Tips For Getting In Shape After Having A Baby

If you are one of those people who only gain a minimum of weight during pregnancy and look nice and trim after giving birth, this article is not for you. This is for those women who do their best, but who have their baby and look like they are still three or four months pregnant. They still have a number of pounds to lose to look like they did before they got pregnant. Here are some tips for getting in shape after having a baby.

If you are nursing your baby, your body will begin to tone up on its own if you eat a nutritious diet. Eat one-half of grapefruit or drink a glass of unsweetened grapefruit juice before lunch and again before dinner. This will help you curb your appetite, and it will help you burn off extra calories.

As soon as you come home from the hospital, start going for morning walks with your baby. Put the baby in a stroller or a back pack. Make it a habit to go for your walk first thing in the morning so it won't get left behind in the busyness of the day.

Eat a good healthy diet. Eat lots of fresh fruits and vegetables, meat and low-fat dairy products. Stay away from foods with sugar and white flour. Use whole grain carbohydrates. This type of diet will keep you healthy and allow you to begin losing weight.

Swimming is a great fitness activity. Take your baby along and set him in his car seat near the edge of the pool. He will sleep most of the time in the beginning, and as he begins to grow he will enjoy watching you in the water. Swimming is a great workout to burn extra calories.

If you own a gentle horse or know someone who does, go horseback riding with your baby several times a week. Put the baby in a back pack. Horses make the same opposite motions that a person does. Because of that, every muscle in your body moves when you go riding. This is a wonderful way to get outdoors, enjoy the serenity, relax in the fresh air and exercise at the same time.

If you find yourself just needing some time alone, hire a babysitter a couple of times a week, and go to the gym to exercise. When the baby goes down for a nap, put in an exercise video, and get your workout for the day. If your husband doesn't mind watching the baby, let him stay at home while you go for a walk or a swim.

Stop drinking soft drinks and juices. Stick to drinking eight glasses of water each day. To keep your body from storing up fat for lean times, eat four to six small meals each day. This will help keep your blood sugar balanced, too.

After your baby is born, be patient with yourself. Don't forget that it took nine months to put on the extra weight you are carrying, and it won't come off overnight. Be faithful doing some type of exercise every day, and one day your body will be back to normal.