How to lose weight after pregnancy
It is normal to gain a few kilos when you are pregnant and although it may seem impossible, there are simple ways to lose weight after pregnancy.
Have you already given birth to your baby and you still can’t close that zipper and your blouses are tight? Don’t worry, it’s completely normal, and although it may seem impossible, there are simple ways to lose weight after pregnancy. Tips for losing weight after pregnancy Why am I still not losing the kilos I gained during pregnancy? Although the baby has already been born, the 10 – 15 kilograms that you gain during pregnancy are accommodated in different parts of your body. In reality, your baby, placenta, and amniotic fluid, which is what you lose in childbirth, weigh only between nine and fifteen pounds. And unfortunately, the fat reserves accumulated during pregnancy do not disappear without a little effort on your part. Losing the remaining weight will take you a few months, but you can start by following these tips: Maintain your five meals a day In pregnancy you did it to avoid nausea, but having five meal times and small portions, instead of the big three (breakfast, lunch and dinner) also keeps your metabolism active, ensures a continuous level of energy, and prevents you from feeling very hungry and overeating in a single meal. Additionally, if you are breastfeeding, you need continuous caloric supply and hydration to help breast milk production. Get as much rest as you can Sleep helps you balance the levels of hormones that cause appetite, according to a study from Stanford University. Basically the research concludes that the less sleep, the greater the appetite. With a baby who wakes up every three hours it is difficult to get enough sleep, but try to rest every time the baby does. Drink plenty of water Water not only hydrates you, it also accelerates your metabolism by 30%, it is That is, your body burns calories faster, according to a study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism. Exercise As long as there are no complications, you are healthy, and your doctor approves, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that pregnant and postpartum women engage in 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity per week. It sounds like a lot, but remember to spread it out throughout the week, and you can even do it 10 minutes at a time. Of course, before starting any exercise, ask your doctor. Focus on your nutrition The key to losing weight is to burn more calories than you consume. In the postpartum, just as you did in pregnancy, you should focus on quality rather than quantity. During breastfeeding you have additional needs for some vitamins and minerals. You can customize your menu and make sure you meet all your nutritional needs with the USDA Daily Meal Plan for Mothers. Give yourself time Returning to your normal weight (or at least your pre-pregnancy weight) is a gradual process: don’t expect to leave motherhood with your skinny jeans and the size you were before. Have realistic expectations. A balanced diet and exercise can help you lose up to a kilo a week, but each body, pregnancy and situation is different. Also, avoid being guided only by the scale, because even if the numbers do not change, the weight tends to be redistributed, for example on the lactating breast. Remember that during the first weeks postpartum your body is trying to recover from a long process that changed it in many ways. Give it time to return to normal internally before expecting external changes.