It’s that time of year again. We all are ready to start the New Year off right. The biggest resolutions usually include ways to improve your health. I’m going to lose weight. I’m going to exercise more. I’m going to stop smoking. I think losing weight is typically the number one choice for new mothers. But some worry about going on a diet when they’re breastfeeding. Here are a few tips for you!
- Throw the fads out the window! Most fad diets are intended to have you lose weight quickly and people who use these methods tend to become victims of the yo-yo effect! They gain the weight back quicker then they lost it. Gradual weight loss is what we’re looking for.
- First you must learn balance, Daniel Son. That’s a Karate Kid reference in case you were wondering. There are many diets where people are refusing to eat carbs or gluten. This is fine if you’re a diabetic, have Celiac disease, or some other health concern caused by eating these foods. The problem with eliminating these foods just to lose weight, is that you can be robbing your body of some important nutrients if you don’t know how to replace them. Try to eat a balanced diet of carbs, proteins, fruits and vegetables.
- Get moving! If you don’t exercise at all, you may want to add a walk to your daily schedule. Pop that baby in a carrier or stroller and burn some calories. You don’t have to join a gym and start taking boot camp classes (unless you want to), you just need to do a little more than you were doing before. Doing some resistance or weight training can increase your muscle mass and a person with more muscle mass burns more calories. Grab some small weights or a resistance band for when you have a little downtime (I know, I know… what downtime?!)
- Trash the trash! Do we really need a nutrition course? No! You know what you’re eating that isn’t good for you. Drop the sweets, sodas, and other junk food. Substitute them for some healthy alternatives. Have you ever heard anyone say, “Wow. I really gained a lot of weight. I was eating way too much broccoli!” If you’re having trouble with this one you can keep a log of your diet. Then, it’s easier to see where your difficulty lies.
- Eat several smaller meals a day instead of sticking to the old breakfast, lunch and dinner routine. You’ll feel fuller and less likely to fall off the diet wagon.
Good luck if this is your New Year’s resolution and don’t beat yourself up too much if you falter. Continue nursing on demand. Drink to thirst and eat to hunger, just watch what you put in your body to satisfy it!
Leave a Reply