For many new mothers, the joyful times of seeing their little one smile or taking its first steps are often mixed with emotions about the changes that happened in their bodies. While it is normal for women to gain weight during pregnancy, it is tackling those postpartum pounds that usually poses a challenge.

The major problem with holding on to your baby weight doesn’t only refer to how you feel about your body, but also how it can affect your overall wellbeing in the long run.

So, although you may never be able to get your old body back after giving birth, it is crucial that you make several lifestyle changes that will help you create a healthier, happier and more confident version of yourself.

To make things easier for you, we have compiled a list of five effective tips you should follow to help you lose your postpartum weight and start appreciating your new body.

Stay hydrated

After giving birth, many mothers go through several physiological changes such as constipation, night sweats and blood loss. One of the best ways to fight this is to drink lots of water. Not only will you be able to overcome these health issues, but you will also stimulate your metabolism and speed up your weight loss process.

The truth is, drinking enough water will increase your sense of fullness making you feel less eager to indulge in unwanted binging. This will further help you reduce your excess belly fat while keeping you hydrated at all times especially if you are breastfeeding.

While many mothers opt for water only, others turn to teas as an alternative. For example, turmeric tea in combination with ginger and lemon is one of the most effective ways to lose extra pounds. This powerful tea blend is filled with antioxidant properties and vitamin C which help cleanse the body from toxins.  

Eat well-balanced food

The key to losing your postpartum weight is actually consuming the right amount of calories and other essential nutrients. This means your diet should consist of high-protein foods and lots of fruits and vegetables rich in vitamins and minerals to keep both you and your baby healthy, especially while you are nursing.

For example, fish is considered a superfood as it is packed with omega-3 fatty acids that not only are beneficial for your weight loss but also help your baby develop a healthy brain and nervous system. You can mix them with some vegetables and you get yourself a healthy and nutritional meal.

Also, make sure you have a snack every time your baby breastfeeds to keep your metabolism running. Some of the best postpartum snacks you can indulge in are fruit smoothies, whole-grain bread with nut butter, hard-boiled eggs and lots of veggies.

Get moving

The combination of eating highly nutritional food and being physically active is the best way to promote healthy postpartum weight loss. And this doesn’t mean hitting long hours at the gym but doing simple and effective exercises that will also make a difference to your body.

For example, walking is the easiest physical activity you can engage in. It doesn’t involve much effort and you can even do it while taking a stroll in the park with your little one. All you need is to take 30 minutes of your busy mom life and push your baby’s stroller around your neighborhood.

Or, if you want to switch it up, then you can go for a resistance band workout which will help you ease into your post-pregnancy fitness routine in no time. Such physical activity provides you with the same stimulus as other types of exercises and can also help you speed up your weight loss process.

Breastfeed if you can

It may sound surprising to some, but breastfeeding can also help you get rid of extra pounds in record time. In fact, a study conducted in 2014 showed that mothers who breastfed for at least three months were able to lose 3.2 pounds more than those who did not.

Generally speaking, breastfeeding stimulates the release of hormones that assist in shrinking your uterus as well as your post-baby belly. In addition, breastfeeding helps you lose about 500 calories which is equivalent to a 45-60 minute intense workout session in the gym. So, if you don’t have much time to engage in physical exercises to speed up your weight loss process, nursing can really help you lose a few extra pounds.

Besides promoting weight loss, breastfeeding also brings other important benefits to mothers. Some of the most common ones include lowering the risks of developing type-2 diabetes as well as ovarian and breast cancer. 

Get some sleep

For new mothers, getting an eight-hour sleep can certainly be a challenge when you have a baby summoning you every night. And if you are trying to lose your postpartum weight, being sleep deprived could definitely make it harder for you to lose those extra pounds. This way your body will be more tired causing you to sit more and lowering your overall calorie burn.

So, the best method for fixing this is to try to get as much sleep as you can. For example, after long hours of rocking and trying to put your little one down for a nap, you should also take advantage of this opportunity and get some rest too. Not only will you be able to bond more with your baby this way, but you will also wake up feeling more energized. 

Although it is perfectly normal, postpartum excess weight is inevitable for many mothers. However, that shouldn’t discourage you because all you need to do is make a few lifestyle changes and you will get back to your pre-pregnancy size in record time.

Just remember that losing weight can take longer than you think, so it is crucial that you search for healthy and effective ways to reach your ideal pre-baby body.

In case you aren’t sure where to look, you can always refer back to this guide and borrow some of these ideas to help you along the way.