October 19, 2008

Losing Pregnancy Weight - 5 Practical Do's and Don'ts

by Teresa Brown

Exercise is the last thing on a new mom's thoughts when she's busy with her new born. Of course, some moms eventually start losing pregnancy weight natuarally from breastfeeding but many of us aren't so lucky and end up either resorting to fad diets or living in procrastination and denial. Don't get trapped into a unsuccessful cycle when trying to trim your tummy - use these top five do's and don'ts to help you lose the baby fat.

1. Don't obsess over your daily calories. Skipping meals or becoming too strict with yourself could lead to binging when hungry and purging to ease the guilt. Committing to eating healthy meals for losing pregnancy weight should be a gradual transition so it won't sabotage your efforts by being a shock to your system and psyche. Choose natural foods and healthy low-calorie receipes and snacks that cater to your tastes.

2. Do make sure you snack properly. It's okay to slip in a treat every once and a while, but make sure it's still worth your while. Having a chocolate covered protein or granola bar will always be better than having a sugar packed chocolate candy bar. Every little detail can help when losing the pregnancy weight.

3. Don't forget to stretch. Getting your body back to normal after having a baby can be hard. Your hips could hurt or your arms are tired. Stretching helps when losing pregnancy weight because it helps build and repair the muscles. Yoga at home or just a series of simple stretches at work will help you keep relaxed.

4. Do include some resistance training in your routine. Sometimes it's hard to give up the comfortable jog you're used to and throw in some ball crunches or rubber resistance-band bicep curls. Resistance training is a strong ally to losing pregnancy weight fast because it strengthens the muscles and this makes the body burn more fat.

5. Don't avoid hitting the sack early. It's always better to get more hours of sleep than watching extra television on the couch. Lots of new moms are on top of losing the pregnancy weight but get burnt out fast because they aren't sleeping enough. It can be hard with kids to get a full night in so try and join your baby at naptime to give you more energy through the day.

Whatever route you've choosen to go about losing the pregnancy weight, always strive for a balance in your mental, physcial and psychological health. These do's and don'ts are just guidelines to your bigger plan, but no matter what you do just make sure you are having fun!

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