feel-good tips!

PUT YOUR MUSCLES IN MOTION. Add resistance training to your aerobic workouts. It's the smartest health move U can make to get back in shape! After a baby, your metabolic rate (the rate at which your body burns calories) is slower. Weight training increases your metabolic rate so that your body will burn calories more efficiently. WHAT I DID: Quickie workouts on the web. Try Regaining Your Body.

GET TA STEPPIN'. Take a stroll for 20 - 30 minutes three to five days a week to help burn post-baby calories. A 30-minute brisk walk pushing a stroller burns about 170 calories (for a 170-pound new mom).

REACH OUT for support from other moms who have "been there done that." Because getting your body back in shape includes not only your physical well being, but your mental and emotional well being, too. WHAT I DID Talked it out with other new moms at work, at church, in my neighborhood - even the grocery store.

Post Partum Calorie Burners..without exercise!

haha! I love this info I found on post partum weightloss. I feel like it is meant for me because I am one who does not like to exercise that much, so, it is nice to learn that I am burning calories doing every day things!

These calculations from CaloriesCount.com are based on a 170-pound new mom:

chasing baby during diaper change ( 3 cal/min)

folding burp cloths, baby towels ( 2.7 cal/min)

grocery shopping ( 4.5 cal/min)

housecleaning ( 8 cal/min)

kissing the baby's chubby cheeks ( 1 cal/min)

mopping up food flung on floor ( 5.8 cal/min)

preparing family dinner ( 2.8 cal/min)

sweeping up cookie crumbs ( 3 cal/min)

washing dishes ( 2.9 cal/min)

watching kid video for zillionth time ( 1.4 cal/min)

signs of a postpartumm depression

What are the signs of postpartum depression?
The signs of postpartum depression include:
Feeling restless or irritable.
Feeling sad, depressed or crying a lot.
Having no energy.
Having headaches, chest pains, heart palpitations (the heart being fast and feeling like it is skipping beats), numbness, or hyperventilation (fast and shallow breathing).
Not being able to sleep or being very tired, or both.
Not being able to eat and weight loss.
Overeating and weight gain.
Trouble focusing, remembering, or making decisions.
Being overly worried about the baby.
Not having any interest in the baby.
Feeling worthless and guilty.
Being afraid of hurting the baby or yourself.
No interest or pleasure in activities, including sex

postpartum weight loss

#1 TIGHTEN THAT TUMMY. Flabby abs are the biggest battle Phitchick's readers face. Regular crunches focus on lengthwise muscles. Try to target the transverse - muscles that wrap around the abdominals horizontally - Try the slide: On a slippery floor, like wood or linoleum, get into a push-up position, balancing on your forearms. Place a folded towel under your toes, and as you pull your abs in, slide your knees toward your chest. Do 2 sets of 5 - 8 reps, 3 X per wk; work up to 3 sets. According to Prevention magazine (Dec 1999 p. 139), the best lower belly exercise is the REVERSE CURL. Here's how it's done:Lie on your back and place your hands, palms down, alongside your thighs. Bend your hips and knees to form a 90-degree angle: thighs vertical, lower legs horizontal. Now slowly contract your abdominal muscles, lifting your hips about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Keep your upper body and arms relaxed. Hold, then slowly lower. OTHER POSTBABY AB MOVES: after baby tummy tighteners, ab exercises that really work, and lower back exercises.

#2 EAT SMART. What do BROCCOLI, BANANAS, and WHOLE GRAIN BREAD have in common? According to author Theresa Francis-Cheung, these are nutrient-rich foods that can "eliminate hunger, erase water weight, and speed up your body's fat-burning power." WHAT I DID: I made a copy of these foods to help slim me down my postpartum body and stuck it on my fridge. #3 DRINK WATER BEFORE and AFTER exercise to prevent dehydration. Read about the importance of drinking water. Drinking water helped me lose weight after pregnancy because it helped flush out excess water weight. WHAT I DID: Wash out an empty 64 oz. apple juice container, fill up with water in the AM, and empty it by the end of the day.

tips to getting back to your pre-pregnacy self

Eat a nutritious and balanced diet. Especially if you are breastfeeding, it is important that your body gets all of the nutrition that it needs. Still, avoiding foods that are high in saturated fats or empty calories can help you to start to slim back down.
- Keep hydrated. Before and after you exercise, make sure you’re getting enough water. In addition, drinking 6 8 oz glasses of water a day will help with appetite control.

- Most health care practitioners recommend that you wait until at least six weeks after delivery before you restart or start an exercise regimen. In general, this is good advice; your body has just been through a rather traumatic experience, and it needs time to recover. Still, even during this period you can wal, stretch, do pelvic tilts, do yoga and do kegel exercises.

- After your health care provider gives you the OK to exercise, Focus on tummy exercises. crunches, pushups, and other toning exercises will help you loose weight where you need it most.

- Cardiovascular exercises, as well, will help with rapid weight loss.

- Make sure you are getting enough rest and relaxation. The harried life of a new mom can be stressful. This stress can lead to eating problems, and a lack of motivation for exercise.

