Friday, August 29, 2008

Losing Pregnancy Weight - The 4 Key Steps to Lose It

By Teresa Brown


We all know that you can't judge a book by its cover. But that's the way the ball still bounces in our society. Just ask any Mom who is trying to lose weight after giving birth. There is the "Celebrity Mom" body image that is feed to the masses by the media and we all feed off of it. We are to blame for feeling the need to be skinny right after pregnancy. But we also know that this "image" is not healthy. Weight management is not about shedding the pounds to look like a Celebrity Mom. It is about taking care of your mind, body and soul.

We gain and lose weight throughout our lives. This is due to the fact that our eating habits are regulated by a variety of factors such as our moods, stresses, cultural and family history, lifestyle and schedules to name a few. Some of these factors can have a strong influence on how you perceive food and hence how it affects your ability to lose weight after giving birth. The best way to address weight management is to do so in the most holistic way possible.

1. Go for a lifestyle program.

A good lifestyle program will take into account the physical, behavioral and psychological components of weight management. Therefore, it will be better able to equip you with the necessary tools to achieve permanent weight loss and a healthier lifestyle. It is continuous because it will address your ever-changing needs as you make the gradual transition towards health and fitness. There are Mom-based lifestyle programs available that are both convenient and practical for you to trim your tummy and get healthy.

2. Do exercises that maximize fat burning.

You can lose the pregnancy weight fast if you include resistance training into your workout. Resistance training is a form of strength training that increases muscle density or strength. It does not increase the size of the muscle. You can re-gain your lost muscle mass when you train using a form of resistance such as free weights or your own body weight to work your muscles to become toned.

You can do these exercises at home without the expensive gym fees or equipment. Resistance training is strength training that tone and strengthens your muscles using different forms of resistance such as a free weights or your body weight to do lunges and squats. Because muscle burns fat, the more muscle you have, the more calories you will burn.

3. Fuel your body with foods high in fiber and high in protein.

One of first target areas where a Mom wants to lose weight is her tummy. You can lose your tummy with the right exercise but you have to make sure that you are fuelling your body with the right foods to keep your body healthy and your metabolism humming. Fat burning foods are foods that require more energy to digest and therefore they help to boost your metabolism and burn fat faster.

Fat burning foods are foods that are high in fiber and lean protein. Keep in mind that you should be aware of how these foods are processed with regards to fat, sugar and salt content. Less is good in as a general rule. You are what you eat, so be a smart consumer and strive to eat more natural foods.

4. Include the Family.

No woman is an island. Thus, when faced with the challenge of losing pregnancy weight, you can recruit members of your family to help and join you in the change to a healthier lifestyle. You can educate them with your knowledge of fitness and encourage more family time to be spent doing more physical activities. Eating right can extend to your family meals with a healthier menu for your family. A health conscious Mom makes for a health conscious family.

Trying to strive to live a healthy lifestyle holistically with a lifestyle program is the better choice for Moms who want to lose weight for the long term. Losing pregnancy weight is more than just being able to fit into your skinny jeans. Making a lifestyle change that will make you look, feel and be the fabulous Mom that you are, for the long term.

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