CAN I GO BACK TO MY
PREGNANCY BODY?
Oh yes! you definitely can and it can also be totally
healthy. Getting back to your pre pregnancy body is the dream of most Nigerian
women, because the much expected baby fat and changes over the 9 months period
can leave you having the grandma body you don’t really want right now. But
don’t be fazed, because getting that sexy hot mama body after childbirth is
highly feasible. And for those women who love the wider hips, bigger boobs and
butt they got during pregnancy, Enjoy! Nothing do you.
WHEN CAN I SAFELY START
TO LOSE WEIGHT?
Since your body needs time to recover from having your
bundle of joy, you can safely start to lose weight 6weeks after delivery except
those that had their babies through caesarean session. Women who had their
babies through caesarean session will have to wait a bit longer.
WHAT EXERCISE CAN I
DO?
Having a baby is joyous and utterly overwhelming whether you
a new mum or you have had a football team already, all babies come with their
own wahala. Finding time for exercise
might be really hard for a Nigerian woman, so your best work out partner is
actually your baby. They are numerous exercises you can do with your baby. A
walk of 1-2 miles for 30 minutes can burn 150 calories, so you take your baby
in her/his stroller and take such walks. It will not only help you lose weight
but also help relieve you of a whole lot of stress.
15 minutes of running up and down the stairs can also help
you lose 150 calories. You can do any of the two, but an outdoor walk is more exciting
and a good stress buster.
Gentle exercises like walking, pelvic floor exercises, yoga
and stretching are exercises you should begin with because you can do all this
exercises and still keep an eye on your baby. After a while, you can begin more
energy intensives exercises.
Exercise is a tried and trusted stress-buster. "Getting
some form of exercise will help you feel alive again.
WHAT DO I EAT TO HELP
ME ACHIEVE MY WEIGHT LOSS GOALS?
Combining healthy
eating with exercise is the most
effective way to lose weight after pregnancy, because it helps you to lose fat
instead of lean tissue. This sort of lifestyle will also help you improve your
overall health and fitness.
So throw away empty-calorie foods like chips and soda, as
well as fad diets that eliminate entire food groups. Instead, fill your diet
with variety of nutrient-rich meals containing
lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetable and plenty of low-fat
dairy products.
Taking in small, frequent nutrient-rich meals throughout the
day is key. This will keep your blood-sugar level steady, help prevent you from
overeating and keep your energy level up. When your calories are distributed
throughout the day, they are metabolized more efficiently and are less likely to
be stored as fat.
DOES BREAST FEEDING
AFFECT WEIGHT LOSS?
Breastfeeding can help you lose weight without posing danger
to your health or your baby’s health unlike dieting.
Your body requires energy to create breast milk, so you burn calories to make breast milk every
time you nurse. While your new healthy eating lifestyle is providing energy to
produce milk, some of the additional energy needs will be gotten from your
body’s existing fat stores.
This means that breastfeeding can help you to lose weight
also if only you avoid taking in too much
calories than required for breastfeeding, while eating healthily and
staying active.
WHEN WILL MY BACK TO
NORMAL?
Give yourself time to get back in shape, and don't despair
if the weight doesn't fall off immediately. You should aim to return your
pre-pregnancy weight by the time your baby is about six months old.
As long as you feel healthy and ready, as a rough guide, you
should aim to return your pre-pregnancy weight by the time your baby is about
six months old. If you're finding it takes longer than this, don't give
yourself a hard time. Just set yourself a target of getting to the weight you
want by your baby’s first birthday.
While it’s important to focus on your health it is also
important not to set for yourself unachievable goals.
