Last updated on May 11th, 2020 at 01:20 pm
Pregnancy is probably the best feeling you could have and giving birth to a healthy and happy baby is the most phenomenal experience a lady can have. Life is not going to be same again, post delivery. Right from looking after your baby and family, to taking good care of yourself and returning in shape is no easy task. Reducing belly fat (or tummy fat, as they call it) is the most common concern for many and if you are struggling in reducing belly fat then you are not alone. How to get rid of the belly fat after delivery is the most frequent question and hence this post. Even if there is no quick fix to reduce belly fat post pregnancy, but I can promise you good result as discussed some of the most effective and easiest ways to reduce belly fat after delivery.
Reducing belly fat is a very genuine concern because during the pregnancy phase, the body goes through a lot of hormonal changes. Secondly the pregnant women get too much of love, care and made to eat a lot of healthy foods during the pregnancy which add up to a lot of fat in the belly region.
So, I understand that you are desperate to reduce belly fat and get back to your pre pregnancy shape but, ladies please hold on a bit. This is because that fat has accumulated and developed over the past 9 months and it will take a considerable amount of time to shed that extra flab and get back in shape.
Moreover, you need to give your body some time to recover before you are ready to start on with your weight loss journey. So the best and most important advise for anyone who want to reduce belly fat post pregnancy is to consult your doctor and confirm if your body is ready to take some workout. And if it is ready, you can definitely start slow and get in shape by taking up the ways we are discussing right here in this post.
Post-delivery stage is considered to be more hectic than the pregnancy phase. Well, this is certainly due to the fact that besides taking care of yourselves, you now have a little one to care for. And, taking care of a baby which is barely few days or few months old is never going to be easy, especially for the first-time moms. So in the initial stage of post pregnancy period, it is better to dedicate as much time as possible in taking care of your little one. After 7-8 weeks, it is generally recommended that you start working on reducing belly fat and losing overall body weight.
Well, reducing the post pregnancy fat especially from the tummy region is going to test your patience to a good extent. But if you have that dedication and never-give-up attitude, I am sure that you will come out successful. And, to make your journey easier, I am sharing a few of the best and easiest ways to reduce belly fat post pregnancy which is going to help you return in shape.
So, are you ready to know the details? I think you are quite excited to know, so let us begin with our today’s discussion without any delay.
Bet easy ways to reduce belly fat after pregnancy
As I said, losing weight after pregnancy is not going to be easy, but then it’s not impossible. I am sure you have seen Bollywood celebrities return to their pre-pregnancy shape, after delivery and if they can achieve it, you can also reduce belly fat. Of course there is no magical formula or an easy shortcut to reducing belly fat after delivery, but there are ways that can make it look easy and help you put off extra weight and fat.
Nothing comes easy in life, so get ready to put honest effort and dedication from your end and I am sure you will be able to get back to your pre-pregnancy shape easily within a few months. And, if you work hard and carefully follow these tips to reduce belly fat post pregnancy for a few months without fail, then I am sure you won’t be disappointed at the end.
Listed below are a few of the best ways to reduce belly fat fast and easily.
Start breastfeeding
In case you feel that breastfeeding is only beneficial for your baby’s growth, then you are wrong, because it has a lot of benefits for you as well, especially when it comes to reducing your post pregnancy body fat. Sounds good right? Well, yes, breastfeeding is one of the most effective and natural ways to reduce belly fat post pregnancy. This is because it stimulates the contraction in your uterus resulting to the shrinking of the uterus and coming back to its normal size.
Nursing your baby and breastfeeding him/her also helps in the overall reduction of the calories without even you putting up any effort on your part. But, you need to remember that when you stop breastfeeding, you need to take up a lot of extra efforts in shedding the remaining fat. So, that is going to be a little challenging for you, but it is not impossible to do.
Belly wrapping
The next way you can get rid of the belly fat post pregnancy is by trying out belly wrapping. It is a very ancient and old fashioned way of reducing the fat but it is very effective. It is popularly believed that the belly wraps or the maternity belts aids in tucking your abs which accelerates the whole procedure of your uterus shrinking back to the original or the normal size. In addition, these belts also benefit a lot in fixing the back pain or the posture issues which many new moms develop after the delivery.
One of the natural ways to gain the maximum benefits in reducing belly fat is by wrapping your midsection with a soft cotton cloth. However, please do not wrap it too tight or too loose. Also, there are various commercial maternity belts available today that you may like to try. The only suggestion is to consult your doctor first before trying out the belly wraps.
