How To Lose 30 Pounds After Pregnancy

Monitor Your Calorie Intake

We know, calorie counting isnt for everyone. But if youre finding that eating intuitively just doesnt seem to be working, monitoring calories can help you work out how much you are eating and where any problem areas in your eating plan may be.

It can also help you ensure you are getting enough calories to provide you with the energy and nutrition you need.

You can do this by:

• trying a mobile calorie tracking app
• sharing your daily calorie intake with a friend who is also monitoring calories for accountability

Using these techniques can help you reduce your portion sizes and choose healthier foods, which helps with weight loss.

Staying Busy & Feeling Fulfilled

Lastly, after figuring out some kind of natural rhythm between mothering duties and focusing on my career, my blog in a sense helped me lose weight. Its my creative outlet, my other baby, and I love the freedom it gives me to have one foot at home and one foot at work. Its a documentation of my life, and it helps me stay aware of all the blessings over the years pretty amazing! It gives me the fulfillment I crave on a daily basis as a go-getter.

Staying/working at home requires a lot of willpower to be able to organize yourself. And sometimes the hours run into days and days into weeks and weeks into months, feeling like youre doing the same thing over and over again. Feed, bathe, diaper, play, sleep over and over. Groundhog Day, right? My hobby blog allowed me to have goals for myself that in turn made me a happier and more fulfilled mama.

I highly encourage SAHMs to have a little place for themselves to be able to do things they love and have conversations with other adults outside of daily mommy and housework responsibilities whether it be work, a hobby, involvement in organizations, whatever. We were all somebody before having kids, right? Thats what keeps me sane and balanced, haha. And a happier mama is less likely to turn to negative things for comfort.

Diet And Physical Activity Postpartum

With the exception of breast-feeding , losing the baby weight is really no different from losing weight at any other point in life, according to the experts who spoke with Live Science.

“Evidence shows us that both nutrition and physical activity play an important role in the weight-loss process for anyone attempting to lose weight,” van der Pligt said. “For women following childbirth, this really isn’t any different.”

Indeed, in her 2013 review of studies on the topic, published in the journal Obesity Reviews, van der Pligt concluded that “overall, programs which target combined nutrition and physical activity strategies have been more effective than those which focus on just one of these.” She noted that “programs which included individualized support are also important.”

In the review, van der Pligt and her colleagues reviewed data from 11 studies that were focused on postpartum weight-loss interventions. They found that seven of the studies involved interventions that were effective in helping women lower their weight retention after pregnancy, and that, of these, six included both dietary and physical activity components, according to the review. The authors concluded, however, that “the optimal setting, delivery, intervention length and recruitment approach” for the most effective interventions remain unclear.

All of the experts we spoke with agreed: Walking is a great way for new moms to get exercise.

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What Does Pregnancy Weight Consist Of

According to the recommendation by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, women within a healthy weight range with a single baby gain approximately 25 to 35 pounds or 11.5 to 16 kilograms during pregnancy consisting of:

• Baby weight: 7.5 lbs

Have Your Thyroid Checked

If you eat healthy and exercise regularly and still canât lose weight, your thyroid might not be working like it should. This happens in about 5% of people, and it’s most common in women and people over 60. In addition to weight gain, it can also cause fatigue, joint or muscle pain, and depression. Medications can help, so get it checked if you think it might be an issue.

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Effective Ways To Lose Weight After Pregnancy

Once your baby is born, you might get entangled in a web of problems. You may think about several questions like how to take care of your baby when to feed him or her, or even how to could get rid of the extra weight that you picked up during pregnancy.

However, losing weight after delivery could be a daunting task. The process may become even more difficult If you had put on more weight as recommended by your doctor during your pregnancy.

The reduction of this weight could even take up to one year. On the other hand, if you had a normal weight during pregnancy as was recommended by your doctor, then it might be easily reduced.

You could lose the entire pregnancy weight in a couple of months. But this may be possible only if you follow the different tips that can help you to lose weight after delivery.

It is very crucial to lose weight after delivery because any such weight could stick with you for a longer time.Besides this, there are several other important reasons for pregnant ladies to lose weight after delivery. Let us have a look at them.

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Getting Help From Your Healthcare Provider

Diet and exercise are the best ways to lose weight healthily for most women, but in some cases, your healthcare provider may need to step in. The following options might be considered if you have a BMI above 30 or have certain medical conditions along with a high BMI.

• Medication. If you havenât been able to get your BMI below 30 with lifestyle changes alone, your healthcare provider may prescribe medication to help with weight loss.

• Surgery. This may be recommended by your healthcare provider only if medications donât work, and if you have an exceptionally high BMI.

Your healthcare provider may be able to help you with things like meal plans, safe exercises you can do in the postpartum period, and guidance on how much weight is safe for you to lose in a given time frame.

