Lose pregnancy weight

If you’ve been recently pregnant then one of the biggest things on your mind will probably how to get rid of all the extra weight you’ve gained.  A typical woman can gain between 25 and 35 pounds of extra weight during her pregnancy.  There are a few factors in how this extra weight is gained along with some advice on how to lose it.

Directly after the birth most of your extra weight will probably come off naturally without much work.  But it’s those extra stubborn pounds that don’t immediately go away that we’ll be dealing with here.  Here’s a few things you can do right off the bat in order to lose those additional leftover pounds.

• Visit your doctor for a checkup to make sure that you are in good shape to lose weight.  Most woman will be ok to exercise four to six weeks after birth.  In the case of a cesarean section however a longer period of approximately eight weeks might be needed.  In either case check with your doctor to make sure.
• Once the doctor gives the ok then set a realistic goal for losing these pounds.  Generally one or two pounds a week is a good goal for any weight loss routine and it applies here as well.
• You will probably have to make some changes in your diet for this to happen.  Diet is a big part of losing weight, probably about 80% of the work.  During your pregnancy you might have gained some bad habits with all your cravings.  Now is the time to stop and get back to eating a lighter and healthier diet.
• Next of course is adding some exercise to your regiment.  Start slowly at first to ease your body into it with some cardio and muscle training.  Although most woman don’t want bulging muscles a little muscle can help lose weight due to the increase in metabolism.  So don’t be afraid to add some weight training along with the cardio.  Alternate days with cardio and muscle training aiming for about 45 minutes to an hour each day.  The key is to keep it consistent and something you can enjoy doing for the long haul.

With the above plans in place you should be well on your way to losing those pounds and inches gained from your new lovely baby.  You can even bring your baby with you to your exercises and meet other mothers in the same situation as you.  It can be helpful to have support with other mothers with the same goal as you.  This helps with motivation during your workouts and will surely increase your progress.

Being a new mother entails many new challenges, your weight loss goals are just one of the new responsibilities you’ll have with your new baby.  It’s an exciting time so use this energy to help propell your exercise and diet goals forward and get back to your pre-birth physique.