To lose baby weight after childbirth, postpartum or even years after giving birth when your kids are toddlers or adolescents is hard. And it takes ALOT OF WORK. It is never overnight and it is never done with just a workout alone. Consistent exercise, nutrition and self-care are the components of how you lose baby weight.
Many women start the process and have good intentions, but life can easily throw you off. No matter your schedule, it is so important to carve out 30-60 minutes a day for your long-term health. These daily habits pay off in many ways, but especially in your confidence and energy.
Here are 3 things you can implement DAILY in order to see that baby weight come off.
Women neglect the fact that strength training is important. If you want to see baby weight come off even after age 40 you MUST use resistance training. The older you are, the more consistent this needs to be and each exercise needs to be built around functional training.
Another myth women believe is that if you strength train you will bulk up and look like a man. This is not true. That result lies in nutrition and a different kind of macro counting. If you are not looking for that end result, then the nutrition I recommend below is what you need to follow.
When choosing exercises or plans to follow, you have to understand that you cannot lift only 2-5 lb weights and see results. You will be swinging these light dumbbells all day. What you have to consider is how much weight you can control for 12-15 repetitions without losing correct form. However, the key to choosing this resistance, is finding the weight that puts you in a state of muscle failure by the 12th to 15th rep.
Muscle failure is referring to the actual state of feeling your muscle start to fail you. When you can’t seem to push through another repetition. When you feel that failure occurring, push through 1-2 more repetitions. Do this with every exercise and VOILA! You just increased your metabolism and sparked a fire inside your muscle to tell it to grow. This is the turning point in your fitness and weight loss!
I have many clients that have seen this change in a matter of 4 weeks. It is very possible for you as long as you apply all these habits to your daily agenda.
Calorie counting is a must. If you aren’t paying attention to calories in and calories out then your weight may increase as you age and your results even with exercise will not be noticeable.
Weight loss all boils down to calories in and calories out. Even if your goal becomes to grow muscle, your weight loss has to take priority. Yes, strength training will make your muscles grow if you follow my directions above, but nutrition is just as important.
The best way to understand the calorie count that is right for you is to use a calorie calculator. I use Precision Nutrition and Healthy Eater to compare calculations for myself and for clients. On top of that, it is important to know your TDEE. Your Total Daily Energy Expenditure. This gives you an idea of how much energy you expend each day with the activities you have in your day. Including exercise, but also your movement that takes place at work and home.
After you have calculated these numbers, then meal planning is the next step. Of course, you can eat through the day without a plan, but for most women this doesn’t work. You can easily fall off track when you find yourself hungry or go the opposite and skip meals because you are too busy.
I always recommend the My Fitness Pal app. When working with my clients, I have them input the food they expect to eat that day. This includes every little thing. The amount of oil they will use when cooking, measurement of salad dressing, small snacks. Everything adds up. Once this becomes a daily habit, you will be more apt to “eyeball” your portions, but measuring and recording are the keys in the beginning.
Remember…if you are 40 years old or older, processed foods will not work for your fitness. The extra sugar and additives will hold back your gains, but more than that repress your hormones. Stick to plant based foods and lean meats. I highly recommend you make sure you consume at least 75 grams of protein everyday and half your body weight in ounces of water (example: if you weigh 120 lbs, you will want to drink 60 ounces of water).
For an even quicker means to weight loss, try intermittent fasting. This gives massive results for weight loss and balancing hormones.
The best way to meet your goals is to have accountability. If you are more of an introvert and prefer to work out alone, then use an app to set your goals. By plugging in your results and habits everyday you will see the gains. Many apps send you notifications as a reminder as well.
Another option would be to reach out on social media and get others involved in your goal setting. Start a Facebook group or join other groups for accountability. There are many postpartum and weight loss groups that will continue to give you encouragement and daily tips.
For me, my progress came with the accountability of a trainer. I was required to check in weekly with my weight loss numbers and pictures. That part was miserable to begin, but as I started to see changes, I was happy to send them in.
This is the process I follow with my clients. We set goals and then I give them an exercise and nutrition plan to follow. We check in weekly with pictures and weight measurements. The accountability alone gives women the push they need to stay focused. Often times, I find that my clients that aren’t as successful are the ones that are hesitant to check in or send pictures. This step matters and it makes the difference in implementing these new daily habits.
Habits. Only habits will help you lose baby weight. That’s the only way this works. The older you are, the more you have to monitor your nutrition. Cheat meals are fine, they are even good for your body to reset. But cheat days never work and you will find that some cheat meals are harder on your body than others. This meaning that you may feel more bloated or it sets you back too far.
For myself, a Mexican food cheat meal sets me way back. I feel bloated and lethargic for even several days after. My best option is hamburgers and fries. Once you start paying attention to how your body responds to exercise and food, you can narrow down the options that are best for you.
As you start this journey, you will probably feel a sense of inspiration and excitement. But then, life will takeover and excuses will grow. This is the moment when the daily habits can either give you the results you want, or set you back even further. The only person that can make this process happen is YOU!
Find the support you need and the plan that is right for you. Comment or email me to get the guided plan that works for you!
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