Failsafe Ways to Shed that Excess Baby Weight

If you’ve recently had a baby, then you’re probably wondering (along with the rest of the new moms) how to shed that excess baby weight. Some ladies are lucky and hardly put on anything at all, others balloon to twice the size and then stay the same after giving birth, or worse; get even bigger!

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Why is Losing Baby Weight So Hard?

Many new parents have the same question: why is losing baby weight so hard? The answer is multi-faceted. During pregnancy, our bodies are designed to store extra fat in order to provide the unborn baby with energy and nutrients through pregnancy and postpartum. On top of this, many people also experience changes in their metabolism due to pregnancy hormones, which can make it difficult for the body to break down fat as efficiently. Additionally, women who breastfeed can often find themselves struggling with further pregnancy weight gain as breastfeeding provides protection against tissue damage during pregnancy and triggers the release of certain hormones that stimulate appetite increase and metabolism decrease – both of which can have both positive and negative impacts on weight loss after giving birth. Nevertheless, with dedication and perseverance, regular exercise and a balanced diet rich in fruits, vegetables, and whole grains can help new mothers reach their desired post-pregnancy weight.

Here are some fail-safe ways you can shed whatever excess weight you have, even if you do have a crying baby to look after:

Stop Making Excuses

The first step is to stop making excuses for your bad lifestyle choices. Many mums make excuses every single day and it’s not clear who they’re trying to convince themselves or others. Whether their baby has been poorly, or they’ve been poorly, or something else altogether, something always seems to ‘get in the way’. The truth is, you just wanted any excuse to fall off the wagon. Avoid making excuses like this and be honest with yourself. Keep an eye on any triggers you have that make you want to eat rubbish. Write a food diary and promise yourself you’ll take a picture of everything you put in your mouth!

Change Your Lifestyle

Once you’ve stopped making excuses and changed your attitude to this new lifestyle (not ‘diet’, lifestyle) you can start making gradual changes. Cut down on the rubbish you eat until you’re not having it every day. If you try to cut it out straight away you’ll usually fail as you feel deprived. Many people cut out all of the junk and then run for 2 hours a day for a week (for example) then become disheartened when they aren’t a size 8 straight away, so binge on rubbish. Know that you’re in this for the long hall and you’ll go far! You’ll get there, no matter how long it takes provided you’re consistent.

Get Into a Routine

It’s often hard for mums to get into a routine, what with having to feed their baby and put its needs before theirs. Try your hardest to get into a routine where you have breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, and dinner in the evening with a few healthy snacks in between, like nuts, fruit, and Greek yogurt. Make a conscious effort to do this for 3 weeks and it should be second nature by then.

Fit in Some Exercise When You Can

Depending on how old your child is, when it’s sleeping or playing happily by itself you may want to fit in a little exercise. You don’t need much time for this, provided you’re willing to put your all into the workout! While they’re watching Peppa Pig you could easily do a circuit of squats, planks, pushups, crunches, lunges, and so on in around 10-30 minutes. Even a small amount of exercise is beneficial provided you’re consistent and trying your hardest.

Get Help

In some cases, you might feel a little out of control with your eating and choose to get help. You can do this in the form of somebody you can tell your feelings to, or somebody who can help you with a procedure like a gastric band.