Ya few months ago that you have given birth but you still can't put on your old pants. You wonder if you will be doing everything right and although it is not an issue that has to obsess us (it can take years to return to our previous weight or simply never do it) yes we can try to lose a few kilos that we think we have left over and return to a More active and healthy lifestyle.
These are nine tips to recover the figure after delivery, or at least lose those kilos that you feel are not doing well and should not be there. We anticipate what is the key: to combine a healthy diet and practice of habitual exercise. Let's do it!
In the first weeks, do not deprive yourself of what the body asks you to restore the organism with everything necessary after the effort of childbirth and fatigue. Avoid exercise during this period and do not diet because you need to replenish energy and the body is not yet ready to start an effort. In addition, some kilos gained during pregnancy are necessary to meet the caloric needs of breastfeeding at the beginning.
Once you start to feel better, which can vary greatly from one woman to another, start exercising regularly. The ideal time to resume physical activity is usually between five months and one year after delivery. You may feel that you do not have time to exercise, but think that you can also do it with your baby and that it will be worth the effort. It is not necessary to go to the gym (it always seems more difficult to find a way to go as a routine) but to exercise at home or on the street. Allowing a lot of time to pass after having the baby can make it harder to return to physical activity.
Start exercising gradually and choose the activity that you can increase in pace and time, such as walking, cycling or swimming: they are great options to start moving and reduce weight. Avoid intense efforts and reduce the pace if you are not well.
Breastfeed the baby, since this simple gesture so beneficial for the child is also for the mother in many ways, such as helping to eliminate maternal fat and helping you recover your figure. And most of the weight that is retained after childbirth corresponds to the reserves that the body itself has stored during pregnancy to produce breast milk. The way to consume these "reserves", especially those that accumulate on the hips and waist, is to breastfeed, since milk production is an energy expenditure. In addition, the longer you breastfeed, the more weight you lose.
If you breastfeed the baby do not do strict restrictive diet nor "crazy" diets to lose weight quickly, since at this stage the need for many nutrients increases. You can reduce the consumption of highly energetic foods, refined sugars, saturated fats ... (energy can leave your fat reserve) but you must maintain a good level of consumption of foods rich in the nutrients necessary for the baby (proteins, calcium, iron, omega-3, iodine, fiber ...).
Eat a lot of fruit and vegetables, which will not only give you good hydration and fiber but also vitamins, antioxidants and minerals to be healthy and eliminate fat. At least five servings a day (when possible, raw and if you cook better steamed or boiled). Salads, natural juices, fruit salad ... are some options that can be combined in a thousand ways.
The way of cooking food also influences energy intake. Cook grilled meats and sauteed, cooked, steamed or raw vegetables, and leave the batter or fried for the least occasions. Use olive oil to season in a controlled way (a couple of tablespoons a day or three), reduce salt intake and avoid other condiments, fatty sauces, butters ...
Beware of pecking: between meals, as during pregnancy, we will avoid unhealthy snacks and choose others that do not contribute to unnecessary weight gain. Take whole wheat bread and again use fruits and vegetables when you can.
Stay well hydrated, consume lots of water and natural juices They help to purify the body and eliminate fat. Milk also moisturizes and constitutes an excellent calcium intake, you can choose the sedimented variety with less fat content.
Finally, we remember again that a few kilos after being a mother do not have to apologize, maybe you accept them as "marks" of motherhood in the same way that stretch marks can be. But if you gained a lot of weight during pregnancy, don't let excess weight affect your health. It's not so much about putting the old pants back on but about feeling good and being healthy.
Do not become obsessed with the return to the previous weight or do diets or exercises that involve a great effort and negatively affect your health, since the most important thing now is to feel in full shape (physical and mental) to care for our baby.
These nine tips to recover your figure after childbirth They want you to do it in a gradual and healthy way, without jeopardizing your health or that of the baby. Give yourself the necessary time and set realistic goals, depending on the weight you will gain during pregnancy. If this was excessive, it may not be a matter of putting the old clothes back on but of losing a couple of sizes and regaining healthy habits.
Photos | Thinkstock and Amit Gupta on Flickr-CC
In Babies and more | When to recover the figure after childbirth, Tips to recover the figure after childbirth: Food
