Many women find that breastfeeding helps them to lose their
pregnancy weight, while others get frustrated because they can't seem to
shed any pounds. It is known that your body burns more calories when
you are breastfeeding, but many women retain their weight. Figuring out
how to lose weight when breastfeeding can be tricky because you don't
want to compromise your baby's milk supply or health, or your own
health. Here are some tips, dos and don'ts to remember to help you on
your way!
1. Time. After having your baby, it is
best to focus on establishing a good milk supply and getting you and
baby into a breastfeeding routine before attempting to lose weight. Your
body will also need time to recover from childbirth. You'll want to
wait 2 to 3 months and then plan for a gradual weight loss. Losing
weight slowly is healthier for you, baby and your milk supply. A healthy
weight loss is 1 to 1 1/2 pounds per week; don't shoot for any more
than that when breastfeeding.
2. Exercise. When wanting to know how to lose weight when breastfeeding, exercise may almost be like a swear word to you for many reasons. Many people don't like to exercise, but also, when you have a baby to take care of, especially a newborn, you may not have the energy to even think about exercising! Unfortunately though, it needs to be done if you want to lose your baby weight and tone up your body. A great way to exercise is to do something you enjoy. Also, switch up your workouts, try something new every now and then so you don't get bored and that'll make it more enjoyable! Just make sure your doctor has given you the "go ahead" on exercising before you get started, and start off slowly.
3. Crash Dieting. When breastfeeding, you want to stay away from any kind of crash diets, liquid diets, fad diets, diet pills, etc. Those types of weight loss methods aren't good because they may affect your health and/or energy levels (and we moms all know you need all the energy you can get with a little bundle of joy around!), and they may also decrease your milk supply. When wondering how to lose weight when breastfeeding, the best plan to stick to is just to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and to eat the amount of daily calories you need according to your height and weight.
4. Water. Does breastfeeding seem to make you thirsty? I remember I was thirsty all the time when I was breastfeeding! I'm sure you know that water is the best thing for you to drink so drink up! Remember also that you can get water from fruits and veggies that contain higher amounts of water. This is not to say that you can't drink any other fluids during the day but try to stick mainly to water. Many moms wonder exactly how much water to drink when breastfeeding. The amount can vary so just drink when you are thirsty and pay attention to the colour of your urine; if it is dark yellow then you are not getting enough fluids, but if it is light/pale in colour, then you are getting enough.
5. Nutrition. How to lose weight when breastfeeding depends largely on healthy eating habits. Keep these following tips in mind every day:
- Avoid high calorie and high fat foods as much as possible
- Portion control - eat only until you feel full
- Aim for nutritious and filling foods (foods that are high in fiber, whole grain foods, protein, etc.)
- Prepare your food in healthy ways such as broiling, steaming, baking, etc.
- Make healthier food choices (for example, switching from whole milk dairy products to light or non-fat versions, choose lean meats, etc.)
Just remember that if you stick to healthy eating, regular exercise and patience, you will see the weight come off. Keep in mind that it is healthiest if the weight comes off gradually. Your body has done an amazing thing, it built a home for your little one for 9 months, so it has been through a lot! Just give it time to recover and don't be surprised if that takes a while.
2. Exercise. When wanting to know how to lose weight when breastfeeding, exercise may almost be like a swear word to you for many reasons. Many people don't like to exercise, but also, when you have a baby to take care of, especially a newborn, you may not have the energy to even think about exercising! Unfortunately though, it needs to be done if you want to lose your baby weight and tone up your body. A great way to exercise is to do something you enjoy. Also, switch up your workouts, try something new every now and then so you don't get bored and that'll make it more enjoyable! Just make sure your doctor has given you the "go ahead" on exercising before you get started, and start off slowly.
3. Crash Dieting. When breastfeeding, you want to stay away from any kind of crash diets, liquid diets, fad diets, diet pills, etc. Those types of weight loss methods aren't good because they may affect your health and/or energy levels (and we moms all know you need all the energy you can get with a little bundle of joy around!), and they may also decrease your milk supply. When wondering how to lose weight when breastfeeding, the best plan to stick to is just to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet and to eat the amount of daily calories you need according to your height and weight.
4. Water. Does breastfeeding seem to make you thirsty? I remember I was thirsty all the time when I was breastfeeding! I'm sure you know that water is the best thing for you to drink so drink up! Remember also that you can get water from fruits and veggies that contain higher amounts of water. This is not to say that you can't drink any other fluids during the day but try to stick mainly to water. Many moms wonder exactly how much water to drink when breastfeeding. The amount can vary so just drink when you are thirsty and pay attention to the colour of your urine; if it is dark yellow then you are not getting enough fluids, but if it is light/pale in colour, then you are getting enough.
5. Nutrition. How to lose weight when breastfeeding depends largely on healthy eating habits. Keep these following tips in mind every day:
- Avoid high calorie and high fat foods as much as possible
- Portion control - eat only until you feel full
- Aim for nutritious and filling foods (foods that are high in fiber, whole grain foods, protein, etc.)
- Prepare your food in healthy ways such as broiling, steaming, baking, etc.
- Make healthier food choices (for example, switching from whole milk dairy products to light or non-fat versions, choose lean meats, etc.)
Just remember that if you stick to healthy eating, regular exercise and patience, you will see the weight come off. Keep in mind that it is healthiest if the weight comes off gradually. Your body has done an amazing thing, it built a home for your little one for 9 months, so it has been through a lot! Just give it time to recover and don't be surprised if that takes a while.
As you can see in this article, how to lose weight when breastfeeding
depends on a number of factors, combined. Keep these in mind when you
grocery shop and on those days where you just don't feel like working
out. Stick to it and you will succeed!
Article Source:
http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Kristin_L
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