Light exercise
When it comes to losing the extra flab especially from your belly or tummy area, there can be no alternative to exercises. After all, when you do take up some honest and dedicated efforts, it is bound to be fruitful. However, since you just had your delivery, you do need to consult your doctor first and then start with your light exercises.
Here are some exercises that you may consider in order to get rid of the belly fat. I will try and mention the steps but for perfection and to avoid injuries, I will suggest you to do them under professional supervision in the initial stages and then when you are confident, you can do them on your own.
Walking– In general, walking is very much good for maintaining a good health and post your delivery also, you can go out on walks to shed the extra fats. See, at one go, it does not seem to be that beneficial, but at a time when you are recovering from the soreness, body pains, headaches etc., it is quite helpful. You can also take your little one with you in a perambulator while you are going on short walks.
Once you start gaining control over your body and you feel better, then maybe you can slowly start with jogging or running or other exercises (mentioned in the following points) but please do it after you have consulted your doctor about that.
Basic stretching and twisting– Once your body have got accustomed to the walking, you can start with your basic stretching and twisting. This will help in strengthening and toning your muscles.
Pelvic exercises– After that, you can try out the pelvic exercises like kneeling which is very effective in toning your tummy and in strengthening your abs.
For that, all you have to do is to start on all your fours with your arms straight down from the shoulder line and your palms touching the floor. You should keep your back straight and relaxed and avoid it becoming curved or arched. Now, as you inhale, pull your buttocks forward, tilt your pelvis and rotate the pubic bone in the upward direction. Hold the position for a count of three and then move back to your start position. Your belly muscles must be completely relaxed and without any kind of stress.
Bridging exercises– Bridging exercises are just great when it comes to toning your belly, bottom and your thigh muscles. To get these done perfectly, you need to follow the steps properly.
At first you got to lie down on the floor and after bending your knees, take your feet upwards, moving to your bottom area. Now take a deep breath and when you exhale, make your belly tight around your belly bottom along with the pelvic floor. Then lift your bottom as high as possible and then hold for about five seconds. You need to breathe normally while doing it. Lower down your bottom back gradually towards the floor and repeat the process 10 times.
Hip exercises– The next in list are the hip exercises which are very essential in toning your hips and in providing strength to your belly. For getting the maximum benefits, you need to lie on your right with the knees bent and inclined towards your bust. Hold the knees diagonally and then try to lift the left side of the knee in the upward direction that is towards your ceiling. Try to hold this posture for about 5 seconds and make sure you repeat it at least 10 times. You need to do it on your right side as well.
Sit ups– Sit ups are always good for shedding the belly fat and you must include it in your exercise chart. Besides toning your tummy, sit ups are good for toning your upper legs as well. Start with few gentle in the initial days and then move on to the rigorous ones.
Yoga– I bet you cannot miss out the yoga when it comes to belly fat reduction because it is a perfect medicine for treating your mind, body and soul. So, please try to get habituated with early morning yoga. You can join yoga classes to learn the steps properly and then do it on your own.
Pilates– One of the most effective ways to reduce belly fat post pregnancy is by doing pilates. This is because it makes you relaxed and balanced and at the same time strengthens your weak body. This actually involves a series of movements and position changes which will improve your coordination and make you strong. You need to breathe deeply and relax while doing this kind of workouts. You can take up professional classes for maximum benefits.
Aerobics– It is another great option to get rid of your tummy fat post pregnancy. It will make you burn a lot of calories by improving your metabolic functioning. Start with the aerobic session slowly and then intensify it as you proceed. Doing aerobics 2-3 times weekly will be good enough for you.
Abdominal exercises– Abdominal exercises like abdominal crunches and flutter kicks are great and you can surely try them out. In case of abdominal crunches, I will request you to be really slow and not hurry up too much. Do it under professional guidance otherwise you may end up putting too much stress on yourself. Start with around 5 crunches a day and then increase it gradually.
In case of flutter kicks, you need to lie down on your back keeping your hands behind. Then lift your legs above the floor and try and make gentle but quick motions in a way as if you are swimming on your back. This is a great exercise and will help you lose fat in your thighs and calves.
Hip raises– It is another important exercise which if you are able to do perfectly will be very much beneficial. Here, you got to lie on your back and keep your legs straight up at 90-degree angle. By placing your hands underneath your buttocks, raise your hips above the ground by about few inches. You may try doing it without using your hands as well.
Swimming– Last but not the least, try out swimming. I mean it is a very fun exercise but has a whole lots of health benefits including weight loss. But, I would request you to start with your swimming at least 7-8 weeks post-delivery in order to avoid any kind of infection. Consult your doctor before doing it.
