Pregnancy Weight Gain » Average Weight Gain During Pregnancy

Losing Weight After Pregnancy - Setting A Realistic Target

You have just delivered a beautiful healthy baby and you are on top of the world; however, at the back of your mind you are also thinking about a very important pregnancy related issue- losing weight after pregnancy. There are lots of new moms out there who want to lose weight fast. This is an unrealistic approach.


Your eagerness and determination to get back into shape after pregnancy shows that you care about yourself and this is the way it should be. However, you should take it easy and not try to emulate celebrity moms, who are surrounded by dieticians and fitness experts 24 x 7. Firstly, you should give your body 2-3 months' time to heal. Eat nutritious food to help your body to recover.


Consult Your Doctor


Before you start to follow any exercise routine, you should consult your doctor. He/She will be able to recommend to you an exercise program that suits you. You can start off with very light exercises, like walking. Incorporate some outdoor activity in your everyday routine as well.


Breastfeeding


One of the best ways of losing weight is breastfeeding. Yes, you heard it right. Nursing mothers can burn around 1000 calories per day by just breastfeed their babies. In fact, breastfeeding is a very efficient way of shedding of all the extra fat and water that you gained during your pregnancy. Researches have shown that women who breastfeed lose weight faster than women who do not.


Be Realistic


Women who have just delivered should always remember that they are not going to be losing weight after pregnancy in just two or three months. For every woman it is going to be a different time period. Some are genetically blessed and can lose weight fast, while others struggle with weight gain.


It is important for new moms to be realistic about their weight loss target. On an average mothers gain around 25-35 pounds during pregnancy. After delivery, mothers usually lose, around 12-14 pounds. Therefore, on an average, mothers have to deal with 12-21 pounds of weight that needs to be lost. The healthy way to lose this weight is by setting a target of no more than 2 lbs per month. With this target in mind you would take around 10-12 months to lose your weight.


All new mothers should follow healthy weight loss tips. This means that they should not be starve themselves. Instead they should follow a healthy diet, take care of their body, and also take care of their newborn. There are many books and internet sites that will give you very helpful weight loss tips.


Keep your patience while trying to lose weight and be nice to yourself. Remember that you are not in some sort of a contest. Furthermore, you should always keep in mind that losing weight after pregnancy is a combination of eating right and exercising right.


Losing weight after pregnancy should be a relaxed and a rational process. You should always remember that all that pregnancy weight gain will not go away in a month or two after pregnancy. Consult your doctor for the right exercise program and helpful weight loss tips for effective weight loss after pregnancy. Breastfeeding is a natural method for losing weight after pregnancy.


Source: www.articlesbase.com