After giving birth, it’s totally normal for mothers to feel as though they’re eager to lose weight. The leftover pounds from pregnancy can seem to linger for a long time, and you might be wondering when it’s safe to start on a new weight loss journey to finally get rid of them.
There’s no need to rush the process, especially for a new mother who already has her hands full, so we’ve got some diet and breastfeeding tips you can follow instead. These tips can help you avoid crash diets and make small changes that will actually help you shift some pounds, and they’re easy enough for anyone to implement.
#1: Have a Meal Plan
Nothing ever gets accomplished without a plan in place, so make yourself a breastfeeding meal plan for the best results. This shouldn’t be too strict, giving you some room for changes as needed, but having a basic meal plan to follow will make it a lot easier to keep on track. If you have time, you can cook some food in bulk and freeze it, saving yourself time down the line and helping to avoid the urge of takeout.
#2: Avoid Fad Diets
It can be tempting to follow the advice of people who claim they dropped 10lbs in one week, but it’s not safe nor really possible to try this type of diet during breastfeeding. When you’re breastfeeding especially, you need to stay away from any fad diet that claims rapid weight loss is possible, and instead think about eating more of the foods that are better for you.
#3: Eat Whole Foods
Avoid high sugar, high fat, and processed foods wherever possible on a breastfeeding diet plan, and try to switch them out for whole foods. Vegetables, fruits, and whole grains are going to keep you full but also reduce the calories, and you can make some simple swaps in your everyday diet that ensure you get more of them.
#4: Have a Snack Box
Each morning, pack yourself a snack box that you will use for the day to avoid the temptation of eating poorly. You could put some dried apricots, nuts, trail mix, healthy muffins, cheese slices, fresh fruit, or anything else that takes your fancy. Food should be nutritious but also tasty, so you don’t need to feel guilty about reaching for snacks whenever you want one.
#5: Increase Your H20
Breastfeeding moms need a whole lot of water, and it’s important to watch your intake to make sure you’re getting enough. A simple calculation is to divide your body weight in pounds by two and drink that many ounces of water, adding more when you’re breastfeeding. Keep a water bottle close by and add some fresh fruit or herbs to it for flavor if you’re struggling to drink the recommended amount.
#7: Don’t Shop When You’re Hungry
One common mistake any dieter can make is heading to the supermarket on an empty stomach. Doing this will lead you to make unhealthy choices and likely get things that are high fat and high sugar to add to your basket. If you haven’t eaten, buy a banana and consume it before you get started browsing the shelves, and don’t run the risk of shopping while hungry.
#8: Up Your Activity
There’s no need to reduce your food too much as long as you increase your exercise, so aim for just 20 minutes a day of walking with your pram in the neighborhood to get started. This little bit can make a huge difference, and not just on your waistline. Studies have shown that daily physical activity also reduces stress, anxiety, and depression, which are things we can all do without.
#9: Try to Eat Slowly
This can be a hard one to follow when we only get a few minutes a day to ourselves, but whenever possible, try and slow down while you eat as a simple way to diet for nursing mothers. Sit at the table and focus on your meal, and take slow and steady mouthfuls. This will allow your mind and stomach to catch up and prevents you from overeating.
#10: Use a Kids’ Plate
As moms, we’re pretty used to eating off of our children’s plates anyway, but you can use some of their kitchen utensils to reduce your meal size. By serving your main meals on a smaller plate, the food will appear bigger and you’ll notice feeling full sooner. This is great for stopping overeating and for those of us who serve up meals much bigger than they need to be.
#11: Don’t Starve Yourself
Never ever starve yourself when you’re dieting, and especially if you’re breastfeeding. The nursing mother needs a lot more calories than regular people and if you feel hungry this is your body giving you a signal. Snack when you need it and give into your body when it’s telling you that it needs food, and you’ll make it a lot easier to avoid those unhealthy binges that occur when we’re starving.
#12: Be Kind to Yourself
Breastfeeding is a huge part of motherhood and the last thing you want to do is make it unnecessarily stressful with a harsh diet to follow. Take care of yourself with supportive supplies like nursing bras, comfortable chairs, and nursing pillows, and worry about getting rid of the weight when your baby is a little older and more independent.
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