Loosing the baby weight – Guest blogger Anna from Buggy Buddies shares her top tips 2014

Getting pregnant, pregnancy, childbirth and parenting aside, loosing weight is one of biggest challenges we can undertake. The task becomes even trickier while endeavouring to nurture a newborn, keep on top of the washing, the housework and daily chores. It seems that feeding ourselves something remotely healthy and exercising suddenly sinks to the bottom of the priority list and as for drinking the recommended 2 litres of water a day, who needs water – its coffee we want and make it a strong one!

We have all heard the ‘Calories in v Calories out’ theory of losing weight and to a certain extent this is still true. We no longer need the extra calories required during pregnancy unless of course, you are breastfeeding. If you are breastfeeding you do need to consume an extra 300-500 calories to maintain milk supply.

Reducing calories too much will only result in your metabolism plummeting and after a few days of ‘starvation’ your shrinking fat cells will send out chemical messengers which send you rummaging in the cupboards and fridge for piles and piles of naughty foods.

Not all calories are created equal. There are good and bad calories, healthy and unhealthy calories. Choosing the right calories is simply a matter of choice with an added bit of will power.

Top Tips:

1: Reduce simple carbs (ie sweets, chocolate, white pasta, bread, potatoes) replace with complex carbs and protein (sweet potatoes, nuts, lots of leafy green veg). Aim to eat berries as a fruit choice as their energy is released slower.

2: Eat good fats (avocado, olives, oily fish, nuts/seeds, coconut oil, nut butters), reduce bad fats (transfats/margerines, processed foods, hydrogenated oils, veg oil, sunflower oils)

3. Drink water. Bottled is better but realistically who can afford that. Fill a litre bottle and aim to consume that by lunchtime, refill it and drink the next lot by tea time.

4. Eat 5 times a day. Breakfast, snack, lunch, snack, dinner. Aim to get a good portion of lean protein in each meal (fish, chicken, turkey, quorn, tofu, nuts). Try to reduce the carb load at breakfast time – eggs and bacon is a better start than carbohydrate packed cereals/breads.

5. EXERCISE: Try and ‘do a bit’ every day, it will not only help raise the metabolism and burn off the body fat but it will enhance mood, raise energy levels, and boost your self esteem.

6. Wait until 6 weeks post natal or 8 wks if you had a c section, before joining a suitable postnatal exercise class and starting a formal exercise routine. Prior to that build up with steady walking and of course do not neglect the pelvic floor exercises. Ensure your class instructor holds a postnatal exercise certificate, checks your tummy for diastasis recti (gap in the tummy muscles) and asks you relevant health questions including any recent births. All of this is covered in my BuggyBuddy Workout Classes where it is my aim to look after all my mums post natal needs.

7. Plan everything in advance. Plan your meals, your snacks, and your workouts. Write it down, put it in your diary, make if you fail to plan you may as well plan to fail!

8. Try to fit activity into your day – walks with your buggy, digging in the garden, playing footy with your kids etc. Be realistic as to when you can fit in your gym sessions and or classes – not many mums can formerly exercise every day.

9. Recruit an exercise buddy. Committing to exercise with a friend means you’ll be less likely to ‘bail’! I renamed my classes Buggy Buddies as that is exactly what we are ‘exercise buddies with buggies’ – we have a great giggle in classes.

10. The best exercise for you is the one you enjoy the most – as long as it raises your heart rate, makes you hot and sweaty and makes you smile it should do the trick. Aim to start your exercise regime where you left off during pregnancy.

Of course failing all of the above you could employ an experienced Personal trainer who can help you set achievable goals and motivate you towards them.

Anna Jakob
Personal Trainer with over 20 years experience in all areas of Fitness and well being. Since having my little boy 3 ½ years ago and setting up Norwich’s Buggy Buddy Workouts I have developed a strong interest in helping postnatal mums regain and improve their pre pregnancy figures.

My classes are held at Bannatynes Health Club in Thorpe St Andrews on Wednesdays and Fridays at 145-245 and are open to everyone – for more information on these classes or any other personal training info please contact me at buggybuddies@hotmail.com.