When we have a baby, our body goes through an impressive process of transformation, in which we witness the capacity it has to conceive and lead a new life. In just nine months, we went through many physical changes and in most cases, we were left with a few extra pounds after the birth of our baby.
It is normal to want to feel comfortable and want to get rid of those kilos that pregnancy left us, but we must not become obsessed, but do it with common sense and without hurry. Therefore, today we share some tips to lose weight after childbirth: a plan to return to your weight that works.
Before starting
We know that those extra kilos we carry now can make us feel different and a little uncomfortable with ourselves, but keep this in mind: it took you nine months to get to the place where you are. With that I want to tell you that take things slowly and calmly, and do not try to lose weight quickly or under pressure.
In Babies and more: Resume exercise after childbirth: How and whenRemember that Before starting any exercise routine or eating plan after delivery, you should consult your doctor, who will give you the approval so that you can start slowly to activate yourself and know if there are certain foods that you can eat or not, according to your needs and those of your baby in case you breastfeed.
It is important to mention that the return to training will depend on the physical activity that you have done both during pregnancy and before becoming pregnant. If you were physically active before and during pregnancy you don't have to limit yourself to walking during the first weeks once the quarantine is over. For example, if during pregnancy we have continued with strength training (recommended, on the other hand), there is no problem in returning after quarantine, only taking certain precautions, and preferably, advised by a personal trainer.
On the contrary, if you have never exercised, it is extremely important Respect quarantine so that you have an adequate recovery and give your body enough time rest and so be ready for the moment you start exercising. At the beginning it will be with soft and light exercises, and then implement some more complete and active routines, such as the ones I will share below.
Exercise routines to lose weight after childbirth
When you begin to resume physical activity after your pregnancy and childbirth, you should do it gradually, because the fact that you are no longer pregnant does not mean that you can exercise in the same way as you did before pregnancy (except of what we mentioned about those who were already accustomed to physical activity).
Therefore, we will divide our exercise routine into phases, in which we will begin to work gradually and increasing the intensity. We recommend you dedicate a minimum of two weeks in each phase, to give your body time to get used to physical activity gradually and without haste.
If you need or wish to have more time to adapt, you can take a couple more weeks. Remember that you can and should regulate your times according to your needs and abilities, because each body is different.
First phase: gentle exercises and walking
Once you've consulted with your doctor and given permission to do so, start with soft and light exercisesAs a light walk in a nearby park, you can even take your baby in his stroller to accompany you.
Don't worry if at first you can only walk for a few minutes, The idea is to start small and increase. Walking half an hour a day will help us take care of our heart, activate our muscles and improve blood circulation, but we must be constant.
When walking daily, we will activate different parts of the body and help keep them toned, which will eventually help us lose weight. It is also important that you start stretching to get your muscles ready for more intense activity.
In Babies and more Slimming after pregnancy: seven things you need to know to lose weight after childbirthSecond phase: yoga and pilates
After your body is accustomed to resume physical activity after childbirth, you can increase the frequency and intensity of it. A great option for to exercise that helps us lose weight after childbirth is to do workouts at home, so we can accommodate them to our daily routine and without the need to transport or get a babysitter.
Something that we must take into account once the quarantine has passed and we resume physical activity, is that we must work to strengthen the pelvic floor, for what we can do Kegel exercises, as well as a routine of hypopressive abs, since both will help us strengthen the internal pelvic area.
Two activities that are ideal to begin exercising gradually after delivery are yoga and pilatesWell, besides we can practice them at home, both are low impact and will help us improve our body posture while exercising gently.
We can do 15-minute yoga routines at home or search YouTube channels for some yoga training we can do in our classroom. Remember take your time and if you feel that any posture bothers you, rest and change it for another.
Third phase: abs and legs
Later, we can start working on strengthening legs and abdomen. For strengthen legs, we must do exercises for our abductor muscles (the inner part of the thigh) and the buttocks, which we can work at home using only an elastic band, or try some routine of isometric exercises to strengthen your legs, or squats (tights or complete, which you can do without having any equipment or device.
In the case of abdomen, our Vitónica colleagues propose an abdominal circuit to train at home and that we can do in a matter of ten minutes, which makes it ideal for mothers who usually have little time or availability to do a more complete routine.
When working the abdomen we must avoid doing the typical crunches (the abs of a lifetime) as abdominal hyperpression can affect the pelvic floor. What we will do is focus on working the core with exercises such as front and side plates.
For this phase, we propose a seven-day challenge using your home as a gym ... and without buying anything extra, it will surely be very good for you.
