Say you just gave birth, baby's out and about, and you take your time walking over to the mirror- hoping to see that pre-pregnancy body staring back at you. Sorry, but more than likely, you're not going to see it. You have to remember that your body has gone through approximately ten months of reshaping, stretching and preparing for delivery. You have housed another life inside your body, and although it is possible for you to return to that lean physique you so desperately miss, its going to take a little effort on your part.
According to my Female Health Advisor, Rochelle W., new moms should start off slow if they want to regain the body they are looking for. "The female body is designed to have children." Women who have children "have to allow their bodies time to return to their natural state. But you must be proactive."
There are a number of exercises that are beneficial to healthy weight loss. Especially kegel exercises, which help tone the pelvic floor muscles that were over-stretched during birth. So please, stay away from those crash diets; they can do more harm than good. Like with all exercise regimens, this should be a lifestyle change. My wife, and the mother of my 6-month old daughter, was at her wits end when she discovered that after she gave birth her body didn't magically return to its pre-pregnancy size. Although she heeded her doctor's advice to wait, my wife anxiously wanted to return to her active lifestyle so that she could feel good about herself and her appearance.
Luckily she followed her doctor's advice by doing very mild activities, she was avid about breastfeeding (which really helped), and after being cleared by the doctor she allowed me to train her again. (I also bought her a Wii Fit). But one of the best things she did was to begin taking yoga. She said that yoga provided her with the peace of mind she needed. It gave her a few minutes out of the house (or in a separate room while our daughter was asleep) to focus on herself, her breathing and her life as a new mom. After a few weeks, she dropped 20lbs. Now, six months later she has lost the full pregnancy weight (give or take a few pounds) and fits comfortably into her new pair of Express Skinny Leg jeans.
Losing weight post pregnancy should be a natural progression, not a quick fix. You should also get your doctor's OK before beginning any exercise program.
2 comments:
Thank you so much for this article. It can be depressing to see another body in the mirror. I just had my little one a few weeks ago and I'm hoping to lose the 40 pounds I gained. This article is very inspring.
Now I'm wondering where were you 10 years ago. Still, I'm taking the every other day advice and using all the exercise in this video on one of my 3 days.
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