Health ~ Fitness ~ Motherhood and More
Postpartum weight loss
10 Tips for Postpartum Fitness and weight loss
Have you just had a baby, or are you pregnant and want to know what to expect with your postpartum weight loss?
You have come to the right place.
Firstly let me congratulate you on the most incredible blessing of life, your baby!
Becoming a mother has transformed me in more ways I could have ever imagined. I was once a perfectionist who got in my own way, and stumbled thru life with insecurities, depression, and anxiety.
The challenges of birth and motherhood teach you SO much about yourself. I feel like I have found myself, my true self. I am confident, happy, more adaptable, and content. My son has taught me more than I will ever teach him.
You gain so much when you have a child, but you lose some things too. You lose personal time, personal space and you lose the body you had before the baby. But don’t be misled, my body is better now than it was when I was 25, (I’ll be 42 next year).
Nothing is impossible when you put your mind to it.
The key is to come from a place of self-love. Even if you gained a lot of weight, have stretch marks, or other have other changes to your body you don’t love, don’t give that thought or power. Your body just grew a baby, a whole little person that will be a part of this world. Really take a moment to appreciate that!
When those negative thoughts try to creep in, just remember; You are a SUPERHERO momma! Look at that little baby’s face and let all those thoughts go! Now with all that said, this is a post about postpartum weight loss so let’s get to it!
As a mom now you have a very important new job. But any mom will tell you, you are at your best when you are practicing self-love and taking time for YOU. Taking on the mindset that diet and exercise routine is “self-care” and not punishment will help make this an enjoyable journey. Knowing this will help you be your best self inside and out will help with any “mom-guilt” you might have.
Exercise in general is so important. It has been the best remedy I’ve found for my anxiety and depression. Regular exercise after pregnancy (or in general) can help with postpartum weight loss, strengthen your core muscles, boost your energy levels, help your sleep, reduce stress, and help ward off postpartum depression.
Inspired to workout yet?
I have 10 tips to help get started on your postpartum weight loss journey!
So let’s get to it!
1. Wear a postpartum girdle.
My 1st tip is to wear a postpartum girdle. I am not a believer in waist trainers for general weight loss. But for postpartum recovery, they help immensely! Your abdomen has gone through a lot to carry that baby, and it will take time for your core muscles to heal.
Most women have some separation of their abdominal muscles (diastasis recti) after pregnancy and this causes a weak core. Things like sitting up from a lying position, or trying to brace your core for any movement will be hard. That’s why it’s critical to take time to heal and avoid certain activities. I discuss later how to heal your core and what exercises you can do!
Also, there is some residual water retention and your skin will take time to restore back to where it was. Wearing a girdle helps to keep you supported, helps cue correct posture, and can help you feel more comfortable in clothes initially.
Benefits of a Girdle:
- Improve posture
- Help with back pain (especially when nursing)
- Reduces swelling and fluid retention
- Gives you confidence
How to wear a girdle
Most companies recommend starting with a few hours a day working up to wearing it as much as possible. I was able to wear it night and day, taking it off only to shower.
I had 2 styles I wore.
Both styles are affordable, but this is also something you can put on your baby registry.
The first style I wore was called the Belly Bandit. Initially I used it night and day for about 4-6 weeks. It is very flexible, but still supportive. It was very comfortable to wear and easy to clean. Belly Bandit comes in sizes XS-XL and has a great sizing chart to view on their link. They also have some helpful tips to estimate what size you should order.
Trendyline Women Postpartum Girdle
Once the initial swelling and water weight had gone away, I graduated to this Trendyline girdle. The style of this girdle is more structured and has several straps to enhance the compression. It also features a c-section belt for those who are recovering from surgery and the sozes range from S-XXL. There is also a great sizing guide on the provided link
BONUS TIP: The Original Belly Wrap is now eligible for reimbursement from a number of US health insurance companies and your FSA (Flexible Spending Account) or HSA (Health Savings Account).
2. Start Slow.
My 2nd tip is to start SLOW! Your body just went through one of the most challenging things you will ever do. Between the pregnancy, and the birth, your body is exhausted and needs time to heal.
“No matter how you gave birth, the first six weeks postpartum are considered a ‘recovery’ period. Even if you sailed through your pregnancy and had the easiest delivery on record (and especially if you didn’t), your body has been stretched and stressed to the max, and it needs a chance to regroup.” –What to Expect When Your Expecting
This can vary from person to person and it will depend on what type of birth you had.. But expect a minimum of 6-8 weeks before your body “feels” better. During those first weeks, rest, hydrate and nourish your body to help it heal.
Light walking is a great way to start getting your body going again. I would strap my baby to me with my baby carrier and walk on my treadmill, or if the weather allowed I would get outside.
Fresh air and some Vitamin D is helpful for mom and baby!