Fourth phase: aerobic exercise and full body routines
Once we have strengthened and toned these muscles, we can complement them with gentle aerobic exercise, such as cycling, both indoor and street, or elliptical, which will help us burn fat and gradually lose weight and gradually lose weight. that we have increased in pregnancy.
Since we have strengthened our muscles and have become accustomed to aerobic exercise, we can incorporate more intense and extensive routines and workouts, in which we work the body in a complete way and that helps us to continue losing fat and losing weight after childbirth.
He running It can also be a good exercise to include in this stage of your weight loss plan, and it will probably get you hooked when you start seeing results. You can even do it with your baby if you buy the right stroller, with a light structure and large wheels. Here we leave you a 8 week training plan to make your first 5 kilometers with Vitónica.
In Vitónica Train your whole body at home with this routine without materialData to consider when exercising after delivery
In addition to knowing the routines and exercises to resume the exercise gradually after delivery, it is important to mention some data that you must take into account to do it safely:
- Stay hydrated before, during and after your workouts, especially if you are breastfeeding, because your body requires a greater amount of water to replenish the fluids you lose while breastfeeding.
- Wear appropriate clothes, make it comfortable and breathable.
- Make short sessions with few repetitions and with breaks in the middle of each one, to give your body a chance to recover.
- Wear a suitable braWell, although you will start with low impact exercise, you should take care of the chest and its tissues.
- Pay attention to your body. Do not demand too much from your body, watch your heart rate and take care not to hurt your muscles.
- Eat a healthy and balanced diet, so that you do not miss any nutrients and can perform your exercise routine with energy.
Healthy eating plan to lose weight after childbirth
What to eat to lose weight
To lose weight in a safe and healthy way, In addition to beginning to exercise gradually, we must also feed in a balanced way, making sure we receive all the necessary food so that our body is well nourished and full of energy.
It is not necessary or recommended that we undergo extreme diets or too restrictive to lose weight, but that let's look for a complete diet that complements our exercise routine. In this way, by combining physical activity with healthy foods, we can approach our goal safely.
Remember that The best thing is to go to a dietitian-nutritionist who can guide us in the process and treat our case individually, in order to bring a diet that is consistent with our needs and abilities, as well as allow us to fulfill our exercise routine without decompensing.
Fortnightly Menu
A few days ago we shared a very healthy biweekly menu, especially to lose weight after pregnancy and that will be useful for mothers who breastfeed (and also for those who do not). Here the most important thing is plan and organize food well, so that it does not take us by surprise and we fall for other options that are not as healthy or nutritious.
Day 1
| Breakfast | Glass of yogurt, oatmeal and roasted pineapple with spices. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Fresh fruit skewers. |
| Food | Tacos of lettuce with lentils. Nectarine. |
| Snack | Glasses of yogurt, strawberries and chia seeds with crunchy oatmeal. |
| Dinner | Salmon in papillote with vegetables. Cantaloupe. |
Day 2
| Breakfast | Baked eggs on avocado with goat cheese. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Peach and milk shake. |
| Food | Chicken salad with chickpeas and cherries. Apricot. |
| Snack | Glass of milk and oatmeal cookies and nuts without sugar. |
| Dinner | Thai veal salad. Pomegranate. |
Day 3
| Breakfast | Porridge with caramelized handle. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Yogurt with almonds and banana in pieces. |
| Food | Pasta with vegetables. Figs |
| Snack | Glass of milk and energy bars of dried apricots. |
| Dinner | Round turkey and apple and pressure cooker with green leafy salad. Nectarine |
Day 4
| Breakfast | Glass of milk and quick bread sandwich with seeds with fresh cheese and tomato. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Oatmeal and apple cookies. |
| Food | Warm potato and salmon salad with fresh herbs. Banana |
| Snack | Milk and peach smoothie with chia seeds. |
| Dinner | Sauteed oriental chicken with vegetables. Pomegranate. |
Day 5
| Breakfast | Two ingredients pancakes with fresh fruits. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Glass of milk and cookies without sugar. |
| Food | Quinoa salad with beluga lentils and crispy vegetables. Cantaloupe |
| Snack | Milkshake with cherries and poppy seeds. |
| Dinner | Fish salad in lettuce tacos. Cantaloupe. |
Day 6
| Breakfast | Tea or milk with banana and oatmeal muffins. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Bowl of milk, oat flakes, pomegranate grains and chopped nuts. |
