Questiondear Helen,
well in brief,i had 2 pregnancies separated by 1 year and half,i gained nearly 11 kg,but my aim is to lose 20 kg...as i am 157 cm tall and weigh 70 kg,my real problem is my belly pouch and terrible stretching marks, can u help me with that...by the way my last pregnancy was 1 month ago,and i am breastfeeding my child...so r there any exercises or diet that i can follow to lose that stubborn belly pouch and thanks...
AnswerThis is a complicated question and will take clear intentions, planning, and long term commitment on your part to achieve your goals.
Since you are breastfeeding, your metabolism requires about 500 more calories per day, then if you were bottle feeding, and you can use this to your advantage. Breastfeeding stimulates the release of stored calories from your fat cells.
Eat the highest quality diet that you have access to. Eat foods in their natural state. Avoid ALL processed foods, fast food, junk food, sodas and other liquid calories, high fat foods - especially saturated fats - salty foods, and simple carbohydrates like white bread, rice, sweets, and alcohol.
Eat LOTS of fresh fruits and veggies, whole grains, legumes, and lean protein every day.
Follow the three 80% rules:
1. Make each serving size 80% of what you would normally have.
2. Eat until you feel just 80% full, then stop. (News flash: it�s OK to leave food on your plate!)
3. Choose foods with the highest nutritional value for 80% of your daily calories, which leaves 20% for a small daily treat, or foods of lower quality.
For exercise, start fitness walking DAILY, or at the very least 5x week with your baby in a stroller or front pack. Aim for at least 40 minutes per session.
During the first 20 minutes aerobic exercise our bodies primarily use carbohydrates (stored as glycogen) as fuel. Think of this as your body�s snack food, ready to be consumed. It�s only when this source of energy is depleted do our bodies �go into the pantry� and start burning a significant proportion of fat as fuel. So when you exercise for 40 minutes, about half the calories will be from carbohydrates and half will be from fat. Burning fat as fuel is crucial for permanent weight loss and long-term healthy weight management.
Slow and steady really does win the race here. All of us have "mommy bodies" after childbirth and the transformation back to our pre-pregnancy condition takes between 9 and 12 months.
As to the stretch marks, fade creams can help but do not entirely eliminate the problem.
For more information on weight loss after pregnancy go to:
http://www.befitmom.com/weight_loss.html
For more information on exercise after pregnancy go to:
http://www.befitmom.com/abdominal_reconditioning.html
