|
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
Reviewed by: Dr. Sadie Wegler
Fact Checked by: Dr. Jordan Wheeler Kincaid
Are you looking for how to lose belly fat while breastfeeding? Read to know more. Losing belly fat while breastfeeding is a tough job. You know you cannot leave your child for longer to hit the gym. One of the best things you can do for your body’s overall health is to drink a lot of water every day.
Even the homely exercises seem to be difficult if there is an emergency call from your child. Restricting diet while breastfeeding is not at all an option on the list.
Because of the mill production in the body, your body needs an ample nutritious pool for your Baby. Your Baby is dependent on you in either way for nutrition or for developing new habits. We understand it all. But don’t worry.
After your delivery, there are plenty of ways to achieve your perfect body dream. This article is for you if you are also a mother hoping to find easy ways to cut down your belly fat. Let us take a look at that.
Why So Much Weight Gain?
When we talk about weight gain, only one thing comes to mind: calorie intake. Somehow you are right, and calorie intake does matter in your post-delivery weight gain. But your altered hormone levels are the primary reason for your increasing ounces.
There are four major reasons for sudden weight gain post-pregnancy these are-
- Total number of calorie intake
- Food that you are consuming
- Total metabolic rate
- Your hormone levels
A woman’s body, throughout her life, has gone through many different surges of hormones. Starting from puberty, every month, due to alteration of hormone levels, their menstruation cycle, and then at the later ages, while delivery and then breastfeeding and at the end of menopause, there is a sea saw of hormones functioning differently.
While breastfeeding, your body knows you are not alone in being taken care of. A baby depends on you for its nutritional needs.
Prolactin is one such hormone responsible for milk production in the body. It increases the hunger demand of the body leading to more calorie intake. The extra calories will be stored in the body as fat cells.
Breastfeeding And Physical Exercise
We understand what your child meant for you. You cannot leave them alone for a single minute, even if they are sleeping. Then hitting the gym in such cases is not a worthy idea. Your body is already in the process of gaining back strength after delivery procedures. It is high time for cells to slow down the metabolic rate of the overall body.
According to the study, breastfeeding helps women to reduce stored fat in the body. This is because your body is preparing milk for the Baby, which requires many calories. This process needs your body cells to be on alert and work continuously.
This is the major reason your body always feels in an active state and lethargic post-delivery. Moreover, much of your body’s energy is directed toward milk production.
Hence your other body parts face deprivation of power. It is why the simplest physical exercise feels like running a marathon in the initial days.
Right Time To Lose Belly Fat After Starting Breastfeeding
When our elders said there is a right time for everything, they were not wrong. Yes, even after starting breastfeeding, it is not right to hit the gym or runway second day onwards.
Giving yourself enough time to prepare for losing belly fat would be best. Ideally, after four to six weeks after delivery is the perfect time to think about losing belly fat.
Even during the exercise sessions, you need to stick to the nutritious pool for the Baby. Restricting your basic needs in the name of diet plans would not help you or your Baby since this is the development phase for your child.
Your diet plans may create some failings in the development years of your child. Thus if you are willing to choose any fad diet plans for yourself, then make sure to add on everything you need for your child’s growth and development years.
Your Picks While Breastfeeding
You are a mother of a child dependent on you for its basic needs. You need to pick up the food smartly in the process. Your inclination should always be on the nutritious value rather than the calories be mindful of the quality of the food you are eating.
Instead of eating less with the fear of increasing belly fat, try to choose food choices that do not hamper the milk production in your body. Adding a scoop of protein in the morning is the perfect match for breastfeeding mothers to meet all the body’s energy demands.
Adding proteins to your breakfast will also lower the levels of hunger surge as it makes you feel fuller for a longer time. You can avoid snacking in the middle of the day. This will also help you stock the diet plan you want for your belly loss.
Who doesn’t love a colorful breakfast in the morning? Adding different colors of veggies and fruits is an attractive way to make your boring breakfast look yummier. It also counts on the nutritious value of your meals, making it much healthier to kickstart your day.
During breastfeeding, feeling hungry more than usual is quite a standard procedure. You eating your more nutritious diet will not increase an inch in your belly. The problem arises when you start to substitute your meal with unhealthy snacks.
Some of the top pics by doctors will help you meet your body demands without gaining belly fat. Try to add more of them to your daily routine diet.
- Wheat
- Rye
- Quinoa
- Millet
- Farro
- Winter squash
- Beans,
- Potatoes
- Rice
- Meat
- Fish
- Nuts
Don’t Say No To Fat
Fat is not always the enemy of your body. It is the protector of your internal organs, especially when a baby is inside your body. Fat cells make a protective covering inside your body.
Fat acts as a shock absorbent inside the body, protecting internal organs and the Baby from any external force or sudden jerks.
This also acts as the energy reservoir when your body is out of glycogen. Oxidation of the fat cells becomes the source of energy when you are on your diet or long-term fasting.
Olive oil, cheese, eggs, avocados, nuts, and seeds help balance monounsaturated and omega-3 fatty acids, which are vital for Baby’s brain development. Monounsaturated fats are the active fat cells that are the body’s energy source.
They do not get stored in the body, leaving your belly fat. Replacing your regular fat choice with them will decrease some inches in your body without any physical effort.
Stay Hydrated
Your body is 70% water alone. Even your breastmilk is derived from the water base in your body. Your metabolic activity in the body needs water as its primary medium to perform normal physiological actions.
It is important that with the calorie check, you need to check your water intake also. With adequate water inside the body, you will feel more active as your basal metabolic rate increases.
This whole process helps you to release more toxins from the body, making your meals more effective and your body toxin free.
Bottom Line
It is obvious that when you see yourself in the mirror after delivery, you want to regain your previous dimensions as soon as possible. But remember that your body has just delivered a life in this new world. Growing a baby inside you took time, and so did the process of gaining back the pre-delivery body.
You are losing belly weight while breastfeeding might be difficult with so much hormone surge and other cravings. But with a few simple steps, you can regain your perfect body figure in time. It would be best if you gave yourself and your body time to heal after delivery. Your Baby and its development are the priority for you.
This was all about how to lose belly fat while breastfeeding. Leave your queries in the comments below.
Dr. Heller has experience teaching at the college level, as well as working with nutrition-focused organizations on projects related to food security and sustainability. With her background in food systems, nutrition, and health, she strives to bring a practical and holistic approach to address complex problems in these fields.
Dr. Heller is committed to applying her knowledge and expertise to help solve global health issues. She enjoys collaborating with different stakeholders in order to create meaningful solutions that will benefit both people and the planet.
- Laser Hair Removal Costs in the US – Complete Guide - April 13, 2024
- Quinoa for Weight Loss – Effective Tips & Healthy Recipes - April 1, 2024
- WW Sequence Reviews – In-Depth Weight Loss Program Analysis - March 30, 2024