Baby Fat, The Smart Way To Lose It!

[?] Subscribe To This Site

Lose Baby Fat?
The Smart & Easy Ways?

Oh, Baby Fat! When can you say bye-bye to it?

I must say I really am not the most "qualified" person to write on this subject as I'm single and a non-mom (understandably no experience whatsoever on pregnancy and weight gain....)

But I know many of you are proud mommies.....and are "struggling" to shed off that annoyed extra weight you put on during pregnancy.

The Prelim

First off, if the extra weight you put on during pregnancy disappears mere weeks after childbirth, congrats! Most ladies I know aren't that lucky. Worse, the extra lbs cling to you like glue, if you don't make effort to get rid of them.

Second, there's no hard and fast rule when for you to regain your pre-pregnancy weight (and shape). Obviously right after birth is a "no-no" thing since your body isn't ready yet for serious exercise, normally until 6 weeks after giving birth,longer if you've had a Cesarean section.

Third, if, up to 1 year after childbirth, you've not lost most of your baby fat, you should really seriously look into it. The longer you've it, the harder to lose it.

Fourth, how soon you restore weight and shape is pretty individual; it depends on your age and how many lbs you've gained during pregnancy.

If you're 26 and below, it's probably easier and quicker for you to restore your shape.......otherwise, brace for 3 to 6 months to shape up.

Fifth, if you exercise and generally lead an active lifestyle during pregnancy, you'll not gain too excessive a weight, hence fewer lbs to shed off thereafter......

The "Smart" Strategies to Lose Baby Fat

I've a few "smart" things you can go about losing that baby fat easily and practically, through my sister's and my friend Sandy's experience.

Here we go:

Get Plenty of Sleep

Even though you don't have the luxury of time to do it (what with the new born and all that extra chores and attention you've to pour onto him, caring for him.....), do it any way!

The strange sleep cycle and the sleep deprivation you've had the misfortune to develop after the baby's arrival could upset your hormonal balance, causing especially the hormones that regulate how hungry you feel and how efficiently you burn calories, to go haywire.

They cause you to put on more weight, which makes matter worse.

So, whenever your baby sleeps, you sleep too. You would be able to get a few hours of sleep and won't end-up with a long-term sleep deficit that could wreak havoc to your hormones and your weight.

Breastfeed Helps You To Lose Weight?

When you’re breastfeeding, you need an extra 500 calories a day (or about 2,500 calories in total).

However, since breastfeeding burns 600 to 800 calories a day, you could still lose weight even if you don't do or move around much.

If you're lucky, you can drop, all or some, of your baby fat through breast feeding alone.

But know this - as soon as you stop or taper off breastfeeding, or begin supplementing your baby’s diet with solids, your calorie needs will drop. You could really pack on the weight if you don’t reduce the calories and/or increase your exercise time.

Exercise & Weight Training
Walking is a very excellent exercise to jump start your body to move and be active.
Start with easy walking. If you feel good and the walk doesn’t cause or exacerbate bleeding, walk a little further the next day.
Do this until your 6th week, after which you should be ready to do 20 to 30 minutes of cardio exercise 3 to 5 times per week.
As soon as you start your weekly cardio exercise routine, kick off your weight training too, which goes a long way toward speeding up your metabolism, hence helping you to burn off more calories.
(Note: 1 additional lb of muscle you pack into your body, you'll get to burn off an extra of 30-50 calories per day while you're resting as muscle lifts up your resting metabolic rate )
Eat Healthy Snacks

Skip or avoid sugary stuffs like cakes, white bread, chips, muffins, biscuits & cookies.

If you eat too much of these kinds of food, you send your blood-sugar levels on a roller-coaster ride (up and down like crazy).

And when they drop, you’re more likely to eat the first thing you can lay your hands on.

Eat healthy, high-fiber snacks like figs, raisins or whole-wheat crackers with veggies. Also low-fat milk and yogurt. They fill you up and reduce your hunger pangs.

Keep A Watch On Calories

Hey! This doesn't mean you go on a restricted, very low calorie diet or a fad diet that eliminates some food groups entirely.

It means eating less of empty-calorie food like chips, white bread, cakes, etc. and less of fatty and fried food stuff.

Go for nutrient-rich foods that contain healthy source of fat (unsaturated fat), lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and low-fat dairy products.

Spread out your meals by eating small, frequent ones throughout the day. This will keep your blood sugar levels steady and help prevent you from overeating.

When your calories are distributed throughout the day, they’re also metabolized more efficiently and are less likely to be stored as fat.

Make Strategic Changes

Like any other weight loss efforts, losing baby fat takes a combination of exercise, healthy eating and behavioral change, I guess.

But you don't have to toil and struggle to lose it. Make a couple of strategic changes like what my sister and my friend Sandy do per above; you'll bid "farewell" to the fat, really.

Think this page's cool? Bookmark it!Click one of the little buttons below and you're done.

ADD TO YOUR SOCIAL BOOKMARKS: