World breastfeeding week 2018: Smart ways to lose weight while breastfeeding

The perfect way to lose weight while breastfeeding is by adopting healthy low-fat food consumption and by practising moderate exercise regularly.

By: Kristina Das | | Published: August 3, 2018 5:19 pm

Lack of activity and extra nourishment during pregnancy makes you gain weight. After delivery, losing weight becomes a priority for most women. However, during the first few months, it is important for you to notice whether your baby is getting all the necessary nutrition or not. And for infants, the only source of nutrition is mother’s breast milk. Therefore, it is essential for the mother to eat healthy foods and opting for a weight loss diet is next to impossible. Initially, losing weight should not be your priority. The extra weight which you have gained over a period of 9 to 10 months require the same time to lose those extra kilos. So, after having a bay, managing them should be your only concern. And then you can wait for around 6 weeks to follow the weight loss regime. First 6 weeks can be considered as a transition period where you and your baby are trying to adapt to the changes happened in your lives. Thus, it is always better to not get distracted by any other activities. Also Read - Is it safe to do intermittent fasting while breastfeeding?

However, even if you are breastfeeding a well-planned weight reduction program is safe. A gradual weight loss process is ideal, instead of having a sudden drop in weight. The perfect way to lose weight while breastfeeding is by adopting healthy low-fat food consumption and by practising moderate exercise regularly. This won’t have any impact on the quantity or quality of the milk to be fed to the baby. Also Read - Foods new moms should avoid after delivery

While breastfeeding your body use your stored energy in fat to make milk for the baby which also aids in stimulating your weight. Both weight loss and breastfeeding go hand in hand. Also Read - World Breastfeeding Week: Introducing solids while nursing

Here are a few smart ways which you can follow to lose weight while breastfeeding.

Breastfeed frequently: The body will use the stored energy in fats in order to produce milk. It will help you to burn a lot of calories. And along with breastfeeding maintaining a good balance between food consumption and exercise is equally important.

Practise moderate exercise: Begin with exercises which are not too tough and heavy on the body. Adapt an exercise routine which includes light walking for 20 to 30 minutes along with your child. Gradually increase the intensity of your exercises. However, do not try to burn too many calories in one go while you are breastfeeding.

Drink water: To keep a tab on your weight drinking plenty of water is important. It helps to remove toxins from the body and also aids in the digestion process. And while breastfeeding it is important to stay hydrated. It will also make you feel less hungry.

Do not starve: Do not consume food might reduce your weight instantly, but it will also affect your milk production. Thus, ensure you eat healthy foods and do not skip meals. And if you want to follow a particular diet consult a dietician.

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Published : August 3, 2018 5:19 pm

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