If you were very active before pregnancy, and during, it can help the recovery process. And even then, take your time.
Enjoy ALL of those new baby snuggles. Those first few weeks and months go by so fast. Savor all the baby cuddles you can, while you can.
BONUS TIP: Start kegel exercises in those first few weeks. You can begin these anytime, as long as you’re comfortable. This exercise is great to help restore the pelvic floor and core. I would do them while I nursed. Aim for 3 sets of 20 per day.
3. Emphasize core work first
My 3rd tip is to emphasize core work first. I know it’s tempting to jump into more exciting and strenuous workouts, but you might unknowingly cause more damage to your core muscles.
Most women experience what is called diastasis recti, or the separating of your abdomen muscles. This happens to accommodate the uterus and the growing baby. When you have diastasis recti it is critical to focus on the right type of exercises to heal this separation. If not, the risk is further separation and a very weakened core.
Without a strong core you can experience back pain, constipation, poor posture and bloating. This is another reason wearing the girdle is so helpful in the beginning.
Once you are cleared to workout from your doctor, you can begin some specific core exercises to help restore that core!
Excercises to avoid: planks, crunches(anystyle), pushups
Exercises to do: vacuums, heel slides, marches, bird dogs
If you are unfamiliar with these core exercises, here are some great free YouTube videos that have workouts specifically for diastasis recti.
BONUS TIP: Work on your core during pregnancy with stomach vacuums. This is a great exercise to keep that core strong, and possibly prevent severe separation.
4. Water-Water-Water!
My 4th tip is to drink water, and lots of it! It is no secret that water is one of the best things for the overall health of your body, especially when it comes to weight loss. Drinking water will boost your metabolism. Studies have shown that water can temporarily increase the amount of calories you burn, especially if the water is cold!
Benefits of drinking water:
- Helps with weight loss
- Flushes out toxins
- Improves Complexion
- Boosts energy
- Prevents constipation
I don’t know about you, but that last benefit alone is worth it. Any postpartum mom will tell you, it is best to keep bathroom activity as easy as possible!
Also breast milk is 90% water. I always saw a change in my milk supply if I wasn’t hydrating enough.
How Much Water Do You Need?
The normal recommendation is 64 ounces of water a day, or 2 liters. However other factors play a role in how much you will need such as how often the baby is nursing, and your activity. For breastfeeding moms, the recommendation is 128 ounces, or 3.6 liters. That’s double the normal recommendation.
Having a cute tumbler or canteen that is easy to drink from makes it more fun and straws help you easily sip while you nurse or hold your little one.
5. Breast Feed
My 5th tip is to breastfeed if possible. During pregnancy you may have noticed some extra fat accumulate on your hips and legs. This was your body preparing to make milk for the baby. Milk is produced by using those fat cells, along with foods you eat and all that water you’ll be drinking.
Also, when you nurse it causes the uterus to contract and will help bring it back to it’s normal size.
Shrink your thighs and your tummy? Yes Please!
Benefits of breastfeeding include:
- Reduces risk of type 2 diabetes
- Reduces risk of ovarian cancer and certain types of breast cancer
- Promotes immunity for baby
- Creates a connection between mom and baby, reduces risk of PPD
- Contains tryptophan, helps baby sleep at night
Breast Milk is also an amazing cure all. It can be used in so many ways!
- Pink eye
- Cradle cap
- Eczema
- Stuffy nose
- Diaper rash
The list goes on and on! That could be another post all in it’s own!
I have some tips in this post that can help when you first start nursing.
Breastfeeding is not easy,but it is soooo worth it.
6. Incorporate resistance training
My 6th tip is to incorporate resistance training. I have been a long time fan of weight training and can wholeheartedly tell you it is what has changed my body the MOST. I remember always being envious of my husband who could eat anything he wanted and not gain a pound, and he finally told me it was because he had more muscle mass than I did.
One pound of muscle can burn 50 calories, versus 1 pound of fat that burns only 5 calories.
I have another post that explains why women should weight train, you can check it out here.
The main reason weight training, or resistance training, is so effective is that you create what is called an afterburn. Meaning for 4,6 and sometimes 8 hours afterwards, you are still burning calories.
Where as with a cardio exercise, where you only burn calories during the activity.
Also you can sculpt out your body! Tone and tight bodies comes from lifting weight, not from running.
How do you start:
You can start at a gym or workout from home. I have not been back to the gym since having my son, and I am in better shape now than I was before pregnancy.
Get some dumbbells or resistance bands and just stay consistent. Try to increase the weight or reps as you go. Keep a journal to track your progress.
You will be happy you have those muscles once your tiny baby grows into a 30lb toddler who still likes to be held. There are some great programs on Bodybuilding.com and they have a library of videos demonstrating and giving tips every exercise you can imagine.
