Post-Partum Weight Loss
Post-Partum Weight Loss – Have you just had your baby and ready to get back to your old self? Be patient about shedding the baby weight! Learn more about post-partum weight loss in this video.
Expert: Flisser, Adam J., NYU School of Medicine;FACOG, Gynecology
Transcript
Supermodel Heidi Klum had a baby, then almost immediately slimmed down to her pre-pregnancy weight, and was back on the runway in six weeks flat!
If you’re thinking you could be like Heidi, RELAX. You’re a new mom and a normal person and your weight loss goals should reflect that! While it’s admirable to want to shed baby weight, your doctor may ask that you hold off on slimming down until after your six week postpartum checkup.
If you delivered vaginally, however, the American Academy of OBGYNs says that you can GRADUALLY begin exercising as soon as YOU feel up to it. Note that women who gave birth via c-section do NOT usually have this option and must wait six to eight weeks to begin an exercise program.
Regardless, once you decide it’s time to begin a fitness routine, the number one rule is to go SLOW. Try gentle aerobic activity, like brisk walking, swimming, or biking, to lose those pounds quickly and safely. In addition, avoid sit-ups or other exercises that could strain your abdominal muscles post-pregnancy. If you’re like most women, you developed a gap in those muscles while you were expecting, and you’ll need to go easy on the area for at least eight weeks.
As you begin your regimen, have realistic goals – just because Angelina Jolie was back in skinny jeans in eight weeks doesn’t mean you have to be, at all! In fact, it’s not even SAFE to lose more than a pound or two a week, according to most doctors.
You should expect it to take ten months to a full year to lose the 25 or more pounds you put on during pregnancy. This is especially true if you’re breastfeeding, as rapid weight loss can release bad-for-baby toxins normally stored in body fat into your milk. But the good news for breastfeeding moms is that nursing will help you lose weight. That’s because, during your pregnancy, your body was busy storing up nourishing fat to feed your baby once he or she arrived. Now that your little one is here, your baby will be taking this fat directly from your body, in turn helping you reach your weight loss goals!
Also, you require about 500 calories a day simply to produce breast milk. You can use those extra 500 calories to add more healthy food to your diet, or to help you lose that extra baby weight. In fact, svelte celebs like Christina Aguilera and Gwyneth Paltrow credit their rapid weight loss in part to having made the choice to breastfeed. And Jodi Foster even said she “just couldn’t stop losing weight” while nursing!
Remember, though, that you shouldn’t CUT calories while you’re breastfeeding, EVEN IF weight loss is your goal. Instead, make sure to eat a healthy, well-balanced diet that includes plenty of fruits and vegetables, whole-grains and calcium-rich foods. Remember that every woman’s weight loss goals and post-pregnancy body will be different, so it’s best to consult your doctor before beginning ANY kind of weight loss plan.
Last Modified: 2013-04-11
Category: Health and Nutrition
