7 Biggest Barriers to Weight Loss for New Mums and How to Conquer Them. Losing weight is challenging at the best of times, at any stage of life and for males and females alike. But post-pregnancy weight loss comes with some specific obstacles. Even post weight loss, you may still have concerns about your body because of the profound changes during pregnancy.
For example, a saggy stomach area is common after giving birth. And no amount of sustained diet and exercise is a guaranteed resolution. But there are solutions out there.
Abdominoplasty can enhance the abdominal area once you’ve achieved your fitness and weight loss goals. And we’ve linked a video here, in case you want to know more about that.
A recent study among new mothers showed that children and time constraints were a significant barrier in women wanting to lose weight. But they’re not the only things getting in the way of achieving your goals.
So we’ve highlighted the most prominent barriers and found the best advice for you to tackle them head-on.
Eating properly
Body: Fad diets can ruin your post-pregnancy weight loss goals. And depriving yourself of your certain foods while you’re a new mom can cause weight gain.
Eating healthy and when your hungry is the best way to ensure nutrition and avoid excessive calories. So, consume a wide variety of foods but stick to healthy snacks, lean meats and lots of fruits and vegetables.
Though you may be focused on losing weight, right now, you need to concentrate on your breastfeeding and energy needs. So you want food that provides continued energy and high nutrition.
Set firm goals and take smaller, smarter steps to achieve it. This will help you stay focused on getting in shape. Food swapping is a significant small step. Say, swapping a baked potato for hot chips or a lean portion of grilled chicken instead of fried chicken.
Time management
Body: Time management can feel like a real challenge right now, but small things like having and sticking to a meal calendar can be beneficial. Whether you plan out your own meals or let a company take control of you. This will help you stay away from fast foods and prevent unhealthy snacking.
Make working out convenient by checking out the closest gym with a creche. Going to regular classes, and developing a routine will make health and fitness much more straightforward to achieve. Also, make friends with other people in your classes. Other members and supportive trainers will help keep you accountable.
If you were part of organized activity, say a soccer club, before having a baby, make sure you go back as soon as possible. You need time for you and being part of a club or sporting group is a great way to exercise and have some quality you time.
Calories everywhere
Body: Even while breastfeeding and eating healthy, it’s important to exercise too.
A combination of fitness and a healthy balanced diet supports energy and body function for any new mom.
Remember that excessive calories from any food, regardless of how healthy it is, will be stored as fat. So always consider your serving sizes and think about much exercise you really need.
Food prep and portion control are vital for successful, long-term weight loss. As a busy mum might want to contemplate a pre-packaged food program. There’s heaps of great companies out there, probably even a local business in your area too. This takes all the extra work out of counting calories, saves time and prevents overeating.
It might seem like an extra expense, but the results may be worth it, and it’s only a short term strategy to get you on the right track.
We all know that drinking plenty of water prevents dehydration. It helps keep you satiated and speeds up the metabolism too. But alcohol has the opposite effect and consuming beer, wine and spirits will actually slow down your weight loss goals.
Having abstained from alcohol through pregnancy, an evening wine may be more tempting than ever. And one glass may not seem like a significant issue.
But some research has found that new mums often drink more than they used to because having a baby is stressful. And that one glass to relax can quickly become many.
When breastfeeding, it’s best to stay away from alcohol altogether. Since it can affect your milk and may be passed along to the baby.
And if you’re you’re not breastfeeding, be aware that drinking can lead to all kinds of issues. For instance, weight gain and postpartum depression.
Poor sleep
Body: A good night’s sleep is difficult with a newborn baby. But proper rest is important because it keeps cortisol levels in check. Inadequate slumber can raise cortisol levels and compromise the body’s ability to metabolize calories efficiently.
You can help keep those rising cortisol levels at bay by limiting caffeine and stress. As well as not overdoing it at the gym too soon after giving birth.
Changing routine
Body: As a new mum, it can be challenging to find the time to work out. And you should wait until you get the all-clear from your health care professional before you start any vigorous exercise.
Overdoing it or working out too soon can lead to injury. This can be dangerous for your long term health and set you back on those weight loss goals.
Once approved for exercise by your doctor, consider consulting an expert in fitness. A good personal trainer will be able to guide you through the appropriate workouts for postnatal moms. And also tell you what exercises to avoid.
Treat your daily activity like any other appointment; put it in your diary and show up every day. Otherwise, other stuff will get in the way. It’s difficult to be organized with a new baby and routines change all the time. So be flexible with your workouts, particularly in the first year of the baby’s life.
Develop a vast support network, find an excellent nanny service or join a gym with a creche. This will be your secret weapon.
If something does come up and you can’t make your class, find time to take a walk with the baby instead. Any form of regular exercise is excellent and forms good exercise habits.
Getting support
Body: Having a reliable network of supportive friends and family is vital in those first few months after having a baby. But it’s only natural for friends and family to want to help out by feeding you homemade meals and desserts. And it’s normal for you to want to enjoy comfort foods right now.
But hold yourself back and try not to not to overindulge in treats in those first few months postpartum.
Instead, let those people know that you’re eating healthy, so they can assist you in other ways. For instance, they can help you with your wellness goals by taking the baby for a while so you can get some exercise.
Impatience
Body: We’re so impatient when it comes to making real changes. We all want things to happen immediately and without too much fuss. And it’s the same with weight loss.
But the simple truth is that the most efficient weight-loss plans combine diet and exercise for sensible, sustainable weight loss. So stay focused on your end goal and remind yourself every day what you want to achieve.
Be realistic with your goals, too and don’t be afraid to start with manageable changes. Something as basic as cutting out processed foods and daily walks is a solid starting point.
The bottom line
Body: No doubt, most of us wish we could lose that extra pregnancy weight quickly and easily. But let’s not forget that as a new parent there are more important things to think about right now. And let’s be real, no body snaps back into shape immediately.
Now, while there’s lots of stuff you can do to speed up the process and reach those health and fitness goals, it’s also vital to give yourself a break.
The truth is when we give birth, our body changes; parts of it stretch and shift. And that’s because you did the wondrous business of growing and birthing new life.
So try not to obsess with getting your pre-baby body back. But focus on having a healthy and happy mother and child.