LOSING WEIGHT AFTER BABY DOESN’T HAVE TO BE HARD

Losing weight after having a baby is a concern that all mothers share…and I’m not talking about whether their baby has all its fingers and toes. It’s the nagging worry that they will never be able to get back to their pre-pregnancy weight. Weight loss after childbirth can sometimes feel like the impossible dream. But it doesn’t have to be that way.

Pregnancy Weight Gain - The Essential Facts

The normal weight gain during pregnancy used to be around 25 to 35 pounds. During the past ten years, those numbers have gone up though. Nowadays, the average weight gain is closer to 30 to 45 pounds. This may be due to several factors.

• The average diet contains more fatty foods that are higher in carbs.
• The average lifestyle is more sedate and less active.
• Overweight and even obesity is much more widely accepted.

After the Happiness of Childbirth - The Fears

The first enemy to defeat is your own fear. This fear will cause undue stress and you certainly don’t need any additional stress during your pregnancy. It isn’t healthy for you or the baby. Besides, the more we worry about something, the tougher it is to discover solutions.

Get Support for Losing Weight After Baby

Don’t be afraid to discuss your concerns with your doctor, a best friend or even your husband. Usually, by simply talking about your fears, you aid in alleviating them. While discussing any problem or issue, our minds often are activated, so that we can suddenly see the answers we’re searching for.

The Fix

As they say, knowledge is power. The first step for successful weight loss once that little bundle of joy has been delivered, is simply to have a game plan. There are some terrific web sites and forums out there where you can learn about the latest ideas and trends in post-delivery weight loss.

Women love to share their own experiences and successes, especially on important topics like this. This is one of those troublesome issues that have plagued women for centuries. But women are creative and inventive and if given enough time and a strong incentive, they’ll usually come up with half a dozen great solutions.

The Foods

Healthy eating is something that most of us have been meaning to do anyway. Now that you’re pregnant, what better time to begin to add some wholesome, fresh fruits and vegetables to your diet. You’ll enjoy it and there’s no guilt at all connected with eating delicious foods such as:

• Squash
• Tomatoes
• Spinach
• Avocado
• Salmon
• Tuna

Drink plenty of water! This aids in digestion and weight loss whether you’re pregnant or not. If you’re one of those people who doesn’t like water, try some of the new flavored waters or simply add a bit of lemon to a glass of ice cold water.

Walk Away From Weight Gain!

There are so many benefits to taking a walk each day. It helps your mood, aids in digestion, and relaxes you. It gets that positive energy flowing. Walking produces endorphins. It makes you feel good about yourself. It gets you out of the house each day and away from the “routine”.

While walking, try some deep breathing exercises. Breathe in through your nose and out through your mouth. Try this several times during a ten minute walk and suddenly those cob webs are cleared out of your head and all those concerns that pregnant women often harbor will fly right out the window.

If you’re having a crisis of self-confidence during your pregnancy (and trust me, many women do), going for a nice, relaxing walk each day can thoroughly turn those negative thoughts around and get you feeling good about yourself again.

Enjoy This Amazing Time in Your Life!

You will lose that extra weight you gained during pregnancy! Don’t spend your entire pregnancy stressing about weight gain. Don’t spend your time after delivery worrying about losing excess baby fat. Get out there and enjoy every moment of those nine months. Talk to your neighbors. Take up a new hobby. Allow this to be the most fun, exciting time of your life. Your baby…and your husband will thank you for it.

And we are here to support you all the way!