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Does Breastfeeding Help You Lose Weight

Breastfeeding has been shown to help new mothers lose weight. In order to produce milk, your body spends around 300-500 extra calories each day.

As long as youre eating a healthy diet, this energy expense will help you create the calorie deficit that is necessary to lose weight after giving birth. While you breastfeed, youre also releasing hormones thatll help shrink your post-baby uterus, which can flatten your belly faster.

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Why Is My Belly Still Big After Delivery

Many women face the issues of big belly post-delivery. Hence, before going to the home remedies for reducing belly fat after delivery, it is essential to understand the causes. Your uterus has expanded throughout the pregnancy to accommodate your baby. Hence, it will take some time to get back to its original shape. This is the same for your increased belly. The hormonal changes after delivery start controlling the size of the stomach but will take significant time.

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How Much Weight Can You Lose Breastfeeding

While breastfeeding, women burn an average of 500 additional calories a day. This may sound like a secret formula for weight loss, but its important to get those calories back. Maintaining a calorie deficit can leave your body without enough energy to support recovery, milk production and other important functions. But with a healthy diet and exercise plan, its still possible to shed some baby weight while breastfeeding.

Your Body Functions Differently

Trying to dive head first into your postpartum workout routine without fully understanding how your body has changed is a recipe for disaster.

Most moms are not aware of how pregnancy and childbirth have affected their bodysonly to be left with embarrassing and frustrating side effects such as urinary incontinence, chronic back pain and a lingering belly pooch that wont go away.

However, it is impossible to work toward your postpartum weight loss and fitness goals if you cant exercise without peeing your pants or experience chronic pain in your pelvis or back.

I personally remember being unable to walk or even squat properly for months after I was cleared to exercise. As an athlete, this was incredibly frustrating and I wish I knew then, what I know now.

What you can do

• Resume postpartum exercise the right way- Before jumping into your first workout, please take the time to learn and understand how to navigate exercise and your postpartum body so you dont set yourself back by creating more problems by doing incorrect exercises.

• Focus on healing your core and pelvic floor- If you have a lingering belly pooch that you just cant get rid of, you could have something called Diastasis Recti and many traditional ab exercises can actually make it worse. If getting a flat tummy after having a baby is your goal, then you will need to heal your core and pelvic floor correctly.

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I Choose Fiber And Protein Rich Foods:

In order to combat breastfeeding hunger, I choose foods high in fiber and protein. This helps me stay full for a long time! My smoothies are the main way I do this because they are full of fiber from whatever frozen fruit I choose, and my protein powder adds all the protein and nutrients I need for milk supply and healing!

If you follow me on Instagram, I try to post all my fat-burning lactation smoothie recipes that literally burn the fat and boost the milk supply!

Easy Exercises For New Moms

Ease back into exercise with simple moves that help you incorporate baby into your everyday routine.

Mom: Megan Highland Mills, New YorkLost: 25 pounds in 4 months

For the first few weeks after my baby was born, I kept her diaper changing station downstairs, which was easier while my body recovered from labor. But once I was all healed, I moved it to the second floor. This forces me to go up and down stairs to the nursery every time I need to change my daughters diaper. This became an easy way to burn calories!

Mom: Nicole Chicopee, MassachusettsLost: 35 pounds in 19 months

I walked with my daughter a little bit every single day, whether it was down the street, around the backyard, at the grocery store, or at the mall. Wed stroll for anywhere from 15 minutes to an hour a day, depending on how long my baby would stay into it.

Mom: Betty Forest Hills, New YorkLost: 23 pounds in 9 months

I needed a targetand a deadlineto motivate me to lose the baby weight. So, I decided to run a half-marathon nine months after having my baby. I figured since it took me that long to put the weight on, I should have at least that long to take it off. I started exercising slowly at first, just walks around the neighborhood, pushing the stroller. Then, once I was back at work, Id run at the gym during lunch. And slowly, I built up my speed and distance.

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How Long Will It Take To Get Back Into Shape

The good news is that you might lose as much as 20 pounds in the first few weeks after giving birth. On average, new moms lose around 13 pounds due to the babyâs weight, the amniotic fluid, and the placenta when giving birth. The week after you deliver, youâll likely shed several more pounds as you lose other retained fluids, like any extra water youâve retained or the extra blood your body produced during pregnancy.

Although youâll notice your weight drops very quickly to start with, you may find the scale seems to get stuck. It will take several months to shift the fat you gained during pregnancy.

It might take about 6 to 12 months to get close to your pre-pregnancy weight. Losing one to two pounds a week is what experts recommend as healthy for most women.

Your body needs time to recover and heal after pregnancy and childbirth, so try not to rush the process. It’s a tremendous accomplishment to carry and nurture a baby during the weeks and months of pregnancy, so avoid putting pressure on yourself to âbounce backâ into shape immediately.

