Workouts After Pregnancy – Getting Back In Shape
Workouts after pregnancy are a must if you want to lose all the weight that you gained during your pregnancy. Working out will build up your stamina. It will gradually tone up your body and you will see a fitter you. You will be beaming with self-confidence at the sight of the new you or shall I say the old you.
When To Start Workout
If you have had a normal vaginal delivery, you can start with light workouts six weeks postpartum. However, if you have had a C-section or some complications during delivery, you should wait till your doctor gives you the green signal. Meanwhile, you should focus on taking care of your body and baby.
Before you start your workouts after pregnancy, it would do well to keep in mind that losing all the weight is going to take time. Furthermore, you should not commit the mistake of going on a crash diet or some sort of rapid weight loss after pregnancy program. Crash diets can cause complications so they should be avoided. They are also not a healthy way of losing weight.
In the initial stages of your post-pregnancy period, you can focus on tummy and Kegel workouts. Kegel exercises help strengthen the pelvic muscles. Talk to your doctor about Kegel exercises and start doing them as soon as you can. Do them while you are sitting, feeding your child, or walking.
Workouts After Six Weeks
Six weeks after postpartum you can talk to a trainer about suggesting you some workouts after pregnancy. Once your doctor says that you are okay you can increase your walks to 60 minutes. Take up swimming, yoga, or aerobics. Buy an exercise video and enjoy your exercises. While you are busy exercising you should not forget to take care of your diet. You should eat a healthy and balanced diet. Include fresh fruits, vegetables, proteins, calcium, iron, etc in your diet.
One of the reasons why you might find it hard to lose all your pregnancy weight gain is that you might not find the time to work out. With a new baby, things can get hectic. If you cannot find the full 30 minutes, you can try to do three 10 minutes sessions. Or better yet, you can try exercises that can be done with your baby. For example, you can put your baby in a sling and do some simple dance steps.
Another way you can find time is by doing your exercises while your child is napping. Meanwhile, you must maintain your patience as you might not see results right away. Here are a few tips to help you-
- Weigh yourself only once a week.
- If you are new to exercise start slowly.
- Breastfeed your child before exercise.
- Pat yourself on the back for your achievements.
- Do not strain yourself.
- Keep yourself hydrated.
Once you have set your mind to losing that extra weight, you should do your workouts after pregnancy religiously.