Easy Steps For New Moms To Get Back In Shape

So, your nine-month journey has eventually ushered you into the maternal world.

Congratulations!

Becoming a mom can be both exciting and overwhelming, and the journey in its entirety, right from conception to delivery, is characterized by physical, emotional, and even mental changes.

But now that your little bundle of joy has finally come, it might be time to muster the remaining energy and embark on a journey that will help you feel like yourself once again.

The surefire way to your pre-pregnancy self? You guessed it right — postpartum fitness regimen!

A postpartum fitness campaign can help you get back in shape months or even weeks after delivery. However, you need proper guidance to make the journey smooth and fruitful.

This article will provide tips on how you can make your postnatal fitness journey a smooth, healthy, and successful endeavor.

When Is The Right Time To Begin?

Before we plunge into tips for getting back into shape, it’s worth mentioning that when to begin matters a lot.

Giving birth can be traumatic to your body, and you don’t want to exert more stress on it immediately after you’ve become a mom. So, take time to recover, regain energy, and overcome the “baby blues” before embarking on the fitness journey.

Usually, 6 to 8 weeks after delivery is, for the majority, considered a “sweet spot” for rolling out a postpartum fitness regimen. If you had an uncomplicated pregnancy that culminated in a successful vaginal birth, you may start exercising within the first week after delivery.

But keep in mind that feeling ready doesn’t guarantee that you’re good to go. Follow the guidance of your GP or midwife.

6 Tips For Getting Back In Shape

For a successful campaign, doing things right is a prerequisite. Here are some top tips to keep you on track in your postpartum fitness journey:

1. Start With Baby Steps

After getting the approval from a GP or midwife, gently introduce your body into the new fitness routine. Don’t be too harsh on yourself. You’re competing with no one else except yourself, so it’s best to start small.

Begin with that light dance before you get back to the gym routine you had before pregnancy. 30 minutes should do. You can even subdivide it into shorter sessions.

For instance, A 10-minute warm-up dance, yoga, or even a walk three times a day is a great way to prepare your legs and muscles for more intense exercises. That will be 150 minutes of exercise weekly, which is a good activity level.

And remember, you have to listen to your body no matter how light the exercises look. If you feel any pain, notice any unusual bleeding, or get injury, stop immediately and call your doctor.

2. Progress Into Strength Training

Once you’ve brought your body to the new rhythm, it’s time to take things a notch higher. You can now consider more intense activities like light jogging, longer walks, slow biking, light weightlifting, and others. Then, slowly increase the intensity as you build endurance.

If you aren’t sure how to proceed with these exercises, YouTube and social media now offer lots of guidance. You can even consider WallPilates, a new fitness trend that will help you get back in shape in an easy and fun way.

And keep in mind that some of these activities don’t have to steal your bonding time with your newborn. You can find ways to kill two birds with one stone.

For instance, if the weather is conducive, carrying your little angel in a baby carrier when going out for a walk allows you to bond with your newborn while at the same time working on regaining your shape.

3. Remember To Remain Hydrated

As you embark on your workout routine, your body will lose a lot of fluids through sweating. It’s important to replenish them, which is where the need to remain hydrated comes in.

And get this: You must not stick to the 2-liter rule of thumb. That’s for the average individual. As a mom, you lose 25 ounces of water in breast milk every day, so you need to aim for more. Doctors recommend 3.8 liters a day for breastfeeding moms, which is about 16 cups!

That might look like a lot, but if it’s the rule, then it can be done. You can easily get there by drinking a glass of water after breastfeeding, thirsty or not. It will help you hit the target, as long as you’re following a normal feeding schedule for your newborn.

And remember, much like your daily exercises, you can get creative with how you get it done. There are many beverages and foods out there that can help you attain that level of intake.

But ensure the ones you choose don’t contain any added sugars, flavors, or colors. And, of course, refrain from alcoholic beverages and keep your caffeinated drinks to the minimal, if at all you must have them.

4. Healthy Diet Is Key

You’re what you eat. So, don’t downplay the essence of proper postpartum nutrition. Your body is healing, and you need a healthy diet alongside those exercises to help you get where you want to be.

Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) says that a breastfeeding mom should target 340 to 400 kcal in their daily diet on top of their pre-pregnancy calorie intake. This will help the body recover, gain strength, and produce milk for the newborn.

But then, the CDC emphasizes that dietary needs differ from person to person depending on their age, health condition, BMI, and other factors. So again, it’s best to work with a GP for a diet plan tailored to your individual needs.

A healthy postpartum diet plan will usually capture nutrient-dense foods like whole grains, vegetables, fruits, healthy fats, and lean proteins such as fish and chicken.

5. Remain Focused On Your Exercise Goals!

You won’t get back in shape in a day or two. Sometimes, a month won’t yield visible results! Keep pushing without giving up. You might not see the results as soon as you could be expecting, but remember that every step you make in your prepartum campaign counts.

In other words, stay motivated and don’t throw in the towel yet. You can even join a Mommy fitness group for social support and accountability. There, you will meet like-minded people who will motivate you and make the fitness journey more fun.

If you prefer going solo, that’s still fine. Just set small attainable goals and reward yourself every time you attain them. You’ll be surprised at how the little efforts eventually sum up.

6. Get Enough Rest

While this is an often ignored part, it’s important to get enough rest when nursing a newborn. It’s part of your healing process.

And here’s why: When you’re tired, the temptation to reach for an unhealthy snack becomes almost irresistible, which might negate all your weight-losing efforts. Plus, tiredness can make you skip your workout sessions, something you really don’t want to do.

So, get enough rest. It might be difficult to get the full 8-hour sleep, but when you can squeeze in naps, for instance, within the hours that the newborn sleeps, don’t hesitate to do so.

Conclusion

While the pregnancy journey can take a toll on your body, the prepartum fitness journey restores your glorious pre-pregnancy self. That’s why you must not ignore this part after delivery.

Sometimes, the journey won’t be a thrilling one, but eventually, you will notice the difference when you compare your current self to where you were when you began. The secret is to remain diligent, disciplined, and patient with yourself.

Of course, don’t downplay the essence of being hydrated and observing proper nutrition when undertaking this journey. And remember, you should consult your doctor before you get started with the campaign and in case you need any professional intervention.