Lose weight while breastfeeding

Gaining weight during pregnancy is recommended because it is good for your developing baby. Now that you’re breastfeeding your baby, you’ll definitely want to lose weight while nursing and get back to the shape she was in before pregnancy. Here are some tips to apply that will allow you to lose weight while you are breastfeeding your baby.

breastfeed your baby

Exclusive breastfeeding is a real means of burning excess fat. Your body makes milk using the nutrients you consume. This process requires a lot of energy, which means that more fat and calories will be burned to release more energy to the cells of your body for proper function. Breast milk also contains fatty acids. These fats that would have been stored in your body are eliminated through your breast milk to feed your baby. Breastfeeding, in other words, helps you shed extra pounds.

eat a balanced diet

Your breastfeeding 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 become hungry because more fat is burned and the nutrients used to make breast milk need to be replaced quickly. To make sure 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’re giving a lot of water through your breast milk. 50% of the content of breast milk is made up of water, so you must replace the lost water by drinking enough water.

Engage in some exercise regimen

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 are stressed, the body produces more stress hormones, such as cortisol and adrenaline. These hormones slow down the rate of digestion; increase your heart rate and decrease blood flow to digestive cells. This will cause you to gain more weight. Therefore, it is important that you avoid stress when you are nursing your baby.

Following the tips above will allow you to lose weight when you are breastfeeding.