During pregnancy, women tend to gain around 30-40 pounds. They will naturally lose half of that weight after birth in most cases, but what remains of it can prove very difficult to lose.
Some of the excess weight gained during a pregnancy will be due to water retention, and this is the weight that disappears naturally. You can find out if some of your excess weight is due to this by checking to see if your fingers, ankles and feet are swollen; if they are, then you have not yet reached your natural post-pregnancy weight.
After the water weight has naturally shed itself, that weight which remains is what you must actively work at losing. So, what can you do to safely lose that weight in the weeks immediately following your pregnancy?
1. Drink around twelve glasses (8-ounce) of water per day. Doing this will help clear out your system, particularly your colon, which becomes clogged up during pregnancy.
2. You will be hungry so snack on non-fattening and low fat snacks (Nuts, raisins, whole-wheat crackers, etc.) as well as fruits and vegetables. Snacking on these will give you a feeling of fullness, meaning that you will be less likely to snack on fattening and sugary foods.
3. Opt for lean meat varieties (skinless chicken, turkey, white fish, etc.) in place of fatty meats, such as pork and beef. You need the proteins that meat provides, so try not to cut meat out of your diet altogether.
4. Have the whole family adopt a healthier diet. It is much more difficult to eat healthily when those around you are eating unhealthily, so ask your family to support you by eating the same foods as you are, at least for a few weeks.
5. Start walking as soon as you feel able to, with it being safe to do so, for most women anyway, within a week after giving birth. You should check with your doctor first, but they will probably be more than happy for you to take a walk for 10-15 minutes every day.
6. Breastfeed when you can, as studies have shown that doing so can burn up to 500 calories a day. So, you will benefit from it as well as your baby.
Remember that losing weight the healthy way, is the best way, and that only taking such an approach will ensure that the weight loss is long-term. Whilst diet pills or skipping meals may seem like an easy option, they will in fact set you back in the long run, as you your weight will yo-yo, and you will be more susceptible to sickness.
There is no excuse for not doing any of these things, as none of them are unsafe or overly difficult. If you consistently do them in the weeks after giving birth then you will lose weight, it would be almost impossible not to!
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