Losing Weight After Pregnancy

Fit Yummy Mummy Review

What Is It?

This lifestyle program for busy moms is a comprehensive guide to what's arguably the most widespread, challenging and frustrating issue faced by moms today: how to get their pre-baby body back. For almost all mothers the changes their bodies incur during pregnancy coupled with the countless responsibilities that motherhood bring spell trouble for regaining their pre-pregnancy figure.

There is no shortage of fitness, diet and fat loss products on the market today. You can find a veritable library of conflicting arguments almost anywhere you choose to seek information on the subject of fitness for women, whether it's online, at your local library, through contact with personal trainers, or through the (less reputable but nevertheless very common) ranks of wannabe experts: aka, those frustrating people with no qualifications and no practical experience but are self professed experts because they ready the last issue of Shape magazine.

What Sets This Product Apart?

After months of frustration spent trawling through the mass of conflicting information on fitness and fat loss, it was with a mixture of joy and near-tearful relief that I stumbled across "Fit Yummy Mummy", by Holly Rigsby. As the title suggests, this product is specifically for moms wanting to get fit. Literally all aspects of losing fat and getting fit are covered - and the best part is that it is written specifically for busy moms. The material is presented in a manner both chatty and educational - it's kind of like having a friendly conversation with a close friend that happens to be a fitness expert (with the added benefit of being able to refresh your understanding of the matter at any given time, simply by scrolling back to the relevant section!)

The tone of the book presents a welcome contrast to the other fitness products so freely available elsewhere on the Net: it's friendly, understanding of the unique situations moms face, informative, and above all, commonsensical. No unrealistic recommendations, 2 hour workouts, or zero-carb diets here: it doesn't take long to see that this lady knows what she's talking about when it comes to mom's lifestyles (and did I mention she's a mom too?)

What's Actually Included?

There's a quick section on getting started and goal setting along with some morale-boosting advice on how to stay on track throughout the program, and then it's straight into an action plan to get you started on the path to burning baby fat and getting your body back.

The Supportive Nutrition Plan is next - this is particularly helpful! Every conceivable nutrition issue is covered, from how often you should eat to what you should keep in your pantry. And on top of that, it includes a 'Create a Menu Planner' to guide you in creating every meal to support your success.

Next, the Fit Yummy Mummy fat loss workouts are covered, but not without easy to follow explanations of the why's and the how's for every part of the workout program. The workout plan even offers four different formats that you can plug into your lifestyle, something not found in any of the cookie cutter fat loss programs on the market. My favorite part of the workout section is that regardless of your exercise (or lack of exercise) background, there is a workout designed specifically for you. And no matter what you fitness level is, none of the workout programs require more than 90 minutes a week.

Finally, there's a section called the Busy Mom's Fat Loss Companion crammed with easy to use tools and resources like a goal setting sheet, fitness journal, exercise descriptions and even a ready made grocery list. The author has figured out every excuse and obstacle busy moms have and addressed them all.

Just Because It's Detailed Doesn't Mean It's Confusing

Sound overwhelming? It's actually very user-friendly. Not only is this e-book packed with sound practical advice and the whole thing is laid out in a very logical and easy-to-understand format, but it comes with a Quick Start Guide to make sure you start acting (and seeing results) fast. The tone of Fit Yummy Mummy light and non-threatening (no scientific terminology here!) and it proceeds in a logical manner from step to step, with plenty of photos and descriptions to ensure that you are doing everything right.

Troubleshooting

In my opinion, one of the best parts: a follow up e-mail coaching series from the author that keeps you on track, gives you daily fitness tips and even healthy recipes. While most moms have the best of intentions, staying on track is tough. This follow up e-mail coaching series is the perfect solution.
The Verdict

Regaining their pre-pregnancy body is a daunting task for most moms, but the author's personal experience and hands on work with over 250 moms is pretty reassuring; and she certainly knows how to break it down for even the most exercise illiterate. In addition to the main features detailed above, there are plenty of valuable extras included to make getting your pre-baby body back as easy as possible: checklists, do's and don'ts, printable workout sheets, even ready to follow meal plans!

All in all, two thumbs up from me: when the information on hand is as detailed, easy to absorb, and - above all - reliable as Fit Yummy Mummy, you really can't go wrong.

Ok, there's a short answer and a long answer to this, but then you probably knew that!

The short answer is 'slowly'.
The long answer is 'slowly, because...'

If you think you can go back to your pre-pregnancy shape quickly, then you're in for a shock. Most, if not all celebrities that seem to bounce right back to a 'normal' shape are surrounded by dietitians, chefs, personal assistants, etc. that take care of all their needs.

They all also probably have financial incentives to get back to where they were before, so for them it is part of their job.

However, this is not the natural way, and not necessarily safe either!

Any diet should involve a gradual reduction in weight through healthier eating and exercise.
A post birth woman should be even more aware of this.

Breast feeding needs calories, recovery from the birthing process needs calories, looking after a new born baby needs calories.

So you can see that the last thing you need to do is make a dramatic reduction in your calorie intake.

While you were 'eating for two' when pregnant, the fact that you have a new born baby still means you need to eat 'for one and a bit!'

Ideally, you shoudn't actively start any sort of weight reduction program until around 3 months after birth.
What you can do is take up exercise again.

Light exercise can be taken up very soon after birth.
Of course exercise increases both your metabolism, and use of calories, another argument for maintaining a highish calorie level after birth.

Of course when anyone embarks on a diet, they should really consult their doctor, and this is especially true after having a baby.

So, to sum up how to lose weight after pregnancy, take account of you and your baby's calorie needs first!

The question of post birth weight loss has led to a big industry, with a combination of both the diet industry and the baby industry weighing in to try and grab your sales (if you'll excuse the pun!)

There are some basic facts to bear in mind if you are thinking about losing weight and breastfeeding at the same time...

Remember that your weight during pregnancy increased over a period of time, not overnight, so don't expect to get rid of it overnight!
You also gained weight for a reason - to assist you and your baby both during *and after* birth.
It is exhausting both to give birth and look after a new baby, and those extra reserves will come in handy!

Breastfeeding will actually help your weight loss, as it was designed to service your nursing, and studies show that nursing mothers get their previous shape back quicker than those who don't.

Dieting will not as a rule affect the quality of your milk, your body will have that as a priority, and it's *your* health that will suffer.

Ideally you should wait until the baby is 2 months old before actively trying to reduce weight, and even then you should aim for no more than 2 pounds a week.

If you're thinking about a crash diet, then think again.
Crash diets are no good at the best of times, they are usually based on gimmicks, are not sustainable, and even if they work, it's normally water loss accounting for the reduction, and dehydration is the last thing you want when nursing a new baby.

So, to sum up, remember the number 2 - leave it 2 months until after the baby is born, aim for no more than 2 pounds a week, and employ the 2 basics of any weight loss, a healthy food balance combined with exercise, which for a post birth woman will be sufficed by walking.

The body has an amazing ability to adapt to allow the pregnancy process, so give it time to adapt back again naturally, and you'll be quite able to lose weight safely while breastfeeding.