As soon as the pounds start accumulating for many pregnant woman, they immediately ask themselves, How do I lose this baby weight?  At Unite Fitness Retreat, we have many new mothers who come for a quick intense 3 day or 5 day boot camp to get back on track after the baby is a little older and they can get away.  As a new mom myself, I get it.  I get the feeling that while you are incredibly excited about this little baby, you are also excited to get fit (so you can keep up with the little one) and start feeling energized and back to your old self.   But first, give yourself a break, give yourself time, after all, you’ve just spent the last 9 months creating a life.

While you may be sleep deprived and exhausted, spend a little time writing down your health and fitness goals, make them realistic.  After you get the green light from your doctor to exercise, here are some helpful tips to lose the baby weight.

8 Tips to Lose Baby Weight

1. Get MOVING, preferably outdoors.  Put your little one is a stroller and go for long walks, not only will you get fresh air and burn calories, being outdoors can do wonders for your spirit.
2. Little baby = perfect 10 pound (or more) weight.  While holding your little one, do squats and lunges.  Work your way up to 100 each day.
3. Breastfeed, if you can.  Breastfeeding burns around 600 calories (or more) a day!  Some women lose all the baby weight by breastfeeding alone.  Just remember, when you start supplementing with food or formula, you need to reduce the amount of calories you are consuming or you may start gaining weight.
4. Drink TONS of water.  Not only will this help to keep you feeling full, you’ll be more energized.  This is even more important if you are breastfeeding.
5. Eat WELL.  Avoid a lot of sugar and keep only nutritious snacks on hand.  New moms have a lot going on and it’s not always easy to prepare and plan nutritious meals.  One thing you can do is snack smart.  Try low fat yogurt, string cheese and fruit, or buy some low sugar protein bars to have on hand.  Say no to empty-calorie foods like sodas and chips, as well as fad diets that eliminate entire food groups. Instead, fill your diet with a variety of nutrient-rich meals containing lean protein, whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables and plenty of low-fat dairy products.
6. Sleep as much as possible.  Try your best to nap when the baby naps.  Getting good sleep (what is that anyway?) IS really crucial to your overall health.  Remember, this time with a  new baby goes by fast and you won’t be sleep deprived forever.  Just try and sleep when the baby can and go to bed early.
7. Give yourself a target. I needed some motivation to get started so I decided to try something totally new and challenge myself to commit to exercise.  My go-to was a barre class near my home, I had never done barre before but heard it was a killer workout and it was!  I purchased an unlimited three month pass and made it a goal to make three classes per week.  I regained my strength, balance, and endurance and the me-time was priceless.
8. Refocus on Yourself.  When your little one is a little older, give yourself a few days to totally invest in yourself.  A mini fitness retreat, like Unite Fitness Retreat’s 3 Day boot camp, is a full immersion back into a healthy life-style.  Your body and mind may need a re-boot and you’ll see the baby weight coming off in no time at all!

By Christina Paulos (Unite Fitness Retreat Pre-Camp Coordinator and new mom)