How to lose weight after childbirth

Regaining your height after pregnancy can be a challenge for some women. However, it is a process that takes time and you have to be patient. According to a study carried out by Mount Sinai Hospital, Toronto (Canada), losing weight after childbirth can take between 3 and 12 months . Therefore, you should not be overwhelmed. Many times we think that recovering the figure after giving birth is simple, or at least that is what some celebrities and models have led us to believe who walk the catwalk (with a perfectly flat stomach) a few months after their baby is born. But the truth is that you can gain 20% of your normal weight during pregnancy.

So you know, take it easy. During delivery you will lose between 5 and 7 kilos, coming from the baby itself, the placenta and the amniotic fluid. There are some women who claim that just by taking care of the newborn they can lose enough weight and that they do not need big plans to lose weight after pregnancy . This, like most things, is a matter of genetics. There are some women who regain their figure without problems and others who have to go to great lengths to get back to being their usual self.

If this is your case, do not despair. We have a series of tips that will make you lose weight little by little and without putting your health at risk ( don’t ever resort to a miracle diet, especially if you are breastfeeding your child! ). All you have to do is take care of your diet and get some exercise. With a little perseverance, you will surely succeed.

TO DO PHYSICAL EXERCISE

After childbirth, your body is not yet ready for great efforts. During the puerperium, the time it takes for the reproductive system to recover (between 5 and 6 weeks), you should avoid intense exercise. Start by going for a walk with your baby in the park . Taking long walks pushing your cart will make you gain strength and endurance day by day.

When this time has elapsed, it is recommended that you start practicing sports such as yoga or Pilates . They will help you to strengthen the belly area, which is the one that has been most weakened without your back suffering. The abdominal area is, without a doubt, the one that will cost you the most to recover. Although it all depends on whether you worked it before you got pregnant. If you exercised regularly , you will be back to where you were in no time. If not, you will have to get to work.

If you prefer to train at home or outdoors, start with a few sit-ups , a set of 10 the first week will suffice. Remember that it is not necessary to raise the entire trunk , by lifting your shoulders from the mat you will be working the area. Week after week increases the number of series and also incorporates exercises to work the obliques and lower legs. There is also the method of hypopressive exercises , increasingly popular among women who have given birth.

In any case, it may not fully return to its former appearance. It’s perfectly normal, so don’t feel bad or embarrassed. Your body will keep some memory of the tenant that it had inside, and that is not bad. Don’t be obsessed with losing weight at all costs.

When you notice that your body is recovering muscle tone, you can start practicing somewhat more demanding sports. Swimming can be a good alternative to lose weight , also riding a bike or walking on the elliptical. You better not run yet, the pelvic floor may still be weak and could be counterproductive.

In a few months you will be able to recover your usual physical activity. If you didn’t do any sports, don’t you think the time has come to lead a healthier life? You may have less time now, but it will be good for you to relax for two or three hours a week practicing an activity that you like. It doesn’t have to be purely sporty, if you like to dance, dance! But move on.

The aforementioned study, carried out by Mount Sinai Hospital, shows that if a year after giving birth you have not returned to your previous weight, you run the risk of developing certain risk factors related to diabetes and some heart diseases.

TAKE CARE OF THE DIET

Regarding the diet, if you are going to breastfeed your baby, it has to be healthy and balanced and also provide you with extra calories. Think that your diet influences the milk you produce and it has to carry all the necessary nutrients for the little one. Your doctor will be the one who will advise you on this. On the other hand, if you have decided to give it a bottle, you can go on a more strict diet , reducing calorie intake, but never making restrictive weight loss plans that may affect your health.

It will be enough for you to consume a greater amount of fruits and vegetables, limiting the amount of fat . Don’t forget about protein, but take it in just the right amount because we usually tend to overdo it. Choose those that have less fat such as fish and white meat.

Another trick that works when it comes to losing weight in a healthy way is to reduce the amount of oil you use when cooking. Surely, without realizing it, you are putting too much oil on your dishes and that makes losing weight more difficult. You should never deprive your body of the food it needs to perform on a daily basis or during physical activity. There are diets that are based on the elimination of carbohydrates from the diet and that is a mistake. Eating pasta, rice … is essential.

In general, you should reduce the amounts of food that you usually eat but without giving up any food. The healthiest thing is always to eat foods of all kinds at each meal, playing with their proportions. For this reason, a dish that combines rice or pasta, vegetables and a few pieces of meat is the best ally to have a healthy diet and at the same time lose weight.

Don’t despair too soon, your body will be the same as it was before pregnancy.