If there is one thing that unites all mothers it is the weight gain that occurs during pregnancy and then persists after birth.
On average a woman gains about 35 pounds during pregnancy, and in addition to the extra weight stomach muscles are weakened as a result of stretching, which leaves the tummy fat looking loose. Many mom’s never manage to get back into their old clothes, but if you are not breastfeeding there is really no reason why you cannot regain your pre-baby figure with a little bit of hard work and some dieting. Generally when someone claims to have “tried everything to lose weight” after giving birth this usually means they have tried to lose weight by:
- Going on a fad diet plan that leaves them feeling exhausted and hungry all the time
- Taking diet pills all of which fail to do anything without a proper diet and exercise regime
- Joining a commercial gym, then failing to workout on a regular basis due to family commitments
- Buying home cardio equipment but not using it frequently or intensively enough
- Joining aerobics classes and fitness clubs
- Try crazy fad diets that leave you feel tired and sick
- Doing pointless ab exercises for hours on end
So, if this sounds like you, then know that you are not alone. The real reason why many women fail to lose weight after giving birth is that none of the above methods, no “diets” or workout routines will ever help you lose weight on their own. Weight loss requires a complete system that takes into account nutrition, diet, exercise and other lifestyle factors.
As a mum you do not have as much time for yourself so you cannot spend 2 hours in the gym with an hour relaxing in the sauna like you used to. Children come first and need your attention. So, how do you get fit and slim again?
Fast Intensive Workouts
Luckily the best way to lose weight is to workout quickly. Gentle, slow paced exercise, such as walking, jogging or cycling slowly are not as time efficient at burning fat as fast and intensive workouts. Follow these general rules:
- Exercise at least 3 times per week to a high intensity, ideally exercise daily
- Exercise for at least 45 minutes, ideally for 60 minutes a day
- Perform full body workouts, such as squats, lunges, push ups
- Use weight training methods such as shoulder press, curls, deadlift
- Perform intensive interval training with short sprints followed by recovery exercise
Sensible Eating Habits
The other factor to lose weight is to ensure that you are eating a healthy diet that will encourage weight loss. You may still think that fat is the problem, but it is not. The real problem is sugar and refined carbohydrate, processed food and junk food. Follow these dietary rules:
- Never skip breakfast
- Stop eating bread, cakes and cookies – no excuses
- Eat more eggs at breakfast
- Eat more protein for lunch and dinner – chicken, turkey, fish, lean meats
- No junk food, candy, sugar, soda, chocolate or fast food
- Only eat low GI vegetables and fruits
- Drink water when thirsty
- Drink coffee before exercise
Start Exercise as Soon As Possible
Exercise is vital as soon as possible after birth. Only by exercising the abdominal muscles be strengthened again, and more muscle helps to raise metabolism and burn fat too. Also exercising helps prepare the body for future pregnancies.
If you want to lose your mommy tummy then the answer is to follow our simple rules on how to lose weight. Only with a healthy diet and regular exercise can you regain control of your midsection. Pull those muscles in and burn that fat off with sensible eating and exercise, not creams.
The only way to lose weight quickly and keep the weight off is to follow a tried and tested routine. Buying expensive cardio equipment or diet pills will not help, but following a nutrition and exercise program will give good results. Learning how to do as many different healthy weight loss exercises as possible will help you to get in shape. Once you have learned how to exercise properly and intensively at home on your own you are in a much stronger position to get fit and lose weight.
It is certainly possible to lose all the baby fat quickly – just look at celebrities such as Katie Holmes, Heidi Klum or Kerry Katona. Just be prepared to sweat, a lot!
Breast Feeding – Considerations for Health
For breastfeeding mom’s losing weight is possible as although you need to take in additional nutrition to produce milk you can still burn fat if you stick to a healthy diet and start exercising. Exercise is not a problem once you have recovered from childbirth and daily workouts will get you back in shape.
Some Health Benefits of Breastfeeding
Breast feeding is good for both your health and your child’s.
- It can help you to lose weight
- Reduces risk of breast cancer
- Hormones released when breastfeeding help the uterus contract (reduces waistline)
- Reduces risk of child becoming obese
- Less change of SIDS (sudden infant death syndrome)
- Research shown that breastfed babies are more intelligent
- Mothers suffer less depression and “baby blues” if they breastfeed
- Passes on anti-bodies to the child
- Better nutrition that formula milk, so makes bigger and stronger babies
- Less chance of baby developing allergies and intolerances to dairy
When breastfeeding you do need to eat a lot of healthy food, plus drink more water than usual and take plenty of more rest. Breastfeeding women require around 600 Calories a day more than normal and these calories have to be healthy – lots of green, fresh fruits, vegetables, pulses, protein, plus a lot of water. So this of course does make it harder to lose fat. Also, if you start an intensive fitness plan you will need to remember to hydrate thoroughly.
The Loneliness of Motherhood
Emotional eating is one of the major causes of weight gain, and new mothers are susceptible to loneliness and depression.
A survey carried out by Mother and Baby magazine, and reported in The Telegraph, interviewed 2000 women and concluded that just over 53% of mothers feel lonely and isolated and about two thirds of them feel disconnected from a normal life. While tiredness has always been part of early motherhood, isolation has recently started to become more common between new mums.
When a woman leaves work to have a baby, her life changes abruptly, it is like being in a different universe, as old friends without children tend to drift away, grandparents normally live far away, neighbors are not always available to help and other mums are not always your “cup of tea“. Also, as babies are very demanding, it is difficult to restore the old social life back.
On average first time mums spend 90 minutes a day with other adults, which involves going along to play groups, where mums can meet other mums. In most cases mums of newborn babies goes along a playgroup feeling very tired and the babies are too small to enjoy themselves. So, it ends up being a frustrating exercise. Although it is a good idea to go to play groups when you feel ready, as it is a great way to meet other mums and share your experiences. In this way you don’t feel alone and you realize other mums are going through similar experiences and you can learn from one another. It is great when you get to know other mums that you identify with, and a new friendship is formed.
Women that live in the countryside have even less social life than city mums, as they are more isolated and there may be no many activities available for mums with newborns, whereas city mums can go to shops more easily and meet up with other mums in town.
These days mums are left by themselves to look after their new arrival, as grandparents tend to live far away in most cases. Having to look after a newborn by oneself can be very hard for new mums and the taboo of postnatal depression make mums keep their frustrations and desolations for themselves. Pressures from society discourage mums to discuss solution for ‘baby blues’ and postnatal depression, so mums tend to put on a brave face in fear of being misunderstood by others.
People tend to assume that mums and babies bond straight away and mums are quite happy looking after their little bundle of joy. However, in reality mums feel physically and psychologically drained as new babies are very demanding, and sleep deprivation takes its toll, making it hard for mum to enjoy quality time with baby.
Luckily the maternal instinct kicks in, making mums pull it through and some how be capable of caring for their new arrival. Having said this, the more support the mum gets the smother is the adaptation to motherhood. There are many organizations that can help. See the links below for further help with coping with motherhood and guidance about postnatal depression.
HI, i’ve just had my 2nd baby 5 weeks ago, i’ve lost my pregnancy weight but unfortunately i was still overweight from my first child. I’m aiming to lose 20lbs mainly from the top half of my body. Any ideas that can help? p.s i barely eat a thing but i’m a total cola junkie
Hi Joanna. First tip: swap cola for water and eat a variety of fresh fruits and vegetables. Second tip: exercise! Take up a regular activity such as walking, running, swimming, dance, a sport etc.
