Bye Bye Baby Belly!

By Jodi Sheakley Peckich, MS, CFT

Nearly as common as childbirth, many new mothers beg the question, “How can I get rid of my belly following childbirth?” Chances are, your post-pregnancy paunch is NOT the result of giving in to too many prenatal chocolate-chip-cookie cravings. Rather, it’s likely due to the fact that your abdominal muscles (specifically the transverse abdominal muscles) have been stretched and weakened, and perhaps have even separated due to your expanding belly.

Therefore, new moms’ goals are two-fold: (1) strengthening especially the transverse abdominal muscles and (2) getting rid of the layer of fat that lies over them. A wealth of information exists on resistance training exercises to strengthen the abdominal area, and I encourage you to consult with a fitness trainer, depending on your particular childbirth experience (natural or –section), to meet your individual needs. Besides core exercises, try the following to reacquaint yourself with your skinny jeans!

Cardiovascular Training

Once you’ve been given the go-ahead by your physician and are cleared for exercise, it’s time to incorporate The best kind of activity? The activity you’ll actually DO! Choose whatever you enjoy, and you’ll increase your chances of sticking with your exercise program. Swimming and the elliptical trainer provide low-impact ways to target your heart while being kind to your joints. Work up to 20-40 minutes of cardiovascular activity 4-5 times per week. On the days when you don’t feel up to it; listen to your body, since you may need a nap instead! Remember, your body has essentially been through a type of “trauma,” and it can take up to a year to fully recover…abdominal muscles included. So in the meantime, forgive yourself, and pay attention to your body’s cues.

Smart Nutrition

True, if you’re breastfeeding, you’re burning a few extra hundred calories per day. One can view this scenario two different ways: (1) license to (though not optimal if you want to bid your belly ’bye) or (2) use the opportunity to provide your baby with quality breast milk AND room in your diet to increase the quantity of nutrient-dense foods. In other words, all calories are not created nor processed equally. Your calorie needs are increased, as well as your need for increased nutrition. Fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and lean proteins are your best bets. Here’s why:

Produce - Will Lane, MD, suggests, “Eat the rainbow.” The darker, the better; choose a variety of deeply colored fruits and vegetables like blackberries, red peppers, spinach, and papayas, which usually offer your biggest antioxidant and nutrient benefits.

Complex Carbohydrates – Generally speaking, the least processed a grain, the better. Complex carbs such as brown rice, whole oats, whole grain cereals, and beans Try a new grain, like quinoa (pronounced “KEEN-wah”) that packs a triple-punch of protein, fiber, and low-glycemic carbohydrates.

The fiber found in fruits, vegetables, and complex carbohydrates will help you avoid blood sugar spikes, keep you keep you feeling full, take longer to digest, and aid in elimination of toxins in the body.

*Go ahead and laugh, and then try this: Stir a container of baby food (organic if you like) into a serving of cooked oatmeal, and season with ground cinnamon. Add a glass of skim milk, and you have a satisfying meal. Baby food…it’s not just for babies anymore!

Pairing with Protein – Add the above foods with a lean protein source, and you’re on way to rebuilding healthy cells. Women’s bodies aren’t designed to build bulky muscles. You can, however, strengthen the lean muscle fibers you already have and build new ones. Translation: the ability to raise your metabolic rate and burn more calories at rest. Yes!

Fat Phobic? Let me reassure you: It takes fat to lose fat, though you need to consume the right kind. Omega-3 fatty acids are key in unlocking your body’s ability to shed unwanted pounds. Dr. Lane also recommends finding “sources without legs,” such as cold water fish (tuna, mackerel, wild salmon). Another source, flaxseed, is also a versatile one: stir ground seeds into soups or smoothies, top salads or cereal, or sprinkle some on a PBJ & banana sandwich.

Deprivation a “Don’t” – Any diet or eating plan that asks you to wipe out entire foods groups or a significant amount of calories likely won’t be one that you can follow in the long term. When you add back starches or other foods that you may have dropped, such as on a low-carb plan, you may add back the pounds you originally lost and then some.

And in terms of fat-burners and other weight loss supplements, the only tried-and-true “magic pill” formula that exists equals consistency plus patience. Many diet pills result in water loss rather than fat loss. Ultimately, they can actually undermine your fat loss efforts, sap your wallet, skyrocket your nerves, and/or unsettle your stomach. Who wants to pay for those side effects?

It may have taken nine months to develop the pregnancy belly, but the most lasting results will come from steady weight loss of one to two pounds per week. At that rate, you’ll not only lose weight, you’ll maximize your fat loss.

So strap on your grocery-shopping shoes, and skim the perimeter of the store for your healthiest, least-processed finds to send that post-pregnancy belly packing!

Jodi Sheakley Peckich, MS, CFT, is a Health Educator with Total Nutrition Technology, Inc., in Charlotte, NC. Call 704.549.9550 to schedule your complimentary health assessment!