Tips to lose weight post pregnancy
1. Set a realistic goal – Depending on how much weight you gain during pregnancy, you may take much longer than expected to lose the weight. Don’t lose heart before you start. Just try to enjoy the process and try not to worry about the end goal.
2. Don't crash diet – A crash diet is a drastic solution to lose a large amount of weight in a short amount of time by consuming a very low calorie diet. But after delivering your baby, your body needs to heal and repair itself, so you need to be well nourished.
3. Sleep well – Lack of sleep is linked to weight gain as being sleep deprived fogs up our brain and impairs decision making. Our body then craves sugary foods during the day to keep us alert and awake and since we are not able to think clearly, there is nothing stopping us from consuming junk. Getting adequate sleep is obviously a challenge for new mothers but try to get help from family members and regularize your sleep schedule as much as possible.
4. Stay hydrated – Drinking enough water is the most important thing even otherwise, so when recovering post childbirth and trying to lose weight, both at the same time, drinking at least 8 glasses of water a day is non-negotiable.
5. Move your body – While exercise alone may not help you lose weight, not moving from your bed or sofa all day will surely help you pile on the pounds. How long after childbirth you can start exercising will depend on your method of delivery, health, fitness levels among other things. Consult your doctor the same and then start small. Go for a short stroll every day and build up to a long walk over a period of time.
6. Enroll in a post natal exercise program – Once you get the go ahead from your doctor and feel ready to start exercising, enroll in a post natal exercise program. What better way to exercise than with a trained professional who will tailor the workouts to your specific needs and capacity.
7. Eat healthy foods/ keep healthy snacks handy – Eating healthy food is the obvious choice not only to help you lose weight but also to nourish your body while it is recovering. Exercising self-control might not be the easiest thing so try to cook only nutritious meals and keep only healthy snacks available at hand. Try to stay away from highly processed foods like packaged foods, fried stuff and sugary drinks and desserts.