How to Get Back in Shape Post Pregnancy

General Tips for Good Health

1. Drink lots of water throughout the day.
2. Chew your food properly, eat slowly.
3. Try to get enough sleep.
4. Eat small portions at a time.
5. Include plenty of whole grain and fibre rich foods in your diet.

You watch your belly proudly as it swells from month to month, nurtures, holds, and protects your little one. You indulge all your cravings because if you can’t do it now, when can you? And after that magically surreal moment finally comes along, when you hold your baby in your arms, and feel the absolutely inexpressible joy (and exhaustion), you sink your feet back on the ground just to realize that not all the weight you put on during your pregnancy was the baby’s – some (make that most) of it has lingered behind in your own body.

How do you get back your body post-baby? Thankfully, you’re at the right place. Start reading to get on the path of baby weight-loss nirvana.

Give Your Body Time to Heal
You need to, of course, see your doctor regularly so that you know for sure when your body has recovered enough to start exercising again. One of the prime things to bear in mind for the whole weight-loss process is that you should listen to your body – it will tell you when it’s ready to start working out and when you’re straining yourself too much.

The Right Attitude Goes a Long Way
The most crucial thing for weight loss is your attitude. You have to remember that as a new mom you’re not always going to have a long stretch of time for a full workout, so don’t be disappointed when that happens.

The good news, however, is that the simplest of exercises done for short stretches of time can work wonders over a period of time. You also need to take into account that if it took nine months to gain the weight, it certainly isn’t going to go away soon after you deliver – realize and understand this fact. It will help you not to be too hard on yourself and expect drastic weight loss too soon. You just experienced the miracle of birth – give the miracle of weight-loss some time.

Follow a Healthy Diet
Most women eat carefully when they are expecting and stick to hot, fresh, and home-cooked food because it’s good for the baby – but your own health is important too. So don’t let go of these eating habits now – try and stick to food (and snacks) that are packed with nutrition.

In the Indian tradition, there is a very specific diet designed for nursing mothers – and even though it may seem very calorie-rich, don’t forget the fact that it also has a lot of nutrition which, as a new mother and a nursing woman, your body needs.

’Working Out’ the details
Here’s where it gets sticky – what exactly should you do to lose weight? First of all, there are many small steps you can take to ensure that you don’t sit still in one place throughout the day (and this is before the time your baby learns to crawl and run all over the house, you in tow!).

If you live in a storied house, keep your baby’s diaper-changing supplies upstairs if you are downstairs most of the day and vice versa.

One of the simplest and most natural ways to get your body back in shape is walking – and the best part is, you can take your baby along. This way you won’t get the feeling of being at home all day, you can enjoy some fresh air (as can your little one). Besides, walking is a type of exercise that doesn’t strain your body in any way.

One more way to go about working out is to invest in a good exercise video and play it whenever you get time – this way, even if there is no one who can look after the baby while you go to a gym, for instance, you can be at home and still work out. If you do have help, however, joining a gym might be a good idea – you do need some time for yourself too, after all.

Swimming is also a great way to get a full-body workout.

Follow a Customised Exercise Regime
At the end of the day, you have to make your exercise routine work for you. Hate the idea of a gym but love to swim? Go swimming, then. Don’t force yourself into anything you don’t want to do or anything that’s not fun for you – not only will it deter you from wanting to work out, but it will become just another chore in your life, when it should actually be a means to make you feel relaxed and energetic and to have some time for yourself.

All said and done, nothing is going to make you lose weight like the determination to do so. Case in point, Padma Lakshmi – cookbook author, model and actress – not to mention one of the most beautiful women today. According to an interview in Vogue India (January 2011), this new mother runs up and down 40 flights of stairs for 45 minutes, twice a day (as well as boxing three times a week) and has managed to come back to a size 6-8 from the size 10-12 she was during her pregnancy.

She says “I want to be able to say I did it. That I got my body back”. Now wouldn’t you want to do the same?