If you’re like so many women, it’s been nine months since you’ve had your baby and you’re still trying to get rid of those unwanted pounds. At first, the weight came off so effortlessly, but somewhere around six months it probably plateaued. Your little one’s first birthday is coming up, and you still haven’t reached your per-pregnancy weight! Breastfeeding and other natural ways the weight was coming off just aren’t working anymore. If those pounds don’t come off now, you fear they might never come off.
Don’t fret – try these tips and watch the pounds disappear, leaving you looking better than before.
Tip #1: Drink More Water
The more water you drink, the better your body will be able to flush out toxins and unwanted weight. Water is the absolute best liquid for your body. Usually when we feel hungry, it’s because we’re dehydrated and need more water. If you drink a full glass of water before each meal and with your snacks, you’ll find yourself eating much less junk and drinking more fluids.
If you already drink tons of water, try replacing soda, juice, and even coffee with water instead. That alone will shed some unwanted weight and inspire you to loose even more.
Tip #2: No Late Night Snacking
Resist the cookies and chocolate bars before bed. Eat enough at dinner so you won’t be starving hours later and ready to eat a whole day’s worth of calories and sugar in 30 minutes! If you go to bed at a decent hour, you’ll naturally loose more weight than if you’re up snacking all night and not getting enough sleep.
For those times where you are ravenously hungry before bed, try taking your multivitamin with a large glass of water before laying down. The water will fill you up and you won’t be able to indulge, no matter how badly you want to.
Another great tip is to eat a SMALL portion of a food that contains good fats. Just the taste of fat in your mouth will switch off your brain’s cravings for a thousand calories. The trick to weight loss is to stop there and not continue indulging. Try a small handful of almonds, half an avocado with a squeeze of lemon juice, or one square (we said one!) of dark chocolate. This will shut your cravings off and you can go to sleep with a smile on your face.
Tip #3: Record What You Eat
Log everything you eat. These days, this doesn’t mean bringing a pen and paper with you everywhere you go. Most smartphones have food journal apps that calculate the calories for you. All you have to do is log everything you eat throughout the day, using or phone or computer, and you may be surprised by how much you actually do eat. Even if you don’t have an electronic device with you, try buying a food journal and keeping it in your purse.
No matter how you do it, just make sure you log everything you eat so you can see how healthily or unhealthily you’re eating. That may inspire you to do better tomorrow.
Tip #4: Buy a Pedometer
Being active doesn’t necessary mean spending extra money on a gym membership or fancy exercise equipment. You can be active anywhere and in any way.
Invest in a pedometer and calorie counter, which can be found for as little as $10 at GNC or Amazon. This should motivate you to get off the couch and walk a little more. It will also show you how much you move throughout the day chasing after your baby and keeping up the house. Once you get an idea of how active you are, increase the number of steps you take by 1,000 each week. A healthy amount of walking on average is 10,000 steps. Make it a goal to reach the 10,000 and surpass it. Before you know it, you’ll be ready to walk a half marathon!
Using these simple tricks, those last stubborn baby pounds should melt away and you’ll be back to feeling great in no time.
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