Although exercise is an essential part of your overall health, finding time to exercise with a newborn in tow can be a challenge. Before you toss the weight loss out with the bath water, discover five ways to ditch the baby weight without exercise, from breastfeeding to cutting out soft drinks and alcohol — completely.
Learn how to lose weight with portion control
“Diet” can seem like a dirty four letter word, but when you cut down instead of cut out your favorite foods, you can begin to melt away the baby weight. Even when you can’t get out and exercise, exercising portion control will put you on the right path to weight loss.
>> Boost your energy levels with these 5 stress-free tips to better your diet
Discover weight loss tips through breastfeeding
During the time you’re breastfeeding your baby, HealthyChildren.org warns that “a less-than-ideal diet will probably not affect your breastfeeding child, but it may leave your body at nutritional risk.” They also report that women who breastfed typically experienced weight loss at a rate of about one or two pounds per month, so instead of working on shedding baby weight through dieting, focus on the extra calories you’re burning simply by nourishing and bonding with your little one.
>> Nutrition, exercise and weight loss while breastfeeding
lose baby weight with whole foods
The additives and chemicals contained in many processed foods tend to build up in your body over time, beefing up your body’s ability to store fat. When you consume foods just as nature intended, your body receives the nutrients that are usually stripped away, helping you protect your body against a variety of diseases like cancer, heart disease and obesity, as well as keep up with the demands of your newborn.
Shed baby weight by cutting out soft drinks and alcohol
According to a report by the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, a mere one soda per day could lead to a weight gain of 15 pounds in one year! Sadly, this also applies to fruit drinks, fruitades and alcoholic beverages, all of which are packed with pound-packing sugar.
>> Find out how much caffeine is safe during pregnancy and breastfeeding
Avoid skipping meals
You may think that eating less often is doing your diet a favor, but skipping meals can be a roadblock when discovering how to lose weight. When your body goes hungry, your metabolism slows, triggering your body to store fat to protect you from starving. Instead, eat five small meals a day to keep your metabolism working evenly.
>> 6 Unhealthy food habits to break right now
Although maintaining a consistent and healthy diet seems nearly impossible when caring for a newborn, small changes to your eating habits can help you make big strides in your weight loss goal when you try these five ways to ditch the baby weight without exercise. Once you get the hang of how to diet to lose weight, maintaining a healthy diet once you’ve bid your baby weight adieu will seem more like a lifestyle than a chore!
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