We often get asked if pregnancy weight is different to lose than normal weight. And the simple answer is no. Fat is fat and no matter how you gained it, it isn’t a different type of fat if you gained it in pregnancy.
But is pregnancy weight harder to lose than non pregnancy weight? For most people the answer is YES.
And this is because of the significant change to a woman’s life, time, priorities and energy levels post baby (plus the extra weight we gain around the tummy which can be tough to shift). And this applies whether your children are babies or are a lot older.
Pre having children we often just didn’t quite appreciate having time to yourself. I certainly did not appreciate how much time I had to do my own thing and now with two children I find it hard to have any time to myself (which I don’t mind!).
This means that pre baby there is time to go to the gym, or to focus on exercise, or to have a full night sleep each night, or to take it easy if you feel tired, or to spend time cooking and shopping for healthy foods or to have a day off if you feel like it – all of which can mean losing weight is easier to do or certainly more achievable – as you have the time to focus 100% on you.
But post baby, most mums struggle with the daily juggle of life. And the struggle is there whether you are a stay at home mum or a mum back at work as you have a whole new set of priorities to focus on as well as trying to cope with a lack of sleep often coupled with the physical exhaustion of your life as a mum.
So this is where weight loss post baby can be hard as although it would be nice to get back into shape quickly, for most mums it just isn’t feasible. I know that speaking from my own experience, some days I am so physically tired that it is hard to stay awake and function never mind worry about losing weight and finding time to do exercise!
And this is why we created the Lose Baby Weight program and support system as we understand first hand how hard it can be for a lot of mums to lose weight and we wanted to create healthy eating and exercise plans that fit into a mums life and are achievable. And so far mums have lost over 400,00kg on our plans – you can see lots of the results from mums on the plans here
Our tips to lose weight
- If you are a new mum then breastfeeding can help some mums to lose weight. It burns more calories and can help your tummy size reduce. But be warned, for every mum who has found that breastfeeding has helped weight loss there is another mum who saw themselves gain weight due to increased appetite
- Do not get sucked in by fad diets that promise to see you lose 5kg a week. These fad diets are unhealthy, cut out vital food groups that you need for energy and see you lose fluid and muscle which is why the weight comes back on very soon after losing it. You can see here about why fad diets are so bad for us and why you should eat healthily instead
- Don’t put pressure on yourself. Being a mum is hard work – emotionally and physically and if you have put pressure on yourself to lose a lot of weight in a short space of time and you don’t lose what you want each week, it can really get you down and make you feel depressed. Instead, only think about losing weight when you feel physically and emotionally ready and strong and then aim for a healthy 500g – 1kg a week.
- See it is as a long term change to a healthy lifestyle. And even though you may want to lose a big chunk of weight in a few weeks, this is not sustainable and it will be hard to be on a restrictive diet when you have so much going on in your life and need energy. Instead, see it as a long term goal. And if you lose 500g a week over, 20 weeks that is 10kg – which is a big number and by doing it in a sensible and healthy way you won’t find it hard to lose either
- Try our Healthy Mummy Smoothies – they are the perfect solution to the busy mums breakfast and/or lunch and take 2 minutes to make whilst giving your body everything it needs from a protein, fibre, vitamins and minerals and will keep you full and satisfied until snack time – plus are breastfeeding friendly. You can read more about the smoothies here. And you can see the independent nutritionists reviews on the smoothies here.
- Start trying new foods and introducing healthy meals to your family – we have heaps of easy recipes on our site to help and inspire you
- If you are looking for a more structured plan to follow then try our 28 Day Diet & Exercise Plan (which is breastfeeding friendly but is also suitable for all mums whether you are breastfeeding or not) – you can preview the 28 day plan here
- Aim for easy and gentle exercise – such as a daily walk and if you would like to see some easy exercises you can do at home to help tone up your core, bum, hips, thighs and arms then see our exercise videos from our fitness expert.
- If it is your tummy area you really want to focus on then see all you need to know on what to do here
- Need extra motivation? Join our Eat Move Lose Summer Challenge here – it is free!
And just remember, there is no right time to lose weight – it is when you feel ready, and for some mums this can be a few weeks/months post baby and for others it is years. The most important thing is to do it in a healthy and sensible way.
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GET YOUR 10% DISCOUNT
If you are ready to lose weight then the Lose Baby Weight plans offer a healthy and safe exercise and diet routine and you can get a 10% discount by using code LOYALTY at the checkout
PLUS our BEST SELLING 28 Day Diet & Exercise Plan is available as an 84pg Printed Book and you can get your copy here
Plus our NEW CALORIE BIBLE is now available – get your copy today! Only $19.95 and a must have in your handbag!
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