Conceiving and pregnancy are exciting experiences for all women. But it comes with endurance of fatigue, pain and anxiety as the body undergoes a lot of hormonal and compositional changes. Women tend to put on a lot of weight during pregnancy to withstand the strain and also promote the healthy growth of the foetus. However, once the delivery is completed, they can return back to normalcy by perseverance and patience.

The following are some tips for gaining back your original body structure:

• Do not be too impatient to lose weight quickly. It is neither healthy for you nor for your baby especially if you are breast feeding

• Aim for practical weight loss than overloading yourself with high ambitions that could be really stressful for the body

• Do not compromise on healthy eating habits as your child’s health depends on your nourishment primarily

• Give your body enough time to recover. It may even take 6 months to a year post to your pregnancy to get back to complete normalcy

• Do not drastically cut your calorie intake immediately after pregnancy as you would require a lot of strength to feed your baby also

• Exhaustion is common after delivery as your baby may be demanding your feed during untimely hours. Try and gain enough sleep and reduce your anxiety and stress levels as far as possible

• Start with simple exercises and slowly proceed to vigorous ones post to your delivery. Consult your doctor in order to be aware of the best exercise regimen

• Go for brisk walking or cycling and schedule gym workouts at least thrice a week at regular intervals

• Try using stairs instead of elevators

• Breast feed your baby regularly. In this case, you share the nutrients and calories with the baby and gradually would come back to your normal shape

• Start following a weight loss diet and fitness program only after 3 months of breastfeeding as your body would adapt to the new routine only then

• Drink plenty of water to reduce intake.

• It is better to consume fresh lemon juices in the place of high-sugar and high-calorie juices and sodas

• Consume healthy soups, fruits and vegetables with lot of greens and fibrous content

• Eat whole grains instead of processed versions

• Consume lean meats instead of red meat

• In case you want to opt for fast food, eat salad or other non-fatty and non-oily items

• Eat healthy snacks like popcorn, wheat crackers, nuts and raisins instead of junk food and bakery items

• It is quite natural for you to crave for certain types of food especially after pregnancy. Do not completely refrain from your tastes, instead have them in small portions

• Have a regular eating routine. Split your heavy meals into multiple light meals in order to reduce your intake. Avoid eating often between meals unless you are really hungry

• Avoid taking weight loss pills, instead try and lose weight by changing your lifestyle in order to avoid the risks of dietary supplements

Jonathan Pitts

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