My Transformation
So now that my youngest child is over 3 years of age and officially no longer a toddler, I can finally say that I am back to my pre-baby weight. It still takes effort to maintain, but now my goals are slightly different, too.
Before you read any further, I am telling you right away that this journey [losing baby weight] is not a fast one. But after losing the postpartum weight twice, I hope I can give other first- and second-time moms some tips that have helped me regain my mind (if only some of it) and my body (mostly). I wanted to write this so that you understand that you can do it, too.
My Pregnancies and Weight Gain
I had two super healthy pregnancies. And while they were very similar, they were also very different. But that’s not what this post is about.
With both pregnancies, I gained the recommended amount of weight of 25 – 35 pounds. Similarly, with both pregnancies, I remained very active until the day I delivered. I have always been a runner and an athlete, so I only avoided any focused ab work in hopes of preventing Diastasis Recti (*).
I think staying active and attempting to eat healthy during pregnancy has a huge impact on how many pregnancy pounds you gain and how easily you lose weight post-baby. Not gaining more than the recommended amount of weight during pregnancy helps with recovery as well. But if you weren’t so lucky, not all is lost.
There are plenty of women who have gained way more than 50 pounds and lost it successfully through carefully and slowly changing their lifestyle. The most important factors and the biggest barriers to reclaiming your pre-baby body are going to be nutrition and hormones (time should take care of that).
Does Breastfeeding Help You Lose Weight After Having a Baby?
New mothers have so much going on, that frankly losing the baby weight is the last thing on the scale of importance. There is a lot of evidence to suggest that carrying those extra pounds at the time of delivery will actually help you feed your new baby (if you are breastfeeding) better and for longer.
And if you are on the fence about nursing, then consider that lactation can help you “reset” your metabolism after pregnancy. {*} This is also known as the “Reset Hypothesis”.
Breastfeeding obviously has a number of positive benefits for the mother and the child, one of which is the extra calorie burn it provides. As previously mentioned, you stored that fat for something! Some sources say that extra 500 calories a day is pretty normal the first 4-6 months after birth or before you start supplementing with other food.
According to some research, however, the majority of your weight due to breastfeeding will come off in the first 6-8 weeks postpartum{*}. Anything after that will likely require some concerted effort and work on your part. Probably not something you want to hear, but that is the truth. And I found it to be true personally for both my pregnancies. That is not to say that you should consider this as the reason to stop nursing after 2 months though{*}!
How to Lose Baby Weight?
On the bright side, after 6-8 weeks, your milk supply should be more or less established, so you can hopefully play around with your nutrition and calorie intake without compromising it. Remember that old saying that “abs are made in the kitchen”? Well, that one is cliché for a reason.
You can follow whatever diet plan you want, but at the end of the day, you actually have to have a calorie deficit in order to lower your body fat percentage. While what you eat really does matter, it does not matter as much as how many calories you are consuming. Please, please, please save yourself the frustration and your money and run from anyone who tells you otherwise.
Do You Need to Exercise to Get to Pre-Pregnancy Size?
Let’s be honest, you will likely be severely sleep-deprived. You might be spending most of your time on the couch (if you’re lucky!) feeding or nursing or pumping. You might even be doing all that on the go. And you are very likely to be trying to do all that while keeping the house clean, maybe working full time, and still taking care of your other children.
So please do not stress about finding extra time to exercise. The first few months of your child’s life, just being up on your feet, carrying your child, and taking walks (plus cleaning, vacuuming, cooking, etc. etc. etc.) will be more than enough.
You will have plenty of time to hire that personal trainer later and your money will likely go further. And don’t worry if you know a mom who started exercising a week after she delivered. That is NOT the norm even if you were active and in great shape before having a baby.
So How Long Does It Take to Lose Baby Weight?
Honestly, this is extremely individual. I know for me it took almost 2 years with my first and about the same with my second. But I also focused a lot more on healthy eating and establishing my milk production and supply more than my weight loss goals for the first year.
We all have heard of and some of us even know women who went back to their pre-pregnancy weight in 6 months or less. But not everyone has the same lifestyle, resources, or body. The truth is, the journey is different for everyone and quite frankly it does not matter that much. It’s not about how fast you can lose your weight anyways. It’s all about changing your lifestyle which includes your diet and exercise for the better to make a lasting impact.
And if you were already healthy and fit before you had kids, chances are you will bounce right back as soon as you settle back into your daily routine that incorporates a healthy and balanced nutrition plan and some time to exercise.
My Journey and Losing Weight After Baby Number 2
If you have followed me for a while, you already know that I love being active and challenging my body. Exercising or moving has never been an issue. I could run 8 miles in my third trimester without skipping a beat. And I did.
My pitfall has always been my nutrition. So as soon as I established my milk supply (I nursed for over 2 years with each of my babes), I started dialing in my nutrition. Very gradually at first. I watched how my milk supply reacted and adjusted accordingly. Lucky for me, I never had a huge drastic drop, but I also don’t think that my body burned nearly 500 calories breastfeeding at any point even though I certainly made a ton of breastmilk!
These days I am very conscious about incorporating heavy lifting into my routine at least twice a week, which includes all major muscle groups. I also spend extra time on core work. The rest of the days I do a mix of steady and HIIT cardio from running to cycling to the Stairmaster at the gym. As a family, we are very active, so even on rest days, I have no problem getting a ton of walking in.
As far as nutrition, I am an avid fan of Intermittent Fasting. I never have to worry about breakfast and I love working out on an empty stomach. You can learn more about Intermittent Fasting (IF) or how working out fasted can jump-start your metabolism by following these links.
I do try to keep my carbohydrate intake low and stay away from sugar in favor of Keto recipes. If you want to learn more about the Ketogenic diet and how to start one, check out my friend’s amazing blog Wholesome Yum.
I also build every meal around healthy proteins and fats. I think that is essential for everyone. Here is an easy one-pager of highly nutritious protein-packed snacks to keep on hand while you’re taking care of your babe and others in your family.
Tips to Lose Baby Weight Faster
Notice how I did not say “Fast” though. I think there are real psychological benefits to seeing that number move initially to help get you going. However, whatever helped supercharge and jumpstart your weight loss isn’t likely a long term strategy that can be sustainable.
However, there are things you can do to help you get there faster. I summarized them in the graphic below. I will soon publish a post or a series of posts going into detail on why these will help you transform your body and your health for the better.
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