Baby’s out. So, why is your belly still big? Is it belly fat, loose skin, hormones, or something else? Let’s find out....CONTINUE READING

You probably gained some weight during pregnancy, which is exactly what you should have done. Your abdominal muscles, which are two parallel bands of muscle that support your core, were stretched out.

When you give birth, you’ll lose blood, fluids, and amniotic fluid. This already reduces your overall weight. However, losing belly fat will a require more intentional approach.

In the first 6 weeks after delivery, don’t worry about your weight or belly fat. Focus more on healing first and enjoying the sweet smell of your newborn.

After 6 weeks, or when you are medically cleared, here are some measures you can start with to get rid of the belly fat.

Trying to lose weight too soon after giving birth can delay your healing and make you weak. Wait until you’ve had your postnatal checkup before attempting to lose weight.

Proactive measures to safely eliminate your belly fat

These are very simple and easy to do tasks but it takes consistency to see the results you desire.

1. Eat Healthy

This is the first step to regaining your pre-baby body. Cut down the sugar and opt for healthy options like fruits and vegetables. When you drink packaged fruit juice, you consume more calories than if you simply eat the fruit.

Although packaged juices claim to be made from real fruit juices, they contain a lot of sugar, flavor, and color.

Try to stay away from them.

Quick tip: Eat small portions frequently instead of one large meal.

Mini-meals can help satisfy hunger, maintain blood sugar levels, and provide nutrients to the body throughout the day.

Smaller, more frequent meals in your daily eating patterns can also help your metabolism run more efficiently.

2. Increase your intake of vitamin C.

Vitamin C helps to prevent oxidative stress and a variety of health problems. Fruits rich in vitamin C and minerals such as calcium, potassium, magnesium, and zinc include orange, lemon, lime, bell pepper, broccoli, kale, grapefruit, and kiwi. Vitamin C aids digestion and blood pressure control. It is a good idea to eat at least one vitamin C-rich fruit every day.

3. Stay Hydrated

Drinking at least eight large glasses of water per day not only hydrates you and flushes out toxins, but it also aids in weight loss, particularly in the midsection and helps with your breastmilk production. It’s a win-win situation.
Drink some water before you eat to control how much you eat.

4. Consume More Protein

Protein aids metabolism and reduces cravings or hunger pangs, so eating protein helps reduce abdominal fat.
Baked fish, chicken stew, lentils, and mushrooms should all be included in your diet. Vegetables are recommended because too much protein can cause gout.

5. Portion Control on Starchy foods

White bread, polished rice, pasta, noodle, corn, corn flour, potato, and other starchy foods are all high in starch.
In our bodies, starch is broken down into sugar, and when there is an excess of sugar, it is stored as fat.
Avoid excess consumption of starchy foods to achieve a flat stomach.

6. Take long, lazy walks.

A leisurely 30-minute walk is a good way to boost your metabolism and burn those extra pounds.
You can walk down the street or take your baby for a walk in the evenings.

7. Sleep well

I know life with a newborn doesn’t afford much sleep luxury. However, When you are stressed or agitated, your body produces stress hormones and steroids. These have a direct impact on your digestive system, resulting in bloating and constipation.

Not only that, but Stress causes the body and mind to produce cortisol, which adds a fatty layer to the waistline in an attempt to protect the vital organs so you not sleeping could be one of the reasons why you are not losing weight.

8. Simple Exercises. No gym required!

Exercise and a healthy diet will help you return to your pre-pregnancy weight in a few months.
However, if you want to see your tummy flatten, you’ll need to do some abdominal exercises.

You can start with pelvic tilts. Tie a sheet tightly around your tummy to support your abs and do this:

Lie on your back, place your feet flat on the floor, and bend your legs.

Pull your belly button in toward your spine and lift your pelvis off the floor.

Tighten your buttocks and hold for 5 seconds.

Aim for 5 sets of 20 repetitions.

Here are some great tummy tightening exercises that you might want to try:

Forearm plank. Lie down with your forearms on the floor. Rise up onto your toes. Suck in your belly. Tighten your buttocks. Hold for 20 and build up as you get stronger.

Reverse crunch. Lie down on your back with your knees bent and your thighs perpendicular to the ground. Using your abs, bring knees toward your chest. Hold for 2 counts and repeat 10 times.

Scissor kicks. Lie on your back with your legs straight. Lift both legs off the floor and then scissor your legs by lowering and lifting them alternately. Do 15 to 20 repetitions.

My tummy muscles feel slack. Is this normal?

It’s possible that your tummy muscles are overstretched as a result of pregnancy. If this is the case, you might notice a bulge on the front of your tummy, above and below your belly button.

Diastasis recti is the medical term for this overstretching (DR). Diastasis means “separation.”

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