Yesterday, I went for a walk with a friend after work and couldn’t believe how hard it was to put in a simple cardio workout. We walked about a mile and friends, the struggle was real. I was having such bad round ligament pain that I had to constantly put pressure on my side to make it manageable. I kept stopping to stretch and as soon as I would walk again, it came right back. Needless to say, this kind of uncomfortable working out condition has gotten me more and more ready to meet Leyton and get my body back to less painful scenarios. Which has now lead to today’s post…5 Ways to Lose Pregnancy Weight even though the real importance lies on just being healthy for you and baby!
They say that during a healthy pregnancy, (depending on how over or underweight you are pre-pregnancy) you should gain between 25-35 lbs. I have gained 32 pounds so far and I’m closing in on my due date THIS Monday! While I plan on giving myself some leeway with getting back into my clean eating and healthy, active lifestyle, here’s a few things I have in mind to help me get back to a healthy postpartum weight and feeling my best.
5 Ways to Lose Pregnancy Weight:
1. Don’t stress. This is one of my first and foremost goals even though it’s hard to do! Stress can make you hold weight, make breast feeding harder, and mess with your mentality. While I know it’s not logical to think I’ll drop all the weight right away, I also know a good portion will fall off due to fluid, baby, etc. So, I’m trying to tell myself to really enjoy the first few weeks to rest when baby rests and just fall into the routine of mommy hood. I know that having our sweet baby here will make weight loss and body thoughts a lot less in the forefront of my mind.
We’ve also been blessed that Holly (my sis) is setting up a Take Them a Meal train for us so that our friends and family will bring us meals. And while we’ll be grateful for every dish, we know not every dish made for us will be the healthiest thing–although delicious! So, the first month I’m going to just take everything as it comes and try to hit my new mommy rhythm without stressing about immediately doing a cleanse or anything too strenuous. There will be lots of baby loving to soak up, after all. đŸ™‚
2. Keep healthy snacks on hand. What you have on hand, is what you’ll eat! I just tried these new ZonePerfect SimplyWell bars this week and got two different varieties to have on hand to make sure I’m getting enough protein and energy to keep up with the demands of breast feeding. Eric and I both liked these bars. His favorite was the Dark Chocolate Cashew and mine was the Almond Toffee Crunch. Do you want to try the new Simply Well Bars too? You’re in luck! I’ve got a $1/1 coupon for you!
3. Exercise! Granted, I can’t hop right back into tennis, running, Pure Barre, or yoga right after baby, but I am excited to break out the new Uppababy stroller and go for a walk ASAP postpartum.
4. Wrap it up. I’ve also heard from friends that I may want to try a postnatal wrap which can help the uterus to go back more quickly to it’s original state as well as support your abs and back! Sounds like it’s worth trying out to me.
5. Keep it Simple. I want to always have items on hand to do a protein shake for breakfast, a hearty salad for lunch and dinner to be simple when we make it ourselves. This not only simplifies our grocery list, but it also will allow me to know a healthy, filling meal is only a few steps away to help me stay on top of my nutrition, and therefore baby’s milk production benefits. Luckily, the weather is perfect right now so I bet we’ll be using the grill a lot for dinner now too!
Most importantly, don’t forget that your new body is a testament to what a beautiful, and strong woman you are! What a gift to get to participate in creating new life. Embrace the changes and the day to day baby loving. đŸ™‚
What other tips helped you lose the postpartum weight? I’d love to hear in the comments below! And don’t forget to print your COUPON HERE!
I lost the weight quick (breastfeeding does wonders) but even though my tummy looked fine, my abdominal muscles were actually separated. I think this happens a lot, and doctors don’t always seem to check for that. I had a physical therapist point it out. Just something to watch out for (I would specifically ask your ob to check that at your postpartum appointment) b/c if you don’t address that, it makes it impossible to get your abdominals back in shape, and crunches just make the problem worse. A belly band, I imagine would help, I used an abdominal binder–I’m guessing they are similar.
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Thanks so much for your comment, Amanda! I will make sure to ask about that and certainly appreciate the insight. I’ve had another friend who had this happen to her as well so I’m slightly familiar with this. Such a good point to ask! Thanks for sharing!
Good tips! Fueling your body with healthy fats and protein along with slow burning carbs will help the weight to come off. Some women do have a hard time losing while breastfeeding because their body simpley zdoesn’t want to let go of the extra storage. I’ve had one time where I lost weight slowly but steadily and another where I lost it rather quickly so even between babies it can be different.
These bars are SO handy to have around while nursing!
Such a great list for new moms!
Great tips for those who are expecting or have just had a baby!
Glad you are armed with these tasty bars (especially since the little one is here!) and that ligament pain…I feel ya! And I need to try those bars out…they sound fantastic!
I am always struggling to get enough protein in my diet and these bars look like a perfect afternoon snack to fuel me up!
IT really isn’t that difficult if you follow the plan you listed and are breastfeeding! Great post!
Great tips for new moms and I certainly do remember the ligament pain – no fun!
I’ve used a band in the past and it helped – especially since I struggle with diastasis recti. Good tips, Heather, and thanks for the coupon! đŸ™‚
Great article and thanks for the coupon! Even though I’m not a mother, I can still use these tips to get back into shape!
While I didn’t try a wrap, I did wear compression tank tops and that helped SO much! I got mine from Motherhood Maternity.
Breastfeeding is the number one way. Our bodies and hormones work in a way that allows us to lose weight naturally when we breast feed.
Remember too that this is a time to bond with the baby. Don’t focus on weight but on the life you just created together. This time goes super quick.
Plus it’s harder to lose weight because your sleep pattern is disrupted.
Thanks for the tips! 9 months after having my first daughter…and I am still working on those last 10 pounds!
I love these bars! thanks for the coupon!
Great tips to lose weight especially when you are exhausted it is useful to have goals or snacks to help you maintain your figure.
Great tips for loosing weight! I love these bars!
Thanks so much for the coupon, I love these bars. I love your goals, just remember to be realistic
I’m struggling to get back in to shape thanks for the motivation.
I used a postnatal wrap and loved it, plus breastfeeding helped me loose weight.
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Me too, Blanca! And breastfeeding is a miracle worker. đŸ™‚
These are some pretty great ideas! I was pretty lucky when I had my daughter and the weight just came off pretty much instantly! I’m told that pretty common for first pregnancies.
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I’m experiencing that as well, Courtney Lynne and am thrilled about it. BF’ing for the win. đŸ™‚
Interesting…this is the first time that I have heard of a prenatal wrap before. I’ve never had children, so all of this is brand new to me. I think that I would have liked strolling baby around for exercise.