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70.
70 pounds.
As in 7-0.
As in 30 pounds fewer than 100.
That’s how much weight I gained during my first pregnancy.
I remember the nurse telling me during one of my first prenatal appointments, “we recommend that expecting moms gain about 30 pounds during pregnancy, on average.”
Welp. I more than doubled that.
I definitely can look back now and laugh – or marvel really – at how crazy amazing the human body is at doing what it needs to do. I mean, I definitely indulged with my white flour foods and melted cheese on everything, but enough to gain 70 pounds? I don’t know about that. But that’s what I gained nonetheless.
Now, when I went to my 6 week postpartum appointment, I hadn’t lost all that much weigh. And I was totally freaked out.
At that point of motherhood, especially with the first baby, we feel so out of whack as it is. We just want to feel comfortable and normal in our own skin again. We want to fit into our old clothes and take a long shower and sleep for more than a 45 minute stretch.
And we want to not look pregnant anymore.
When I broached the subject of my weight gain (and hopeful weigh loss) with my OB-GYN, she said seriously the best thing ever:
“It took you 9 months to gain the weight … give yourself at least 9 months to lose it.”
WHEW!
In that one simple sentence, she gave me permission to take my time and to be gentle with myself. To practice the patience about which I preach in yoga.
All of a sudden I felt like I could slow down and get my bearings of motherhood (or at least try to!) without the pressure of “losing the baby weight!” You know, the way magazines have you believe you need to.
And this felt so reassuring, because at 6 weeks postpartum, you basically feel like a zombie (or at least I did).
I think it’s unreasonable to expect to lose weight in the first several weeks, other than the baby itself and the placenta. You’re completely exhausted, you’re ravenous (especially if you’re breastfeeding), and you haven’t yet been cleared to exercise. So it’s not realistic to expect any major weight loss to happen right away.
Give it time.
Here’s the thing: losing weight after pregnancy isn’t rocket science, and there are 7 super simple things you can do to stay on track.
1. Be Patient
I know, I talked about this above, but patience is one of the most important things you can practice when you’re trying to lose weight. Keep reminding yourself that you didn’t gain it all overnight, so like my doctor said, it’s going to take some time to lose. Once you give yourself permission to take your time, you will feel so much better and confident. And slow weight loss is steady weight loss too. Losing weight at a sustainable rate, a rate at which you can keep it off takes time. If you crash diet and lose 15 pounds in two weeks, that weight is likely to creep back on. Take your time.
2. Breastfeed if you can
Check this out: our bodies burn about 20 calories for every ounce of breast milk we make. WOW! And babies drink a lot of milk. So your body is working in overdrive even as you sit on the couch all day long and breastfeed your baby. It’s a pretty sweet deal!
One thing to keep in mind with breastfeeding is that because your body is burning so many calories, you will likely get really hungry. I certainly did; I called it the breastfeeding hunger, and I ate like my stomach was a bottomless pit!
Don’t think that you should restrict calories when breastfeeding; in fact, that will not make you feel good at all. Instead, focus on eating nutritious calories – as many as you need to feel sated.
Now, one side note I’ll mention here. If you want to breastfeed but aren’t sure how, or if you’re in the early stages of motherhood and having some trouble, check out this course on breastfeeding. It’s called the Ultimate Breastfeeding Class and you can download it and have access to this great wealth of information in moments.
My friend Stacey who created the course is a Certified Lactation Consultant. She’s helped literally thousands of moms learn how to breastfeed. The online course is super thorough and covers everything from breastfeeding benefits to latching to pumping and so much more.
The best part is that it’s only $19, and you have lifetime access to allll of this information.
So if you know you want to breastfeed but are even a tiny bit nervous, grab the course right here and ease any anxieties!
To wrap up this point, breastfeeding can burn a heck of a lot of calories and is great for losing pregnancy weight. It also brings me to point #3…
3. Eat Protein with Every Meal
I can’t tell you how much better I felt when I had protein with every meal vs. no protein. Even if it’s just a spoonful of peanut butter that you eat standing in the kitchen as you bounce your baby, some protein is better than nothing. If you are breastfeeding and you do feel that breastfeeding hunger, don’t go too long without a snack or a meal. And that protein will help you feel full longer and give your body healthy fuel to burn. Some quick, go-to protein snacks that I always like to have on hand are:
- Almonds
- Yogurt
- Cheese (I like to have a block of sharp cheddar in the fridge at all times)
- Hummus
- Peanut Butter (or other nut butter)
- Avocados
- Deli Cold Cuts (sometimes have lots of salt, but you can get low sodium)
4. Have Healthy Foods in the House
This might sound really simple, but when neighbors and friends are bringing over rich (albeit delicious) casseroles, you might forget to hit up the grocery store for yourself. Then you’re at the mercy of whatever loved ones decide to bring. I definitely am not suggesting heading out to the busy grocery store at just a couple weeks postpartum. Instead, when friends ask what you need or what they can bring (because they will) don’t hesitate to let them know you need some apples and a big bag of baby carrots.
When my third baby was about two months old, I remember thinking, I haven’t had a vegetable in about two weeks. Yikes! And I felt kind of gross because of it.
If you have healthy foods on hand, you’ll be more likely to reach for them.
Do you feel like you need a little help when the time comes to brave the grocery store postpartum? This post is for you.
5. Eat Your Veggies
Along these lines of healthy foods, filling up on tons of veggies is awesome for any kind of weight loss. You can eat a huge volume of food, get tons of nutrients and vitamins, but not overdo it. I love roasting vegetables, especially broccoli with a little bit of garlic and olive oil. I find that this way of cooking gives the vegetables a rich, satisfying flavor.
When you’re trying to lose pregnancy weight, you can’t go wrong by incorporating vegetables – lots of them – into every meal.
6. Drink Plenty of Water
Staying hydrated helps with breastfeeding and weight loss! Sometimes we feel like we’re hungry but in reality, we just haven’t had enough to drink. I personally aim to drink about a gallon of water a day. If you can keep a water bottle with you at all times, drinking water becomes second nature. By drinking steadily all day long, you’ll give your body the hydration it needs, and you’ll know that when you feel hungry you actually are hungry (and not just thirsty). Need a little extra hydration motivation? Check this out.
7. Sweat!
This is my favorite one. Once you get the go-ahead from your doctor, it’s time to sweat it out! I know leaving your baby might be really hard (or maybe not depending on how stir crazy you’re going!) but get yourself out sweating in some shape or form.
Go for a run. Take a yoga class. Ride your bike.
Do something to get your muscles working and your blood pumping.
While weight loss is more dependent on how many calories you’re eating vs. how many you’re burning, exercise absolutely is part of the equation.
When we sweat, our bodies release endorphins. These endorphins literally trigger a positive feeling in you. The first year of motherhood poses so many new challenges. And trying to lose weight during that time can feel like you’re climbing up a mountain. But when you spend a little time every day doing something (sweating!) that makes you feel good, your body will thank you.
What I love about these 7 simple ways to lose pregnancy weight is that they’re normal and sustainable. Weight loss after having a baby is not about taking some magic pill or going on some insane diet. It’s about incorporating healthy habits and routines into our lives that we can maintain for the long haul.
After you have a baby your brain is so tired and you feel so overwhelmed. Hopefully by keeping it simple right here you’re able to use these tips in a manageable way. ☺
Remember, to snag the Ultimate Breastfeeding Course to get you on the right track with your breastfeeding journey, click here ☺
