Gaining weight from pregnancy is perfectly normal. When you are pregnant, you need the extra weight to nourish and physically carry a growing baby.
The amount of weight you gained during those nine months will dictate how much weight you will probably want to lose. Or if you were overweight to begin with, this is a great time to set new goals.
How to Eat
If you are nursing, know that nursing burns extra calories so even if you feel like you are not doing very much, your body is working extra hard. This does not mean you should overeat. On the contrary, use this time to burn those calories so you shrink down to your normal self naturally.
Start by eating as healthfully as possible. In order to lose weight, you will also need to cut your calorie consumption, unless you are breastfeeding. If you are thinking you can’t do this because you don’t want to give up your favorite foods, it is not a problem. You won’t have to. Just eat smaller portions of everything you normally consume. But if you want to make a more significant nutritional change, our book Change Your Mind: Lose Weight can coach you through the transition.
How to Exercise
Your body has changed and it is your core that has mostly been affected. You want that flat stomach back, but targeting only one body part never works. We touched on this in a previous post titled “Attaining the “Perfect” Body is All About Changing Your Mind.” Basically, you need a holistic approach in order to get to your new healthy normal, and getting your pre-pregnancy shape back will require more than a walk in the park.
So you will need to do an all around good workout that includes stretching, aerobics and strength training.
There is No Hurry
If you just had your baby a few days ago, you are not ready to implement anything. Relax. Read Part 1 of this series where we talk about the necessity to nurture the self.
When will you be ready to get back to it? There is no magic formula. Listen to your body, and follow your health care provider’s recommendations. You will soon be at a place where you can start to get your body back.
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