After pregnancy diet concerns often turn to trying to riddle out the quickest return to a before pregnancy size. This is a noble goal, as well as a very normal desire; however, diet after pregnancy is shortsighted if weight loss is the only consideration.
The body is in a major state of change. It still has extra demands being required of it for lactation, and healing under less than restful conditions. An after pregnancy diet needs to cover all the bases to encourage weight loss, a return to healthy non-pregnancy function and adequate lactation.
Get Enough Calories Postpartum
The first health concern for the best postpartum diet is often the most difficult. The idea of eating even more after pregnancy than during seems illogical. The body needs more calories to heal, maintain breast milk supplies and balance hormone levels for the maintenance of non-pregnancy reproductive function.
The issue of desired weight loss compounds the seeming irrationality of eating more after baby's birth than before it. Eating enough of the right kinds of foods in the right amounts daily will actually increase weight loss better than skipping meals or eating scanty portions.
The body in a perceived starvation crisis brought on by insufficient food consumption will latch onto every fat cell. The subsequent clinginess makes the loss of weight difficult if not impossible.
Track Success of Your Diet after Pregnancy
To feel better about eating more, many mothers find solace in tracking good eating habits instead of counting calories. During postpartum, the rules and needs of healthy diet change again. To this end, well-informed moms create a balanced diet chart.
This simple tool is excellent to track measured success. Post a balanced diet chart outlining the specific needs after pregnancy to the refrigerator door or bathroom mirror. An unhealthy body will not lose fat. You should feed the body the best diet after pregnancy for quickest results.
Junk Food is still not Your Friend
During pregnancy, many foods were banned in favor of baby's best chances for healthy development. Diet drinks during pregnancy are suspect for many reasons.
Each and every one of these concerns still hold true after baby is born. If aspartame in diet drinks during pregnancy is not acceptable, why is it okay once baby is born?
The same is true of all junk food items. If weight loss and healthy recovery is the top priority, keeping banned foods with no nutrient value out of the house is in everyone's best interest.
With the best postpartum diet in check, all that is needed is the addition of moderate exercise starting slowly. With the "all clear" from mom's health care provider, a swift return to those size 7s is not far away.
