Lose Post-Pregnancy Weight

Weight gain in pregnancy is healthy and natural, but many women crave to return to their pre-pregnancy bodies. But you need to exercise caution when losing your baby weight. Just as it's best to put on weight slowly and steadily during your pregnancy, you need to be slow and steady in losing weight after your pregnancy. Here are some tips for getting back into shape:

Great Tips!

Breastfeeding helps weight loss

• Breastfeeding may assist you to lose weight, at least during the 12 months after giving birth. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the process of breastfeeding releases a number of hormones into your body which helps your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size and shape.
  
  
• However, don't count on breast-feeding to improve your weight loss during the immediate postpartum period. Very often, it is only when the breast-feeding stops that the weight starts to come off.
  
  
• In addition, don't depend on breast-feeding for your weight loss. Otherwise you may get careless about your diet and instead of losing weight, you may actually gain weight. So be sure to eat sensibly, exercise and allow nature to do the rest.
  
  
• If you are breast-feeding there is no reason why you should not go on a healthy, low-fat weight loss diet, but you should not drop below about 1800 calories per day, while feeding.
  
  Note: On a standard low fat diet, this may mean adding an extra 500 calories per day to the normal menu. This is roughly equivalent to 1 serving of dairy products, 1 serving of grain, 1 serving of fruit and 1 serving of green leafy vegetables.
  
  

Breastfeeding and dieting
Weight loss during the postpartum period is perfectly normal.

• If you didn't gain more than the recommended 22-30 pounds during pregnancy, you should be able to lose a comfortable 1 pound a week without any drop in milk quality or quantity. (Or up to 2 pounds if you gained more.)
  
  
• However, as stated above, you must aim to consume about 1800 calories per day.
  
  
• Don't rely on junk food to make up your calorie-total. Make sure your food is nutritious.
  
  
• As soon as you and your doctor feel the time is right, start exercising.
  

Weight Loss Guidelines for New Moms

The fastest, most effective way to lose weight and regain your figure is to make it part of an overall program, involving diet, exercise and general lifestyle changes. Here are a few sensible guidelines:

1) Look after your body
Your body has just undergone enormous strain. In addition, your new arrival means you are going to need all the energy you can get. So make sure you eat properly and maintain your health.

2) Eat properly
The American Medical Association has stressed the importance of eating a diet that is nutritionally sound: i.e. a diet low in fat (not fat-free), nutrient-dense (i.e., full of vitamins and minerals) and high in fiber. This applies to all new moms, regardless of weight. The two biggest mistakes you can make is (a) Start eating junk food, or (b) Go on a crash diet. Either action is guaranteed to make you fat and unhealthy.

3) Find out about food
Contact your doctor or local clinic. Educate yourself about nutrition, rather than weight loss.

4) Start exercising

• Develop a personal exercise plan. Think it through, before you start.
  
  
• Ideally, recruit a partner, a friend or another new mom to exercise with you.
  
  
• Aim to work towards a regular 30 minutes exercise, per day.
  
  
• Set little goals, like 10-minutes of exercise each day, then gradually increase it.
  
  
• The best time to start exercising is about 6 weeks after the birth.
  
  
• Hollywood stars are often photographed working out within hours of the birth of their child. This is not healthy. Do not be tempted to copy them unless you do so under expert professional care.
  
  
• Pay particular attention to strengthening the pelvic area.
  
  
• Remember: exercise gives you more energy, not less.
  
  

For many women, pregnancy causes permanent changes such as a softer belly, slightly wider hips, and a larger waistline — and that's okay. Being a healthy and happy mom is far more important than fitting into a particular size.

There's no such thing as a "magic pill" to help you lose weight: A healthy diet combined with regular exercise is the best way to shed the pounds — and to keep them off. And it's important to exercise while trying to lose weight to ensure you're losing fat instead of muscle

But don't go on a strict diet — women need a minimum of 1,200 calories a day to stay healthy, and most women need much more than that — between 1,800 and 2,200 calories a day — to keep up their energy and prevent mood swings. To lose about a pound a week, cut out 500 calories a day by either decreasing your food intake or increasing your activity level.

Start by choosing low-fat, high-fiber foods such as fruit (like apples, oranges, and berries) and raw vegetables (like carrots, jicama, and red pepper strips) for healthy snacks. Other ways to squeeze in more fruits and veggies: Use fruit or vegetable salsas or vegetable reduction sauces over fish or chicken, add shredded carrots to your sandwich, try grilled vegetables, and eat pureed vegetable soups.

Research shows that drinking milk, choosing whole-grain products like wheat bread and multigrain cereal, and eating breakfast can also help you lose weight. Slow your meals down, too, if possible. When you take your time eating, you'll notice that it's easier to tell when you feel full — and you won't overeat.

Finally, although you should be drinking about 8 or 9 cups of fluids each day, watch what you drink — a surprising number of calories can be hidden in juice, soda, and coffee drinks. Dilute juice with water, or stick with plain or bubbly water.

