Apart from spending time with their babies, almost all new moms also look forward to losing weight after they give birth. After wearing oversize maternity clothes for nine months, they want to fit in to their sexy clothes again. Of course, this is easier said than done.
For some women, it takes years before they can regain their figure. These are the lucky ones of course because many are not able to become as fit as they were before they became pregnant. For new moms who want to shed weight, they should know that there is no one size fits all formula for losing weight after giving birth.
There are, however, some proven general methods of weight loss that they can try. This article discusses some of these methods.
Focus on Nutrition Instead of Going on a Diet
For the next six week at least, the new mother should not plan on going on a diet. Instead, she should make sure that she gets all the nutrients that she needs to recover from pregnancy and to be able to take good care of her new baby. Many new mothers would like to recover their figure quickly so they go on a crash diet. The result of this could be disastrous, not only for them but for their babies as well. The time after pregnancy is a good opportunity for women to start to develop a healthy eating habit. They should eat plenty of fruits and vegetables as well as whole grains and healthy protein sources. They should also have sufficient supply of calcium and iron. Eating a balanced diet will help new moms recover faster.
Exercise
Of course, new moms are not yet capable of doing strenuous exercise routines. And they should be cleared by their doctors before they embark on any workout routine. The best form of exercise, therefore, for women who have just given birth is walking. You can start by walking in and around your house. When you gain some strength, then you can start walking around your neighborhood. You can even bring your new baby along on a stroller.
When you are capable already for other forms of exercise, you should give rebounding a try. Unlike other forms of aerobic exercise routine, rebounding is low impact so it is gentle on the body. To get the most from rebounding though, you must get a good mini trampoline such as a needak rebounder.
Avoid Overeating
The period after giving birth should not be used as an excuse though to overeat. New moms should remember that they are not eating for two anymore but for only one. There are many ways in which new moms can avoid the temptation to overeat. For one, they should adhere to the principle of out of sight, out of mind. That is, they should not keep high calorie food items in places where they can be accessed easily. Better yet, they should avoid buying unhealthy food items altogether. New moms should not skip meals because this can lead to food binging. A good trick to feel full faster during meals is to drink two glasses of water before even taking your first bite.