New moms have a lot to think about: when to feed the baby, what to do if they cry...and how to focus on fitness to get rid of those extra pounds packed on during pregnancy.
There is a TON of conflicting information out there about how to lose baby weight. If you’re not an expert, it’s really difficult to know where to start. Especially when you’re sleep-deprived, overwhelmed, and already have so much else on your plate!
If you don’t know where to start (or if sifting through postpartum fitness programs makes your head spin), you’re not alone. But getting back your pre-baby body doesn’t have to be complicated...
5 Postpartum Fitness Tips
Give yourself- and your body- grace and patience
Let’s start here. Seriously. You just had a baby–you have a lot to be happy about! You have plenty of time to focus on fat loss. Instead of stressing about how the latest celeb went straight from the delivery room to her size 0 jeans, take some time to enjoy these moments and to revel in the miracle of your pregnancy and the birth of your sweet bundle of joy. They say that time flies. And it’s true. You’ll never get these first few weeks back. Remember what truly matters. Don’t miss these moments by obsessing over a few extra pounds.
Just Do Something!
What do you do when you are so busy you barely have time to scarf down a meal, let alone get a workout in? Since having Jackson, “just do something” has become my motto. Really, it comes down to either doing something or nothing . . . it’s your choice.
It’s ok if you can’t commit to a full workout today. In fact, with a new baby, some days finding just 30 minutes in a row might be impossible. That’s ok! I suggest breaking up the time into 10-minute increments–then work your way up to 20 or 30-minute sessions as you can. The key is to do SOMETHING… Here’s an example:
- 10 body weight squats
- 10 squat jumps
- 10 lunges
- 10 push ups
Set Realistic Goals
When it does come time to get serious about your fat loss, make sure you keep your expectations in check. It’s tempting to set unrealistic goals and then be frustrated when we aren’t where we “should” be. Although every new mom is eager to look like our old selves again, one of the most important things to remember is to be patient with yourself.
Give yourself some grace and remember, it CAN be done . . . but it’s going to take time to get your body back. How much time?
The National Women’s Health Information Center advises that about one pound per week is a safe amount of weight to lose postpartum, and will not affect your milk supply or the baby’s growth. With the average woman gaining about 30 pounds during pregnancy, and typically losing around 18 to 20 in the first month, that final 10 pounds will push your postpartum fat loss goal to several months after baby makes an arrival.
Don't Diet
You heard all about “eating for two” while you were pregnant, but what about now? When you’re a new mother, your body needs maximum nutrition, so immediately dropping your caloric intake to an unreasonable level isn’t healthy, and may actually cause you to gain weight or do some long term damage to your metabolism. You certainly don’t have to count calories (in fact, I prefer to focus on quality over quantity).
To give you an idea of what you need to sustain your baby while you are breastfeeding and safely lose fat, the National Women’s Health Information Center advises consuming at least 1,800 calories per day. For a healthy baby AND momma, concentrate on well-balanced, healthy food choices that include foods rich in calcium, zinc, magnesium, vitamin B6, and folate. Remember to focus on foods that keep your hunger, energy and cravings balanced. If you do that, the caloric intake will take care of itself.
Understand The Hormones
Calories in vs. calories out is NOT the whole picture when it comes to fat loss–especially postpartum. You know that the key to sustainable fat loss comes in both a caloric deficit (that is, burning more calories than you consume) AND balanced metabolic hormones. But for new moms who are breastfeeding and can’t sustain a significant caloric deficit, the hormonal balance becomes even more important.
Another complete blog post could be done on postpartum hormones, but here’s the deal in a nutshell . . . . prolactin, the master hormone responsible for lactation, affects a large number of systems throughout the body. It stimulates the production and secretion of milk, depresses fat production in the liver and stimulates the delivery of glucose and lactate to the mammary gland for enhanced fat production.
Research shows that there is also a suppression of the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis at this point, which is responsible for the release of the stress hormones. This may dampen the responses to exercise in terms of having increased energy and fat burning, and many women experience a slight lowering of their basal metabolic rate (the calories you burn at rest), as well as an increase in water and weight retention.
Embrace The Endorphins
Beyond helping you burn the baby fat, exercise provides additional hormonal benefits to a new mom. In addition to lowering stress hormones and stimulating fat burning hormones like HGH, exercise releases endorphins that will help ease the postpartum blues that almost every new mom encounters.
Not only does it help with depression, but I also found just 10 minutes of exercise to help me sleep better, and it is a huge help in relieving stress (as wonderful as it is, having a new baby in the house is stressful). Even if you don’t have the time or energy to get back into a full training schedule, you can take advantage of those feel good hormones by squeezing in short 10- to 20-minute walks as soon (and as often) as possible.
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About The Author: Kate Horney
As a new mom, I know what it’s like to be a busy woman who wants to regain her body (and energy). I created BeyondFit Mom to give women the tools needed to reach their fat-loss, health, energy, nutrition, and training goals. It’s not about a quick-fix program that leaves you floundering after a few weeks. BeyondFit Life is about results now and in the future. It’s about ongoing support, learning, education, and information sharing so you can take your results “BeyondFit” and into the rest of your life. I’m the founder of BeyondFit Mom, with a Bachelor’s degree in Health and Exercise Science. I’m a professional fat-loss expert with years of experience in helping women shed body fat, boost fitness, and learn how to live a fat-loss lifestyle. I’m also a mom to two little boys, and BeyondFit Mom is my other baby!
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