Most mothers are looking to get back to their original weight or figure at least a year after they have given birth. Pregnancy changes your body in a number of ways and not all of these transformations leave your body. As a result, you are left with some rather undesirable features that you would like to get rid of.
Unfortunately, most of the tips that are available can seem a little unrealistic. After all, few moms can even think of hitting the gym when they have at least one child depending on them. This is why you will only find suggestions that you will actually be able to use here.
A word of caution, however. There are certain things that you simply can’t erase by losing weight. For instance, you may have to contend with excess skin or stubborn fat stores. With this in mind, here are some of the things that you should be able to manage:
Eating Healthy
When you are pregnant, it’s easy to feel as though you have free rein when it comes to food. This could mean that you snack quite a bit. These newfound habits can easily spill over into your post-pregnancy life as well. To prevent piling on unnecessary pounds, keep healthy snacks on hand. Make sure that you get rid of all of the chips and cookies and have fresh fruit or sliced veggies around instead. You can also fill up on water so that you don’t succumb to those in-between meal cravings.
Exercise with Your Baby
There are actually a lot of safe exercises that you can try out – with your baby in your arms. This way, you won’t feel like you are neglecting your little one. If you are a bit nervous about working out in this manner, there is something else you can do and that is dance. Yes, turn on the tunes, hold your baby tight and get your groove on for about half an hour each day. It will not feel like much but it will make all the difference.
Force Yourself to Move Around the House
Ok, when you are changing your baby’s diapers, you want to make sure that everything is on hand. With other items, however, you may want to create a little distance. Try to keep various objects or necessary items in different places around the house. This way, you will force yourself to almost constantly be on the move. Try clipping on a pedometer to see just how many calories that you are burning this way.
Adjust Your Routine to the Weight Loss Plateau
For the first couple of weeks or months, you may feel as though the weight is just slipping off, especially if you are breastfeeding. Nonetheless, there will come a time when you don’t seem to be losing weight, even though you are maintaining the same healthy routine. This is known as a weight loss plateau and it is actually quite common. To overcome it, you may need to start exercising more or cutting calories (to a still appropriate number) during this time.
It is important to remember that it will take time to get your body back and that each person achieves their goals at a different rate.
