Diet,
exercise, and lifestyle changes all play a role in flattening your belly after
pregnancy.
It's natural
to want to get back to your pre-pregnancy body as soon as possible. Give
yourself a break, though! Your body has just given birth, and it will take some
time to recover and regain its strength.
Healthy
nutrition, adequate sleep, breastfeeding, exercise, and stress reduction are
the fastest ways to a flat stomach after pregnancy. Giving your body some time
and learning more about how these healthy habits can help you regain your flat
stomach is a good start.
Get Enough Sleep
Isn't it
easier said than done? It's difficult to get enough sleep with a newborn, but
as your baby grows older, you'll be able to sleep more. This is beneficial to
your long-term health, as well as maintaining a healthy weight and weight loss.
Obesity is
less likely in people who get a good night's sleep (at least seven hours). Many of these reasons stem from the fact that
sleep has an impact on a variety of hormones in our bodies, one of which is
cortisol. Take advantage of nights when you can get more sleep because your
body is in desperate need of it!
Your Baby Should Be Breastfed
Breastfeeding
is a great way to burn extra calories and bond with your baby if it works for
both of you. Breastfeeding can help you lose weight quickly, especially in the
first few months after giving birth.
According to
a study published in the Maternal and Child Health Journal in February 2016,
women who exclusively breastfed their babies lost baby weight more quickly
during the first six months after birth.
Your Body Deserves Nutrition
Sugary/starchy
foods should be avoided (sweets, grains, pieces of bread, and fake sugars). Sugar causes
inflammation in the body, while gluten and possibly dairy can cause bloating in
some people, delaying the return of their flat stomach.
Reduced
inflammatory foods can help speed up your progress by affecting your metabolism
and hormones. Also, keep in mind the following healthy eating recommendations:
Drink plenty
of water (aim for at least eight eight-ounce glasses of water, much more if
breastfeeding)
Consume
real, healthy food, including a diet rich in:
- a wide range of vegetables (aim to include veggies at every meal)
- Proteins of high quality (nuts, legumes, chicken, turkey, red meat, and others)
- Fats of high quality (avocados, olive oil, coconut oil, raw nuts, and real butter)
- Foods that can help with gut health and digestion (probiotics, green, leafy vegetables, and fiber)
Make Your Body Move
Get up and
move around! Exercise is beneficial for reducing stress, and reducing stress
can make weight loss easier. The key is to choose exercises that make you feel
energized afterward while avoiding workouts that drain you:
- Maintain proper form and posture throughout the day.
- Make an effort to engage in some form of physical activity every day. Walking is a form of exercise.
- Distribute your workouts throughout the day (10 minutes here, 10 minutes there).
- Find a friend who can help you both stay on track.
Crunches
won't help you flatten your stomach because you need to re-strengthen your deep
core. The plank and all of its variations, according to ACE Fitness,
effectively recruit your abs to strengthen your core.
Exhale to
gently "zip up" your pelvic floor and transverse abdominals, inhaling
to relax your pelvic floor muscles (think Kegels).
Move your
core as you stand, sit, and stand again. Make abs a part of your day-to-day
routine.
For your
core to function properly, all of these muscles must work together. Even before
beginning "abdominal" exercises, focusing on re-strengthening your
core postpartum is something you can do throughout the day while sitting,
standing, and exercising. For a flat stomach after pregnancy, follow these
guidelines:
- Pick workouts that will make you feel energized!
Reduce Stress by Breathing Deeply
Your stress
is influenced by your sleep, nutrition, exercise, and hormones. This is why
each of these elements is vital to one's health. Maintaining a low-stress level
can make weight loss after pregnancy much easier. Consider how much better
you'll feel as well:
- Stop, close your eyes, and take five or more slow deep breaths whenever you're stressed.
- Slowly inhale and exhale into your rib cage for six to eight counts.
- To relieve stress quickly, slowly exhale all of your air for six to eight counts.
Always pay
attention to your body; if something doesn't feel right, it probably is.
Examine your sleeping, eating, and exercising habits to see where you can make
small adjustments to see big results and get back to having a flat stomach
after pregnancy.
Warning
Before you
begin exercising again, check with your doctor to see if you can resume
physical activity. This usually happens around your six-week postpartum
check-up, though if you had any complications during delivery, it could take a
little longer.
great thanks for sharing
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