The week of July 20 is Healthy Pregnancy Week at DietsInReview.com.
Rebecca is a stay-at-home mom to four little boys and is committed to fitness and health. She blogs at Life With Boys where she shares her experiences as a mom, and her journey toward weight loss and fitness.
You’ve just had a baby and are in a hurry to lose the weight you gained while pregnant. Weight loss is challenging enough, and now it is compounded by exhaustion and excessive hunger. Don’t lose hope, here are tips from women who have been there and found a way to lose those extra pregnancy pounds.
- The unanimous suggestion was drinking water. It helps with milk production if you are breastfeeding, and it will boost your metabolism and decrease your appetite. Drink a large glass with meals, and when you sit down to feed your baby.
- Tiffany in Virginia recommends keeping a photo of yourself at your goal weight. Visualizing the end result is excellent motivation.
- Make yourself a priority! Crisa in Texas lost her weight with her second child when she began going to the gym four days a week. She loved watching the news while on the elliptical machine or taking a class with a friend.
- Kathleen in Missouri and Sara in North Carolina say to keep healthy snacks easily accessible. Cut up celery, carrots, and cucumbers and store them in a container in the refrigerator so when the urge to snack hits you have a healthy option ready.
- Keep the junk out of the house. Annette in Nevada says “If there aren’t M&Ms in the cupboard, I’m not going to drag the kids to the store to buy them. I crave chocolate, so I just don’t keep it in the house.”
- Stave off hunger with protein and whole grains.
- Sneak in exercise. Rachel in Kansas did squats with her newborn while burping her. This was great for her legs and glutes, and helped the baby’s air bubbles come up.
- Don’t cut back too much. If you are breastfeeding, cutting too many calories could hurt your milk supply. Even if you aren’t, eating too few calories can actually slow your weight loss. As Crisa says, “everything in moderation.” Going to extremes can ultimately hinder your success.
Guest Blog Series: Look for the following badge on your favorite health sites to see if they have been a featured guest blogger on DietsInReview.com. See other posts in the Guest Blog series.
If you would like to apply to be featured as a guest blogger, please contact us.