Congratulations! Your new baby has arrived, but now you may be anxious to rid yourself of your baby "pooch." First and foremost, remember to be good to yourself. After all, your body nourished your new baby for nine months and it's perfectly reasonable to expect it may take a month or so for your body to recuperate.
However, as anxious as you may be, starting a new exercise routine or diet may not be the best thing for you right now, but there may be some light exercises that you can do. Of course, the first thing you'll want to do is check with your doctor and make sure your body is ready.
Something to Consider
For women who are breast feeding, doing some light to moderate exercise is fine, but this is not the time to start losing weight quickly. Losing too much weight can release toxins into your breast milk and since your baby is getting all of his/her nutrients from your breast milk, anything you consume is, of course, being absorbed by your baby's body. And, if you begin to diet while breastfeeding, you may also deprive your baby of vital nutrients, plus your milk production may diminish.
Exercise Ideas for the New Mom
Many women worry about losing their baby belly, as if it can't happen fast enough. But it's important to note that you can't just lose your belly; there is no such thing as spot reduction. Reducing your stomach can only come with overall exercise and a healthy diet. A combination of aerobic and core exercises, plus resistance training, are all required. As previously noted, it's important to get the OK from your doctor before beginning any exercise routine after you give birth. Women who had a c-section normally need to wait longer to begin than women who did not. However, for most women who had no complications during birth, there are some light exercises you can try.
A. Aerobics
Walking is the easiest exercise most anybody can do, including new moms. Fifteen to twenty minutes, three times each week is typically tolerated by most new moms. Keep in mind, it may still be uncomfortable and it may take awhile to get back to your pre-baby routine, so go slowly. Add additional time, or another day, to your walking routine when you're feeling stronger. When you feel you'd like to step it up, take your baby for the walk in her stroller, and after that, try walking up a few hills. Another easy and comfortable way to get your aerobic workout is swimming.
B. Core Workout
Obviously, carrying a baby for nine months can weaken your abdominals. However, jumping into an abs class is not your best choice. Again, you need to start slowly, and check with your doctor first, but a couple of easy core exercises include pelvic tilts, the modified plank, or performing crunches with an exercise ball. Starting out, you want to try ten to fifteen reps each, two or three times per week.
C. Resistance Training
Resistance, or core, training is important in your goal of losing your baby belly because it helps increase your energy which we all need with a new baby. Plus, it raises your metabolic rate to help you lose weight.
Good core strengthening exercises work different muscle groups at the same time which helps strengthen and tone your entire body. If you haven't used an exercise ball, it's a great tool to accomplish this. But, in lieu of one, you can also try modified push ups, back extensions, squats or assisted lunges.
Of course, it's important to listen to your body as an indicator of what you need. If you're feeling good, trying increasing it a little; if you're feeling fatigued, take it easy or take a day off. We all know how much energy it takes to keep up with a new baby and getting some exercise is an important part of not only taking care of yourself, but having the energy to enjoy that new baby.
No comments:
Post a Comment