How to lose weight postpartum

This guide is for women who just had a baby and want to lose weight naturally without surgery.

After a nine-month journey to the uterus, your body is finally home. But it also faces a new challenge: losing weight. Studies show that women who just delivered have extra pounds on their hips and thighs that they never had before. If you give birth, don't panic, There are ways to lose those pesky extra pounds as fast as possible. Let's have a look at them

Consult a doctor before starting any diet

Before anything, always consult a doctor and ask for advice about how and what you should eat after childbirth. Try to note down what you usually eat every day and how much of it. Your doctor will then help you come up with a diet that can be tailored to your needs and lifestyle. Also, discuss the types of exercise you want to do and what is suitable for your body and lifestyle.

Keep a food diary

Some people might get discouraged when they compare themselves to the models on TV. But you have to remember that these celebrities have a massive support team that helps them maintain their figure, including a personal trainer who makes sure that their diet and exercise plans are precise and effective. If they can do it, so can you! Just keep reminding yourself to stay motivated when you feel like giving up. Write down what you eat at every meal, the calories included in each food item, and how much exercise you've done in a day. It's an excellent way to keep yourself accountable for your actions.

Exercise, Exercise, And then some more

After birth, your body will need a lot of rehabilitation before you can get back into your usual shape. Remember that losing weight is not just about eating less and moving more. You have to do the right exercises at the right time for them to be effective. When you're doing any exercise, always start with low intensity and increase it gradually only when your body is ready to take on more challenging tasks. If you're not sure if your body is ready for weight-lifting, talk to your doctor first.

Get enough sleep

After giving birth, most new mothers are too busy taking care of their babies that they don't get proper rest or sleep. That's why it's important to make time every single day to get the much-needed rest. The body requires time to heal after carrying out all its postpartum tasks, including breastfeeding and making milk for your baby. So always remember to get enough sleep to help your body recuperate faster so you can lose weight faster too.

Don't try any crash diets

After childbirth, most women are too concerned with losing weight as soon as possible. So they end up doing some crazy diets that not only don't work but also endanger their health. Dieting is alright, but make sure it's done right! Some examples of safe ways to start your journey back to the right track are by replacing one meal a day with low-calorie shakes and having a sensible diet. Slowly but surely, you'll see that your weight will go down as you stick to the plan.

Exercise while breastfeeding

Losing postnatal weight is made easier if you're still breastfeeding because it makes your body burn calories efficiently without much effort on your part. Just make sure that when you exercise, your baby is safe and comfortable. Also, don't do anything that leaves you exhausted because it's not good for the baby either.

Don't simply starve yourself

This might sound like the right way to lose weight after giving birth but if you just starve yourself, you'll be depriving both your body and your poor child of the much-needed nutrients to survive. If you do this, your body will store whatever little food you've eaten as fat reserves for when the next famine comes. It's a survival mechanism that protects your body from going into starvation mode because it thinks there won't be any more food coming in for a long time.

Make sure to exercise your pelvic floor muscles

Remember that during pregnancy, these muscles stretched, and at some point, they might have lost their elasticity. That's why it's important to exercise them regularly so you can get your pre-baby body back faster. It helps with bladder control too which is also a plus. Just do the same exercises you were doing before you got pregnant and you'll be fine.

Do not do sit-ups

This is a myth. There's no need to do sit-ups because your abdominal muscles have already separated during pregnancy, making it harder for you to lose postnatal weight from your tummy area. Doing sit-ups can make matters worse because you'll just be straining that part of your body even more. The only time you might want to do this is if your doctor says it's okay for you to do so, but in most cases, they're not advised during the postnatal period.

Try acupressure

Acupressure is an effective way of losing postpartum weight. Use your fingers to press the key points on your body and have them pressed for about 10 minutes every day to lose weight from various areas such as your waist, hips, thighs, or face. You also need to do this while wearing a swimsuit so you get instant effects.

Don't forget about your partner

After giving birth, many women are so focused on losing weight that they forget about their partners. It's very important to not lose sight of your partner because both of you need each other after the baby is born. You can't focus on your body alone if he has been doing nothing but changing diapers and late-night feedings. Make sure to go out with him every once in a while and make time for each other too.

Go on an all-fruit diet

All you need is fruit and water. Eat as many fruits as you want, as much as you like but make sure they're fresh. After a week or so, your weight will start going down, and you'll get to eat more food with fewer calories. If you want to speed things up, add some lemon juice to your water. It will help detoxify your body and flush out the toxins that might be slowing down your metabolic rate.

Don't give up

Remember that this is a marathon, not a sprint. Yes, it's easy to get discouraged when you don't see the pounds shedding but if you keep trying and never give up, there will be a time when your efforts will pay off, and you'll finally be able to look in the mirror and smile again.

Try acupuncture

Acupuncture has been used for centuries in China as an effective way of losing postpartum weight. All you need to do is to sit upright and get your treatments done every other day or so. You'll start seeing results in no time.

