Achieving a healthy body after a baby can be a really difficult task. It can be stressful taking care of a newborn, adjusting to a new routine, and recovering from childbirth. As per experts: approximately 65% of reproductive-aged women are overweight or obese at the time of pregnancy and are at risk of postpartum weight retention and chronic obesity. However, it is important to return to a healthy weight after pregnancy, so here are some tips to lose weight post-pregnancy:
- Don’t diet
It might sound strange, but going on a strict diet to achieve your post-pregnancy weight is not a good idea. Feeling deprived of your favorite foods while you are already stressed as your new role can actually cause you to gain weight. When you eat healthily, the weight comes off pretty naturally.
- Breastfeed
Some studies say that breastfeeding can help you return to your pre-baby weight faster.
- Eat high fiber foods
It is time to load up on healthy grains and veggies. Eat foods that are high in fiber as they promote weight loss.
- Stay hydrated
Drink plenty of water throughout the day, it fills you up so you don’t need to eat much. Use how many times you go to the bathroom to decide how much water your body needs.
- Exercise
Diet is important but you need to incorporate aerobics or yoga into your weight loss plan. Other than weight loss exercise has other health benefits as well such as helping you with sleep issues and relieving stress.
- Avoid sugar and refined carbohydrates
Sugar is no doubt tempting but it is high in calories and low in nutrients. Increased intake of added sugar and refined carbs is linked to increased weight gain, heart disease, and other issues. So avoid the intake of sugar and refined carbs.
- Get some sleep
It might seem impossible to get full eight hours of sleep when you have a newborn baby, but being sleep deprived can make it harder for you to shed the baby weight. When you’re tired, your body releases cortisol and other stress hormones that can promote weight gain, so try to get enough and calm sleep.
