Pregnancy can make you gain weight drastically. This change can make you insecure and worried about your health. Calm down, bud. Losing weight after giving birth is actually not difficult. you know. With discipline, you can return to your ideal body weight.
Losing weight is not only to get back in shape, but also to maintain your health. As a mother, you definitely want to have a healthy body in order to be able to take care of your little one until he grows up. An ideal body weight will reduce your risk of developing high blood pressure, diabetes, and coronary heart disease.
Various Ways to Lose Weight After Childbirth
After giving birth, your body needs time and energy to recover. Therefore, it is not recommended for mothers to lose weight immediately after giving birth. You can start losing weight around the 6th or 8th week after delivery.
Here are 3 things you need to pay attention to to restore your ideal body shape:
1. Apply a healthy diet
Healthy food and a good diet are the main keys to losing weight after giving birth. The following are tips for maintaining a healthy diet:
- Take the time to have breakfast in the morning.
- Consume foods rich in fiber, such as oats, seeds, and nuts.
- Eat foods with complex carbohydrates at each meal, such as pasta, brown rice, or whole wheat bread.
- Consume low-fat protein sources, such as chicken breast.
- Do not forget the consumption of good fats or sources of omega-3 such as olive oil and fish.
- Eat at least 5 servings of fruits and vegetables every day.
- Replace packaged snacks in between large meals with fruit or nuts.
- Limit consumption of fatty and high-calorie foods, such as fast food, pastries, and soft drinks.
During breastfeeding, you need a lot of calories from food to produce breast milk. So, you can't limit the amount of your food, okay? Just make sure that all the food you eat is rich in nutrients and healthy.
2. Exercise regularly
To speed up weight loss, you can also exercise regularly. Do you know Mother? Breastfeeding your little one can burn calories equivalent to one exercise session. you know. This activity can lose weight after giving birth without even realizing it.
However, if you don't breastfeed your little one, there are many, how come, other sports options. You can even take advantage of stroller aka a baby stroller to exercise with a few steps below:
- Warm up for 5 minutes by stretching the legs, shoulders, and head.
- Walk while pushing Start with a normal walk for 60 seconds, continue with a brisk walk for 30 seconds. Repeat for up to 30 minutes.
- Make sure your shoulders are pulled back and your spine is straight. Give the distance between stroller with hips.
- Cool down for about 5 minutes while still pushing the stroller.
In addition, you can also choose other forms of exercise, such as yoga, dancing, or aerobics.
3. Manage stress
Taking care of a newborn can be stressful for you. This can slow down your weight loss after giving birth. you know. Stress can increase appetite and the desire to eat sweet foods, and reduce enthusiasm for physical activity and exercise.
In addition, stress can also trigger the production of the hormone cortisol. This hormone will make it harder for your body to burn fat. To avoid this, there are several ways you can do, namely:
- Sufficient sleep needs
Lack of sleep can increase appetite and trigger insulin resistance, which is a condition in which the body's cells ability to absorb sugar from the blood decreases. These things can cause fat accumulation.
If you have trouble sleeping because your little one often wakes up at night, take advantage of the little one's nap time for you to sleep too.
- Ask for assistance
When you're too tired, there's nothing wrong with asking someone you trust to help with homework or take care of your little one. Mother can use this time to rest, do me time, or a date with a husband.
Losing weight after giving birth can improve your health condition. However, don't lose weight excessively, Bun, especially in a fast time. Drastic weight loss can actually make you sick and unable to breastfeed your little one.
To be on the safe side, you can consult a doctor to get directions on how to lose weight after giving birth that suits your condition.