YouTube is another great source when it comes to finding workouts. One of my favorite channels is Fitness Blender. They have a variety of workouts that will suit your needs. You can pick the style, body part and length of your workout.
Just stay consistent, do what you can when you can, and the results will come!
7. Eat Enough Calories
My 7th tip is to make sure you are eating enough.
Under-eating can:
- Cause hair loss,
- Has negative effects on hormones
- Stalls weight loss
- possibly causes weight gain
The body needs a certain amount of calories just to perform its normal functions, then you have to account for your activity and possibly breastfeeding.
Under-eating may also lead to the dreaded “mom-butt”. Many women complain they lose volume and shape in their peach after pregnancy. If you are under eating, and nursing, and your body is using the fat stores around your lower body, things may end up smaller than you wanted!
This is where tip #6 can help too. Weight lifting can build the booty you want, but only if you’re eating enough!
Tracking your food can be very helpful to learn what typical portions of food look like and prevent over or under eating.
How to eat enough:
- Calculate your macros & daily calorie amount. You can use this link!
- Download food app
- Use a food scale
If you aren’t familiar macros, or macronutrients, are protein, fat and carbohydrates. Depending on your goals and diet choice, the ratio of these can vary.
The link for the macro calculator gives you several options.
- Balanced
- Low Fat
- Low Carb
- High Protein
- Create your own
It also has a fabulous explanation of macronutrients, why each one is important and examples of foods from each category. Best of all it is FREE! You just plug in your information and it will calculate everything for you. Then you can start tracking your meals in a food app.
The food app I have found the easiest is Lose It! Most anything you will be eating is already in their database, but if it isn’t you can manually add it in. It will also save your meals so if you eat the same meal, you can just add it from the previous day. It is so user friendly and easy!
I know this sounds like a lot to tackle when you’re also juggling being a new mom, but it isn’t something you have to do forever. It’s a great tool to start with and learn what your meals should look like. Eventually it will be something you can do inherently.
8. Quality Calories
Tip number 8 is to eat quality calories!
We just talked about macronutrients, and now we are going to talk about micronutrients.
Micronutrients are all of the vitamins and minerals foods contain. Foods with high micronutrient amounts are helpful anytime, especially so when you are trying to recover.
They will also help energy, immunity, reduce inflammation etc. This article by Runners Connect has a list of foods critical to healing and overall health.
Overall whole foods are where you will find the best nutrients. Quality proteins like chicken, beef and fish, green vegetables, berries, healthy oils all are things you will want to keep in your diet.
Whole foods are like jet fuel while processed, junk food is like diesel gas.
Priming your body with quality calories will help healing, energy, mood, sleep and if your nursing baby will get those great nutrients too!
9. Take pictures and measurements
My 9th tip is to take progress pictures and measurements.
The scale is not a reliable tool to measure progress. I mentioned this in another post you can find here about weight loss stalls.
So many things can affect your daily weight, and if that’s your only tool you’re using, it could become discouraging if that number doesn’t change or goes up!
How to track progress
- Every week take a front, side and back picture.
- Wear the same outfit and stand in the same place ( I recommend a bathing suit or shorts and sports bra to help you see your body better)
- Measure your waist, hips, legs and arms. *Some people also do a bust measurement, but with nursing there is no consistency to the measurement there.
- Keep a log of your photos and measurements.
Taking a picture with a bathing suit right after you have a baby may seem like the last thing you want to do, but you will appreciate seeing how far you have come months later.
And remember, be kind with your thoughts and words about yourself. You just created a life. Loose skin, stretch marks, cellulite are all your badges of honor! Be proud of your body and what it did for you and that baby! Which leads me to my last tip!
10. Give yourself grace
Tip number 10 is give yourself grace! Your body just grew a human being! And it took 9 months, technically 10 months for your body to evolve to where it is now.
It realistically will take at least that amount of time to heal and recover. And parts of you may never be exactly the same, but why would you want them to be.
When I see my loose skin I smile and remember those precious months I carried my son. It’s a magical experience and a blessing. One I will always cherish.
It is okay to want to better yourself, lose weight etc. Just make sure you’re coming from a place of love. It will make the journey much,much easier.
Self love and self care are both essential to success in any area of life. Eating well and exercising is self care. A happy momma is a better momma!
Take your time, ask for help, and be kind to yourself.
I hope you found these tips helpful! If you have any other tips for postpartum weight loss, or postpartum recovery I would love to hear them!
you may also enjoy
FREE DOWNLOAD
For a free copy of my Hot Momma Workout Plan Click Here!
I used this workout during my pregnancy and in my first months of postpartum.
It’s 3 full body weight workouts :Back, Shoulders, Legs, Arms and Glutes
These workouts are quick, effective and will help to sculpt that Hot Mom Bod!
