Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.
Being a mother is one of the greatest and most fulfilling experiences a woman can have. You spend nine months growing a fully functioning human inside of you and you cherish every moment. But now you have given birth and you want to fit into your old jeans again. Any new mother knows this conundrum all too well. For some, losing the baby weight is simple, for others, they are not so lucky.
Losing weight is tough as it is, but when you have the extra baby weight, it can take a long time to drop those pesky kilos. It is supposed to take you as long as your pregnancy lasted, sometimes longer. Still, there are some things that you might not have thought of that are hindering your weight loss progress.
Your Diet Hasn’t Changed Since Pre-Pregnancy
It is a common misconception that you need to pick up a lot of weight to support a growing baby. You are only supposed to pick up an average of 20 kilos including the weight of the baby. The truth is that more than half of pregnant women in the UK are either obese before being pregnant, or become so during those nine months. Any extra weight before the pregnancy will be much harder to get rid of once you have given birth.
One way to boost your weight loss is to continue breastfeeding. It takes a lot of energy to produce the milk that your baby needs. Just don’t do it for longer than two years. Another myth is that you can eat whatever you want while pregnant. While your cravings might dictate otherwise, you should now be avoiding processed food at all costs. Your baby needs extra nutrients now that it is growing outside of your womb.
Nutritional Needs Have Changed
Pregnancy can change a woman’s body in surprising ways. Some women’s feet swell up and never go back down to their original size. You might have even developed a deficiency from the extra work your body had to go through. If you weren’t eating healthy before, you will have to start. A few months after giving birth your body will still go through major hormone fluctuations, so you might need more vitamins and minerals than before.
As a mom, you also don’t have the same luxury of time to make healthy meals. You need to make an effort to at least get enough range of vitamins every day. An excellent option for busy moms is meal replacement shakes. Marketed as weight loss shakes, you will get all the nutrients and minerals you need with only 125 calories per serving. Definitely browse this range of weight loss shakes from Shake That Weight. From pineapple to strawberry or coffee and vanilla you have the choice of gluten-free and lactose-free shakes suitable for any diet. Shake That Weight shakes include more than 20 of the essential vitamins you need on any given day.
You Lack Quality Sleep
This is another aspect of your life that will completely change post-pregnancy. Your baby will have a very disjointed sleep schedule for the first few months of its life. The common practice is to sleep when your baby does, but this isn’t always possible. Sometimes you need to clean the house or prepare some meals for your infant. Sleep affects your body in many ways, and without it, you will start to experience more than just problems with weight loss.
A lack of sleep messes with your brain and you start to lose vital functions after just 48 hours without it. Even if you are getting enough hours per night, you might not be getting quality sleep. You need to reach full REM sleep where dreams start to occur, otherwise, you won’t function the next day.
Trying Too Hard
Proper healthy weight loss takes time. The fastest that you can lose weight without causing negative side effects is one kilogram per week. In the beginning, you will mostly lose water weight but then your body will adjust and you will plateau. This is when you need to amp up either your exercise routine or amend your diet. The problem is that you need to be patient. Give it at least six months before you try to hit the gym harder or attempt meal fasting. You need to give your body enough time to adapt, otherwise, you are just jeopardising your efforts.
Eating With Your Baby
While you might think it’s easier to just snack as your baby does, you will unintentionally be eating more calories than you expel. A few bites of puree here and a soft biscuit there add up and soon you have eaten an extra 200 calories. Take a few extra minutes to make something healthy and filling for yourself.
Whether you are a new mom or you already have children, losing the baby weight is the same. But, one of these above causes might be the reason why you are having a harder time than is normal.
Disclosure – this is a collaborative post.