From the moment your body starts accumulating weight in pregnancy, you probably begin planning as to how you will go about shedding them off once the little one arrives. Once your baby is born, you will be overwhelmed and it takes some time for you to settle into a semblance of a routine. When this happens, it is time to put the plans you made into action. However, you need to give your body some time to relax as well because it has been through a lot and will need to recuperate. In addition, everyone’s experience is different and it is best to seek the permission of a doctor before you do anything.
There are lots of things that can help new moms in burning off the weight they have gained during pregnancy. Taking the baby out with you for a walk in a stroller, breastfeeding and eating healthy snacks, all can assist you. But, if you want to see a major difference, exercise is the key here. How can it help?
1- With regular exercise, it is easy for you to get back to your pre-pregnancy weight, but that’s not all. It can also reduce leg cramps and back pain, maintain or improve muscle tone, reduce constipation and swelling and improve your sleep cycles.
2- During the first four to six months after your pregnancy, you need to keep the exercises light. You can go for walking, swimming, water aerobics and low-impact aerobics. There are post-natal exercise classes you can take in which professionals guide you to start a light weight program that helps you in maintaining your posture and doesn’t require you to hold your breath.
3- The intensity of the exercise program can be increased gradually, if you feel you are able to and don’t experience any discomfort or pain.
4- You should ensure that the abdominal and pelvic floor muscles have regained enough strength before you start aerobics, sports, heavy lifting and running. A minimum of twelve to sixteen weeks is required for this purpose before you can start a normal exercise routine. Believing that high-impact exercises and sports will automatically deal with the strengthening is a major mistake because it actually reduces the strength and causes long-term bowel and bladder issues.
5- There are tons of exercises that you can do, but once you are ready to get back to it, cardio is the way to go because it can help shape your legs and butt. Kickboxing, swimming, jogging and bicycling all help.
6- You can also focus on strength training, which involves doing plenty of lunges and squats. You can also consider getting injected into the buttocks to get your butt in proper shape. A trainer can be consulted for establishing a proper exercise regimen.
7- Weight training can also be immensely helpful because it speeds up your metabolism, thereby helping you in getting rid of the extra weight on your body. New mothers don’t even need dumbbells; they have their baby and can use them for doing lunges and similar exercises.
While you want to get back into shape as soon as possible, it is essential for you to take a break if you feel any sort of pain or discomfort. If something hurts, you should stop instantly and get it checked or ignorance will cost you a lot in the long run. You don’t want to take that risk, especially when you also have a baby’s responsibility to deal with. Next, also remember that overdoing it is also not a good idea. Sure, you want fast results, but it is better to be safe than sorry.
