August 15, 2021: Pregnancy Weight

My weekly Get Your Stuff Together Sunday email series gives you one actionable focus for the week that will make your life a little easier.

{Did you miss last week’s GYSTS email? No prob! Go here and scroll to the bottom for a complete archive of all GYSTS emails}

You’ve created an entire human - wow!!! Yes, that included gaining some weight to support that process. This week, we’re going to talk about pregnancy weight and what you can do about it if that’s on your mind.

Having a new bundle of joy in the house is a full-time job. Your days are spent changing diapers, feeding, comforting, and not sleeping. And if you work outside of the house, too, forget it! There doesn't seem like much of a chance to focus on yourself. But a healthy lifestyle isn't just about you anymore. You need the energy to be able to keep up with a growing little buddy.

Here are few ways to get started:

When the baby sleeps, you sleep. Sleeping through the night is a luxury, so napping when baby naps throughout the day takes the place of the 8 hours you're missing at night. As hard as it is to forget about the household chores, or catching up on work, or your favorite show, forget those! None of that is as important as getting rest. This is temporary (though it will seem like forever).

When you're ready, start walking with the baby. Babies have a tendency to love movement. Put them in the stroller and go walk around the block. The movement should lull them to sleep and you'll start getting your heart pumping again and waking up your muscles, plus pushing a stroller 1-2 miles in 30 minutes burns up to 150 calories, according to the Surgeon General.

If you choose to breastfeed, you’ll get a calorie-burning bonus. Even if you're just sitting around breastfeeding all day, you're burning 600-800 calories. You should compensate for these lost calories by consuming an additional 500 calories (of healthy food) in your diet, but breastfeeding has been shown to help women lose weight.

Babies are cute little weights! They come out weighing on average 7-8 lbs and continue gaining weight. Since you'll be lifting them from one place to another, take advantage. You can lie on the floor and lift them to the ceiling for a few reps and get rewarded with giggles. Just make sure it's not right after they've eaten, or else you’ll get more than you bargained for. You can also hold them while you do lunges or squats.

Eliminate empty calories. In order to attain a healthy lifestyle, it's time to quit the ice cream and chip cravings you probably had while during pregnancy. Eat small meals several times a day to curb your appetite, so you don't indulge later. Having meals prepared ahead of time is an even easier way to eat when you have a little one.

Remember to eat. Sometimes you get so caught up in your baby duties that hours go by and you haven't had a morsel. Even if your baby's having an epic meltdown, put them down, walk away, and make something for yourself. Again, having healthy prepped meals or snacks readily available makes it easier for you to get the sustenance you need. If your blood sugar's low, your frustration level is high and both you and baby will benefit if you're not hangry.

Join a group. Parent groups, like Strolling Mamas and Fit4Mom, are a great way to get together with other new parents and walk together, or workout and bond over parenthood. It's also a great way to hold yourself accountable. Having a weekly meet-up gets you and baby out of the house, and it's something you'll want to commit to in order to interact with more adults. Being with children the same age is a great benefit for baby, too. They can interact with each other and that helps develop socialization skills at an early age.

Eventually, a routine will emerge and you'll be able to train more consistently. Starting is the hardest part, and once you have that down, the opportunities are endless. But, remember, weight loss and having a “perfect body” are nowhere near as important as these special years with your family.

Next Sunday, we’ll talk about whether going gluten-free is right for you.

Want some expert help with reaching your health goals painlessly? Check out my programs! We’ll get everything taken care of in a way that fits into your current lifestyle so you never have to think about your health again.

Do you have a friend who could stand to G(her)ST? Feel free to forward this!

I hope you have a wonderful week,

Kelly

Kelly Morgan, Ph.D.

Tsirona - www.tsirona.com

My weekly GYSTS email give you one actionable thing to do for the week that will make you life a little easier. As "they" say, "Fail to plan; plan to fail." Get these emails (and more!) delivered right to your inbox by clicking HERE.