Your Postpartum Weight Loss Game Plan

What are some things you can do to get back to your pre pregnancy weight more quickly, but not stress your body or affect milk supply if you breastfeed?

As mentioned, breastfeeding helps postpartum moms lose weight. Your breastfeeding journey will be uniquely yours and you certainly are not expected to breastfeed. It is possible that nursing might not be possible for you and baby, which means losing weight after pregnancy at a slower rate. That’s okay.

Your body will still return to what it was before. It might just take longer OR it will take more of a concerted effort.

Your work life situation may also create difficulty with breastfeeding. Your decision to feed your baby mother’s milk will be based on a variety of factors, and the wish to lose weight might be in your mind. However, this should not override other important considerations. Many moms of new babies who have returned to work will pump their own breast milk which can help you with weight loss. But if you pump, be sure Your Goal: Make time for exercise every day.

Again, your post pregnancy body will need time to heal and you will want to give yourself as much rest as possible during this generally sleep-deprived time. But as baby grows, you’ll start to feel stronger and you’ll have more energy. Part of your daily effort can go into a little bit of cardio, moving your muscles, doing yoga or whatever type of exercise suits your lifestyle at this time.

Ideas to keep you moving with baby along for the ride: • Stock the stroller, bundle up baby and head out for a brisk walk. • Get a jogger stroller and go jogging if the weather is nice. • Pop baby in a sling and do some energetic housework. • Get some light free weights – 5 to 8 lbs. - and do some reps while baby naps if you’re up. • Go for those classic favorites: situps, pushups, jumping jacks,

mountain climbers. • Explore Pilates for a change of pace. • Do some movements with an exercise ball to strengthen and tone your core. • Relieve anxiety with some mindful yoga. Try a guided practice from one of the yoga experts on YouTube. • Once baby is a few months old and can hold his or her head up or sit up unassisted, try

Mommy and Me yoga.

Goal: Eat for Healthy Healing and Nourishment for Two

Watch what you eat. Don’t deprive yourself, but choose nourishing foods to satisfy your hunger. Use food to heal your body, and nourish baby if you’re nursing.

Avoid using breastfeeding as an excuse to eat lots of junk food. You might crave certain foods or feel hungry especially after nursing. Give your body optimum nourishment with a variety of nutritious foods.

Breastfeeding moms are eating for two, so the hungry feelings you’re

having are very likely real and not just stress eating or emotional eating.

But you should choose foods that are nutritionally superior and lower in sugar and saturated fat if you’re concerned with how much you weigh after having a baby. Avoid processed sugar as much as possible.

Postpartum Exercise Ideas to Help You Lose the Baby Weight

What type of exercise can a new mom do to help with post pregnancy weight loss?

You will likely not feel like doing a lot of exercise just after having a baby. The first few months are very exhausting and you and possibly your partner will be sleep deprived and lethargic right along with you.

Yoga is a good type of activity to engage in. You can do yoga anywhere which makes it ideal for new moms. You can also easily adjust the intensity of your yoga practice depending on your energy levels.

Choose relaxing, peaceful poses on a day when energy is low. Work on strength-building and poses that increase blood flow on a day when you are feeling strong and fit, or stressed and frazzled.

Walking and jogging are also a good form of exercise for new moms. If you and baby are getting to enjoy mild weather, break out the stroller. Take along any supplies, fill your water bottle, and head out for a stroll on pleasant days.

If you were a runner before having a baby, you can return to your chosen form of exercise with the help of support from your partner or family members. Just be sure to wait until after the 6-week checkup and clearance from your doctor or midwife.

It will be a nice break for you which will help your mental health and improve the quality of your sleep if you manage to have a caregiver watch baby for an hour or two while you get back into your jogging or other cardio exercise routine.

Exercise videos can also be a form of activity for postpartum moms who are home with baby. These are great because you don’t have to wear anything special since you’ll be exercising in the comfort of and privacy of home.

