My baby just turned one month and I’ve never felt sexier. I’m still far from my pre-pregnancy weight but my tummy is almost flat and I feel healthy. Being my second baby, I followed the tips and tricks I learned with my first and dropping the pounds has been easier this time round. In this post I’ll discuss the tips I’ve found the most effective on how to lose the baby weight fast.
Gain a healthy amount of weight during pregnancy
If you’re a woman with a healthy pre-pregnancy weight, you should gain between 10 and 15 kilograms during pregnancy. Aim to gain a little less if you started out overweight or a little more than this if you are underweight. The less weight you gain, the higher your chance of shedding it all after delivering your baby.
To ensure that you gain a healthy amount of weight, forget the myth that claims you are eating for two. Your appetite may increase in the second and the third trimester, but your body only needs 300 to 500 extra calories a day and nothing more. Control the amount you take in by eating filling and healthy snacks in between meals. Fruits and vegetables are full of fiber and therefore very filling. Remember also to drink lots of water.
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| Postpartum Belly band |
Use Postpartum belts to flatten the belly
The hardest part of the body to lose weight postpartum is the mid-section. Immediately after delivery, a new mom looks like she’s still 5 or 6 months pregnant. Our moms would tighten a leso around their tummies to help it shrink faster. These days, there are different designs of postpartum belly bands and pants that help to do the same while providing the back with the much needed support. If you have a CS scar, look for a belt made specifically for moms who have gone through CS. In most cases, you can wear the belt a few hours after delivery.
For best results, ensure that you wear it day and night for at least a month. I’ve used different types and they work like magic. You can read a review here or buy one here.
Breastfeed constantly while eating healthy
One of the most effective methods of doing away with the pregnancy weight is to breastfeed. Milk production consumes about 500 calories a day. The problem is, nursing moms have huge appetites and this can actually work against them. The important thing to remember is that just like while pregnant, you need not eat for two. An extra light meal and lots of water will do.
Try to avoid unhealthy meals that are full of fats and sugar and do away with soft drinks and juices. If you are disciplined enough to eat right, you’ll find that breastfeeding is a fat-burning exercise.
Do Core exercises
Just after delivery, it is not possible to work out. Not only is it not safe, you also don’t have the energy or the time. There is however an exercise that I love so much, and that can be done just hours after delivery. It is known as the stomach vacuum and is very effective. Read more about stomach vacuum here.
Basically, what you do is start out while seated, lying down or on all fours. Take a deep breath and as you breathe out, contract your stomach muscles pulling your navel as far back towards your spine as possible. Hold that position for as long as you can while breathing normally. Repeat. The thing I like the most about this exercise is that you can do it anywhere and anytime. It also helps that it is one of the most effective ways of building the core muscles and getting a flat tummy.
Once your doctor has cleared you for more intensive workouts, you can do crunches, sit-ups or just use a tummy trimmer to do other exercises.
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| A tummy trimmer can help you with a number of core exercises. |
Start as early as now
We mostly make the mistake of letting ourselves go until it is too late. Studies have shown that if you do not lose most of the baby weight before your baby turns 6 months, you probably won’t; at least not without a fight. All the methods we’ve outlined above work, but you have to start as soon as possible.
If you are about to embark on a pre-baby body journey, I have compiled an EBook on How toLose the Baby Weight Right Now. Leave your name and email address and I’ll email it to you for free by following the link or clicking on the book cover below.
Until we see each other again,