Hi I am 21yrs, I weight 260, and its been a year after having my baby and now i want to lose weight i’ve been walking on a tredmill and now im starting my diet but my biggest issue is junk food …. can u plz give me tips on lossing the weight im not in a big rush to lose weight but i really want to get to about 150lbs coming in to a new year…where should i start with a diet and exercising??? im not a lazy person i love to exercise i just stop exercising when i got pregnant..
hi, i have had two kids and havent lost my baby weight yet. i need to lose 40 to 50 lbs. i have lost 10 lbs by working out 35 to 45 mins, 6 days a week, for the past month. i know i need to stick to it. i am about to start jogging also, try to at least. i am not on a diet. i have cut back on how much i eat and the amount of soda i drink. should i keep doing what i was doing, or am i doing good. what could help me lose more weight more quickly? thank you for your time.
Hi Beatrice. I suggest that you stick to the treadmill walking for now, make it a daily workout and keep increasing the speed by a little so that you work harder each time. As for diet – you must stop the junk food. Just do not buy it! Save your money and lose weight. What exercise did you used to do? Do the same again.
Hi Stacy, sounds like you are making good, steady progress. 10 pounds in a month is good, well done. Stopping soda is a great move. Now look to see if there is any other junk food you can stop. Think about “swaps”, e.g. swap a weekly hamburger meal for a healthy salad, swap full fat cream / milk for lighter, skimmed milk etc. Just focus on getting fitter and improving your diet.
Can’t having coffee before exercise hinder your performance because it contains caffeine, making you jittery and nervous? Also, you know what upsets the most about women who say they can’t lose the baby weight? When they moan and groan about having extra weight on them as they are busy chugging a large diet soda and a white bagel smeared with full-fat cream cheese in their hands as they are busy complaining. I say, just stop complaining and start doing something about it. To use your ten-year old as an excuse as to why you’re overweight is just plain silly, in my book. I never complained about my pooch, I just did something about it. Was it easy? No…but nothing worth having in life ever is.
Not heard about coffee being bad for performance, only ever seen reports of it boosting performance. e.g. one study concluded that “the ingestion of caffeinated coffee could enhance the performance of sustained high-intensity exercise.” Effect of caffeinated coffee on running speed, respiratory factors, blood lactate and perceived exertion during 1500-m treadmill running. by JD WIles, in Br J Sports Med 1992;26:116-120 doi:10.1136/bjsm.26.2.116
Hi,
I am 25 and am a mother of a 10, 8, and 5 year old. I havent worked out since I was in middle school. My problem is that all the fat in my body has accumulated to my stomach and it is extremely hard to lose it. Are there any suggestions?
Read through the advice in our weight loss section.
Hello,
I am currently 8 months pregnant!! I am surfing the web to find a good work out plan and diet for after i give birth. I am giving birth naturally, which gives me faster recovery time, meaning i can begin my weight loss plan sooner…I have gained about 50 pounds during this pregnancy (this is my first pregnancy) and it has all gone to my face, shoulders, and arms. Do you have any recommendations for me??? I am very motivated and dedicated about getting back into shape post pregnancy. :-)
Hi Carmen, are you planning to breastfeed? This will affect your dieting opportunities although will also help you to lose weight faster so long as you maintain a well balanced and healthy diet. For exercise, to start with you will probably benefit most from walking with the pram and then in time increase it to jogging or fitness classes. Really it depends on if you are happy to walk or run in your area and what other options are available to you.
I had my second child about 4 months ago, via c section… at 6 months pregnant I broke my ankle in four places and now have 9 screws and a plate in my ankle 2 screws of which are three inch screws. I have not been able to jump or jog much less walk in my surgery, what can i do to make up for those exercises that I can not perform due to my injury, P.S. before my second child, i was a size 0… i am not above a size 10… I am very worried about my weight and my health.
Hi Melanie, two options for exercising are swimming and using an elliptical machine. Both are low impact on your ankle so should not cause problems. I used an elliptical to help recover from an injured Achilles last year and still use it. Also walking a lot helps to build up strength again. Just take it easy and do as much as you feel is comfortable, but always do something.
Hi Melanie, you need to go swimming it helps trust me lool.
