A nutritious diet and exercise regimen key to shedding pounds.
After nine months of continual weight gain, once delivery day comes and baby finally arrives, most women want to lose the additional pounds gained during pregnancy quickly. Although it can be difficult, creating and following a post-pregnancy diet and exercise plan is instrumental in not only losing weight but also in keeping it from returning.
Post-Pregnancy Diet to Boost Metabolism
A diverse yet well-balanced diet is key to losing weight and maintaining a healthy lifestyle after pregnancy. Eating fish, chicken, lean cuts of beef and low-fat dairy products provide the protein needed to build lean muscle. Fruits, vegetables and whole grains provide fiber and energy for exercise and can give the feeling of fullness for longer periods of time than other foods. Fiber is also difficult to break down, which makes the body use more energy and boosts metabolism in the process. Eating 5 to 6 times per day, or about every 2 to 3 hours, will also aid in losing weight by increasing metabolism. After each meal, the metabolism is stimulated for a short time and reassures the body that it is not going to starve. Therefore it will not be tricked into storing fat. While caffeine may or may not increase metabolism, nutritional supplements such as fish oil can increase metabolism by up to 400 calories per day, according to researchers from the University of Western Ontario (see Reference 2). Choose capsules containing at least 300 milligrams of EPA and DHA total for the most significant metabolism boost.
Exercise
Women should wait 6 weeks after giving birth vaginally or 8 weeks if by cesarean section before participating in any exercise regimen. After receiving clearance from a doctor, beginning an exercise program will help to burn daily calories that are consumed and fat that was gained during pregnancy. Start a cardiovascular program by walking 30 minutes per day 3 days a week to build endurance and stamina for more intense future workouts. Increasing the length of walking or running time and frequency will build muscle while burning additional calories. Combine this with the strength training benefits received from yoga or pilates on alternate days to receive maximum results. Special attention should be paid to the abdominal muscles by doing crunches daily, since they can separate during pregnancy due to the growth of the baby. Although exercise is a significant component in a successful weight loss program, never exercise to the point of exhaustion and stop exercising and contact a doctor if there is increased vaginal bleeding, dizziness or heart palpitations.
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