Diet for healthy postpartum weight loss

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Getting in shape after giving birth is the desire of many mothers. Here are some postpartum diet tips to help you succeed and feel comfortable throughout your postpartum weight loss journey.

1. Don't start dieting too soon

Your body needs time to recover from labor and delivery. Give yourself complete rest until the day of your 6 week postpartum checkup. If your doctor allows, you can start tracking your calorie intake and actively lose weight after giving birth. For women who are breastfeeding, experts recommend waiting until your baby is at least 2 months old before trying to lose weight.
Starting a diet too soon after giving birth can slow your recovery and make you feel more tired. Meanwhile, new mothers need a lot of energy to adjust to life with babies. Also, if you're breastfeeding, your postpartum diet can affect your milk supply. Be patient and give your body time to settle down, you will be surprised at how naturally you will lose weight, especially if you are breastfeeding.

2. Have a realistic view of postpartum weight loss

Remember that it is very difficult to return to your exact pre-pregnancy weight or shape. For many women, pregnancy causes permanent changes. Their belly will be softer, the hips a bit wider, and the waistline bigger. Therefore, you should adjust your goals to be as close to reality as possible, avoiding putting pressure on yourself.

3. Focus on exercise

There is no magic pill to help you lose weight after giving birth effectively and safely. A healthy diet combined with regular exercise is the best way to lose weight. The important thing to remember when working out is that you should be trying to lose fat instead of muscle. When your body is ready, start by eating less and being more active - for example, taking your baby for a walk around the block.

4. Lose weight slowly

The diet should not be too strict and strict. The average woman needs a minimum of 1,200 calories a day to stay healthy, and a postpartum mother needs between 1,500-2,200 calories a day to ensure that she has enough energy, as well as to avoid mood swings. If you're breastfeeding, you need a minimum of 1,800 calories and an average of 2,000 - 2,700 calories per day to nourish both yourself and your baby.
Losing weight too quickly after giving birth can reduce your milk supply, and also release toxins stored in fat into the blood and milk. Toxins can include heavy metals like lead and mercury, dioxins, and solvents...
Losing about 0.7 kg per week is safe and won't affect your milk supply. To achieve this, cut 500 calories from your current menu each day by consuming less food or increasing your activity level.

5. Eat full and on time

When it comes to taking care of a newborn and adjusting to new routines, it can be difficult to eat on time. Many mothers say that eating 5-6 small healthy meals a day instead of 3 main meals will suit their appetite and save time. A small meal can include 1 slice of sandwich, some carrots, fruit and 1 glass of milk.
In fact, skipping meals will only make you tired, not help you lose weight, because you will eat more at other meals. Skipping meals can also make you feel tired and irritable.
Even though you don't like to eat breakfast, you still have to remember that breakfast helps you not to feel hungry and tired as it nears noon, and gives you energy to be more active. In addition, many studies show that skipping breakfast can sabotage your postpartum weight loss efforts. According to statistics, 78% of successful weight loss people eat breakfast every day.
You should also eat slowly if possible. When you take the time to pay attention to your meals, you'll be more likely to notice when you're feeling full and less likely to overeat.

6. Picky about food and drink

Research shows that consuming low-fat milk, dairy products, and whole grains can help you lose weight after giving birth. Low-fat, high-fiber foods like fruits (apples, oranges, and berries) and fresh vegetables (carrots, cassava, and bell peppers) are also healthy choices.
Here are some suggestions to help you eat more fruits and vegetables:
Make fruit or vegetable smoothies Use fruit or vegetable sauces with fish or chicken Add shredded carrots to sandwiches Try the dishes Grilled vegetables Use cooked vegetable soup. Fat has twice as many calories as carbohydrates or protein, so cutting excess fat from your diet is the easiest way to cut calories. Choose low-fat or fat-free dairy products, bake instead of deep-fried, and limit your intake of sweets, which contain a lot of calories from sugar and fat.
However, fat is still an important nutritional component and should not be completely eliminated from the postpartum diet. In fact, consuming some fat with your meal will help keep you full for longer and keep you from consuming too many carbohydrates. The trick is to choose "good" fats over "bad" fats. The best fats are monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats, found in canola oil, olive oil, avocados, nuts, and fatty fish (salmon).
The types of fat to avoid are saturated fat and trans fat. They carry a risk of heart disease and diabetes, and pass into breast milk. Saturated fat is found in meat and dairy products. Trans fats are found in many fried foods, fast foods, and baked goods.
Finally, drink about 8 - 9 cups of fluids a day, but avoid juices, sodas, and high-calorie coffee.

7. Postpartum nutrition for healthy weight loss

The following postpartum diet for weight loss adds up to 2,200 calories per day for breastfeeding mothers, and an additional 1,800 calories per day for non-breastfeeding women. However, each person's individual calorie needs will vary depending on weight, metabolism and activity level, as well as breastfeeding level.
You can refer to the following plan:
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Reference source: babycenter.com