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Lessons of Motherhood, No. 7: Losing that extra baby
weight
By Errin Stevenson
February 15, 2008 | There is one
fact of pregnancy, you gain weight. Whether you want
to or not, you will and you should. But, the key is
not to worry about the weight gain during pregnancy
but the shedding of the pounds after. I am a weight
control nut and found many ways to help me lose those
extra pounds after pregnancy.
The first step is to breastfeed.
After labor, breastfeeding naturally pulsates your uterus
to make it shrink in size. According to babycenter.com,
"While you're pregnant, your body automatically
layers on extra fatty tissue so you'll have enough fat
stores to begin and support breastfeeding. After you
have your baby, however, if what you eat is varied and
well balanced, breastfeeding can help you lose your
pregnancy weight without compromising either your health
or your baby's by dieting. And you naturally burn calories
to make breast milk every time you nurse." Babyfit.com
says it burns 750 calories per day. So, there is your
first step to shedding those few extra pounds.
The second step is to start eating
healthy. Nursing your newborn should give you one reason
to eat healthy, but doing it for yourself should be
number two. Fruits, vegetables, and whole grains are
a perfect way to start. Choose browns over whites, dark
vegetables and fruits over light, and always grilled
over fried. Not only do they keep your calorie count
low, they also increase the health of your whole body.
It is amazing to me that we sometimes forget that what
we intake has a huge impact on the results of our bodies
in 10 years. You are not going to have much time to
make yourself a lunch with a baby, so go to the store
and buy quick healthy snacks. Some snacks and meals
that I have found that are easy are yogurt and fruits,
apples and cheese, quick deli sandwiches and pretzels.
Make sure to drink lots of water. Dieticians say if
you start to drink eight cups a day, you will shed pounds
in two weeks. According to Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael
Roizen, two famous American doctors, "cutting just
100 calories a day can help you lose a pound per month."
They go on to say, "…It is a dieting strategy that
most people can sustain for a lifetime." I think
we can all make the effort to not eat 100 calories per
day.
The third step is to exercise. For
me, stroller rides were the best way to exercise with
a new baby. On summer nights, it is relaxing too! If
it is winter and stroller rides are not an option, then
staying active at home can be another option. Quick,
ten-minute workout videos are great. They can burn a
few calories in the morning for you to have a fresh
start. Something that I also try to do when I am at
home a lot is to do everything big. If you are going
to go upstairs, put some hustle to your bustle. If you
are going to do laundry, vacuum, blow-dry your hair
or bounce your baby, do it as big as you can. It may
sound quite silly, but I promise, it works. You are
the only one home, so have fun and get some exercise
into those daily tasks. It is hard as a mom to find
time to go to the gym with a baby.
Good luck and remember, go BIG!
DM
DM
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