Weight gain during pregnancy is recommended because it is good for your developing baby. Now that you are breastfeeding your baby, you will definitely want to lose weight while breastfeeding and get back to the shape she was in before pregnancy. Here are some tips to apply that will help you lose weight while you are breastfeeding your baby.
breastfeed your baby
Exclusive breastfeeding is a real means to burn excess fat. Your body makes milk using the nutrients you eat. This process requires a lot of energy, which means more fat and calories will be burned to release more energy to the cells in your body to function properly. Breast milk also contains fatty acids. These fats that would have been stored in your body are removed through breast milk to feed your baby. Breastfeeding, in other words, helps you drop the extra pounds.
Eat a balanced diet
Your lactation period is not a time to go on a diet or start fasting to lose weight. You may feel like you are eating more than you should. There is nothing wrong in it. You will easily get hungry because more fat is burned and the nutrients used to make breast milk need to be replaced quickly. To ensure that you are well nourished, you should eat a balanced diet and eat more fruits and vegetables. This will ensure that your body gets all the essential food ingredients, vitamins and minerals from the food you eat.
drink enough water
If you want to lose weight while breastfeeding, it is important that you drink enough water. First, drinking plenty of water will help you stay hydrated because you are giving off a large amount of water through breast milk. 50% of the content of breast milk is made up of water, so you should replace the lost water by drinking enough water.
Participate in some exercise regime
Doing some exercises will also help you lose weight and get back to your pre-pregnancy shape while you’re breastfeeding. Regular exercise improves your body’s metabolic process and helps you gain lean muscles easily. Therefore, you must add exercise in your post-pregnancy plan. The type of exercises to perform depends on your state of health. Walking or doing some kind of yoga is a good option for you. You can talk to your doctor or a fitness expert for advice on this.
Take time to relax and reduce stress.
Being stressed while breastfeeding can cause you to gain weight. When you’re stressed, your body produces more stress hormones like cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones reduce the rate of digestion; increase your heart rate and decrease blood circulation to digestive cells. This will cause you to gain more weight. Therefore, it is important that you avoid stress when you are breastfeeding your baby.
Following the tips above will allow you to lose weight when you are breastfeeding.