Losing Weight after Pregnancy: 6 Effective and Safe Steps to Take

Losing weight after pregnancy can be a challenge whether you gained the recommended amount or put on more than you hoped. You will probably be impatient to return to your pre-pregnancy weight, but doing it effectively and safely can take time. Here are some tips that will help you to do it the right way. 

1. Drink water

When you don’t drink enough water, it affects all of your bodily systems, including your digestion. Drinking enough water can help to speed up your metabolism. If you’re drinking enough, your urine should be pale yellow.

Drinking water throughout the day will help to fill you up so you don’t eat as much. It will also keep you from getting dehydrated, which can make you feel fatigued more than ever in those months after giving birth. 

IV therapy is safe, even if you’re breastfeeding, and it can give you the boost you need to recover and regain energy if you’re dehydrated. Drip Hydration, Sweet Homecare, and Reviv offer mobile IV therapy in Mexico City and many other areas, and licensed nurses will administer the IV drip in the comfort of your own home. 

2. Don’t diet

It may seem counterintuitive, but eating a variety of healthy foods is much more effective than going on an “official” diet. Feeling deprived as a new mother when you may already be feeling stressed can make you put on weight rather than lose it. 

You shouldn’t consume less than 1,800 calories a day, especially if you’re breastfeeding. Having a variety of healthy snacks on hand that you can graze on throughout the day will keep your blood sugar levels up, give you energy, and prevent you from craving sugary snacks.  

3. Choose nutrient-rich foods

If you’re trying to lose weight as a new mother, your body needs foods heavy in nutrients but light in calories. Fish is a good choice as it contains essential Omega-3 fatty acids. Some of the best sources are salmon and sardines. Yogurt is high in calcium, which helps to keep your bones strong. Lean meat, chicken and beans are good sources of protein that are low in fat and high in fiber. They will keep you feeling full for longer. Cutting out junk food and eating more fruit and vegetables can help improve the quality of the calories you consume.

4. Get moving

Going to the gym is probably impossible for you as a new mother, but you don’t need the gym to get back in shape. Going for a brisk walk with your baby in the stroller every day will get your blood circulating, your muscles working and the weight coming off. 

If you find it difficult to fit in long walks every day, start off slowly with short 10-minute walks and gradually build up to 20 or 30-minute sessions until you’re doing about 150 minutes a week. Walking is a convenient and cheap way to get exercise as a new mom. 

5. Make sure you get enough sleep

Most new moms battle to get enough sleep. The most common advice is to sleep while your baby is sleeping. Try to nap when you can in the day and go to bed early at night – at least until your baby is sleeping through the night. If you’re sleep-deprived, it will be harder for you to lose weight. 

When you haven’t had enough sleep, your body releases stress hormones like cortisol, and this can cause weight gain. When you’re overtired, you also tend to take less care of yourself and eat less healthily. It’s easier to snack on unhealthy food than prepare a healthy meal. 

6. Breastfeeding

Whether breastfeeding contributes to weight loss is controversial. Researchers say that just because a woman is breastfeeding doesn’t mean she will automatically lose weight. Breastfeeding is beneficial as the body needs extra energy to produce milk, and this burns calories. 

However, any benefit you gain from breastfeeding can be undone by overeating. You can very easily over-compensate for the calories you burn. Your baby benefits nutritionally when you breastfeed, and you could benefit too as long as you also follow a healthy diet and exercise instead of just assuming breastfeeding will automatically make you lose weight.