Winning at Post-Natal Weight Loss: Six Simple Strategies for New Moms -- Part 2
A healthy pregnancy almost always involves weight gain. But nowthat baby’s here, you’re probably wishing those extra poundswould hurry up and disappear! While it won’t happen overnight,these six simple tips can help you lose that extra weig...
...ht in ahealthy way. (If you’ve missed part 1 of this article, or wantto read part 3, you can find them both athttp://www.mambomoms.com/articles.html)3) Drink plenty of water. You will probably be very thirsty ifyou are nursing your baby and you should drink as much as yourthirst dictates. But even if you’re not breastfeeding, lots ofpure water is important in your quest to shed those pregnancypounds. First of all, water has no calories, so when compared to otherbeverages, it’s hands down the best bet in terms of weight loss.Diet soft drinks and other low calorie beverages may have only acouple of calories, but your body craves pure water in order tobe able to function properly. Besides, many people are concernedabout the artificial sweeteners used in these products, andcaffeinated diet drinks may increase fussiness in your baby ifyou’re nursing. Go ahead and indulge if this is something youjust can’t live without, but make sure you’re not doing it atthe expense of your water needs. Secondly, water is helpful in the process of burning stored bodyfat. Studies have shown that not drinking enough water canhinder your weight loss efforts because the liver has to workharder to metabolize waste when your body is not properlyhydrated. And finally, drinking enough water will help you feel full soyou eat less. This is especially true if you’re eating lots ofhigh fiber foods such as whole grain breads and cereals. Thefiber in whole grains will absorb water, making you feel fulllonger.Other liquids are fine too, such as juice, milk (dairy orsubstitutes), and herbal teas. But do try to stay away fromthose empty calorie soft drinks and anything that’s labeled“beverage,” “punch” or “drink” instead of “juice.” And eventhough they may be considered healthful, watch your intake ofpure fruit juices. Juices contain nutrients that your bodyneeds, but they are a very concentrated source of sugar as well.Whenever possible you are better off to eat a piece of freshfruit and drink water for thirst. You should also try to limit your intake of coffee andcaffeinated tea. Doing so may help both you and your babyregulate your sleep habits. Some babies get very fussy and hardto settle when mom is breastfeeding and drinks caffeinatedbeverages. Drinking lots of water is one of those things that seems easy intheory, but in practice it can be difficult to accomplish. Oneeffective strategy to help make sure you get enough is to placewater bottles strategically around the house. You can buy smallplastic bottles of water by the case at the grocery store or youcan buy the refillable type of bottle that you might take to thegym or on your bike.Put a bottle anywhere you spend time during the day: near yourfavourite nursing chair (put several here—you’ll probably usethem all!), near baby’s change table, on the bathroom counter,on top of the washing machine, on the kitchen counter, on yourdesk, on a shelf near the front door, beside your bed, on thekitchen table, etc. Each morning, spend 3 or 4 minutes makingthe rounds collecting yesterday’s empty bottles and replacingthem with fresh ones. This way, you’ll be more likely to drinklots of water because there will always be some close at hand. 4) Breastfeed your baby if at all possible. Depending on the ageand weight of your baby, you can use around 800 calories a dayproducing milk for her. Besides the host of other benefits thatbreastfeeding affords both you and your baby, quicker postnatalweight loss is one advantage that all new moms welcome. Even ifyou are returning to work or can’t breastfeed full time for anyreason, any amount of breast milk is good for your baby, and asa perk, will help you use up additional calories for as long asyou are able to continue.In addition, breastfeeding releases natural hormones that helpyou relax. Since the hormones released when you are stressed cancontribute to weight gain, it only makes sense to counter thiswith activities that help you relax. Breastfeeding is awonderful way to do this, and you and your baby will alsobenefit in so many other ways. If you need more information orsupport with breastfeeding, visit La Leche League Internationalon the web at http://www.LaLecheLeague.org In part three of this article you’ll learn ways to burn extracalories easily and enjoyably without sweating it out at thegym. You’ll also learn the secret that savvy new moms use toeffortlessly burn up to an extra 200 calories a day —that’s 2pounds a month with no extra effort!
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