Hey, my son is 14months and i was 130 before i gave birth and 160 during pregnancy. after i gave birth i was 136 and i gained 36lbs since. i been working out now for 3 weeks and trying to eat well. i noticed everything is firming up but my abs. i do 45-60min of the cybx machine and every other day i do 60min of zumba or if not i do strength training i was eating at night b4 bed but i recently stopped and i weighed my self and i havent lost a pound yet. am i doing something wrong? can u please give me advice im 23yrs old and im 4’11 its really affecting my health thank you.
Hi Kimberly, give it time. Keep working on getting fitter and follow the healthier diet, and in time you will lose more fat. Still early days at 3 weeks. Are you feeling any different? Stronger, more agile, fitter?
hi, i am 23 years old,5.3 in height and i weight 75 kg. i don’t have a baby yet but i plan having one soon. my greatest fear is that i am already obese and with my up coming pregnancy i’m going to put on more weight. this is one of the main reasons why i haven’t had a baby yet. i want to lose at least 20 kg before i get pregnant. my mother weights 200 kg and has a lot of knee and spinal problems so you should understand where i am coming from. its amazing how when i went through the articles people have 3 children already and the weigh 60 and below. i already have a big stomach and i experience joint pains already. please help me with a diet plan and an exercise routine. and also i would like to ask does drinking water contribute to you becoming fat? because from where i come from it is believed that when you drink lots of water you become fat. PLEASE HELP ME.
Hi Linda. Firstly, no, water does not make you fat. The ONLY thing that makes anyone fat is TOO MUCH FOOD. My suggestion to you is to start walking. Aim to walk at least 2 hours every day – yes, 2 whole hours. Find the time and do it. Then look at your diet. Cut out all the junk, the snacks, the bread, the sodas and sugar. Eat only fresh produce (fruits, vegetables, meats, fish, eggs etc.). It is really important that you get in good shape. It is also a complete myth that you need to gain weight while pregnant (apart from baby weight +water). More harm comes to a developing baby if the mother is obese than a little underweight. A healthy mother should have very little additional fat and ideally no belly fat at all – any fat on the belly is taking up space where the baby needs to grow. So, get walking. Once you are a little fitter, start jogging. Twice a day, 1 hour each time.
Hi, I am 30 yrs old n weigh 65 kilos. Having a 3 yrs old son. I had a cesarean, my problem is “belly fat”. how can I get rid of it? I wont eat junk food then also I got this fat. my whole body is perfect. only this tummy hurting me. plzzzzzzzzz help.
Parvin, you need to start exercising, or exercise more. Ideally a combination of regular cardio (running, swimming, cycling etc.) with some full body workouts (circuit training, weight training, yoga etc).
Hey, I have a five month via c section… I weigh 175.. What can I do to loose 20pds?
Hi Lala, you need to get exercising, and if you are not breast feeding then you can reduce calories and eat healthier.
Hi, I had a baby a year ago. I am 18, 5ft 2″ and over weight. I used to weigh 45kilos and am now at 70kg. I used to feel good about myself, I was confident and felt good. Though now I hate my body, I am a single mum and don’t have time for constant exercise. I am going to get depressed if I can’t lose weight soon. I love my food and have zero motivation, but I am willing to do whatever it takes to get my weight down.
Please help me! I am so desperate. I want to feel good about myself again.
Hi Brodie-Rain, you say you have zero motivation but you have written here – you must be a little motivated, you can work on this. You do not need constant exercise to get fit, and to lose fat you need to reduce calories and eat healthier. Start getting more active in general, walk to shops if possible with your push chair – this is a good workout, I have done it myself many times. Also, you must have time for exercise at home in the evenings once baby is asleep. Healthy diet and regular activity / exercise is the key.
Hi,
It’s been around 8.5 months since my son was born this year and I’ve still got 4kgs to loose to get to my pre pregnancy weight of 65kgs. I used to be a happy size 10 but am now a size 12 UK.
