Postpartum dieting: The do’s and don’ts

It’s one of the biggest changes that your body is ever going to be put through and for some women, it’s all about “changing it back” as quickly as possible. Partly, this is fuelled by celebrity influences. After all, on how many occasions have we read the newspapers about a celebrity’s body returning to its former self in a matter of weeks?

Of course, this is only natural, and is one of the reasons why the mommy makeover is proving to be one of the fastest growing procedures.

As today’s title might have already given away, we are now going to focus purely on dieting tips. You will also need to fine-tune your exercise regime, but let’s now delve into some actionable advice you can take into account when it comes to tinkering with your diet during the postpartum stage.

You can’t start too soon

Unfortunately, and again the press are partly to blame for this, we can fall into the trap of trying to start too soon. Even if you are one of the few women in the world who are desperate to start the process as soon as you have given birth, you need to give your body time.

Six weeks after giving birth you will be given a postpartum check-up and use this as a guideline as whether or not to progress with your dieting plans. If you have decided to breastfeed, you might even wait a couple of months.

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The importance of realism

If we were to hone In on one point that you simply must bear in mind through the whole dieting process it would be realism. Even if you can better your previous diet plan, it doesn’t necessarily mean that your body is going to change back to what it used to be.

Pregnancy causes a whole host of changes to the human body. Some women will develop wider hips, while others might have a softer belly. This means that you might not be able to return to your exact, former shape, and it could be advisable to alter your goals accordingly.

Of course, even though your body might not be a replica of its former self, you can still look fit and healthy. The only difference is that it might be in a slightly different way.

Remember your minimum calories

You might be big on the concept of calorie counting – but just remember that your figures might be a bit different to what they once were.

If you are breastfeeding, you’ll need a minimum of 1,800 calories per day to get by. Of course, if you are thinking of incorporating exercise into your regime, this figure needs to be increased.

Don’t skip meals

As a new mom, you will find that time is well and truly of the essence. It means that a lot of women will start to skip meals and obviously, this is a recipe for disaster.

The best way around this is to try and opt for more regular, smaller meals. They won’t take an age to prepare, but they will give you the required calories so you have sufficient energy through the day, and won’t be binging on the wrong foods which will go completely against your weight loss principles.

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