Your daily meal plan should include the following:

• 6 or more ounces of grains or starches, at least 3 ounces of which should be whole grains
• 1 1/2 cups of fruit, including at least one vitamin C-rich fruit (like kiwi, oranges, strawberries, or cantaloupe)
• 2 cups of vegetables, including at least one vitamin A-rich veggie (like sweet potato, carrots, spinach, or kale)
• 4 to 6 ounces of protein from a variety of sources (like fish, meat, eggs, beans, or nuts) (Note: If you don't drink much milk, you'll need to load up a bit more on protein.)
• 3 or more servings of low-fat dairy or calcium-rich foods (like milk, cheese, yogurt, or fortified soy milk)
• 4 teaspoons of added vegetable fat (healthy choices include canola or olive oil or foods like avocado, nuts, and seeds) (Note: If your baby's at high risk for allergies, you may want to avoid all nuts while nursing.) Avoid trans fat — the "bad" fat found in many processed foods, baked goods, fried foods, and fast foods. Check labels for trans fat levels.

A New Mom's Daily Menu:

Breakfast

• 2 scrambled eggs
• 2 pieces of light whole-grain toast with light margarine or jam
• 1cup (8 ounces) of 1 percent milk
  Calorie count: about 400

Morning Snack

• 1 orange or apple
  Calorie count: about 70

Lunch

• 2 ounces of lean ham or turkey on light wheat bread with spinach, tomato, cucumber, and 2 tablespoons of avocado or 1 tablespoon of light mayonnaise
• 1 cup of carrot, jicama, and celery sticks with 2 tablespoons of low-fat ranch dressing
• 1 6-ounce container of sugar-free, nonfat yogurt with 1/2 cup of fresh fruit
  Calorie count: about 460

Afternoon Snack

• 1 ounce (about 20 bite size or 10 regular size) of baked tortilla chips and 1/3 cup of salsa
  Calorie count: about 150

Dinner

• 1 cup of Chinese cabbage or romaine lettuce with vinaigrette (1 teaspoon of sesame or olive oil mixed with seasoned rice vinegar)
• 3 ounces of salmon, beef sirloin, or chicken breast stir-fried with 1 cup of mixed vegetables (like snow peas, bell pepper strips, or water chestnuts) in 1 teaspoon of canola or sesame oil, served over 1 cup of brown rice
• 16 frozen grapes or 1/2 cup of fruit sorbet
  Calorie count: about 550

1) Breastfeeding
One good way to lose some of your pregnancy weight is to breastfeed! Always pair breastfeeding with other forms of postpartum weight loss. One of the reasons your body puts on weight during pregnancy is to help store the caloric energy it takes to breastfeed your baby-about 200 to 500 extra calories per day. Therefore take advantage of losing calories the way your body naturally intended-breastfeeding!

2) Exercise
There are many benefits to exercising after your pregnancy. It will help you lose those extra pounds put on during pregnancy, alleviate postpartum depression and unlike dieting, it won't interfere with your breastfeeding.

It's important that you ease your way into exercising again. Wait six weeks after a vaginal birth and eight weeks after a c-section to start exercising. It is recommended that you engage in low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming or yoga. Come up with a personal exercise program - something you can stick to - and enroll the company of a friend or new mother.

Start slow: 10-minute exercises should be tried first and then increased when you feel more confident. Keep a 30-minute limit on your exercise time and cease immediately if you start to feel dizzy or short of breath.

3) Work Out at Home
There are many exercise routines perfect for the post birth period that can be performed at home. Yoga is perfect for working out at home.
Practicing Yoga exercises during and after your pregnancy can be a very beneficial and effective low-intensive way to get back in shape.

4) Pelvic Floor Strengtheners
Another important area to target is the vagina. After giving birth you will need to tighten your vaginal muscles again. A good way to do this is with Kegel Crunches, you can practise these virtually anywhere. Simply tighten the muscles of the vagina as if trying to interrupt the flow of urine and count to five. This will increase circulation to the pelvis while tightening the muscles.

5) Healthy Weight Loss Through Healthy Eating
Just as important as exercising, a healthy diet is the best way to lose your pregnancy pounds. Talk to your doctor about what foods are important for the continuing health of you and your baby. Focus on nutrition, not on weight-loss diets! If you eat right, your body will naturally lose weight. Remember, if you're breastfeeding your baby's nutritional needs outweigh your need for a slim body.

6) Go For a Walk
Walking is one of the best exercises around - and it doesn't even require special equipment. All you need is a good pair of shoes, fine weather and your baby, of course!


                 "When trying to lose those pregnancy pounds, be sensible and don't entertain extremes: no junk food
                                          binges and no celebrity diets. Balanced nutrition coupled with exercise
                                             is the safest and healthiest way to get back your  
                                                                         pre-pregnancy body.''