6 Easy Tips To Get Your Pre-Pregnancy Body Back
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Pregnancy marks a huge change in a woman’s life. It takes 9 months of her life to create a new human being. In doing so, her body goes through tremendous changes. And those changes are nothing short of miraculous. Not only does a mother’s body expand to accommodate the growing baby, but it also prepares the mother to attend to the baby’s needs after s/he is born.
But what happens to the mother’s “new” body post pregnancy? Post-delivery, the new mothers seldom have any time to focus on themselves and when finally they do that, they are disappointed to find that their body has lost its shape, and it no longer resembles its pre-pregnancy self. The stretch marks, the baby pouch, the pregnancy weight — all these changes weigh down on the self-esteem of new mothers, and understandably so. So, how can they get their pre-pregnancy body back?
If you are a new mother who is finding it difficult to get back on track with regards to your body, worry not. You can restore your body to its pre-pregnancy glory by simply following these 6 easy tips. Here they are-
1. Include Lots Of Protein In Your Diet
Including more proteins in your diet will not only help you achieve your goal of weight loss faster, but it will also help your skin become plumper. It’s said that including protein in your diet precipitates weight loss as it makes you feel full for longer time periods, and also, it reduces your calorie intake (1).
Also, protein-rich foods such as eggs are rich in amino acids (glycine and proline) which are the building blocks of collagen — a protein that is responsible for giving our skin its elasticity (2), (3). All the more reason for you new mommas to include eggs in your breakfast.
However, your protein intake differs from person to person so consult your doctor before including it in your diet.
2. Focus On Strength Training
While one way of achieving weight loss is to reduce your calorie intake, it’s not suited to the nutritional, and dietary needs of a new mother. Therefore, the best way for you to get back onto the saddle is by exercising.
And by exercising we mean strength training, as other exercises such as jogging and running are not recommended. This is because, during pregnancy, our body releases a hormone called relaxin, that loosens the joints, and makes them more likely to get injured. It remains in the bloodstream for a few weeks after giving birth, therefore, any form of exercise that is too hard on the joints is not recommended (4).
3. Breastfeeding Helps
This is another miracle of nature. While your body is working overtime to fulfill the nutritional needs of your baby, it is simultaneously helping you lose that baby weight.
It has been found that on an average, women who breastfeed longer experience more weight loss as compared to those who choose other methods of feeding their child (5). So, don’t worry new mom, nature’s on your side too.
4. Crash Dieting Is A Strict No-No
In a bid to get back to their pre-pregnancy body as soon as possible, many new mothers opt to go down the crash-dieting route to get noticeable results faster, and that actually backfires. It’s true, you might lose weight initially with that, but as soon you resume your natural diet it will come back. Plus, the initial weight loss could also be due to the loss in muscle volume and not a fat loss (6).
5. Treat Those Stretch Marks Right Away
First of all, can we say, as a new mother you should be very proud of your “tiger” stripes. It’s an evidence of the remarkable feat of birthing a baby. However, if you still feel conscious because of them then our advice is to start treating them when they’re in their reddish stage. Gels made of onion extract and hyaluronic acid, retinoid creams, and laser treatments are some of the ways that have been known to fade stretch marks. The crucial bit is to start at the right time (7).
6. Don’t Push Yourself Too Hard
This is the most important piece of advice we have for new mothers. Your body just underwent a huge change, and it will take it some time to get back on track. So be patient with it, and shower it with the same love that you shower on your newborn. It deserves that. Don’t get frustrated if you don’t see immediate results. Remember it’s not a competition. Take your time, and do it in a healthy manner to reap long-term benefits.
Remember, no two people have the same body, therefore, not everyone experiences pregnancy and its after-effects in the same way. So it’s possible that these tips might not show immediate results for you. But if you follow them and make healthy changes to your lifestyle, you’re bound to have a great recovery, post-pregnancy. You will get back in shape in no time, you just have to believe in yourself.
Do you have any other tips that can help a new mother get back to their pre-pregnancy body? Share them with us in the comments below.
