Regaining Pre- Pregnancy Figure

Losing weight after nine months of housing a new life is a natural and ambitious endeavor. Most moms are eager to return to their pre-pregnancy figures just as soon as humanly possible which is a great goal to have, however you must be patient. Your body has just gone through one of the most challenging events in your life as a woman. It will take time to fit back into those old jeans, in fact your body changes so much when you are pregnant you may never wear those specific jeans again.

Don’t get too discouraged though that is only because many women find that even after they lose the baby fat their bone structure has gone through changes, this is caused by the hormones that are released into your body during pregnancy that help your body adjust to the extra weight of carrying a child, your bones and joints actually shift and move. You can still obtain a beautiful, toned and slender body but it may not be exactly as you remember it.

There are limitations to when and how you can start to lose weight after having a baby; most new moms can start walking almost immediately after their first post pregnancy doctor’s visit. Many women lose weight just walking with their new babies, after you factor in the stroller, diaper bag and purse you are pushing around a good quantity of weight.

Dieting is not recommended immediately after having a baby but a healthy diet is a great idea. You can eat healthy foods while keeping in mind that if you are breast feeding your body actually needs more calories now than it did when you were pregnant.

Do not cut those calories, it is good to eat healthy but crazy dieting will not produce enough energy for your body to supply your newborn with milk as well as function as a new mother. If you have spoken with your doctor and have been given the green light to start working out it is important to only do so when you have the energy to, when you factor in waking up 3-4 times every night to take care of your new baby energy is a precious commodity to come by. The first three months of motherhood should really be devoted to eating healthy and getting enough nutrition to cope with the lack of sleep and stresses that come with motherhood. You will often lose weight while breast feeding because this is a true labor for your body to produce and express milk.

After the first three months when your life is starting to come back together it is great to start working out. Try not to focus on losing weight quickly though, remember it took nine months to get to your fully pregnant weight and it will take at least six months to return to your pre-pregnancy weight. You should aim to lose no more than two pounds per week with moderate to vigorous exercise, the average post pregnancy weight lose is around half a pound to a pound a week when eating healthy and working out consistently.

However if you are not losing the average amount of weight do not get discouraged this is a process that takes time; because your body has been through so many changes within such a short amount of time your body may need more time to adjust than “the average”.

The most important things to remember when losing weight after having a child is that it is not a race, you need to allow yourself the time and permission to lose the weight when it is comfortable for you. Being a new mother is so stressful that when you get caught up in how the rest of the world wants you to look and how long the rest of the world thinks it should take you to lose the weight, you can become depressed and discouraged, and this is not good for you or your new baby.

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