How to Lose Baby Fat
We heard about the new arrival, congratulations! Now that you have had your baby, there is no reason to not go back to your normal exercise routine. We have some suggestions to help you get started and eventually lose that baby weight you’ve put on.
Unfortunately, it can take up to a year to get back to where you were before, so don’t become discouraged if the weight loss isn’t immediate or doesn’t come exactly as you’d like
Before you start, however, you must get clearance from your doctor. Often times you may have to wait a few days or even weeks to begin exercising again, giving your body time to readjust. When you are ready and have been cleared to exercise, here are a few things you can do to help yourself along.
Start Light
It is crucial to start out light in order to keep your body safe and free of injury. Do only what you can handle, during the first few weeks. Don’t push your body. It has just undergone quite a bit of trauma in child birth, and you need to be sure you aren’t putting additional strain on your body when there is no reason to do so.
Breastfeed
Breastfeeding allows you to lose about 500 calories a day and helps to reduce some of the fat gained during pregnancy. If you do decide to breast feed it is essential that you are still giving your body the adequate supply of nutrients to keep it healthy. Now is NOT a good time to go on a diet. Losing too much weight all at once (professionals say more than 2 lbs a week) can actually release toxins from your body into the milk.
Split your Workouts
You are obviously busy now that you have a new little one in the house, splitting your workouts may be an effective way to get in some exercise while still being able to fulfill all the responsibilities of being a new parent.
Keep it Simple
Simplicity is key when first getting started. Take a few minutes while the baby is napping or spending time with Dad to walk around the house, relax with a yoga routine, or do some stair laps or jogging around your back yard.
Work Specific Parts of Your Body
We have included some specific workouts that have been proven to work for postpartum workout routines.
Core Exercises These exercises will help get your belly strengthened, after all it has been stretched and cramped and squished for the past nine months. Start easy with only 10-16 reps 2-3 times a week, with your doctor’s approval.
• Pelvic tilts
• Ball Crunches
• Back extensions
• Core Strength Exercises
Cardio Start easy. Many women feel too strained when trying to jog or walk for more than a few minutes at a time during the first few weeks. If this is the case with you, start by swimming, walking slowly or using an elliptical.
Strength Training Strength training is a very important part of postpartum exercising. Start at a low level, lifting only a few pounds at a time and doing no more than 15 reps every few days. As your muscles starts to build you can of course up the reps and frequency. When you begin to gain muscle, your metabolism will increase and your whole body will become strengthened.
These are just a few of the ways you can work with your doctor and your body to lose the excess weight you’ve gained while being pregnant. After 3-4 months you may be approved by your doctor for more strenuous workouts and may want to even look into some diet pill reviews to see which diet pills, such as Apidextra, are safe for post pregnancy weight loss. Be cautious if you continue to breast feed as some diet pills will not be safe during breast feeding.