A lot of you have messaged me about how I lost my baby weight and I decided to do a detailed post about it. Firstly I am not an expert so always consult your doctor before you start working out. Pregnancy did change my body! I am so lucky to give birth to the most adorable munchkin. In this beautiful journey, I did gain 35 lbs during pregnancy and few more after after Avi’s birth. I delivered a healthy 8 pounds boy and it did take a toll on my body. I have always been on a smaller frame. Getting your body back to its previous form is not as easy as celebrities might make it seem. The solution to baby weight isn’t a strict diet or instant power work out. Once you know your body is ready for it, set an achievable goal of losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, CONSISTENT WORK OUTS, focus on better nutrition, don’t starve as you have to take care of your little one and have a very POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU. Staying positive and stress free is the KEY.
A lot of women will never truly get back to their pre-pregnancy physiques even if they do lose most of the pregnancy weight. It’s not fair, but it’s a reality. So accept your new body and love it! Every once in awhile I look at the scar and wish I could do something to minimize it, then I think to myself that it’s actually kind of a beautiful reminder. This attitude of forgiveness and gentleness is the spirit with which I have embarked on my weight loss journey and it’s made all the difference in the world.
So it took me 6 months to start working out regularly at the gym. I used to go for walks, do home cardio/dance workouts for an hour. I was made to eat a lot of high calorie Indian healing food which was made of Ghee, Almonds, Whole milk, nuts, Jaggery, Soonth (dry ginger), Gond, fresh butter etc. They say it’s good for you and the baby.
Breastfeeding : Helps a lot with weight loss. You won’t notice in the beginning but trust me, I nursed Avi for 18 months and it did help me! Though weaning him off was INSANE! Also if you’re breastfeeding, continue to take your Multi vitamins/ extra calcium/ iron as breastfeeding would change the quality of your own hair/ teeth/ bone etc.
It a strict diet or instant power work out. Once you know your body is ready for it, set an achievable goal of losing 1 to 2 pounds a week, CONSISTENT WORK OUTS, focus on better nutrition, don’t starve as you have to take care of your little one and have a very POSITIVE ENVIRONMENT AROUND YOU. Staying positive and stress free is the KEY.
A lot of women will never truly get back to their pre-pregnancy physiques even if they do lose most of the pregnancy weight. It’s not fair, but it’s a reality. So accept your new body and love it! Every once in awhile I look at the scar and wish I could do something to minimize it, then I think to myself that it’s actually kind of a beautiful reminder. This attitude of forgiveness and gentleness is the spirit with which I have embarked on my weight loss journey and it’s made all the difference in the world.
So it took me 6 months to start working out regularly at the gym. I used to go for walks, do home cardio/dance workouts for an hour. I was made to eat a lot of high calorie Indian healing food which was made of Ghee, Almonds, Whole milk, nuts, Jaggery, Soonth (dry ginger), Gond, fresh butter etc. They say it’s good for you and the baby.
Breastfeeding : Helps a lot with weight loss. You won’t notice in the beginning but trust me, I nursed Avi for 18 months and it did help me! Though weaning him off was INSANE! Also if you’re breastfeeding, continue to take your Multi vitamins/ extra calcium/ iron as breastfeeding would change the quality of your own hair/ teeth/ bone etc.
I was a little late but starting 6 months, I knew my body is ready to go workout. I got a gym membership at Golds and started to work out. It was a good break for me as well to get out and do something for myself as I was going through severe postpartum depression.
Week 1 : I started with one hour at the gym. 40 minutes of fast elliptical and 20 minutes of brisk walking. Start slowly and build from there
Week 2: I started going to the gym twice. 1.5 hour on treadmill and Elliptical and in the evenings, I would attend a group class. My most favorite was Zumba, Yoga, Body Combat, Insanity, Core work out, PiYo, Pilates.
Bikram Hot Yoga: I did 5-6 sessions of Bikram Hot Yoga and lost 15 pounds. It’s the most amazing form of Yoga where they crank up the room temperature to 95-108 degrees F. But the amount of water your body loses in the form of sweat and the fat burn is mind blowing. It does get very claustrophobic but feel free to take break in between the class if you’re a beginner.
Started my dal with Oatmeals : It does help you feel nourished and helps in weight loss
TeaMi: I also got a box of Weight loss Tea from Amazon US which did help me get rid of all the crap out of my system
One spoon overnight soaked methi seeds
For 4-5 months, I started my day with a glass of honey lemon warm water
A cup of cooked oats for breakfast for 4 months.
Note: for everyone who have a sensitive back, wear a back brace while working out.
I also used a tight tummy belt throughout 1 year for 6-8 hours a day. I’ll share links in a separate post.
I worked out EVERYDAY for 3 months!! Maybe few days of break but I looked forward to getting out and working out as it did make me feel good. I started noticing old clothes fitting me back.
Dance at home: I love dancing. You’d see me dancing in my stories all the time. But I used to dance with Avi since he was just 3 months old. We would play Bollywood songs and dance to the beats. Carrying your baby and dancing is also a great idea as it’s like dance class with weights 😊
Park Walks : I would take Avi to the parks with my family, Jog, Squats, lunges.
TRACK YOUR PROGRESS: I made a huge chart and stuck it on a wall in my bedroom. Weight, Inches of every part. And I monitored it weekly. In just 1.5 months I literally lost 35 pounds/ 15 kgs. More than weight, what should matter is INCHES.
Goal Outfit : I used to keep few goal outfits – Jeans/ bodycon dresses/ shorts/ crop tops and my goal would be to rock them. Setting up small milestones really helped me
I did couple sessions of Personal Training and realized how much high intensity Cardio and Strength training is important for my body to build my strength back. Just walking on the treadmill won’t help, need to include resistance/ strength training with light weights. I started following fit mommies on Instagram for motivation.
Diet: I avoided sugar and processed foods. Didn’t really count calories etc but watched my diet and consumed more protein – Oats, Dal, Chicken, Legumes, Eggs, Quinoa, Beans, Salad, chickpea , Smoothies, Juices with limited amount of roties, rice.
Dinner: I made a golden rule to avoid eating after 7PM. I was home on a break, not working so it helped me. If I was really hungry, I would get some milk or nuts.
So that’s how I lost 40 pounds in 4 months and I still have a long way to go to build my strength back. I try to work out 3-4 times a week now.
Whatever you do, keep at it! Don’t get discouraged! Be proud of all your body has accomplished so far! Enjoy the moments with your baby. They don’t last long! Remember, you created a miracle. Feed proud about yourself!!! #yougotthis #postpartemweightloss #losethebabyweight #weightlossjourney #beforeafter