New moms have the urge to lose all the weight gained during pregnancy once the baby is out. Sometimes, it becomes quite difficult for the new moms to know about weight loss post pregnancy from where to start or how to start. If you are confused about weight loss post pregnancy, you are in the right place.
TIPS FOR WEIGHTLOSS POST PREGNANCY
The urge to go back to pre-pregnancy weight is quite normal. The body has undergone a lot of hormonal changes and had also done lots of work in growing the baby and delivering it. The body requires an ample amount of rest and nutrient dense food for its recovery. Here are the best tips to consider while focusing on weight loss post pregnancy.
Table of Contents
1. Balanced diet for weight loss post pregnancy
While considering losing the post pregnancy weight, balanced diet should be the top priority rather than any diets which focus on a specific nutrient diet like high protein diet or low carb diet. The body requires all the three essential macronutrients namely, carbohydrates, protein, and healthy fats for its nourishment. The intention must not be to lose weight alone but also to replenish the body with its vital nutrients. Skipping any one of the macronutrients or focusing on any one nutrient dense will not help in weight loss on a longer run. The distribution of energy from nutrients in a meal can be as follows.
- 50-55% from carbohydrates.
- 20-25% from protein.
- 20-25% from healthy fats.
2. Hydration
Water plays an important role in flushing out the toxins in the body. Staying hydrated will also help to flush out the water weight retained by the body. Regardless of whether you are a breastfeeding mom or not, it is important to stay hydrated. Avoid sugary drinks with empty calories. Fruits infused water, tender coconut water or simple plain water could be the best hydrating source. Water helps muscles, connective tissues, and joints to move correctly. It also helps the lungs, heart, and other organs to work effectively as they ramp up activity during exercise. Being hydrated reduces the risk of things that can get in the way of a good workout, such as muscle cramps and tiredness.
Drinking water before, during, and after exercise to avoid dehydration. Keeping water close at hand is essential, especially if exercising in hot, humid, or very sunny conditions.
3. Sleep
Sleep plays a crucial role for weight loss as it helps the body to recover and to manage stress. Getting quality and enough sleep is important component in healthy weight loss plan. Sleep deprivation could tend to decrease the amount of weight lost and encourage over eating. New moms find difficulty in getting sleep as their entire routine revolves around the newborn. It is important to sleep for faster recovery. New moms can take short naps in the daytime while the baby is asleep or take turns in taking care of the baby at night with your partner.
4. Avoid strict diets
Stay away from diets that restrict a particular food group like dairy free or gluten free. A particular food group needs to be avoided only if you tested for allergy or sensitivity to that food group. And avoid going on diets like fat free, low carb diet or high protein diet. Instead of skipping a particular macronutrient like carbohydrates, focus should be on choosing the carbohydrates wisely. Opting for complex carbohydrates like whole foods, whole cereal instead of simple carbohydrates like refined grains could help a lot. Carbohydrates have a weak reputation as they tend to spike the glucose level in blood. Pairing carbohydrates with protein, fiber and healthy fats could mitigate the sudden spike of glucose in blood.
5. Exercise
Exercise during postpartum relaxes the body and is vital for proper blood circulation in the body. You are good to exercise if your doctor has given thumbs up. Always opt for low intensity exercise like postpartum friendly yoga or take a walk along with a baby in a stroller. The intensity could be slowly increased as the body copes with. It’s better to start an activity that is fun instead of going on exercise that brings boredom. Example, if you are interested to dance for exercising, opting for dance would be a better choice rather than forcing yourself to do workouts that you are bored of.
6. Set practical or realistic goals
Setting realistic goals is the most important step in weight loss post pregnancy. Setting unrealistic goals like losing 10 kg in a month not only takes a toll on mental health but also makes a person demotivated as time passes by. As unrealistic goals invite unhealthy shortcuts to lose weight. Losing 2-4 kg per month is considered ideal or safe weight loss. This could be achieved with a balanced diet and simple walking routine.
7. Have a food journal
Taking notes on a food journal will help you identify the food eaten when you are bored or simply snacking. Having a food journal will help you keep a check on the empty calories u consume when you are bored. A food journal may help people manage their weight, improve their macronutrient intake, or identify foods that may cause health issues. And it aslo helps the people to be aware of their portion sizes and eating habits.
Avoid sugar loaded pastries and cookies as they are dense in calories and low in nutrients. Avoid sugary drinks and focus on having fruits, nuts and seeds that give essential nutrients to the body.
8. Avoid skipping meals
The human mind always thinks of shortcuts for seeing quick results. We tend to apply the same for weight loss post pregnancy. We might take a short route in case of weight loss like skipping a meal to bring the scale down. It might help to lose weight initially, but it’s unsustainable on longer run. And it’s not good as it affects the energy level of the new mom who is taking care of the newborn. Skipping meals tends to increase hunger, drop in sugar level which might lead to eat a very huge meal or rely on unmindful snacking. Having smaller meals throughout the day will prevent a drop in energy level and helps to lose weight post pregnancy.
9. Fiber and protein
1. Fiber for weight loss post pregnancy
Fiber plays an important role in weight loss. there are two types of fiber based on how it interacts with water.
Soluble fiber
Insoluble fiber
Soluble fiber
Soluble fiber mixes with water and forms gel like consistency which helps to slow down the digestion and controlled release of glucose into the blood. this helps to prevent insulin resistance, diabetes and reduce the risk of heart disease. soluble fiber also encourages the gut bacteria diversity in the stomach which is essential for proper digestion of the food. sources of soluble fiber include oats, apples, lentils, beans and citrus fruits.
Insoluble fiber
Insoluble fiber does not mix wit water and acts as bulking agent to form stool and helps to pass through the gut. this insoluble fiber prevents constipation and also prevents diseases like bowel cancer. Sources of insoluble fiber includes wheat flour, wheat bran, nuts, cauliflower, green beans and potatoes.
Having 30 gms of fiber per day helps to keep us fuller for longer time and also helps to lose weight.
2. Protein for weight loss post pregnancy
Protein is an essential macronutrient. Protein is essential for cell growth, cell repair and cell rejuvenation. Protein is found through out the body. When protein intake is increased, we tend to eat fewer calories. Protein acts a appetite suppresant and provides satiation feel when included in each and every meal. Indian dietary association recommends 0.8 gms of protein per kg body weight for ideal weight person. For person on heavier side, 1 gm to 1.5 gms of protein per kg body weight is suggested for weight loss. Good sources of protein can be obtained from lean meats like chicken, turkey, fish and eggs, milk and paneer and Plant based protein include beans, lentils, tofu.
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10. Breastfeeding
Breastfeeding your newborn burns additional calories and helps you to lose weight faster. People who exclusively breastfeed may use 400–500 calories daily to produce the milk a baby requires from 0 to 6 months. This is on top of their usual calorie requirements. People who consume fewer calories than their body uses may lose weight. It’s a double win for mom and child as breastfeeding increases the bonding time between the mother and child and also aids in weight loss post pregnancy.
