Putting on some LBS during pregnancy is absolutely normal. After all, your body is going through a LOT to create a human baby and your body absolutely needs the extra calories to create something out of basically… NOTHING! Pat yourself on the back Mamas! You did awesome!
While gaining weight is fairly easy (maybe a little too easy) during pregnancy, losing it post-birth is tough. So I’m here to give you some tips and tricks that have helped me lose all the weight (and more) that I gained during pregnancy.
- Work out consistently while you are pregnant. If you didn’t already have a workout regimen before getting pregnant, it isn’t too late to start one now. Now is the best time– no matter what stage of pregnancy you are in. Walk, swim, stretch, move. Start somewhere!
- If you have already had somewhat of a workout routine, keep going. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you get a free pass to skimp out on your gym session. You may have to make some adjustments to your workout routine (please speak with your physician) but know that the more you move now, the more your body will retain muscle and prevent gaining excess weight that your pregnant body doesn’t need. It will also make it easier to lose the weight once you’re able to exercise again after your safety window of about 6 weeks post-delivery.
- If you have already had somewhat of a workout routine, keep going. Just because you’re pregnant doesn’t mean you get a free pass to skimp out on your gym session. You may have to make some adjustments to your workout routine (please speak with your physician) but know that the more you move now, the more your body will retain muscle and prevent gaining excess weight that your pregnant body doesn’t need. It will also make it easier to lose the weight once you’re able to exercise again after your safety window of about 6 weeks post-delivery.
- Be aware of any pains and aches post-delivery. When you get the clear from your doctor to begin exercising (usually after 6-8 weeks), take it slow. Assess your body and notice any part of your body that is aching. Don’t ignore your aches and pains and make sure to address them
BEFORE going back to your workout routine. Getting back to your exercise routine prematurely can cause more harm if your body isn’t ready and it will take much longer to heal. In the end, you won’t be able to start properly working out until much later.
- If you experience any pelvic pain, ask your doctor for a pelvic therapy referral. On week 8 postpartum, I noticed pelvic pain in a few areas while holding certain poses during my exercises. Right away, I got a referral to a pelvic therapist who helped me regain my pelvic strength and flexibility. After about 6 sessions, I was back to doing lunges and side planks with no problem.
- Drink water, drink water, drink water. Especially when you’re breastfeeding, your body will need water– much more than before.
- Instead of reaching for a sugary beverage, reach for water. Other than orange juice (which was recommended by my doctor to drink along with my iron supplements for better absorption) I drank only water.
- Many times your body confuses thirst for hunger so chug some water and wait a good 10-15 minutes before deciding that you’re hungry. If you’re still feeling hungry then that’s your cue to feed your body.
- Keep a water bottle by your side at all times. Better yet keep water in places you frequent most during the day. For me, this was where I breastfed, the nursery, and the living room couch.
- Stock up on healthy snacks.Especially if you are breastfeeding, you
will feel that you are drained of energy during and after each breastfeeding session. This is when it is important to keep a healthy stash of snacks accessible and on hand.
- Keep a basket of fruit visible on your kitchen counter, a bowl of almonds on your dining table, cut up some fresh veggies and keep them in the fridge, leave a few snack bags of trail mix where you normally breastfeed. I loved steaming Kabocha squash in batches and keeping them in the fridge. After every breastfeeding session, I would go straight to the fridge and microwave myself a serving of it. It kept me feeling full for a while!
- Opt for whole foods if you can. If someone asks you if they can help you in any way, TAKE THE OFFER and don’t say no! I found the BEST kind of help/gift anyone could give me was a healthy homemade meal made of whole foods.
- Make sure to have a high protein and high fiber meal so that you feel full longer. Processed foods will leave you feeling heavy at first and then hungry an hour later.
- Snacks should also be in the form of whole foods if possible (refer to tip 4 for examples).
- Sleep more.How ironic! You might say a new mom and sleep can never go in the same sentence but if you plan your day (nights rather) well, you can definitely get in some Zs.
- Here is how I scheduled out my nights with my husband. I made sure my husband took care of my newborn’s 11pm feeding and 5am feeding. As soon as my last breastfeeding session at 9pm ended, I would go straight to bed. That left me to get in at least 4 hours of undisturbed sleep (I say undisturbed because my husband stayed with my newborn downstairs until after he fed her at 11pm). I would then wake up for my newborn’s 2am feeding and then go back to sleep until my newborn’s 8am feeding since my husband took care of the 5am feeding. That’s another 5 hours of sleep with a total of 9 hours of night time sleep.
- Studies show lack of sleep was significantly associated with weight gain, so Mamas please work out your schedule to make sure you are able to get in some sleep!
- Find a fellow workout partner.If there is a mom group around you, then that’s your best bet to find your workout partner! Many new moms are looking for a companion and some accountability to shed those pregnancy lbs. Working out with another person, especially someone who has the same goals as you prevents you from cheating your workouts and staying committed.
- If you can’t find a mom group around you, ask a girlfriend, your husband, or anyone who is already active if you can join them during their gym sessions! This is a nice way to prevent yourself from isolation which is an easy trap to fall into as new moms.
- Love your body and what it has done. Hating your body and frowning at what you see in the mirror won’t help you lose weight. Loving it and appreciating it will allow you to respect your body and give your body the attention and care that it needs.
- Practice looking at your body and saying thank you to it. It went through so much in the past year getting ready for baby, making baby, birthing baby, and caring for baby.
Mamas, I hope these tips and tricks help you with your postpartum weight loss journey. Remember, everyone’s body is different so the rate at which you lose the weight will be different from another mom. Don’t get discouraged but get encouraged that you are making progress. Make little changes to your day and appreciate your body that has gone through so much.
If you want a personal health coach to coach you with a structured plan, feel free to reach out to me! I provide programs specifically designed for new mamas to achieve their postpartum health goals.
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