5 Reasons You're Not Losing Your Baby Weight

Now that you have finally brought your little one into the world, it is time you start thinking about how to bid goodbye to all that baby weight that kept you company through your pregnancy.

Experts believe that it takes more than a year to get rid of baby weight [1] It is never too early to start planning your program to get back into your pre-pregnancy shape and size. Losing baby weight is no easy task and requires you to have a focused fitness regime. However, exercise alone will take a long time to show results. Below are five ways to change your lifestyle and help you accelerate your post-baby weight loss:

In This Article

1: Even good things are bad in excess

New mommies are recommended to consume foods that help them regain strength and improve their production of breast milk for nursing purposes. Foods such as nuts, brown rice and whole grains help nursing mothers gain energy and improve bodily function. However, even though these apparent super foods have several beneficial properties, they are extremely dense in terms of calories. A 100g portion of nuts contains more than 700 calories. To put this in comparison: a 100g portion of meat contains under 360 calories [2].

Although it is important for you to eat enough to help you regain your strength and help you with nursing your child, it is important for you to keep an eye on portion sizes.

2: Sleep deprivation

The arrival of a new baby in your home means: bye-bye Sleep!

Nice knowing you.

Lack of sleep is known to cause an increase in body weight [3]. As your body is deprived of sleep, it fights back by increasing the levels of cortisol in your body. Cortisol decreases the effectiveness of your body to metabolize calories.

3: Ineffective fitness programs

It is extremely difficult for a new mom to have the energy let alone the time to make it to the gym for a workout. Doctors recommend new mothers to wait for at least six weeks before starting any postnatal workout routines [4]. Starting too early can lead to serious health problems that will only make it harder for you to lose the baby weight. Therefore, you must get approval from your doctor before you start to exercise.

Even after you have been given the green light by your doctor, it is crucial for you to consult a fitness expert to follow an effective fitness program that will help you lose baby weight at the right pace.

4: Beware of the people around you

If you are one of those moms that lose baby weight at a quick pace, you may find that other moms are jealous of you (especially if they do not share the same results). It is important for you to surround yourself with people who want the good for you. Do not be afraid to get rid of people who cause you stress or reduce the effectiveness of your baby weight loss.

5: Stay calm and composed

One of the simplest, yet very important, things that will help you lose baby weight effectively is patience. You must be ready to accept the fact that you will not be able to return back to your old-self overnight. Set realistic goals that you can complete and losing weight will be a lot more enjoyable.

Making these simple changes to your lifestyle combined with an effective workout program can really help speed up your weight loss process. Losing baby weight is no child’s play. Focus and determination, however, can take you a long way. Best of luck!

Was this article helpful?
thumbsupthumbsdown
The following two tabs change content below.