- Hook up with other new moms for exercise. Either exercise together, or take turns watching the babies so that each of you can get some exercise time in.

- Vitamin supplements, while they are not a substitute for proper diet and exercise, can definitely aid the process of weight loss along. Use a daily multivitamin supplement that meets your daily requirements.

Exercise after Pregnancy

Start exercising
· Develop a personal exercise plan. Think it through, before you start.
· Ideally, recruit a partner, a friend or another new mom to exercise with you.
· Aim to work towards a regular 30 minutes exercise, per day.
· Set little goals, like 10-minutes of exercise each day, then gradually increase it.
· The best time to start exercising is about 6 weeks after the birth.
· Hollywood stars are often photographed working out within hours of the birth of their child. This is not healthy. Do not be tempted to copy them unless you do so under expert professional care.
· Pay particular attention to strengthening the pelvic area.
· Remember: exercise gives you more energy, not less.

Breastfeeding and dieting

Breastfeeding and dieting



Weight loss during the postpartum period is perfectly normal.
If you didn't gain more than the recommended 22-30 pounds during pregnancy, you should be able to lose a comfortable 1 pound a week without any drop in milk quality or quantity. (Or up to 2 pounds if you gained more.)

However, as stated above, you must aim to consume about 1800 calories per day.
Don't rely on junk food to make up your calorie-total. Make sure your food is nutritious.

As soon as you and your doctor feel the time is right, start exercising.



The Benefits of Exercise


The amount and quality of food you eat after giving birth has a big impact on your weight and health.

The same applies to exercise, so long as you don't overdo it (always consult your doctor before starting).
Exercise assists postpartum weight loss.
Exercise helps to minimize postpartum depression.
Exercise helps you to adapt to your new situation.
Exercise does not interfere with your ability to breast-feed. Breast milk is unaffected.
Weight loss guidelines for new momsThe fastest, most effective way to lose weight and regain your figure is to make it part of an overall program, involving diet, exercise and general lifestyle changes.

Look after your body


Your body has just undergone enormous strain. In addition, your new arrival means you are going to need all the energy you can get. So make sure you eat properly and maintain your health.

Great tips for postpartum weghtloss

Breastfeeding

One good way to lose some of your pregnancy weight is to breastfeed! Always pair breastfeeding with other forms of post partum weight loss. One of the reasons your body puts on weight during pregnancy is to help store the caloric energy it takes to breastfeed your baby-about 200 to 500 extra calories per day. Therefore take advantage of losing calories the way your body naturally intended-breastfeeding!

Exercise

There are many benefits to exercising after your pregnancy. It will help you lose those extra pounds put on during pregnancy, alleviate post-partum depression and, unlike dieting, it won't interfere with your breastfeeding.

It's important that you ease your way into exercising again. Wait six weeks after a vaginal birth and eight weeks after a c-section to start exercising. It is recommended that you engage in low-impact exercises such as walking, swimming or yoga. Come up with a personal exercise program - something you can stick to -and enroll the company of a friend or new mother.

Start slow: 10-minute exercises should be tried first and then increased when you feel more confident. Keep a 30-minute limit on your exercise time and cease immediately if you start to feel dizzy or short of breath.
Work Out at HomeThere are many exercise routines perfect for the post birth period that can be performed at home. Yoga exercises are perfect for in-home working out. If you took yoga classes before or during your pregnancy, put on some relaxing music and practice those exercises.

Pelvic Floor Strengtheners

Another important area to target is the vagina: it needs to tighten up after that baby has passed through. A good way to do this is with Kegel Crunches, as you can practice these virtually anywhere. Simply tighten the muscles of the vagina as if trying to interrupt the flow of pee and count to five. This will increase circulation to the pelvis while tightening the muscles.

Healthy Weight Loss Through Healthy Eating

Next to exercising, a healthy diet is the best way to lose your pregnancy pounds. Talk to your doctor about what foods are important for the continuing health of you and your baby. Focus on nutrition, not on weight-loss diets! If you're breastfeeding, your baby's nutritional needs outweigh your need for a slim body. For more information, read Eating for Two.
Go For a WalkWalking is one of the best exercises around - and it doesn't even require special equipment. All you need is a good pair of shoes, fine weather and your baby, of course! This very practical stroller workout has now been popularized on video.

This workout is designed to start six to eight weeks after giving birth and is developed around your baby's needs for stimulation.
Pregnancy and weight gain are like peas and carrots - they go together and it's healthy for you. Therefore, when trying to lose those pregnancy pounds, be sensible and don't entertain extremes: no junk food binges and no celebrity diets. Balanced nutrition coupled with exercise is the safest and healthiest way to get back your pre-pregnancy body.

weight loss after pregnancy

Don't rush out and start dieting after the birthIf you are not breast-feeding then don't rush out and start dieting. Instead, for the first three months or so after the birth, concentrate on healthy eating, and develop your own exercise plan. Then, when your body has begun to recover and when your period has returned to normal, start following a healthy, low fat weight-loss plan and you will lose weight just as easily as the next person.

postpartum weightloss

Is it possible to lose weight and regain your figure after having a baby?

