12 Postpartum Weight Loss Tips You Need To Know Now
Need help losing weight after pregnancy? This post is all about postpartum weight loss tips.
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So, you’re officially on your postpartum journey. The question that’s probably running through your mind is, how on earth am I going to lose this baby weight?
Losing weight isn’t always the easiest task for anyone. And it can especially feel impossible to lose weight after having a baby. But no worries! It doesn’t have to feel like that which is why I put together a few simple postpartum weight loss tips that you can do TODAY to start your weight loss journey!
First, I want you to switch the way you’re thinking. Instead of losing X amount of weight in X amount of time, I want you to think of your postpartum weight loss journey as a long-term weight loss journey slash building a healthy lifestyle journey. Not only for you but for your baby.
There’s a saying, and it goes “happy mom happy life.” And I feel like that starts with feeling healthy.
Postpartum Weight Loss Tips
Some of the tips I go over are going to be a no-brainer for you. But it may not be a no-brainer for others which is why I’m going through every little aspect of weight loss that I have implemented in order to shed my baby weight during postpartum.
And not to mention, I am always keeping each of these postpartum weight loss tips in mind so that I don’t see my weight creep back up.
1. Hydrate
Ditch the carbonated drinks loaded with sugar or that juice you always get at the gas station that promises you all the nutritional components of losing weight. Trade them all in for your old-fashioned water.
In fact, treat yourself with a fancy 50oz jug like this one that I have and fill it up 2 to 3 times a day each day. This makes it super easy to get your water in. You want postpartum weight loss tips, long and healthy hair, and clear skin. Start with hydration.
2. Smaller Portion Sizes
I’ve found that eating small meals/snacks throughout the day is way more beneficial than eating you’re standard three meals a day.
Have you ever gone the whole day or too long without eating and you felt like you could eat like 10 plates at a buffet? But if you eat smaller meals throughout the day, you’re less likely to binge eat.
And a little bonus eating smaller meals more frequently helps speed up your metabolism!
3. Don’t Skip Breakfast
Breakfast is by far the most important meal of the day!
If you eat a nice, well-balanced breakfast, then you’re less likely to overeat throughout the day. I try to eat in an upside-down triangle if I can’t eat the same meals each day. And what I mean by an upside-down triangle is eating a bigger breakfast and tapering down throughout the day so I don’t eat a huge dinner before bed.
4. Exercise
Working out has never hurt anyone. There’s a clear reason why people work out. It not only aids in weight loss but also helps clear your mind and releases chemicals called endorphins. Endorphins make you feel good and happy. So the more you work out the happier you’ll be!
My favorite workout essentials
5. Eat Intuitively
First, what does this even mean? If you haven’t heard of intuitive eating here is what it is.
“Intuitive eating” is a non-dieting approach to changing your eating habits. According to the National Eating Disorders Association, intuitive eating is about trusting your body to make food choices that feel good for you, without judging yourself or the influence of diet culture.
Now, this might sound contradicting to a few of my tips above. But what this tip is about is listening to your body. If you’re hungry then eat, if your not then don’t. If you haven’t had something sweet in a while then eat something sweet.
6. Cook At Home
Out of all the postpartum weight loss tips, cooking at home is going to be one of the best ways to stay on top of your weight loss.
When you go out to eat, restaurants tend to overdo it with salt, butter, and oils. They also will most likely give you a bigger portion and you’re more likely to overeat.
Dont get me wrong, it’s nice to go out every once in a while, just not all the time. Plus think of all the money you save too!
7. Get Good Sleep
You need to sleep to recover. And you need sleep to reduce your overall stress levels in your body so it doesn’t lead to weight gain.
8. Reduce Stress
When your body is under a lot of stress, it releases a stress hormone called cortisol. Cortisol promotes weight gain by stimulating fat and carbohydrate metabolism and insulin release that leads to an increase in appetite (stress eating) ultimately leading to weight gain.
Another crazy thing about cortisol is that researchers have shown that it causes fat deposition around the abdominal area which is one of the hardest areas to burn.
So, if you’re stressed about the baby weight you’re only making matters worse for yourself.
9. Reduce Sugar Intake
Sugar is my worst enemy. My husband jokes and calls me a “dessert-etarian.” I have the biggest sweet tooth!
Sugar is counterproductive to weight loss. And it’s so addicting that it can be challenging to minimize in your diet. But what if I told you that you can indulge in your sweet treats here and there and still lose your baby weight?
You don’t have to go to the extreme to lose weight like completely cutting out your carbs and sugars. Instead, work on your self-control skills and treat yourself to a slice of cake or that 400-calorie Starbucks drink you crave once in a while. But be careful not to overindulge and treat yourself too often.
10. Eat Nutrient Dense Meals
You can eat all the broccoli in the world but just eating broccoli alone will not help you in the long run. Try incorporating good healthy fats, lean proteins, and complex carbs into your diet.
Fats:
- Avocados
- Coconut oil
- Nut butters
- Whole eggs
Protein:
- Turkey
- Chicken breast
- Fish
Carbs:
- Sweet potatos
- Quinoa
- Rice
11. Move Your Body
Doing your cardio will help the stubborn fat around your abdominal area. Weight lifting is important to get nice and toned. But you also want to incorporate cardio or HIIT (high-intensity interval training)exercises.
If you’re just starting out and HIIT sounds a little intimidating, start with walking! Walking is so beneficial and will help jumpstart your weight loss journey.
12. Watch What You Drink
The goal of losing weight and promoting a healthier lifestyle is not only to burn fat. But it’s also to make your stomach smaller (literally). When you eat smaller portions long-term, your stomach shrinks which makes it harder to eat a huge meal.
Drinking carbonated drinks expands your stomach which isn’t necessarily going to help with weight loss.
Bonus Tip
Don’t focus too hard on “dieting”. Instead, just eat healthily. Take it day by day. Treat yourself to treats now and then and don’t make your postpartum weight loss journey miserable.
If you had a bad week where you at one too many desserts, missed a workout or had two too many drinks you shouldn’t have- accept it for what it is and move forward. Learn from every food choice you decide to make and continue to better yourself.
This post was all about postpartum weight loss tips
I hope these postpartum weight loss tips help you on your weight loss journey. And have answered some of your weight loss questions you might’ve had. Let me know what your thoughts on this blog post were in the comments below!
Xoxo, Jess
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This post was all about postpartum weight loss tips
