How can you successfully lose and manage weight loss after giving birth if you are obese?
The key is
to plan not only for the first few months after birth, but also for postpartum
maintenance.
Planning
during pregnancy through your delivery is crucial because it's not as easy to
stay on top of everything after the baby arrives. You might have an erratic
sleep schedule, have limited time for exercise and stress eating will likely be
daily occurrence during this time.
Learning
about healthy foods costing a little more isn't a bad idea either because
canned fruits and vegetables can be quite expensive in addition to frozen ones
(though they're much healthier!).
Postpartum
weight loss often includes meal replacement shakes that allow you meet your
nutrition needs without feeling like you're "making" food at all
hours of the day.
Losing
weight and managing weight after birth is not an easy task. There are many
different ways to lose weight, all with their own pros and cons. The process
can be deeply personal - find out what works for you! Let's explore the
solutions one by one.
1) Keep breastfeeding. Breastfeeding mothers tend to lose
more of their pregnancies pounds while still able to meet nutritional needs for
nursing. But also includes regular, daily physical activity (150 minutes a
week).
2) Create a list of trouble spots that make it challenging for you, both
physically and emotionally. This will help identify where your problem areas
are so we can address these obstacles directly. Identifying your challenges
might reveal why it is difficult.
3) Get Enough Calories - In order for you to effectively
balance down or maintain your current weight, it is important that you get the
right number of calories each day. Refer to our table below which has a variety
of calorie levels based on different activity levels: Low (1300-2200 K
Cal/day), Moderate (2000-3000kCal/day) and Active (2500-4000kCal/day).
4) Exercise Moderately - Exercise can help you burn calories
while also boosting your metabolism
Note: After the delivery of a baby, your
energy requirements change and so it's important to not only reduce but also
manage your weight. To do this, you'll have to eat fewer carbohydrates such as
sugars and starches that can increase blood sugar levels.
You should
be aware of carbs eaten more than an hour before you intend on playing with or
actively engaging in any physical activity. Fruits are fine for most people
because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals, but they may require some
adjustments like increasing fiber intake during pregnancy as a means lowering
insulin resistance whilst staying well hydrated by drinking lots of fluids.
For limiting
weight gain after giving birth, it is important to include proteins, healthy fats, nuts/seeds too keep up your energy stores.
Alternatively Start out by gradually restricting
your caloric intake to 500 calories a day. Eventually you will become used to,
and not hungry for, less food while giving your body time to heal from
childbirth and the weight gain that accompanies it.
After an
initial 5000 calorie diet jumpstart, ensure there is some type of balance
between carbs, protein, and healthy fats at every meal as well as strategically
scheduled exercise sessions. Restrict
yourself from eating anything with added
sugar or carbohydrates if you have trouble resisting the temptation or don't
know when enough is enough in terms of keeping cravings curbed.
A lot of
times, the weight comes back because those who have been pregnant and
breastfeeding are not giving themselves enough nutritious food. If that is your
situation, take a look at these tips on how to fix it.
ü It's important to do a few things
after having a baby, like getting adequate sleep, eating for both the mom and
the baby, and exercise. One must also get help from others with childcare as
much as possible while tending to these needs so that they can take care of
themselves.
ü Negative thoughts about oneself or
disappointment in not being able to control weight may additionally lead people
feeling stuck in perpetual cycles of eating less but never seeming to go down
on the scale which fuels more stress and binge eating.
ü Exercise is crucial for establishing
a healthy weight by regulating metabolism along with boosting mood, energy
levels, confidence and self-esteem. People who exercise daily find it easier to
eat healthier food. For mothers who do not want
To this end,
99% of people want to lose weight. Fitness
and nutrition are the keys to success.
If you want
to keep your weight off, you can't go back to eating processed food and living
an unhealthy lifestyle. Processed foods have too much sugar, and most
convenience stores carry very unhealthy snacks, which is why it's important for
moms-to-be think about their diet months before pregnancy or read up on what
changes they'll need to make when pregnant so that they only have sensible
choices or can access healthier housing.
Every person
has a different way of losing pounds as well as different weight loss
requirements. Everyone starts out wanting a quick fix or pill that will allow
them more freedom with food but unfortunately there isn't one so.
The most important thing for mothers to do is to focus on their baby and
not the post-pregnancy weight. There will be time for fitness once you're out
of the hospital, and it's important not to push yourself in case the exercise
prompts contractions. When you begin exercising again, start slow.
This period of limited training can last as long as six weeks up until six months after giving birth. At a minimum make sure that you walk every day; this seems like a little bit but will go a long way in terms of your baby's development and emotional health. It's also helpful if you add breast feeding because it helps enrich nutrition by providing vitamins such as Vitamin A, also good fats are essential for brain development.