Here Are Some Healthy Swaps I Make:

• Nuts instead of kids crackers and snack foods
• Fruit instead of granola bars
• Protein bars instead of sandwiches or bread
• Smoothies for fast meals instead of left-overs

Simple swaps like these can make a world of a difference, and they are often small enough that after a few days, you wont even notice you are making them.

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I Intermittent Fast When It Feels Natural:

Only when Im pregnant do I eat breakfast. I find myself hungry all the time, and I cant fast during pregnancy. Once I am postpartum, intermittent fasting feels natural to me again. I like coffee in the morning, and my smoothie as a late morning meal, rather than first thing. Ive done intermittent fasting since I was a barista years ago, so it works really well for my body.

Other Drags On The Postpartum Slim Down

Sadly, its not just a myth: Women in their 30s usually hang onto more baby weight than women in their 20s. And this gets worse in your late 30s and early 40s.

Consider the results of this study that tracked weight loss among postpartum women. Women under 30 usually returned to their pre-pregnancy weight by 18 months. The average 35-year woman, on the other hand, held onto an extra 5 pounds. For women 40 and up, the extra amount is 10 pounds.

Number of babies

Also not a myth. Losing weight the second time around really is harder.

If this is not your first baby, expect some extra padding to settle around your middle. More babies == bigger postpartum belly. With each baby, women tend to hold onto additional belly fat.

The Reality: You are not failing. You are not alone.

Is all that depressing? Sure. Also potentially reassuring? I would argue, yes.

Its hard for most of us to completely shed our pregnancy weight. Knowing this means we can let go of absurd standards, like getting our body back in 6 weeks.

Plus, realism can pave the road to acceptance. Many of us learn to love our new, squishier, softer selves. A lot of mothers end up embracing their new normal as a badge of honor.

Others of us will remain discontent, hiding our new waistline with mom jeans. And a lucky few will manage to slim back down to something resembling their pre-baby selves.

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Postpartum Weight Retention Is A Thing And It’s Totally Normal

It was a huge wake up call, when a year out, I was still a steady 5 lbs above my pre-baby weight. My son was finally sleeping through the night, I was working out fairly regularly, and eating well, and the needle on the scale would not budge.

Five pounds might not sound like much, but it was bad weight. Not the kind that fills out your curves, making you more a a curvy Kim Kardashian than a slender Audrey Hepburn. Nope. We are talking about the jelly donut that settles right around your middle.

It seemed unfair. Why me? I had done everything right. I had gone into pregnancy a normal weight. I had gained exactly 30 lbs., the amount the Institutes of Medicine recommends for women with my BMI.

I was still breastfeeding, allegedly a huge calorie burner. And although I was tired and drained with a new baby and being back at work, I was managing to work out a few times a week.

So why couldnt I get the weight off? What was wrong with me?

Well, probably nothing. Turns out my experience was 100% normal.

Getting back into shape after pregnancy takes time. Most women slowly lose most, but not all, of their baby weight for a full year after giving birth.

That popular adage nine months on, nine months off? Yeah, not so much.

Have These Healthy Foods

If youre unsure about what to eat after delivery, there are many small changes you can make. Eating more vegetables and fruits after delivery is always a good place to start, along with other foods that will help you lose weight and increase the quality of your breastmilk. These are some of the foods you should eat after giving birth:

• Low-fat dairy products

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Breastfeeding Helps You Lose Weight

Did you know that almost 500 calories are burned a day during breastfeeding? It is a lot. Thats why most of the time you dont need to diet , just by breastfeeding and watching what you eat a little, you will lose weight for sure.

During pregnancy, the body is concerned with storing fat to have reserves for lactation. It is a great effort for a mother to produce milk for the baby, in fact, breastfeeding involves more wear and tear on the mother than the pregnancy itself .

Im So Excited To Launch The New Baby Got Abs Program Coming Soon

This program will help you see your abs again after baby. If you are struggling to finally lose the mommy pooch, and your diastasis recti is healing, this program targets the loose skin and belly fat after pregnancy. Join the waitlist to get 50% off when the program launches!

There you have how I lost 30lbs after my fourth pregnancy. Postpartum weight loss is unique for everyone, especially if you are breastfeeding, but these tips should help you no matter where you are in your postpartum weight loss journey.

Ive found that the sooner I lose the weight, the better I feel as a mom. I have more energy, I feel better, and I can get back to my workout routine sooner. The sooner I get to working out again, the better I deal with the exhaustion that comes with having a newborn.

Ready to get those abs back after giving birth?

We know how hard it is to lose unwanted weight postpartum. Thats why we created the Baby Got Abs program to be your guide to getting those abs back! This program targets the loose skin and belly fat after pregnancy.

If you need help losing the baby weight and keeping up your milk supply, check out our program, The Postpartum Cure, provides you with a diet and a nutrition plan to lose weight, not milk supply!

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