| Food | Grilled beef steak with white bean salad with assorted tomatoes. Figs |
| Snack | Natural yogurt with sunflower seeds. |
| Dinner | Marinated rice salad. Watermelon |
Day 7
| Breakfast | Bowl of milk with oat flakes, sliced kiwi, raisins and flax seeds. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Toasted Pumpkin Pipes |
| Food | Mediterranean quinoa salad with chicken. Banana. |
| Snack | Milkshake with chia seeds and cherries. |
| Dinner | Hake with new potatoes and cherry tomatoes. Apple. |
Day 8
| Breakfast | Bowl of milk with oatmeal, sliced banana and sunflower seeds. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Glass of milk and crunchy crackers of seeds and oats. |
| Food | Red lentil pasta with sauteed cherry tomatoes. Cantaloupe. |
| Snack | Oatmeal, banana and almond cookies. |
| Dinner | Wraps or tacos of lettuce with sauteed veal. Cantaloupe. |
Day 9
| Breakfast | Yogurt with crunchy granola and fresh fruit. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Tea or coffee with whole wheat toast with olive oil and tomato. |
| Food | Turkey chili with sweet potato and potato (without red wine). Nectarine. |
| Snack | Half sandwich of whole wheat bread with fresh cheese, tomato and avocado. |
| Dinner | Sautéed lemon squid rings with broccoli. Figs. |
Day 10
| Breakfast | Strawberry, banana and fresh cheese with oatmeal smoothie bowl. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Glass of milk with half sandwich of whole wheat bread with seeds with fresh cheese and tomato. |
| Food | Quinoa salad with veal and avocado. Peach |
| Snack | Tea with whole wheat toast with olive oil and tomato. |
| Dinner | Omelette with eggplant and fresh vegetable salad of choice. Watermelon |
Day 11
| Breakfast | Glass of milk and spelled crackers. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Milkshake and pomegranate. |
| Food | Hake and broccoli meatballs with steamed potatoes. Banana |
| Snack | Natural yogurt with oat flakes and fresh cherries. |
| Dinner | Cauliflower couscous salad with marinated prawns and avocado. Plums |
Day 12
| Breakfast | Muesli Bircher. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Tea or milk with whole wheat toast with fresh cheese. |
| Food | Chickpea salad with corn and avocado. Nectarine |
| Snack | Oatmeal and nuts bars. |
| Dinner | Hake tacos in gardener with fresh potatoes or fresh salad. Cantaloupe. |
Day 13
| Breakfast | Tea or milk low-carb muffins with fresh cheese. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Glass of milk with sandwich of whole wheat bread with avocado and tomato. |
| Food | Broccoli cake Fresh figs |
| Snack | Bowl of milk with fresh cherries, oatmeal and sunflower seeds. |
| Dinner | *Gratin mushrooms stuffed with chicken accompanied by couscous. Watermelon |
Day 14
| Breakfast | Bowl of milk with oatmeal, sliced banana, raisins and flax seeds. |
|---|---|
| Midmorning | Pumpkin and oatmeal pancakes |
| Food | Pasta with avocado pesto. Peach. |
| Snack | Tea or milk with whole wheat toast with fresh cheese. |
| Dinner | Meat Stuffed eggplants. Plums |
How to vary the menu
In this menu we propose various options for breakfast, mid-morning, lunch, snack and dinner, and that prove that diet to lose weight does not need to be scarce or restrictive. Remember that it is indicative and we can exchange the dishes, portions and even ingredients, to adapt it to our needs and preferences.
Variants for breakfast
Food variants
Snack variants
Dinner variants
General recommendations
In addition to consulting the options we propose, there are also other feeding tips that we can follow if we seek to lose weight after childbirth, as:
- Choose grilled foods and avoid eating fried foods.
- Drink water as the main source of liquids and increase your consumption.
- Chew slowly and very well each bite, eating slowly and calmly.
- Try to always eat at the same time, sitting at the table and without distractions.
- Never skip meals, because contrary to what many people think, this can be counterproductive if we seek to lose weight.
- Buy and cook as much as we can at home, as well as choose fresh and seasonal foods, avoiding consuming highly processed frozen foods.
Lastly, be realistic and patient.
Remember that any change takes time and that we should not try to lose kilos quickly and excessively, but gradually, to that our body is nourished correctly and our muscles are strengthened every day more.
In Babies and more Slimming as a couple after pregnancy quickly and healthilyDo not despair if at first you cannot observe a noticeable change, as this will arrive in its time. The important is stay constant and carry out your exercise routine and meal plan with common sense. Set yourself realistic long-term goals and try to enjoy the process, and if your partner accompanies you during it, they can make it even more motivated.
The best way to lose weight after childbirth is doing it without hurry, correctly and safely, without obsessing you for a number or pressing you because your body does not look like it did before pregnancy and childbirth.
Photos | Pexels
