Shed those Extra Pounds with a Post Pregnancy Diet!

Now that you have that bundle of joy in your arms and out of your belly, you might be wondering how you can get your belly looking like it used to.  A flabby, plump stomach is one of few unpleasant effects of childbearing but with a proper post pregnancy diet you can say goodbye to those unwanted pounds! 

Breastfeeding and Dieting

Just as in your pre pregnancy diet and pregnancy diet, you need to make sure you are eating balanced, nutritious meals.This especially applies if you breastfeed because you need to nourish your baby with your breast milk and if you don’t follow a healthy post pregnancy diet, it will lead to nutritional deficiencies in you or your baby. 

The upside to breastfeeding is that you will lose all the extra weight without following a stringent post pregnancy diet.During pregnancy you are required to consume 300 extra calories per day while during breastfeeding, you need to consume 500 extra calories.Don’t try to starve yourself or eat less in an attempt to lose weight.With patience, all the weight will come off naturally. 

What Constitutes a Healthy Post Pregnancy Diet

Fruits and vegetables are an essential component of any effective post pregnancy diet.  You need to make sure that you eat a large variety of fruits and vegetables to get all the vitamins and minerals your body and baby require.Eat generous amounts of fruits and vegetables weekly, eating meat only once or twice a week.  Get your protein from other sources like beans and soy.When you do eat meat, stick to the lean meats like poultry and fish.Eat only fat-free or low-fat dairy products and avoid sweets and other junk foods as much as possible. 

Exercise is Essential

Along with watching what you eat, get out and get moving!Nothing will make you pack on the pounds more than sitting around the house all day.The first weeks following pregnancy are rough and exhausting but when you feel ready, put your baby in a baby carrier or stroller and go for power walks.Also try yoga and exercise DVDs that you can do at home with your baby. 

So what are you waiting for?  Start putting these tips to use and improve your post pregnancy diet and lifestyle so you can lose that extra baby weight.  Not only will you be taking a step towards improving your overall health, you will feel better and look better than you ever thought possible.