On top of every new mother's list is to shed any excess weight gained during pregnancy. While you may have lost some 15 pounds during childbirth, you may still feel disappointed to see yourself unable to squeeze yourself in your pre-pregnancy clothes. Don't despair. I have easy tips for losing those unwanted pounds safely.
Weight-loss Tip 1. Let your legs do the walking. Most doctors allow some form of exercise immediately after childbirth. But because your body has gone through a lot of trauma during labor and delivery, you'll have to lay off the high impact and weight-lifting exercises for now.
You'll be happy to note that health professionals do not subscribe to the "no pain, no gain" mantra of heavy exercisers. Walking regularly, whether at a leisurely or brisk pace, has been recommended as an effective way to keep your body's ligaments, tendons and spine moving. Get into the habit by walking a short distance and then by gradually increasing the area covered.
A minimum of ten minutes a day will already yield results and the ideal time spent walking is 30 minutes daily. Avoid walking on steep areas until your O.B.-Gyn gives you the go-signal to engage in it.
Weight-loss Tip 2. Practice Kegel muscle control. All women of child-bearing age can benefit from Kegel exercises. Kegel exercises are highly effective for restoring strength and tightness of your pelvic muscles. These exercises can enhance physical intimacy with your partner. In case you didn't know yet, a good amount of calories are burned during sexual intercourse.
Weight-loss Tip 3. Try a mother-and-baby routine. Simple stretching and yoga routines are great for bonding with your baby. You can sign up for mother-and-baby fitness classes or follow a video guide right at home. There are books on baby yoga that are easy to follow and effective for making baby less colicky or fussy. Exercising with baby also prevents guilt feelings that normally arise from leaving a baby behind.
Weight-loss Tip 4. Incorporate cardio vascular exercises. Any weight-loss plan should have some cardio vascular activity in order to see visible results. Examples are cycling, aerobic dancing, jogging and walking. At least 45 minutes of cardio vascular activity daily, whether at home or at the gym, is necessary for losing weight and for keeping them off.
Weight-loss Tip 5. Crunch your abs. Pregnancy took its toll on your abdominal muscles. Most new moms find the area where the baby bump used to be, loose and somewhat flabby. A non invasive and relatively painless way of firming your midsection is through abdominal crunches. All it takes is ten to twenty crunches a day to make your tummy firm again. If you're used to it, the bicycle crunch is a good exercise for toning not only your upper and lower abdomen, but the sides of your abdomen as well.
A realistic goal is to lose some weight gradually and safely. Most mothers will tell you that shedding off all of the pregnancy weight is almost impossible as there will always be that last 5 pounds that won't come off. You'll also want to start an exercise routine right now since studies have shown that the longer a woman's body has been carrying excess weight, the harder it will be for her to lose it.
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