How to lose pregnancy weight

Weight loss can represent fetal growth at the expense of the mother, and, of course, eventually the fetus is compromised as well. Weight loss or gain is only a rough estimate of maternal nutrition stores and intake, but the only objective one we have during an average prenatal care visit. Subjective questioning must always follow some deviation from the expected. For example, the care provider might ask questions about recent illness, nausea and vomiting, exercise, dehydration, rest/sleep patterns, work and stress history, and do a diet recal

How to lose pregnancy weight

Since your body has gone through significant changes during pregnancy and has worked very hard during the birth of your baby. When you give birth, you lose around 6 kilos immediately. When woman return home again, she continues to lose water and, once your uterus returns to its original size, she will lose another two to three kilos. If she is breastfeeding, she will get back to your normal weight more quickly because producing milk uses fat stores in your body and burns up lots of energy. It is important to allow her weight to come off slowly. This process should happen naturally as long as excess kilojoules are not consumed.

Many women are disappointed to find that their body doesn’t snap back to its pre-pregnancy shape as soon as they’ve given birth. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t happen. Your body has just been through the major process of pregnancy and labour, and will inevitably take a little time to recover. Extra fat may linger, as nature intended this to be a store of energy for breastfeeding.

This can be depressing for some women, but don’t forget: it took you nine months of pregnancy to get to where you are, so it’s only fair to allow your body the same amount of time to recover its shape. On a positive note, if you breastfeed beyond six months, you should find that you start to lose weight again easily, naturally and gradually.

Eat healthy foods. (All together now, “duh.”) This really is overlooked, though. Emphasize nutrient-rich foods which are not “calorically dense.” Avoid greasy snack foods and so-called healthy foods like cheese and whole milk. Eat more fruits, grains, pastas and beans and avoid red meat and salads laden with dressing.

Try to build some outdoor activity into your day. (”In my spare time and with my spare energy??) Somehow. Walk with your baby every day and try to get a jogging stroller added to your wish list. Slings make carrying your baby more efficient and burn more calories. In my experience, even moms who really didn’t have the time and energy to exercise a little, feel just great when they somehow do it.

Losing pregnancy weight works for some women but not others. Emily Oken of Harvard Medical School reviewed survey data and found some things that make a big difference in keeping the weight or not.

Oken says women who watched more TV, ate foods with more trans fats, and were less active were more likely to keep the weight.

Being active was important. Oken says an hour a day of walking cut about a third off the odds of having about 11 extra pounds one year after giving birth.

Eat properly. You don’t have to go through a crash diet to lose pregnancy weight. This is dangerous not only to your health but to your baby as well especially if you are breastfeeding. Eat a lot of nutritious food while trying to lose pregnancy weight. A balanced diet with vegetables and fruits daily is a good start. Eat foods high in fiber to help you with elimination and keep you from eating too much because fibers are filling.

Engage in an exercise program during and after pregnancy. Consult your doctor, there are safe exercises that you can do while pregnant and there are also exercises for you after giving birth to lose pregnancy weight. Your doctor can advise you when it is safe to exercise after giving birth. Based on your medical history, he can help you decide which exercise programs are best for you and how fast you can shift from one level of exercise to the next. You can also engage in other activities like swimming, yoga and walking.