6 Effective Ways to Lose Weight after Having a Baby (2430 hits)
When it comes to pregnancy there is one common question asked by new moms, veteran moms, and moms-to-be: "How do I get my body back after having a baby?" While there’s no single formula that works for all women, I can definitely provide some real insight from my own unique personal and professional experiences.
Standing 5'7" postpartum I weighed 175 pounds. I should mention that during pregnancy I had gained a whopping 65 pounds, 40 of which I lost within 2 months of my son’s birth, thanks to breastfeeding. Although I exercised regularly, the additional 25 pounds lingered for over a year and I had some serious butt and thigh cellulite to go with it. Fed up with my appearance and reduced energy levels I did what I had to do.
I began to implement a very high-intensity cardio routine comprised of running, elliptical training, and cycling, 5-6 days a week with 3-4 days of resistance training emphasizing my upper- and lower-body muscle groups. In addition, I eliminated any and all overly processed foods from my diet and deprived myself of anything that I didn’t cook on a regular basis in order to avoid hidden fat, sugar, and sodium in unfamiliar foods.
Once I implemented these exercise and eating strategies I was able to lose the 25 pounds within a few months.
Now, everyone is different and I certainly don’t expect any woman, especially a mom, to spend countless hours in the gym day in and day out. Furthermore, I understand the need for moms to have healthy but easy to implement eating strategies for reaching their weight loss goals.
As a health, fitness and nutrition expert, recreational athlete, and mom with nearly 15 years of experience in helping women manage their weight, I know a thing or two about getting folks in shape prior to, during, and after pregnancy. With that said, I’ve compiled a list of six highly effective strategies that pretty much guarantee successful and sustained postpartum weight loss.