It’s tough getting/making time to excercise with the little one wanting attention/feeds etc and I sometime haven’t got the strength to run after a long day. I just feel miserable sometimes and feel like this extra pouch and weight is never going to go away. :((
My husband is so supportive and appreciates the way I look now and keeps telling me I look great for where I am now after 8 months. But, there’s this feeling inside me that says I need to loose the flab.
I feel sad when I have days like today :(( I’m so happy having our son and nothing can change that but i wish that my body was like some women I know who seem to have snapped back into their old clothes.
I am aiming to run 3 days a week doing cardio and am eating healthy. I also bf my son once a day as I want to make the best use of my bfeeding.
How long do you reckon it will take to shed the last 4kgs if I run 3 days a week for 45-50 mins per day??
Please please help! I can’t see the end of the tunnel :((
Hi, it should help. Breast feeding takes a lot of energy, but if you focus on eating very nutritious meals and drinking plenty of water then this will really help and you should in theory be able to reduce body fat OK. Just focus on running 3 days a week for now and build up your stamina so that you can do longer runs. Maybe also go for some longer walks with your baby. My wife often walks into town with our youngest, which is about 40 minutes each way. This is great exercise and you can get your shopping in the push chair too!
Hi I had my baby 18 months ago he was 9 ponds 14 onz I had him naturly and I still weigh the same as I did when I was pregnet I have tried eating right and training and only lost 4_5 kg in 2 months or so and I am still at least 20kg over weight it feels like it is never going to come off what can I do to get rid of the rest and because he was such a big baby is that the reason it has been so hard to lose
Hi Anne, if you can lose 4.5 kg then you can lose more. Just keep working at it. You were pregnant for 9 months and have lost around 20% of the extra weight in just 2 months – give it more time. Exercise daily, eat healthy.
hi, i had my baby in october 2010, i had a c secction done,. i used to work out and be on a diet also took some diet pills but nothing seems to help. i used to have that flat belly and tight now after my baby i got big and flabby on my belly. i am looking for an advice as to how to lose the baby weight after 1 year later of my c section. and the right exercise for me any tips plz let me know. i want to go back to my size again. i weigh 160 now and its hard to the weight after my c section i intend that its very hard to do. my husban tells me i look great but the extra pouch on my belly that i never had bothers and i hate my belly. any advice plz let me know.
Hi Jos, you need to just start exercising and eat a healthier diet. There are lots of exercise and diet plans available. Really if you can do 45 minutes of cardio every day and eat a healthy diet you will lose weight in time.
What are some good diets to follow its hard for me to follow one because my family around me loves to eat mainly at night and its so temping. what the best thing for me to do to lose the weight with a good diet. also should i do running also with cardio to help me lose my belly from my pregnancy also, i hear it harder to lose weight after a c sections wht can i also do to tighten my belly
I also have one more question is it good to use a belly tightener while you work out. or also to just be around the house while you move and clean etc..
Running is cardio, so that should be enough. To tighten the belly you need to work your core, so do crunches, leg raises, side bends, back extensions, squats and mountain climbers. See the fitness section > bodyweight and circuit training advice for more on this. Good diet – read the basics of healthy eating or follow the guidelines in our Low Gi Diet ebook.
hi, my name is jojo i was wondering when you doing work out to lose your baby belly fat should u use a belly belt tightener to help out with ypur work out or just work out with nothing on your belly
Just workout with Jojo, I am not convinced that a belly belt tightener will do anything to help burn the fat. Cardio workouts and healthy diet really are the keys to losing fat.
Hello there,
I had my baby 4months ago and i feel like am ready to get back to shape. I have lost almost all of my pregnancy weight except for a few pounds, but my problem is the mid-section. I have a nasty flab. I just want to get rid of it. Please advice. also i used to work out with Gilad’s quick fit DVD’s and those were really making me sweat..do you think i can use the same to get back in shape now??Please advice.
Hi Fami, definitely do the Gilad’s quick fit DVD’s again. I do not know what they are, but if they make you sweat then they will help you to get fit and burn calories!
