Pregnancy modifies the body of women while the fetus develops in their womb, belly fat and weight gain in some particular areas, is one of the main changes that a woman undergoes during this stage. Eating a healthy diet is important to protect the health of the baby and the mother, since obesity can complicate childbirth and cause diabetes in the little one.
Reducing fat and recovering the figure after childbirth is sometimes not easy, much less for those women who have accumulated a lot of fat in their body.
However, it is not impossible to achieve it, although it takes determination, persevering and having a lot of willpower , but you must know the reality, and this is that your body will no longer be the same as always, obviously there will be changes that can no longer be modified , as it is that your waist and hips will be wider, belly softer, and other aspects that you yourself will be realizing.
5 tips to reduce belly fat after pregnancy
The following are some simple tips that will help you start your goal of losing belly fat that accumulates from pregnancy, but before you start, you should allow considerable time to pass. You need to give your body some time to recover from delivery, maybe six weeks, and if you are breastfeeding your baby, you should wait 2 months before you start with the goal of losing weight and reducing fat.
Starting a diet too early can delay your recovery and make you feel tired. You must give your body space to recover in time, you will see that it only does its thing and without doing anything it will begin to get its shape, just avoid, as we have mentioned, eating unhealthy.
1. Eat a balanced diet to reduce fat
It is important to select food well and create a healthy diet avoiding junk foods, fried foods and those with saturated fats and increasing the consumption of fruits and vegetables. It includes:
- Fruits and vegetables
- Whole grains
- Lean protein from a healthy (organic) source, such as white and red meats.
- Milk, if you opt for cow’s milk, make it organic and unpasteurized, and the same with cheeses, but you can opt for plant-based milks as well, such as almond milk.
- Green leafy vegetables like spinach, daily
- Iron, especially if you suffer from symptoms after childbirth. You can find this in things like prune juice, and lean meats.
- The vitamin C, which can help with wound healing for mothers who gave birth by Caesarean section. You find it in oranges, tomatoes and natural fruit juices.
More superfoods
If you’re in the mood for a snack, think carefully before choosing. Stay away from snack packages as they are packed with tons of artificial sweeteners. Instead, opt for healthy snacks of your choice or choose one of the following:
- Whole wheat crackers with hummus
- Walnuts (keep something in your bag in case you get a craving on the go)
- A cup of organic whole grain cereal with almond milk.
- An organic hard-boiled egg with some carrots
- Organic low-fat cheese with a piece of fruit
- Organic peanut butter on an apple
- Plain Greek yogurt – put in a berry cup to avoid added sugar for the flavor type
You can choose to consume foods with natural fat burning properties, for example, lettuce, tomato, grapefruit, orange and apple cider vinegar among them. The latter, you can consume it in several ways, read our article where we explain how to use apple cider vinegar to lose weight. These foods will help burn calories just by consuming them and are an excellent complement to achieve the goal.
Do not forget to ask for the help of a nutritionist to guide you on the best diet you can give yourself to meet the goal of regaining your weight and giving your baby good nutrients through your milk.
2. Breastfeed
Most women do not know that breastfeeding is a great benefit to regain figure , since doing so uses between 300 and 500 calories. It can be noted that those women who choose to breastfeed manage to lose weight much faster than those who decide not to breastfeed. So this is a very important piece of information to know.
3. Drink plenty of water
It is important to drink water and not replace water with fruit juices or soft drinks, since they do not achieve the hydration benefits that water does. It is recommended to drink at least 2 liters of water per day, but those who are not used to drinking water should start with less and then increase. Water will eliminate toxins from the body and also reduce abdominal fat , since drinking water, at the same time eliminates water and retained fat that may be in the belly.
4. Perform exercises to reduce fat
Before exercising, you should find out if you are ready to start exercising, especially if you have had a cesarean section. Visit the gym that is certified for proper advice and start planning based on what they tell you.
If you are ready, first you should know that there is no miracle diet to help you lose weight quickly and healthily. The keys to eliminate fat and reduce the abdomen that was formed by pregnancy, is to eat healthy and perform exercises, mainly aerobic exercises , which are capable of burning fat accumulated in the area.
In case you do not have time to go to the gym, you can choose to walk while you walk with the baby’s car, go for a run in the park, jump rope at home or ride a bicycle taking advantage of the time to go to the supermarket or stores to buy the products that are needed on a daily basis.
Toning exercises are also necessary to eliminate flaccidity and mark the muscles that are there. A very simple exercise that can and should be performed daily is to contract the abdomen while performing daily activities.
5. Use shapewear to lower belly fat
To help reduce the belly and avoid flaccidity, it is recommended to use a girdle after childbirth . These will allow the organs to be accommodated in their corresponding places and also support the excess skin. As weight is lost , the excess skin will not shed, but will remain firm and the abdomen will look great.