Win back your mind, body, and spirit post-pregnancy

Has weight gain lowered your confidence, made you feel helpless and hide in your closet forever?

I remember a wedding I attended a few months after my baby was born. I wondered why few folks were avoiding or examining me from a distance. When people took a moment to recognise me, the reality that “I am fat” hit me harshly. As add-ons, I found myself slipping into baggy clothes, dip in energy levels, low confidence and low self-esteem.

Most women lose half of their baby weight by 6 weeks after childbirth (postpartum). I belong to the other half of the women who gained weight after pregnancy. The first three months passed by nurturing the baby, and thus, tending to my fitness goals took a back seat. Increase in the weight seemed normal and appropriate to everyone, including me. I believed –

Healthy mother leads to healthy child.

My awareness of weight gain and the ripple effect on my physical, and mental state of being, led to a quick search on the internet. It revealed there are two important components to lose weight postpartum – healthy diet and daily exercise. However, they leave out the most important component that led me to begin my weight loss journey in five minutes.

The third component aided in reducing 16 kilograms in 9 months.

You might have noticed myriad reasons provided by our mind to procrastinate weight loss journey. Once we convince ourselves to begin the journey, reaching the destination is not a task. How do we convince ourselves?

When do I begin?

“Listen to your body”

Give yourself until your 6^th week check up before you decide to slim down. If you lose weight too soon after childbirth, it can take longer for you to recover. If you are breastfeeding, wait until 2 months so that your milk supply normalises. Prepare yourself to return to your pre-pregnancy weight gradually.

Do not compare your weight loss journey with others.

Healthy Mindset

A third component, the most important, is a healthy mindset, other than – healthy diet and daily exercise.

“I am fat.” “It is difficult to lose weight after pregnancy.” “I will never go back to pre-pregnancy weight.” “I am not able to shed few pounds though I put in effort.” “I will start losing weight from tomorrow.” All these beliefs limit our potential to lead a healthy lifestyle.

Compulsorily, follow this five-minute exercise every morning:

Sit comfortably with your eyes closed. Take a few deep breaths – slowly inhale and exhale. Visualise yourself leading a healthy lifestyle – eating clean and exercising regularly. Visualise high-nutrition meals. Visualise doing gym or yoga or walking. Now, tell yourself a belief about you. It can be – I lead a healthy lifestyle or I eat healthy or I posses a healthy mind and a body or I am fit. With all your energy, repeat that belief about yourself. Soak in this belief. Slowly open your eyes.

Write your belief on a post-it note and stick it in a visible place.

Follow 5 minute morning affirmations by Kassandra to attain a healthy mindset for the day.

Once you establish your belief about yourself, the rest becomes easy – healthy diet and regular exercise.

Healthy Diet

Eat consciously. Relish every bite you eat. Switch off TV or any other distraction. Focus on your food, and observe how your body signals you to stop once it is sufficient.

Once you master this technique, follow these tips to eat healthy:

Do NOT skip meals.

Pace your meals at regular intervals. Include healthy mid snack and evening snacks. Salad is a MUST with your lunch and dinner. Similarly, carrot/beetroot/cucumber/mint leaves juice is compulsory with your breakfast.

Consume dry fruits – 5 almonds, 2-3 walnuts – to notice a rise in energy levels.

Avoid highly processed/fried/junk food. Avoid added sugar.

Drink at least 3-4 litres of water per day to cut down your craving for junk/sugar.

Limit your green tea intake to 2-3 cups per day.

You are what you eat.

Healthy Exercise

With a consistent belief and a healthy diet, exercise amounts to 20 percent of your weight loss. Do not stress over your daily target. Enjoy outdoor walks for 20 minutes post-dinner to de-stress and breathe freshness into your body. Gradually, explore yoga to enhance muscle flexibility. If your body is ready for weights, try lifting basic weights before you resume your pre-pregnancy workout.

What is the bottomline?

Believe in Yourself

^{Appreciate your body for gifting the universe another soul. Carrying few pounds is nothing to get down on yourself about. However, a healthy lifestyle will allow you to enjoy your time with your baby.}

^{Keep faith in your transformation; with a healthy diet and regular exercise, you will be few months away from your pre-pregnancy body.}

Follow five-minute simple daily exercise to create your belief to unleash your potential.
You are what you eat. Eat consciously by avoiding distractions and focusing on what you eat. Be aware of your body sending signals to stop over eating.
Once you accomplish healthy mindset and healthy food habits, 20 minutes of outdoor walk can do wonders. Do not stress over exercise.