stroller or carrier. It’s a great way to bond, get some exercise, and enjoy fresh air. Playing with your child can also burn calories without any formal planning. Even on days when you’re exhausted, try to push through. Exercise actually boosts your energy and improves your mood, so it can help if you’re feeling down.
Any activity is helpful, but if you want to target specific areas, here are some simple exercises you can do without any equipment:
– Rowing: Stand with knees slightly bent and feet about 3 feet apart. Close your hands as if rowing a boat. Without moving your hips or trunk, raise your hands to chest level and “row” 10 times on each side. For added resistance, use dumbbells or water bottles.
– Standing Diagonal Crunch: Stand with feet shoulder-width apart. Bring your right arm down and your left knee up until they meet. Switch to the left arm and right knee, doing 10-15 reps on each side.
– Squeeze Then Reach: Stand with feet 3 feet apart, knees bent, abs tight, and hands clasped. Bring your hands up to the right side of your head while stretching your abs and extending your legs. Lower your hands, squeeze your abs, and bend your knees back to the starting position. Repeat on the left side for 10-15 reps.
The key is to exercise 3-5 times a week and remember that while bonding with your baby is essential, so is taking time for yourself. Some women worry that needing a break is selfish, but it’s not. To avoid stress and stay healthy, try to dedicate at least half an hour to yourself each day.
Take Your Time
Just like you didn’t gain the weight overnight, you won’t lose it overnight either. Don’t get discouraged if the scale isn’t moving as fast as you’d like. Be careful not to overdo it. It’s easy to get excited and push too hard, but you won’t gain anything by injuring yourself. Take your time to slowly and healthily get back to your pre-pregnancy weight and shape. It took nine months to gain the weight, and it might take another nine to lose it, but with effort and commitment, you’ll get there.