Yes, it is! Having a baby does not mean you have to be fat. Lots of new moms regain their pre-pregnancy figure within 8-12 months. True, it takes time for your body to get back to normal, but don't despair. Eat properly, get active and let nature do the rest. Don't rush out and start dieting after the birthIf you are not breast-feeding then don't rush out and start dieting. Instead, for the first three months or so after the birth, concentrate on healthy eating, and develop your own exercise plan. Then, when your body has begun to recover and when your period has returned to normal, start following a healthy, low fat weight-loss plan and you will lose weight just as easily as the next person.How long before you reach your pre-pregnancy weightIf your weight gain during pregnancy was no more than the recommended 22- 30 pounds, you should be able to return to your pre-pregnancy weight within about 8 months. This may sound slow, but you really can't lose weight much faster and stay healthy at the same time.

Two excercises for new moms that help tighten our tummy...

1. On a slippery floor, like wood or linoleum, get into a push-up position, balancing on your forearms. Place a folded towel under your toes, and as you pull your abs in, slide your knees toward your chest. Do 2 sets of 5 - 8 reps, 3 X per wk; work up to 3 sets.
2. Lie on your back and place your hands, palms down, alongside your thighs. Bend your hips and knees to form a 90-degree angle: thighs vertical, lower legs horizontal. Now slowly contract your abdominal muscles, lifting your hips about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Keep your upper body and arms relaxed. Hold, then slowly lower.

LAM and The Seven Standards

For women who meet the criteria (listed below), LAM is 98% effective during the first six months postpartum.
Breastfeeding must be the infant’s only (or almost only) source of nutrition.
Feeding formula, pumping instead of nursing and feeding solids all reduce the effectiveness of LAM.
The infant must breastfeed at least every four hours during the day and at least every six hours at night.
The infant must be less than six months old.
The woman must not have had a period after 56 days post-partum (when determining fertility, bleeding prior to 56 days post-partum can be ignored).
Ecological breastfeeding is a stricter form of LAM developed by Sheila Kippley and the Couple to Couple League International. Their studies have shown it has a 1% failure rate in the first six months postpartum, and a 6% failure rate before the woman’s first postpartum menstruation.

The Seven Standards of ecological breastfeeding are slightly different from the LAM criteria:
Breastfeeding must be the infant’s only source of nutrition – no formula, no pumping, and (if the infant is less than six months old) no solids.
The infant must be pacified at the breast, not with pacifiers or bottles
The infant must be breastfed often. The standards for LAM are a bare minimum; more frequency is better. Scheduling of feedings should be avoided.
Mothers must sleep with their infants – in the same room, if not in the same bed.
Mothers must not be separated from their infants for more than three hours a day.
Mothers must take daily naps with their infants.
The woman must not have had a period after 56 days post-partum

Tips I love

I love these useful tips on weightloss and I hope others find them as great as I do.
o Be realistic
Moms who set themselves realistic goals do much better than those who don't.
o Be patient
Allow yourself 3 months before embarking on any strict weight reducing diet. Allow yourself at least 8 months to regain your pre-pregnancy weight. Under no circumstances try to starve yourself thinner. It's guaranteed to fail.
o Avoid all fad diets
Choose a low fat, healthy eating-plan.
Get whatever help you canInvolve your partner or join a local support group

spreading joy

This is the most reassuring news that I've heard all day> It brought me a lot of joy and so I want to share that joy with all other women who have just had a baby and are wOrried abOut their figure>

'Is it possible to lose weight and regain your figure after having a baby? Yes, it is! Having a baby does not mean you have to be fat. Lots of new moms regain their pre-pregnancy figure within 8-12 months. True, it takes time for your body to get back to normal, but don't despair. Eat properly, get active and let nature do the rest.'

Breastfeeding Helps WeightlOss

Breastfeeding may assist you to lose weight, at least during the 12 months after giving birth. According to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, the process of breastfeeding releases a number of hormones into your body which helps your uterus to return to its pre-pregnancy size and shape.
However, don't count on breast-feeding to improve your weight loss during the immediate postpartum period. Very often, it is only when the breast-feeding stops that the weight starts to come off.
In addition, don't depend on breast-feeding for your weight loss. Otherwise you may get careless about your diet and instead of losing weight, you may actually gain weight. So be sure to eat sensibly, take exercise and allow nature to do the rest. If you are breast-feeding there is no reason why you should not go on a healthy, low-fat weight loss diet, but you should not drop below about 1800 calories per day, while feeding.

important nutrition info

The diet for a pospartum mom looking to lose the weight gained during pregnancy should include the following:
• Six or more servings of grains/starches, including three whole grains
• Three or more fruits
• Three or more vegetables (including at least one vitamin C-rich and one vitamin A-rich fruit or vegetable each day)
• 4 to 6 ounces of protein from a variety of sources (fish, meat, eggs, nuts)
• Three or more servings of dairy or calcium-rich foods (milk, cheese, yogurt) • 3 teaspoons of added vegetable fat from canola oil or olive oil or products made with these (Avoid trans fat, the "bad" fat found in many fried and fast foods.)