Having a baby comes with infinite joy...and twice as many things to do. This can make losing that pregnancy weight a challenge, especially when you barely have time to eat or sleep, much less exercise. However, it can be done in small steps by eating a proper diet and doing light exercise once your body is ready. By following these tips, you can make progress towards regaining your pre-pregnancy body and becoming a fit and healthy mama.
Diet
-Keep taking your prenatals, you will need the extra vitamins to help your body heal and to keep you energized enough to take care of yourself and your baby.
-Don't forget breakfast. You need nutrients first thing in the morning to keep your metabolism going as well as your energy.
-Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. They are a quick and nutritious snack that you can munch on while you feed your baby or eat if you are short food-prep time.
Quick and Delicious Veggie Snack
-Keep a bottle of water handy at all times. It will help you stay hydrated, which is important as your body heals, especially if you are breastfeeding.
Why Should I Drink Water?
-Keep healthy snacks around, like cheese sticks, yogurt, crackers, cottage cheese, fruits and veggies. They are nutritious options that you can easily eat on the go.
-Watch your calories. You aren't eating for two anymore, and overeating will slow down your weight loss progress.
Zero Calorie Foods to Make Your Diet More Fun
-Choose whole grain foods and lean meats over fatty foods and those with low nutritional value. This will rob you of energy and cause you to hold on to your pregnancy weight.
-Cut down on salty, sugary and greasy foods as well as extra dips and dressings. These foods lack nutrients and will hinder your dieting efforts.
Exercise:
-Get the okay from your doctor before starting ANY postpartum exercise routine, as your body needs time to heal properly. This may take up to eight weeks depending on whether or not you had a C section or complications. If you exercise too soon, you can injure yourself, so don't jump the gun with this one.
-Start out slowly with light exercises like pelvic tilts, walking, jogging, riding a stationary bike and swimming. If you feel pain, stop.
Health and Fitness Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
-Find postpartum exercise classes or videos, like postpartum yoga. These can give you specific exercise routines that are safe for new moms. Some even have routines that include your baby.
-Work out in small increments. Don't feel the need to run three miles the week after you have your baby. Start with small sessions and build up as your fitness improves and your body heals.
-Don't feel the need to exercise everyday. Your schedule, and body, may not permit as much exercise as before, and your baby needs you to be at the top of your game. So don't try to cram exercise into your schedule at the expense of your health and responsibilities.
-Choose exercises that you find fun. It can be hard to get back in there after nine months of taking it easy; finding fun activities to do to get in shape will help you stick to your plan.
-Don't forget to rest. This can be hard with a new baby, but try to sleep when your baby naps and get as much rest at night as you can. This will help your body with recovery after you workout and keep you from getting burned out with your workout routine before you see the progress you're after.
Being a new mom is a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. Eating healthy and keeping yourself in shape will help you take on each day and each new challenge with strength, energy and a renewed spirit. Exercise relieves stress and will eventually give you more endurance throughout the day. So it will not only help you look better, it will also help you be able to do more for your little one.
Related Articles:
8 Steps to Better Health and More Energy
Boost Your Breakfast With Fruit
Resistance Bands and Strength Training
Managing Stress and Weight Loss
7 Tips to Losing Weight
Diet
-Keep taking your prenatals, you will need the extra vitamins to help your body heal and to keep you energized enough to take care of yourself and your baby.
-Don't forget breakfast. You need nutrients first thing in the morning to keep your metabolism going as well as your energy.
-Eat plenty of fruits and veggies. They are a quick and nutritious snack that you can munch on while you feed your baby or eat if you are short food-prep time.
Quick and Delicious Veggie Snack
-Keep a bottle of water handy at all times. It will help you stay hydrated, which is important as your body heals, especially if you are breastfeeding.
Why Should I Drink Water?
-Keep healthy snacks around, like cheese sticks, yogurt, crackers, cottage cheese, fruits and veggies. They are nutritious options that you can easily eat on the go.
-Watch your calories. You aren't eating for two anymore, and overeating will slow down your weight loss progress.
Zero Calorie Foods to Make Your Diet More Fun
-Choose whole grain foods and lean meats over fatty foods and those with low nutritional value. This will rob you of energy and cause you to hold on to your pregnancy weight.
-Cut down on salty, sugary and greasy foods as well as extra dips and dressings. These foods lack nutrients and will hinder your dieting efforts.
Exercise:
-Get the okay from your doctor before starting ANY postpartum exercise routine, as your body needs time to heal properly. This may take up to eight weeks depending on whether or not you had a C section or complications. If you exercise too soon, you can injure yourself, so don't jump the gun with this one.
-Start out slowly with light exercises like pelvic tilts, walking, jogging, riding a stationary bike and swimming. If you feel pain, stop.Health and Fitness Benefits of Aerobic Exercise
-Find postpartum exercise classes or videos, like postpartum yoga. These can give you specific exercise routines that are safe for new moms. Some even have routines that include your baby.
-Work out in small increments. Don't feel the need to run three miles the week after you have your baby. Start with small sessions and build up as your fitness improves and your body heals.
-Don't feel the need to exercise everyday. Your schedule, and body, may not permit as much exercise as before, and your baby needs you to be at the top of your game. So don't try to cram exercise into your schedule at the expense of your health and responsibilities.
-Choose exercises that you find fun. It can be hard to get back in there after nine months of taking it easy; finding fun activities to do to get in shape will help you stick to your plan.
-Don't forget to rest. This can be hard with a new baby, but try to sleep when your baby naps and get as much rest at night as you can. This will help your body with recovery after you workout and keep you from getting burned out with your workout routine before you see the progress you're after.
Being a new mom is a lot of fun, but also a lot of work. Eating healthy and keeping yourself in shape will help you take on each day and each new challenge with strength, energy and a renewed spirit. Exercise relieves stress and will eventually give you more endurance throughout the day. So it will not only help you look better, it will also help you be able to do more for your little one.
Related Articles:
8 Steps to Better Health and More Energy
Boost Your Breakfast With Fruit
Resistance Bands and Strength Training
Managing Stress and Weight Loss
7 Tips to Losing Weight
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