Parting with Postpartum Pounds

I gained 50 lbs. with my last pregnancy and birthed a whopping 9 pounder. Alas, now my baby is 10 months old! In honor of the occasion, I'm going to share my sage insights into losing those pesky postpartum pounds. Remember to give yourself plenty of time to recover.

Exercise:

• First 48 hours: sleep as much as possible! massaging your uterus helps it shrink down faster. you can do kegels while lying in bed.

• Within first 2 weeks: when you feel up to it, go out for a walk. Start with 5-10 minutes. Try to go every day. Sleep as much as possible!

• By 6 weeks: work up to 30-60 minute walks 3 or more times a week. Do not over-do it! Your bleeding should have stopped by now, if it hasn't or if it starts again - you are doing too much! Listen to your body.

• By 2 months: you can add jogging or other aerobic exercise if you are feeling up to it. Start slowly!

• By 4 months: you can push yourself now. Do not over-compensate for burned calories by eating excessive amounts of junk food.

Nutrition for weight-loss (learned as part of a University's post-partum weight-loss study):

• eat at least 1800 calories a day if you are breast-feeding, 1500 if not breast-feeding

• eat more protein

• reduce simple sugars and refined carbohydrates

• eat more calcium

• eat more fiber

• eat at least 5 times a day (smaller meals)

• do not skip meals - especially breakfast (you should have 1/3 of daily calories at breakfast!)

• plan ahead what you will eat when you are hungry (for snack time too!)

• you can use a food journal if you are a sporadic eater, to help regulate your habits and see what you are really eating!
  
  
  Your food guide pyramid servings will be something like this:
  
  whole grains: 6 servings
  protein: 6 oz.
  fats: 6 servings
  vegetables: 5 servings
  fruits: 4 servings
  dairy: 3-4 servings

Fitness Goals

Over the years, I've tried several exercise regimens. It is easy to get bored and lose motivation, or fall out of the habit when seasons and life are changing. There is such a thing as too much of a good thing. Switch up your workouts every once in a while.

One of the worst pits I've dug myself is setting unrealistic goals like "I will exercise 2 hours a day until I lose these last 20 lbs. of baby weight." or "I really over did it on dessert last night, I'm only eating salads for a whole week." Of course I can't do those for even a day, and nothing says "binge eat" like a failed fitness goal.

Thinking back on the times I have felt most fit, I have come up with some healthier fitness goals.
Constantly re-evaluate and give yourself more time if needed. Don't be afraid to stop and change your goal if it wasn't working for you. Of course, you should always consult a doctor if you have worries about your health or need help establishing fitness goals.

- Aim for a healthy % body fat rather than a specific weight* or size. Body fat scales are relatively inexpensive these days (about $30 at Target).

- Don't just obsess about your weight. If you aim to increase your flexibility, strength, and/or balance, it is much more likely to help you feel better about your body!

Finding time for yourself when your kids are small is no easy feat! and exercising when you can hardly get a minute alone can seem like quite a chore! Walking with the stroller is the classic standby (and I HIGHLY recommend it! especially if you can get other mommy friends to join you! We had 6 mommies walking together this morning!). We especially like to walk to story time or to feed the ducks.

How do you squeeze exercise into your daily routine?

*if you are unable to lose weight by increasing your exercise, you may be overcompensating for your burned calories by over-eating.