What Should You Eat After Having a Baby if You Want to Lose Weight?

Here are some foods that you can eat if you’re interested in facilitating postpartum weight loss.

Plenty of healthy vegetables and fruits.

Make yourself a colorful plate at meal time. Fresh produce such as lettuce, carrots, cucumbers, tomatoes, peppers and all of the salad making favorites can be enjoyed to abundance.

These types of fresh vegetables are fibrous and full of water so they will keep the digestive system in top form. This is ideal for boosting metabolism and helping with weight loss.

You’ll find important nutrition in fresh green leafy vegetables like lettuce, spinach, and spring greens. This includes vitamins A, C, magnesium and iron.

Cruciferous vegetables all should be in the rotation as well, although some breastfeeding moms report that their babies develop gas and acid reflux when they eat vegetables like broccoli.

If a certain food seems to upset baby’s stomach and make him or her fussy after breastfeeding, you can eliminate that food or you can substitute a similar food.

Broccoli can be difficult to digest especially if you are recovering from a C-section. You could try a different cruciferous which is less fibrous, such as cabbage or collards.

Cruciferous vegetables are an excellent source of folate as well as vitamins A, C, K, calcium and magnesium. Cruciferous vegetables are also easier for the body to process when cooked. Try adding a healthy oil and a sprinkle of salt, garlic if you enjoy and can tolerate it.

Whole grains.

Postpartum moms should not go low carb. Complex carbohydrates that are found in fibrous vegetables and whole grains like oatmeal, brown rice, potatoes and cornmeal are an excellent source of B vitamins.

B vitamins calm the nervous system and help your baby’s neurological development. They assist your body in absorbing and digesting the nutrition that you take in. Additionally, moms who have just had a baby may need to work on getting regular again. Whole grains promote healthy digestive function.

Be sure that you’re eating moderate amounts of

whole grains. This can include boxed cereals fortified with vitamins such as the B vitamins, zinc, iron and other minerals.

Lean protein. Names for sugar that are not actually the word sugar:

Lean protein is very important for postpartum mom’s daily nutritional intake. Nourish your body and deliver good nutrition to your baby through your breast milk by adding in plenty of lean chicken, fish such as salmon, tuna or freshwater fish; ground turkey, lean pork chops and other sources of lean protein.

Meatless sources of protein include eggs, beans and legumes, some dairy, nuts and seeds, soy and soy products.

Healthy fats.

Healthy fats nourish the hormones. Instead of eating lots of butter and cheese, satisfy your fat cravings with foods like avocado, coconut, seeds like sunflower, pumpkin and sesame, nuts and seed and nut butters.

Cooking and salad oils made from these healthy fat sources are also excellent for the body especially after pregnancy when the hormones need regulating.

Watch your sugar.

Try to cut down on sugar. If pregnancy had you reaching into the cookie jar a little too often, remember that the best way for you to steadily drop your pregnancy weight and get back to your old size and shape is to minimize sugar intake.

Sugar is an empty calorie but of course you don’t want to entirely deprive yourself. Doing this will likely cause you to fall off the wagon and go on a sugar binge. Then you might give up on trying, and continue eating too much sugar which is not good for you or baby and certainly will not result in postpartum weight loss.

Check labels and steer clear of or minimize those which have sugar hiding in Fructose, sucrose, dextrose. Invert sugar, high fructose corn syrup, corn syrup, turbinado sugar, cane sugar, cane syrup. Date sugar. Raisin paste. Barley malt. Brown sugar. And likely others!

Foods that have added sugar in them that we don’t realize:

Condiments including ketchup, mayo, salad dressings.

Cereal, cereal bars, and granola bars that are billed as healthy but contain high amounts of carbs which come from sugar and other sweeteners.

Pickled foods. Believe it or not you will find sugar and sugar substitutes in many Jarred and canned pickled foods.

When in doubt, check labels or focus on eating fresh healthy meals with minimal additions other than spices, herbs and healthy oils.