*I am not providing medical advice or advice that will fit all situations. This post is to encourage and to let you know that your hard work will pay off! Please consult a doctor.
So, what’s the quick fix to losing baby weight?
Can’t say I know of one!
However, I discovered the KEY to losing baby weight fast. I’m convinced it is what has helped me drop from being 9 months pregnant with an 8lb 5oz baby to wearing my pre-pregnancy jeans in just 5 weeks. I’m also convinced it is what allowed me to start teaching 6-8 group fitness classes a week only 4 weeks postpartum.
The KEY?
Here’s how:
1) Check with your doctor! The two different OB doctors I had in two different states both told me to do as much exercise as I was able to do. I was told to listen to my body, because it will tell me when to slow down and when to stop, but that there really were no other restrictions. I could jump, do crunches, and run if I felt so inclined. I was lucky enough to have two very healthy pregnancies, which contributed to this advice. Always ask your doctor if you have any special limits beforehand. No one’s going to believe you if you say, “but, Fit Foodie Mom told me I could!”
2) No excuses! We work so hard to maintain our lives daily. You might be working full-time, plus taking care of a household and a husband and whatever else! You might already stay at home, but have a million daily activities that you insist keeping on your plate. Or, you might just not be having a great pregnancy in terms of feeling good day-to-day. My advice is to push through whatever mental block is allowing you to tell yourself that it is ok to NOT get out and exercise. There is no excuse good enough to dismiss you from doing what is best for you and your baby while pregnant.
3) Stay consistent! Once you miss a workout, you’ll feel ok missing another, then another… All of a sudden, you feel intimidated and don’t want to face the gym or the road again. That’s when you’ve decided that your comfort is more important to you than your health, your baby’s health, and your opportunity to lose weight quicker after pregnancy. This is a choice you will soon regret.
4) Watch your numbers! Although saying that all pregnant women must stay below a certain heart rate causes an extreme generalization (and is extremely outdated), it is still important to ensure that your rate of perceived exertion (RPE) is at a maintainable level. The higher the number on my RPE scale, the shorter I maintained that intensity, the lower the level, the longer I could maintain it. I chose not to stay at the anaerobic state (a state that leaves you breathless and one that you cannot hold for more than 30 seconds, this would be level 10 on a 1-10 scale) for longer than about 20 seconds at a time. Discuss a plan with your doctor.
5) Eat smart! There is so much advice regarding nutrition during pregnancy. Whereas I will not post meal plans, I will say it is important (not only for your post-pregnancy weight, but also for the health of your baby) that you try to eat as healthfully as possible. I certainly did not cut out desserts, but I did make an attempt to lower my sugar and incorporate a lot of fruits and veggies into my diet. It’s a pretty common sense approach!
6) Know your body and LISTEN! Your body will tell you when to stop, when to grab water, when to slow down, and when to push harder. Sometimes we are stubborn and do what it is clearly telling us, but during pregnancy we need to. Remember that your flexibility tends to get greater while pregnant, but still be careful. Sometimes this will encourage women to stretch farther, resulting in pulled muscles. You don’t have to be an over-achiever in every area! Take it easy in this one.
Exercise ideas:
+Lowest level: Ideas for someone who didn’t exercise before pregnancy.
-take walks, swim, do a short plank evolution (I’ll post a link to a plank routine at a later date and link it here, as planks are one of the best full body exercises), take a 30-minute yoga class, ride a stationary bike that you don’t have to lean far forward on, do squats and lunges (not too deep), get an exercise DVD and do a portion of it, etc. You don’t want to push yourself beyond your limit. Take it slow and short at the beginning. You will build up some endurance, which will allow for a bit longer workouts. The important part is that you are doing something.
+Intermediate level: Ideas for someone who was used to light-moderate intensity exercise before pregnancy.
-Continue your normal routine as long as possible (group classes, jogging*, the gym, etc.), do longer plank evolutions, swim, Zumba, Step class, yoga, pilates, do an exercise DVD (Jillian Michaels’ 30-min-workout, Taebo, some Beachbody DVDs, etc. are all great).
+Advanced level: Ideas for someone who exercised at a high rate of intensity and frequency before pregnancy:
-Run*, continue going to your hardcore group classes and pushing yourself, or continue your normal medium-to-high-intensity routine. I taught group fitness during my pregnancy (which absolutely helped me to maintain the motivation to go to the gym). I did tuck jumps and indoor cycle up until week 37. This is NOT ok for everyone. It was ok for me, because I was used to it and my doctor approved it. However, I want you to know that it IS possible!
—>
I thought this picture was hilarious! First of all, are the bottom two women HAVING their baby? Yeah, I’d say that’s a good workout! The top two and the one on the left look like they are stretching and not exerting too much energy, the middle one is just standing there watching the others stretch… but that one on the right… she really has the idea! She’s the over-achiever doing a toe-touch (imagine her in the air). YOU GO, GIRL! 🙂
—>
*I stopped running during my second pregnancy, because during my first, it caused the ligaments below my belly to be so sore that I had to cut down my exercise by a lot from month 7 on. I believe that my lack of running during the second pregnancy helped maintain my ligament strength, which allowed me to continue other forms of intense exercise.
Resources I find helpful on this subject:
WebMD: http://www.webmd.com/baby/features/exercise-during-pregnancy-myth-vs-fact
Exercising Through Your Pregnancy by Dr. James Clapp
Livestrong: http://www.livestrong.com/article/344119-examples-of-anaerobic-exercises-for-pregnancy/
I’m in the process of trying to lose baby weight… Your post will be really useful.
Good luck! Try my HIT workouts, too. You’ll find them under the “The Fit” page. They are fast and effective. Don’t worry if you can’t complete the whole thing the first time. Keep at it, and you’ll grow!