There are very few big events in your life. The big ones are the high school and college graduations, weddings and births of children. Each brings joy and happiness in different ways, and are sure to be exciting.
For some women, though, having a baby can be a bittersweet time. This is because in most cases, a new baby isn't the only thing entering the world there's also the baby weight to contend with. This can help contribute to postpartum depression, among other things.
On top of all that, losing pregnancy weight can be stressful on its own! If you've set goals for yourself and are having a hard time meeting them, it's easy to get discouraged. After nine months of eating for two and satisfying your cravings for peanut butter and vanilla ice cream every night, sticking to a diet can be difficult. When sleep deprivation and a hectic schedule of taking care of a baby that has little room for gym time are added to the mix, you can end up with a recipe for weight loss disaster.
When the odds are stacked against you, how can you manage to take off the fifteen (or fifty) pounds of pregnancy weight? Below are a few suggestions that can help you get back to your pre-baby body weight. If you follow to these suggestions, the baby fat will eventually melt away.
1.) Breastfeed! There are a ton of advantages to breastfeeding, for both you and your baby. Most importantly, it's best for the child. Second, breastfeeding burns between 600 and 800 calories a day!That's roughly the equivalent of an hour and a half on the treadmill. Third, it's a really easy way to burn calories. When breastfeeding is combined with an hour or so a few times a week at the gym, you'll be back in your old jeans in no time.
2.) Try out some Mommy and Me classes!If you can't bear the thought of leaving your baby with a sitter but still want to get a quick workout in, Mommy and Me classes are a fabulous option. You get to work out while bonding with your baby, which will get you in good shape for when the kid starts walking (and running) and you have to chase him or her around the house.
3.) Take naps! Because your baby is unlikely to sleep through the night for several months, taking regular naps will probably be an important way to keep yourself sane. As an added bonus, getting lots of sleep has been proven to help you lose baby weight. When you're well rested, you're less likely to reach for high-calorie foods that are high in sugar to keep you going throughout the day.
4.) Meet other new moms! By hanging out with other new mothers, you're likely to find somebody who is in the same predicament that you find yourself in. Not only will you find a go-to person for play dates, but you may also find a new workout buddy.
Sign up here, and we will email you additional articles related to weight loss!
