Post Pregnancy - What now?

The desire to lose post baby weight for most women with children usually starts long before the baby is actually born – for some it can be as soon as they find out they are pregnant. It is as if they see those little 2 lines and start going into a mental freak out about how much weight they are going to gain while they are ‘eating for two’.

Maintaining a healthy lifestyle during pregnancy is an article for another day. Let’s just say you are an ordinary person who gave into cravings for hot chips, ice cream or chocolate and put on excess weight while pregnant. You don’t have to keep that weight once the baby is born and I’m hoping to encourage you to do something about it!

A big thing no one bothered to tell me after I have my kids was even though the weight can come off- there is a chance your body will change shape and your body will start to store fat in places it didn’t before! They tell you your boobs will deflate and sag…they tell you that you will have a ‘pooch’…these things we expect!

Pre kids I was virtually straight up and down – no hips, no boobs nothing…post pregnancy I all of a sudden had hips…a bum…I started worrying about the muffin top and the size of my thighs… things I didn’t worry about before. 

By allowing yourself time to recover and putting a focus on healthy eating and starting a light exercise routine your body will work itself out. Once you feel ready to step it up a notch there are loads of exercises and activities you can do to work off that weight!

FOOD:

Don’t make food the enemy! Remember – especially if you are breastfeeding not to put yourself on a diet! Instead opt to make healthy choices and try to avoid the junk food. I know it can be hard when you are tired, emotional, hormonal and just in a flurry of disorganisation trying to adjust to life as a mum (whether new or an old hand at this parenting thing), but by spending just a little bit of time cutting up snacks and having them pre prepared can be a lifesaver in the weight loss game. 

Aim to eat regularly – rather than trying to squeeze in 3 big meals, we know that it is just not always possible and doesn’t always work for the baby. So aiming to eat 5-6 small meals sets you up for a quicker metabolism and helps avoid those sneaky cravings that come on when we allow ourselves to get too hungry. Small meals are also a lot easier to eat on the run and in the small period of time we actually allow ourselves.

EXERCISE:

Don’t go too hard too soon – if you can, going for light walks is all that is necessary when you feel up to it – remember you are pushing a pram so that’s added weight to an ordinary walk.

Find a friend to walk with – it is often found to help with post baby blues to chat to someone who is in the same boat. Why not walk and talk and make yourself feel better?

Once you feel ready for more, up the intensity of your walk, join a fitness class – there are plenty around that are baby/pram friendly or simply workout at home. 

Focus on rebuilding that CORE stability, light cardio, stability ball work and some light weights. Remember – your body has been through a lot!

There is a lot going on in the first few months after having a new baby – just remember that by putting yourself first sometimes you are helping yourself and your new baby! There are so many benefits to exercise especially for post natal women I encourage you to find the time – even with your baby to get out there and embrace a healthy and fit lifestyle! But remember – just be ready to embrace the changes your body has gone through and love any new womanly curves you may have found!

Written by Natalie Eagles