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Weight loss is all about 70% exercise and 30% diet. But, people, especially new moms find it difficult to achieve this and lose the pregnancy weight they have accumulated. So what can you do?
Are you a new mom? Don’t find time to exercise? And of course you won’t be able to diet at this current point of time! And you should not! Doctors and nutritionists say that one should not rush into weight loss immediately after child-birth. The first priority should be the health of mother & baby.
Consider this story. One afternoon, Tanya(name changed) took Delhi Metro from Tis Hazari to Pratap Nagar. There were no vacant seats. She didn’t mind standing as it was the matter of just two stations. And, the fact that standing burns more calories was her motivation.
After a while, a young woman who was sitting offered me her seat.
“No, it’s okay.” Tanya said. The woman insisted. She refused politely saying that she would alight at the next stop.
After Tanya disembarked, she wondered why a young woman would offer her seat to another young and healthy woman. We offer our seat to senior citizen or maybe to a pregnant…then it struck her! The woman might be thinking that Tanya was pregnant! Thanks to her bulging post-pregnancy tummy!
Giving birth to a bundle of joy is sheer bliss, but with this priceless bliss comes a load of extra weight that every new mom wants to get rid of, eventually. As a new mother, losing weight is not an immediate process and you can’t afford to strain yourself just after pregnancy. You can’t ignore your diet. You need to rest. Plus, being a new mom you hardly get uninterrupted time and silence for yoga or exercise.
It’s frustrating, right? But, remember, you haven’t gained weight in a day or a week, so how can you expect to lose it in a day or a week? It’s a slow process and you may seek some inspiration and work at it to stay motivated for weight loss.
You can’t exercise but you can take a walk, anytime you find time. It could be your ‘Me time’ which you can use to think and plan. A brisk walk everyday is best for weight loss. A walk for 45 minutes burns approx. 120 calories even if you walk for pleasure!
Feeling hungry? Sometimes, when we feel hungry, we are actually thirsty. Drinking water before every meal makes you eat less.
A dehydrated body tends to store the toxins in fat cells as they cannot be removed effectively. Water can help you lose weight in many ways as drinking water speeds up the metabolism of the body. Also, increased water intake can help burn extra calories.
Generally, Indian homemakers are inclined towards consuming leftovers because they don’t want to waste food.
Throwing away your food indeed is a sin. Try to prepare a limited amount of food so that you consume it all. But if you still have leftovers, do not rush to consume them. Look around; there are many people who need food more than you need it. Keep them in the fridge and have them when you are up for your next meal. Or you can use those leftover to prepare some more interesting meals. For example, if you are left with dal, you can make dal paratha for breakfast. Or if you have leftover vegetable curry, make really nice sandwiches for your next meal.
For your weight’s sake, do not eat to save food when you are not hungry.
Studies have proved that green tea boosts the metabolism and prompts weight loss. It is linked to antioxidant catechins that green tea is rich in.
It may not taste good but it can do wonders. It would be wonderful if you could replace your regular tea with Green Tea but if you can’t then don’t worry. Just make sure that you have a cup of Green Tea every day (It makes your skin glow. Don’t you want that?”)
If you are a night owl, you are most likely to gain weight. Not just because you have disturbed sleep but because you tend to eat late night snacks. Late night snacks are one of the culprits of weight gain. So, brush your teeth immediately after dinner. It has a psychological effect on your mind and prevents you to eat anything post dinner.
Google search and you will find several websites that has calorie counters. They count the required calories for weight loss according to your height, weight, age and activities you perform every day.
It’s an interesting thing to do. It motivates you psychologically to keep your calories in check, as you develop a tendency to count your calories whenever you eat.
I know it won’t fit perfectly but instead of buying new loose clothes to fit into, wear your old clothes. Your bulging figure will inspire you to shed kilos.
Your body reflects your lifestyle. Just a little effort could bring positive changes. Try, and keep the change.
Tarang Sinha is a Delhi based writer, translator and painter. She's the author of We Will Meet Again. She has translated a book titled 'Don't You Quit' published by Westland Books. Her articles read more...
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