Avoid carbs

Unless you're actively trying to lose weight, it's best if you stay away from carbs such as bread and pasta. A little bit won't hurt but avoid cooking with pasta and instead, opt for healthier and tasty alternatives such as shirataki noodles. They don't have any carbs at all.

Drink tea

Besides fruit juice, tea is also great because it has antioxidants that protect your body from free radicals which can speed up the aging process. You should drink green tea when you're breastfeeding because it has been known to help lose postnatal weight faster. Just add a little honey and lemon for that zing.

Go on a low-carb diet

This is pretty self-explanatory but just in case you don't know what low-carb is, it means you need to avoid foods that are rich in carbohydrates. This means pasta, bread, pastries, and rice should be off the menu. You can have them once in a while but try to limit your intake as much as possible because otherwise, they'll just pile up on your hips.

Apply Vaseline all over your body

Vaseline is a great way of removing stretch marks and in the process, removing excess weight from your body. Just apply it all over your body after you have a shower and voila! You'll start losing weight very quickly with this simple beauty trick.

Use natural beauty products

When you're breastfeeding, your skin still needs moisture and hydration to keep it looking fresh and young. This is because all the harmful toxins that accumulate in your body get deposited around your skin. So make sure you use natural beauty products to nourish and protect your skin.

Make a conscious effort to lose postpartum weight

This one might seem like an obvious tip but if you're only half heartedly trying to lose postpartum weight, you'll never reach your goal. You need to decide in your mind that losing weight is something you want and hold yourself accountable for it.

Don't bother weighing yourself every day

Instead of fighting the scale, especially if it isn't in your favor, you should try working out and eating healthier instead. Losing weight doesn't happen overnight, so why stress yourself trying to lose weight that fasts?

Try not to eat spicy foods

Broccoli is delicious with cheese sauce but when your tummy isn't up for spicy food, skip the chili and indulge in something else instead. It will help speed up the process of losing postpartum weight so you should do whatever it takes to avoid spicy foods while you're breastfeeding.

Exercise

As we all know, exercise is a great way of burning fat and calories, and this is why exercise and breastfeeding go hand in hand. You can try running or swimming or any other kind of cardio that you enjoy, but just make sure it's not too strenuous as it might interfere with the milk production process.

Exfoliate your skin daily

This is a great tip for plus-sized mums because exfoliating will help remove excess weight from the surface of your skin and reveal a younger-looking version of yourself. After exfoliating be sure to apply a natural moisturizer so your skin stays smooth and hydrated.

Reduce stress

Stress is incredibly bad for your health, especially if you're breastfeeding because when you're stressed out it can interfere with the production of breastmilk. You need to reduce stress by meditating or doing anything else that helps you relax.

Don't wear constrictive clothes.

This one sounds like a no-brainer but if your favorite pair of jeans are getting tight around the waist, you need to invest in something more flattering instead! There are so many gorgeous maternity dresses out there that you should take full advantage of now while your body is at its best.

Eat only when you're hungry

Just because it's lunchtime doesn't necessarily mean that your body needs food right now. Eating when you're not hungry can cause weight gain so if you're breastfeeding, try to eat only when your body tells you that it needs the nutrients.

Take your vitamins

Breastfeeding mothers need to make sure they're getting all the nutrients their body needs. If you enjoy taking milk thistle, for instance, it's an excellent herb that helps fight breast infections and other common ailments that breastfeeding women might suffer from. You should also take a prenatal vitamin every day if you plan on continuing breastfeeding after you've lost the baby weight.

Get a good night's rest.

Breastfeeding takes up a lot of energy, and if you're not getting enough sleep, then your body won't be able to burn fat or calories efficiently. So get into bed early tonight and get yourself 7-8 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

Don't forget to eat breakfast

This applies to everyone, not just breastfeeding mothers. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day; it provides you with essential nutrients that your body needs to start on the right foot, but if you skip breakfast then your metabolism will slow down, and you'll end up storing fat instead of burning it.

Be patient

This might seem like a no-brainer but you should understand that losing weight after giving birth is not something that will happen overnight. It takes time and patience which means that if you're breastfeeding, it'll be even harder to lose all that extra baby weight. However, your body needs this time, and applying the tips and tricks mentioned above will greatly speed up the process.

Try using coconut oil

There are so many reasons why you should be using coconut oil that it would take a long time to list them all, but just know this: it's an excellent moisturizer with anti-inflammatory properties which means it can reduce swelling and discomfort. It also speeds up the weight loss process because it contains MCTs which help boost metabolism.

Eat more veggies

Just eating any type of vegetable is not going to cut it, unfortunately, you need to eat certain types of vegetables if you want to get the best result possible. Broccoli, for instance, is an excellent source of fiber and protein which means that your body will burn calories at a faster rate.

Limit your sugar intake

If you eat too much sugar, it'll start to accumulate as fat which means that by eating less sugar, you'll be able to avoid excess weight gain more easily. To successfully cut back on your sugar consumption, simply replace the sweet treats with healthier alternatives such as fruit.

