It took 9 months to gain it yet we expect it to fall off with a few pushes…
There is nothing more discouraging than looking in the mirror after having a baby and still looking 6 months pregnant. Of course there is always the mom’s who walk out of the delivery room back in their skinny jeans… but that was not me.
I am starting to realize something… It will happen… it just takes time. I had an entire stack of clothes to burn because I would never fit in them again. Yet six months out I am finding I am still shrinking a little each week.
It is exciting! My normal wardrobe is coming back… I can wear heels too… because my sciatic nerve isn’t causing woe.
10 things to remember while losing baby weight...
#1 It took 9 months to gain it... it isn’t coming off overnight.
#2 You need rest after birth... Working out too soon will only make your recovery longer.
#3 Breastfeeding burns a lot of calories! (You may also need to eat often if you are breastfeeding... just look for healthy snacks)
#4 Eat healthy - You are tired after a baby so it is easy to fall into the Coke, coffee, espresso beans, repeat... routine. You won’t feel good doing this... and it doesn’t help with losing weight. I’ve tried :)
#5 Choose the easy option. While rushing around sleep deprived, fast grease (I mean fast food) seems inevitable. Instead try Subway, or a rotisserie chicken with a pre made salad bag. Yes, you could make something cheaper/better... but it you’re burnt out... this is healthier than generic fast food or pizza.
#6 Go for a walk... I’m not ready for a super work out yet... But my little man is always fussy around 8 pm each night! Instead of trying to wrestle with him in the house. I go out for a 30 minute walk for him each night. This helps me to de-stress before bed, plus it helps with getting skinny.
#7 Find friends to support you - I discovered there is a whole group of moms who go walking at night in my neighborhood. It helps when you have others encouraging you.
#8 Set an achievable goal - Having a goal sets your course. There are so many different options out there... You can set a goal in your mind, write in on the fridge, use an app...
#10 Cut yourself some slack... Each pregnancy is unique with its own challenges. Looking back I know I ate too much junk food! I would make different decisions next time. However I was working full time, incredibly sick and I did my best at that moment. Getting depressed over it will only make me eat more junk.
Appreciate your child and move forward!
Today is a new day.
How did you lose your baby weight?
I've never had a baby, but I definitely have had weight that needs to be lost. I actually wrote about my weightloss journey on my blogspot page. Since I reached my highest weight last summer/fall in 2012, I've lost about 8-9 pounds (not sure which one because my weight varies) and I've been at a stand still since May 2013. Even so, I'm still motivated to lose the last 16 pounds hopefully by my 25th birthday (my goal was to lose 24 pounds in my 24th year of life...teehee). Anyway, even thought I'm not pleased about not having lost the 5 pounds I intended to lose by mid summer, I know that I now exercise regularly, eat healthier, I have more energy and I can run 3 miles in 30 minutes, which I never would have dreamed of before! And it all started with much simpler exercises like dance work out videos, zumba classes, going for walks outside, then stepping it up to walk/runs, then before I knew it I was basically doing run conditioning exercises. Just make sure to sweat and get your heart rate up at least 2 times a week for 30 minutes and go from there!
ReplyDelete-erika
With my first, I gained about 50 lbs and it took me about 5 months to lose half of that and another 5-6 months to get it all completely off. My second baby, I gained another 50lbs and it took me almost twice as long to get it off. But I was lazy and didn't do much!
ReplyDeleteI have lost and gained prob a couple of hundred pounds between each pregnancy and birth! I'm pregnant with my fifth now...and yes, that scale is creeping up :)
ReplyDeleteFor me, I lost the most after my fourth. I changed to a primarily holistic eating plan (no sugars, low starch, higher in good/clean proteins; healthy fats) and was the slimmest I've ever been in my adult life.
Although I can never seem to stay fit during pregnancy (this one included!) I am looking forward to getting back into my regular routine about six weeks after birth. And yes, I do breastfeed which for sure helps :)
Rachael @Diamonds in the Rough (http://www.parentingandhomeschoolinginfaith.com)