Postpartum Weight Loss
After giving birth, I’m sure that you will want to bounce back to the body you had before pregnancy. Unfortunately, the weight you gained won’t simply disappear overnight. Here you'll find information on the various steps you can take to lose the weight you gained during pregnancy.
Please, always bear in mind, that you just gave birth and it is important to take care of your body in its vulnerable and tired stage. You should focus on keeping your baby and yourself healthy and not all on the weight you have gained.
One might think that losing those 10 kilos after birth is an insuperable task. However, it might be a lot easier than previously conceived.
Dieting For Weight Loss
Dieting is an absolute no until the baby is at least 6 weeks old, and even then always consult your doctor to ensure it will not do harm. In addition, by becoming a mother you’ve just taken on a 24 hour job, a low calorie diet will leave you tired and fatigued. You’re most likely already sleep deprived and forcing your body into an even worse state can be detrimental.
Postpartum Nutrition
Eating foods which are high in fibre can help immensely with weight loss. These are foods such as wholegrain breakfast cereals, oranges and potatoes. Soluble fibre foods like beans, lentils and avocados help by:
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slowing down digestion
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increasing your levels of fullness
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helping to regulate your appetite hormone levels
It is also smart to avoid processed food. Replace those chips and cookies with fresh and nutrient dense food! Give yourself little snacks when you need them, but try having some orange slices or a muesli bar instead of diving straight for that bag of buttered popcorn.
Breastfeeding & Weight Loss
Breastfeeding has been proven to help new mothers burn off calories. In fact breastfeeding can burn off up to 500 calories per day. Bet you didn’t know that! After you stop breastfeeding, your body will burn less calories as it has less work to do. So, it is in this time that you should take notice of and refine your diet.
Ketogenic Diet and Breastfeeding
A new diet that is currently on the rise is the ketogenic diet, which I’m sure you have all heard of before. This diet is a strict no carb diet, which provides quick results. However, is it safe for new mothers to dive straight into this diet which is dominating the media? If you are breastfeeding, probably not. Whilst breastfeeding, stay on the safe side and ensure you are still consuming carbs (at least 50 grams of it a day). When your baby is a few months older and off breast milk, it is then when you can consider going on a strict keto diet.
Alcohol
After giving birth, we highly recommend avoiding alcohol. In your quest to lose weight, alcohol is certainly no help. In addition, the alcohol can be passed on to your baby through breastfeeding. Time your feedings if you do plan on drinking alcohol to reduce the risk it can cause your child.
