For most women, the time after a delivery is not just about weight loss. It is also about regaining the before-pregnancy body shape and firmness. The unfortunate truth is that for many women the changes from pregnancy can never be completely undone. However, with hard work and determination, most of the time nearly all of the change can be reversed to a tolerable level.
The most obvious part of regaining the pre-pregnancy figure is to shed those extra pounds stored by your body to help nourish the baby. Because limited eating habits are frequently discarded during pregnancy, the first step to losing the weight is to reduce the amount of food that is consumed. Your body no longer needs to eat for a second person unless you are breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding, that alone may well take care of your excess pounds. Just be careful when you wean the baby not to overindulge.
An old-fashioned diet will be the answer to dropping that weight. Eat balanced, but eat less. That is the key. If you are returning to work, eat a light breakfast and take a salad for lunch. This will cut at least 500 calories from your day. At supper, eat a small portion of meat with mostly vegetables. If you can restrict yourself to about 1200 to 1500 calories per day, You should lose about two to four pounds per week depending on your size.
If you will force yourself to play with your child about an hour per day with lifting and spinning type of play, this will be the equivalent of an exercise routine. Just remember, this is a baby and not a dumbbell. Be careful. You can hold the baby and do knee bends. Lift the little one repeated above your head and lower it back down.
This makes good bonding for your and the baby, and a good workout for you. As the baby adds pounds naturally, you are getting a progressively harder workout each day and week. Keep it up and reap the dividends of a happy baby and a great body.
With this exercise combined with the diet, you should be able to drop between 10 and 20 pounds in a month or so. When you feel up to it, add in some stretching and toning workouts. This will bring your tummy and hips back to where you had them prior to pregnancy. Whether after pregnancy or not, a good diet and workout regimen is important to your sense of well-being and health.