Drink warm water
There are a lot of benefits of drinking warm water in the morning and you can continue this practice post your delivery as well to get rid of your extra flab. This is because drinking water in the morning leads to the flushing out of the toxins. Also, it increases the temperature of your body which in turn, improves your metabolic functioning leading to effective burning of your calories.
Therefore, in the morning, drink warm water. You can add lemon juice in it as well. This also will help in the breakdown of the adipose tissue.
Body massage
Massages are one of the effective ways to reduce belly fat post pregnancy. So, you can get a massage that will target your belly region. This will effectively distribute and release the fat into the body for absorption. At the same time, massaging will also improve the metabolism which will also result in effective burning of calories. Also, it is very relaxing and soothing in general, for your stressed body.
It is best if you go for the massage after you have done your exercises or got involved in any physical activity.
Avoid unhealthy eating
If you are seriously looking to reduce belly fat and body weight, then you got to avoid taking all of the unhealthy foods and beverages. Once you become a mother, you have a lot of responsibilities and so, you need to take care of your health first in order to keep your baby healthy. And, if you are determined to lose your flab especially from your belly or tummy area, then it is recommended that you avoid all of the unhealthy stuffs as much as possible and concentrate only on the healthy and nutritious foods.
Here is a list of things that you must avoid:
- Avoid too much of sugary stuffs- High sugar intake leads to a lot of fat accumulation, so the first thing that you must avoid is the sugary stuffs. Now, many will tell you to eat sweets like kheer or ladoos as they are believed to aid in increasing the breast milk but you need to remain firm and avoid them. Even if you eat, make sure that the quantity is very less.
- Avoid the fried food items- If you are planning to cut off the flab from your tummy, then you have no other choice but to avoid all of the oily and greasy food items as much as possible because such items will otherwise become your worst enemy.
- Avoid unhealthy junk snacking- Please stay away from the calorie packed foods like aerated drinks, sodas, chocolate, chips, cookies etc. Instead try out the snaking items that are healthy like for example, yogurts, fresh fruits etc.
Eat balanced diet
Just as I mentioned in my previous point, you need to get rid of all of the unhealthy stuffs and concentrate on a balanced diet. Your diet should contain all of the healthy nutrients in adequate amounts. For best results, I would request you to follow a proper diet chart after consulting with your doctor, so that you do not end up gaining extra fat.
However, please remember that losing weight does not mean skipping meals or practicing crash dieting. That is very big NO because it may make you weak which will not just affect you but is dangerous for your baby’s health as well. After all, there is correlation between your health and your baby’s health and hence it is important for you to remain fit and healthy. So, please be a little sensible and eat healthy and in balanced amounts. And, yes, please maintain proper meal timings.
Avoid stress
I understand that taking care of a little one can be very stressful but you need to stay calm and relaxed as much as possible. Stress leads to the release of the stress hormone cortisol in your blood stream which makes you irritated, tired as well as leads to weight gain and retention. Moreover, if your stress hormone cortisol increases it will also increase your food cravings towards sweet or fatty food items which may not be healthy. So, you need to avoid stress and get calm and relaxed.
The best way to relax and get rid of stress is to think positively and practice yoga, meditation, or you may try other relaxation techniques that may help you to keep your mood uplifted.
Drink green tea
Green tea has got a lot of benefits including the ability to help you lose weight, so, you can definitely give it a try when it comes to reducing belly fat post pregnancy. Green tea is well known in helping in the fat burning process. Mainly, it is due to the presence of the antioxidants that give protection to the cells from the free radicals and give a proper boost to your metabolic functioning, which in turn is very helpful for effective weight loss.
I believe if you drink green tea after your workout session, then it would greatly benefit you in reducing belly fat post pregnancy.
Over to you: how are you getting rid of your belly fat post pregnancy?
Sometimes, women go into depression due to them becoming too overweight after delivery. I mean gaining a few extra kilos is natural but avoid gaining too much of the unnecessary fat. But, in case you have already gained fat especially in your tummy region, then there is no need to be upset. Instead get determined that you are going to lose those flabs with determination, consistency and hard work. However, do consult your doctor regarding when your body is actually ready to go through the process of exercise to reduce belly fat.
I have already discussed about 9 of the easiest effective ways to reduce belly fat post pregnancy. The procedures are very basic and it is all the same but the only difference is you may have to do it with a lot of patience this time because it will take time to get rid of the stubborn belly fat after delivery. But, if you have that never-to-give-up attitude, you will surely come out with flying colors.
But have been there, done that? I would like to know what has worked for you in reducing belly fat after delivery. Feel free to share your hacks and ideas for reducing belly fat by commenting below.
Until then, stay healthy, work hard and I am sure you will be back in shape in no time.