Hi, I had my baby 6 mths ago via c-section and it seems that I have lost almost no weight at all. At my 9th month of pregnancy I weighed 157lbs and after birth till now I weight 150lbs. before my pregnancy i was only 120lbs…I would really like to lose this weight..Please help!!!
Hi Lee, have you been doing anything to try to lose weight so far? Exercise or dieting?
Hi, No. I actually am now looking into trying to lose weight and exercise…but I completely lost…can you help??
Start by reading up on healthy eating (the first article in our Diet and Nutrition section) and exercise daily. Have you exercised before? Did you enjoy it? If you are unsure what to do, or have never done anything, then you could start with jogging, or attend a fitness class, martial arts class or do some home workouts. This may be a good place for you to start: How To Get Fit At Home In 20 Minutes
Hey, I have a three year old child but find it hard to exercise the way I would enjoy as I have no support from my family, they won’t baby sit for me so I can go out, I love running but can’t go running with my child, ( he is too slow at running!), I would love to go to a class of some sort but he can’t go there with me either and find it hard to motivate my self to work out in my home. I am only a size 12 but I am about 2.5 stone above my pre baby weight, I just don’t know what to do!
Hi Joanne, you should teach yourself how to perform bodyweight exercises and workout at home. Take a look at these articles for ideas:
A Calisthenics Workout For a Fitter and Leaner Body
Circuit Training Workouts
Do you have free time to walk? Long walks with the buggy / pushchair is a good way to burn calories. You burn more or less as many calories with 60 minutes of walking as you do with 30 minutes of jogging. Go out whenever you can, every day.
Hi i had twins in june
I am not happy with my body at all i breastfeed and ive recently got the IMPLANON birth control i believe its made me hungrier then i was without it any tips were to began ive been so out of shape for so long nd hve no idea were to start
Hi Wendi, start with increased daily activity, such as walking more. If you rely a lot on a car (for instance) take the push chair and walk instead whenever you can. If that means you shop every day instead once a week for food, this is ever better!
Then add some structured exercise to your day. Running is an excellent option simply because it is easy and you can do it just about anywhere. Also teach yourself how to exercise at home by performing bodyweight workouts. Performing a circuit of jumping jacks, squats, mountain climbers, plus a few others, and repeating over and over is an excellent way to exercise your body.
Finally, start examining your diet – every part of it – and look for weak points. Maybe you tend to snack at the same time each day, often when your defences are down (tired, stressed etc.) – look for patterns and tackle them. If you tend to snack at around 9pm then this is a good time to instead do your home workouts – babies in bed asleep (hopefully!), time for yourself. 30 minutes intensive exercise, shower, then rest.
I have lost all of my baby weight, maybe 5lbs. left. I had a baby in May. But, I feel flabby and out of shape. Plus, my mood and well being need to exercise! It is way too cold to go jogging for me. My main problem is, I can’t find the time or the energy to workout. I am sleep-deprived because my 6-month old still doesn’t sleep through the night. I work fulltime and the gym is 35 minutes away. Before giving birth, I went almost every day. Significant other is working overtime so I can’t leave her with him, but I am afraid of the daycare affiliated with the gym! They scare me for some reason. Do I suck it up and send her there or do I beg my sig. other to babysit during his rare “free time” so I can workout? I feel like it would be a luxury, but it was once part of my lifestyle. I feel guilty like it is asking too much. Do other moms have this problem? I feel helpless and alone.
Hi CC, why not exercise at home? Get some dance DVD’s, or other workout routines, and exercise in the comfort of your home.
hi, I’m che i had a baby 1 yr and 1 month old. My question is how to lose my weight? My menstruation is irregular, is this ok if I taking diet pills or slimming tea while breastfeeding?
Hi Che, you should start exercising but if you are breastfeeding then you should not go on a restrictive diet or take any unnecessary medication of any kind. Work on getting fit now with daily exercises and then when you have stopped breastfeeding you can look to reduce calorie intake again. Diet pills, in my opinion, are a waste of money.