This is a guest post by Chris.
Chris talks about ways on how to lose weight the healthy way. All his articles are based on natural weight loss methods and are easy to be followed by everyone.
Unlike other situations the weight you gain during your pregnancy period is temporary. It is the result of the extra weight you put on for the sake of your baby’s health. You do not have to worry about this during pregnancy because it is happening for obvious reasons and there is plenty of time later to shed off the excess weight and return to your normal figure. In this post we will give some ideas on how to lose weight and get the results you want.
For starters it is important to clear out some important aspects of weight loss for new moms:
The process of losing the excess weight may take a number of months. Immediately after giving birth you will notice a reduction in your weight but after a couple of weeks weight loss will decline or even stop.
It is true that some women are not able to lose all the weight they gained during pregnancy. The main reason for this is that they did not try hard enough either because they did not have the time or they were not willing to take the effort.
Do not compare yourself with celebrity moms. Celebrity moms are surrounded by trainers, nutritionists and other specialists that help them deal with the problem 24 hours per day. In most of the cases they also have other women to take care of their children so that they get enough time to exercise. If this is does not sound like your case then do not get disappointed, you will just need more time to lose the excess weight but at the end you will make it.
So, once we are clear about the basics let’s see what you need to do:
The first thing is not to panic. Losing weight is not a process that can be done overnight; it took you 9 months to put on the extra weight and it is normal to need at least the same period to get it off. Start by thinking about your weight loss goals and plan and try to figure out how to arrange your schedule so that you get some time for exercise. Exercise is vital and important in the whole process because it is the only way to accelerate the fat burning process and reduce your weight.
Start slowly and gradually. Do not try to follow a very strict diet or a hard exercise schedule from the very beginning. It is not healthy for you or for your baby (if you are still breast feeding). Start slow by giving preference to low fat foods and exercising lightly. After the fourth month or after you stop breast feeding you can increase both the intensity and frequency of your efforts.
Stay on a balanced diet and away from ‘miracle solutions’. The basics of a healthy weight loss imply that you eat small food portions regularly (5-6 times per day) and that you do not exclude any food group from your diet. All food types are essential for proper body functioning and you are not doing any good by completely eliminating any type. It is advised though to give more priority to protein and fiber and less priority to carbohydrates and fat.
Do not forget the simple weight loss rules: drink at least 6-8 glasses of water daily, prefer fruits and vegetables for snacks, eat a good breakfast and a light dinner, try to remain active and burn more calories than you consume!
If you really want to lose weight after pregnancy and you are willing to take the effort you will realize at the end that it is not that difficult to achieve. All it takes really is patience, perseverance and proper weight loss tips like the ones described above. Good luck!
This is a nice article thank you. I really like the fact that you point out not to model yourself on the celebrity mothers. It is quite frustrating to see these women on the covers of magazines just weeks after giving birth and they are back to their perfect weight.
I would reccomend that you start a good excercise regime before you get pregnant as it is then much easier to continue excercising during your pregnancy.