Getting Your Body Back

Pregnancy affects women in different ways and levels and it can leave a mark on their body as well as on their mind. It can be a beautiful experience, the waiting, planning, imagining, but on the other side after gaining some weight you want to get in the good shape and to turn out to be an amazing mother in every sense of it.

Weight loss

After your baby is born and when you get used to the routine it is time to start to work on your body. In the beginning, although you may feel tired and without energy a good start can be just going for a walk. Every next day the walks should be longer and you can even push your baby in a stroller. It may take a while to lose weight which you gained in pregnancy. Walks will improve your circulation and you will finally be out of the house. Focus should also be on healthy eating. Fiber (whole grain) is good for you because it fills you up with fewer calories and pairing it with protein will also keep you feeling fuller for a longer period of time. You should downsize your proportions and what is really important is that you should eat breakfast (just a bowl of whole-grain cereal with a yogurt can do the job) because it will help your metabolism and it will boost up your energy.

Saggy skin?

First of all you should lose weight slowly. If you want your belly to be tighter you will need to concentrate on losing body fat. If you lose your weight quickly it can affect your bone health and your muscles. Skin needs time to adjust to the new shape after being very elastic for nine months so you have to be patient. The best way to tighten your skin is to start exercising. If you think that you cannot do it on your own and if you have problems with saggy skin and other parts of the body, you can consult a specialist who can help you with it, and you can even have a small noninvasive procedure such as breast lift.

Cardio

After longer walks and a bit of running you can start your cardio exercises. The best way to do this is for at least 20 minutes, 3-5 days a week. You can start by exercising for a shorter period of time but when you get your energy and shape back you can go for a longer period. Cardio is great for your metabolism and your muscles. Also, while exercising you should consume enough protein because it is important for building muscles and toning skin.

Breastfeeding

Because your body uses about 500 extra calories per day producing milk there is a possibility that it can affect your weight loss as well. However, you shouldn’t be on a diet while breastfeeding because it can affect your milk supply, and you need a lot of fruit, vegetables and proteins.

Have a nap

Getting enough of sleep can also affect your weight loss. It helps you because you won’t need any high-calorie, high-sugar foods to boost up your energy. Your metabolism may suffer with lack of sleep and you won’t have energy for anything especially not for exercises.

Healthy snacks and water

Don’t eat too much sugar because it can play with your blood-sugar and if it drops you will crave anything that is sweet. Low-fat milk and yogurt are good for snacks as well as high-fiber snacks such as vegetables because you won’t feel hungry. Water is very important for hydrating your skin and making it more elastic so you wouldn’t have problems with stretch marks. It will help your body to burn more calories especially while exercising. And most importantly it can help in reducing the water retention in your belly.

You have to love and know your body and you shouldn’t exaggerate in trying to look fit. Still, if you want something extreme and maybe faster you can always find help and ask your doctor about it. Neither extreme diets nor strict exercise programs are good for you, just take it step by step and you will see the results very soon.