6 Safe Ways To Lose Weight Post Pregnancy

Going back to the pre-pregnancy figure and fitting into those old clothes is the dream of every new mother. It is difficult when you have to look after a newborn and adjust to the new routine, but it is not impossible.

Not doing anything about pregnancy weight can make it even harder to lose weight in the future. It can also lead to health problems eventually, putting the mother at risk for diabetes and heart disease. Getting pregnant again while being overweight can also put the mother as well as the baby at risk.

In this article, we will discuss the six ways of losing weight post pregnancy, as well as when you should start your postnatal weight loss.

# Maintaining a well-balanced diet

The most important thing to keep an eye out for is your post pregnancy diet. No, we do not mean for mothers to go on a strict diet. A well-balanced diet is the key to nutrition and can give you the energy to carry out your new routine.

Including healthy snacks in between meals can work a long way. Some great healthy snacks are:

- Carrots
- Apples
- Peanuts
- Fox nuts (Makhana)

# Including superfoods in your meals

Giving your body all the nutrients possible is highly important post pregnancy, especially during the breastfeeding phase. Mothers must choose foods that are low in calories but packed with nutrients.

Some great examples of superfoods are:

Fish
Dahi
Chicken

Since these foods are high in omega 3, fibre and protein, they are great sources of the much-required nutrition for the body.

# Stay hydrated, always stay hydrated

Keeping yourself hydrated is always important. Having enough water keeps unwanted cravings at bay. Thirst is usually confused with hunger and having enough water is what your body can’t thank you enough for. Having enough water is known to speed up metabolism.

The best way to know if you are having enough water is by checking the colour of your urine. If it is clear and you are using the washroom every 2 3 hours, you are having enough water.

# Getting enough sleep

Yes, getting enough sleep does help in losing weight after pregnancy. It helps since you are not tempted to binge eat any high calorie or high sugar foods. If your sleep cycle is inconsistent or if it does not suit you, it can be bad for your metabolism and make it hard for you to lose weight after pregnancy.

Taking a nap whenever the baby does is the best way to get your much-needed rest. As a result, you won’t have a long-term sleep deficit and not lose your much-needed energy.

# Having an exercise plan

To lose weight post pregnancy, a healthy diet is incomplete without some exercise. You need to keep moving to shed the extra kilos.

However, this does not mean you need to have a hardcore workout regime, just moving more than usual helps as well. Talk to your doctor about when you can start light exercises and which ones will work best for you.

# Breastfeeding

There has always been a debate whether breastfeeding helps in losing weight or not. However, most women have found breastfeeding to promote post pregnancy weight loss.

Breastfeeding can burns over 300 calories a day. Plus, you are also helping to give your little one the right nutrients needed for a growing baby.