By: Staci Benoit
1. Be mindful of snacking!
New moms typically report that they have difficulty getting time to themselves. Sticking to a 3 meal a day schedule can be tricky, especially when you’re trying to tame a toddler. Less structured eating habits are directly related to increased weight gain during and after pregnancy. Not skipping meals is important for keeping energy up and snacking down. Of course, you also have to be mindful of what food you’re eating. There are lots of great options for maintaining health food intake and one particularly good one is meal (and snack!) prepping. Spend a little time (maybe while your baby is napping) cutting up vegetables or cooking some quick reheat meals for the week. This ensures you and your children are getting healthy food even in a time pinch. If you’re struggling to figure out how to mommy meal prep check out this fantastic blog![1]https://lifeasmom.com/mom-food-meal-prep-make-sure-eat-well/
2. Breastfeed!
While most moms understand that breastfeeding is the ideal option for feeding a newborn, what they may not know (or aren’t telling you!) is that it burns a tonne of calories. One day of breastfeeding burns 500-700 calories, that’s the equivalent of a 60 minute run!2] Studies show that breastfeeding moms tend to lose their baby fat quicker than moms who opt for formula feeding.[3] Of course some moms can’t produce milk and are required to formula feed, there’s no shame in that! But if you have the choice, breastfeeding will give you that extra kick for weight loss.
3. KEEP IT MOVING!
Find ways to make time for exercise. Having a baby or children to take care of daily can be exhausting and time consuming, especially if you’re doing it alone. Try some mommy and me exercises! Do squats while cradling your baby or take a walk/jog/run with your stroller. If your kids are a little older get them to participate with you, exercise is good for everyone! If you’re short on time and exercise equipment try out some couch exercises like in this video by FitSugar[4]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJZpsTA5IbQ. Remember, it might be hard when you first start exercising so start slow and build!
4. Be accountable!
Set goals and keep in contact with your health care provider. A study by Leerkmakers, Anglin and Wing found that women who were corresponding with their health care provider postpartum lost 79% of their excess baby weight where as those who did not only lost 44%![5]
Your doctor can help you set up a diet and exercise plan, get you to write a food/activity diary, keep you accountable to your weight loss goal and most important give you positive feedback and support.
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