Diet your way to a healthier and fitter you

Now that your bouncing baby is in your arms you definitely can't wait to lose that excess flab. At the same time it is necessary to respect the changes your body has undergone through your pregnancy and give it due time to heal. Do not indulge into crash diets and exercise regimes too soon. Your body needs healing as well as that extra ton of energy to take care of your new born. Here are a few tips that will help you design a practical weight loss program post your delivery.

Don't start too early:

Give yourself at least 6 weeks to recover from labour and delivery before you begin the weight loss regime. If you are nursing we suggest keep the diet at bay until the baby is 2 months old. Diet may strip you off the essential energy boosters you would need and also affect the milk production. Apart from that breastfeeding helps you lose a lot of calories and weight.

Be sure to contact your doctor before beginning the weight loss regime. You can contact CareNine expert dietician for a healthier way to lose the pregnancy weight.

Be realistic about the weight loss:

Pregnancy sometimes leads to permanent changes in body shape like wider hips, softer belly etc. It's important to set goals which do not let you down eventually. What is most important is being healthy and fit while enjoying the bliss of motherhood.

Get active

There is no gain without pain and no shortcut to shed all that excessive flab. Once you get a go ahead from the doctor to get into an exercise regime, start burning more calories and cut down on the intake. A quick, brisk walk with your baby in the stroller also helps. So do not worry if you cannot make time to visit the gym. Refer to our 10 minute exercise for busy moms in the July 2015 issue for some quick exercises.

Go gradual

Do not try to go back to crash diets that helped you lose weight before pregnancy. Check with your dietician or doctor on your daily calorie intake and maintain that for a healthy milk supply if you are nursing and also to keep those energy levels on to avoid mood swings.

Rapid weight loss also releases toxins from the body into the blood stream and even into the milk supply. Try cutting down few calories without going below the bare minimum intake and increasing your level of activity and you will see results slowly and gradually.

Do not skip meals

Skipping meals is the unhealthiest way to lose weight. It only results in you eating larger portions in your next meal. While you may not find time to eat in between handling the new baby, eat smaller meals frequently to keep your energy levels going, which you would also need if you plan to get exercising.