Pregnancy is a beautiful thing, but carrying around extra weight isn’t. Follow these simple and efficient ways to lose your baby weight for good.
Work out with your baby
It’s a common misconception that in order to get anything done with a newborn, moms need to wait until their baby is sleeping. Bonding with your baby doesn’t need to solely consist of reading books, or singing songs. In fact, incorporating your baby into your workout routine is a great way to bond while teaching your baby healthy habits from day one. Mommy-And-Me fitness routines are designed to allow moms the opportunity to take care of themselves without having to plan around nap time.
Your body is in a fragile state while recovering from giving birth, so using your baby as a weight works conveniently. As your baby gains weight and gets heavier and heavier, your body will be ready to take on the extra challenge. It’s a natural progression that you can take advantage of. Your baby will also enjoy the movement and change of perspective.
Just like you plan for baby, plan for yourself
You don’t wait until your baby is starving to go grocery shopping, and you shouldn’t wait until you’re hungry to go shopping for yourself. It’s a proven fact that people who grocery shop while they’re hungry are more impulsive and make poorer decisions than those who plan. Recognize that you have choices and hold yourself accountable.
Much like your stockpile of baby food and formula, have a stockpile for yourself. Keep healthy food on hand that is easy and convenient so you can grab something when your hunger hits. Of course, you can never be sure what you’ll be in the mood for, so options are key. Knowing the health benefits of your snacks allows you to mix up your meals, combat boredom, and give yourself the proper nutrition to safely lose pregnancy pounds.
Additionally, don’t wait until you’re starving to eat. If you do, it’s more likely that you’ll overeat. Keep yourself fueled throughout the day and take note of how much food you’re eating. By being consistent, when you do go grocery shopping you’ll know how much food to buy and which aisles to stay away from.
Listen to your body
However, be aware of what you’re actually feeling. Are you hungry or thirsty? Confusing thirst for hunger is common, and can lead you to eating when your body doesn’t need food. Thus, you’ll take in extra calories that will cause weight gain, not loss.
Another feeling to be aware of is the difference between hunger and fatigue. If you’re exhausted, and you most likely will be, restricting calorie intake will only add to your exhaustion. However, consuming too many calories can also create fatigue. Dealing with postpartum depression? Even emotions can be confused for hunger.
Before reaching for food, examine your body and ask yourself what you’re actually feeling. Knowing the difference between hunger and other feelings can save you from giving your body the wrong thing and unintentionally adding extra calories to your diet.
Create a sleep routine for baby and you
Your baby isn’t the only one who needs a sleep routine. Research shows that sleep deprivation not only stops you from losing weight, but can actually cause you to gain weight. Needing sleep isn’t something our bodies grow out of, although finding the opportunities to do so becomes harder and harder after having a baby.
Ask for help if necessary. Have someone come watch your baby so you can take an hour nap. Doing so will not only give you what you need, but will also socialize your baby and help them become comfortable being away from you. You can even find other moms in your area to exchange the favor with.
Breastfeed your baby
Breastfeeding is a mutually beneficial thing for you and baby. While boosting your child’s immunity, development of the nervous system, and other functions of their developing body, your body is burning around 300-500 calories. If you have twins, you’re burning even more. Additionally, you’ll probably be more aware of what you eat as higher quality foods with more nutrition promote higher quality breast milk. While breastfeeding alone won’t shed all of your postpartum weight, it can definitely promote weight loss.
Losing pregnancy pounds can seem like a daunting task. Incorporating these few easy tips and natural supplement of weight loss into your lifestyle will not only help you lose weight, but also help you maintain your weight loss and keep those pounds off for good.