Hit the gym

It doesn't matter if you're not a gym rat; just 20-30 minutes of light exercise per day can help speed up the weight loss process and improve your overall health and fitness too. Pick an activity that you enjoy such as running, walking, or dance classes, and sign up today to improve your body's endurance and keep on the right track.

Keep yourself hydrated

This is very important. Staying hydrated helps with weight loss because it boosts your metabolism which, in turn, means that you'll be able to burn fat faster than normal. It also boosts energy levels too so don't forget to drink at least 8 glasses of water every day.

Get a fitness tracker

This might seem like a costly investment but it can help you lose weight and get in shape because it helps monitor your progress and reminds you when to do certain exercises. Plus, if you're tracking calories too, then this will also help speed up the process of losing that baby weight which is what you want to achieve, right?

Eat your protein

To lose weight after giving birth, you need to eat a lot of different types of foods but don't forget about protein because this is going to help speed up the process and make it a whole lot more efficient! Why? Because it contains amino acids which are essential for a variety of things including muscle growth.

Try to avoid liquid calories

There is nothing wrong with drinking liquid carbs such as juice or soda but they do contain a lot of sugar and calories which means that you need to limit your intake as much as possible. To successfully avoid liquid calories, drink tea instead because it's a healthier alternative and contains antioxidants too, which is great for your overall well-being.

Eat your carbs before bedtime

When you eat carbohydrates, it gets broken down into glucose and this is what drives up blood sugar levels. This means that if you eat carbs before going to sleep, there's a bigger chance of them turning into fat which increases your risk of weight gain. To avoid this, eat them at least 7 hours before you go to sleep, and that way, they'll be burned up as energy instead.

Eat smaller meals throughout the day

You should have 3-4 small meals every day because this is going to help keep your metabolism running faster than it normally would, and it'll also help prevent you from getting hungry and eating something that you shouldn't be eating. Keep your meals around 400 calories per meal if possible and try to increase the frequency of them if you can.

Snack on fruit

Fruit is a safe snack because it contains fiber, vitamins, minerals, and antioxidants which means that it's going to help speed up your metabolism as well as boost your immune system. You can eat lots of different fruits but avoid those that have a high sugar content such as grapes and watermelons.

Swap out unhealthy snacks for healthier ones

No matter how much you crave crackers, chips, chocolate, or sweets, they are bad for you and should be avoided at all costs when trying to lose weight after pregnancy. Instead, eat things like popcorn, cottage cheese, fruit, or vegetables. These are much healthier alternatives that will help speed up the process of losing weight.

Be patient

Losing the baby weight is not an easy process but you must be patient and stick to your goals. If you give up, you won't get anywhere so try to remember this while you're working towards becoming the slender woman that you want to be.

Eat some dark chocolate (in moderation)

Dark chocolate is good for reducing stress levels while also improving insulin sensitivity which improves blood sugar regulation and lowers blood pressure. Not only that, but it also helps improve insulin sensitivity and reduce stress levels! Just make sure you don't eat too much because the sugar and fat content is still high.

Eat plenty of probiotics

Probiotics are full of fiber, vitamins and they help improve gut health which in turn improves your metabolism and immunity. You can find probiotics in yogurts, sauerkraut and kimchi so eat plenty of these foods if you don't want to take a supplement because they are by far the most effective way of doing it.

Cut out added sugar

Added sugars are bad for your teeth as well as your overall health and should be avoided at all costs when you're trying to lose weight after pregnancy because they contribute to fat gain. If possible, cut out added sugars completely and if not, try to keep your intake to 200 calories or below per day.

Don't starve yourself

As tempting as it may be, don't starve yourself because this is going to stress out your body and slow down the process of losing weight. Instead, eat around 1000 calories per day and make sure that you're eating nutrient-rich foods because this will help keep your metabolism high as well as improve energy levels!

Do high-intensity interval training (HIIT)

High-intensity interval training is a type of cardio where you alternate between periods of intense activity and periods of less-intense activity. This type of training is great for burning fat quickly, but it's also really demanding on your body so you should only do it when trying to lose weight after pregnancy if you're already in good shape.

Do weights four times a week

You can also improve your metabolism and strength by doing weights at the gym four times a week. You don't have to use heavy weights either, in fact doing low reps with high weights is more effective for losing weight after pregnancy so lift accordingly.

Go for walks/jogs regularly

Going for regular walks or jogs can be relaxing, and it's an excellent way of improving your cardiovascular health while also burning some extra calories. You mustn't overdo it though because your body needs time to recover too!

Get enough sunlight

Getting enough sunlight can help boost your mood which in turn helps to reduce stress levels. It also improves your immune system and reduces cortisol (stress hormones) so make sure that you get at least 20-30 minutes of sunlight every day!

Don't take fertility medication or birth control pills

Studies have shown that women who take fertility drugs and contraceptive pills are more likely to gain a significant amount of weight after pregnancy, which is why you must talk to your doctor before going ahead with these medications because they may not be safe for you.

Don't take herbal pills or drinks

Herbal pills and drinks may be marketed as a quick way of losing weight but they're not safe, and they can cause more harm than good in the longer run, which is why you should avoid these altogether unless recommended by your doctor.