Studies show that 71 percent of women have received negative comments about their bodies after they’ve had a baby. It’s not easy to undergo body changes after giving birth, such as weight gain, and there’s no doubt your confidence will suffer as a result. However, you can get a toned and attractive body, such as by ensuring you eat nutritious meals and getting enough exercise, but make sure you’re not guilty of these post-baby weight-loss mistakes.
Achieving your dream body isn’t just about the good habits you do on a daily basis. What also matters is what you ensure you don’t do. Here are some mommy makeover mistakes to avoid.
You Eat Too Many “Healthy” Foods
Did you know that a diet that’s too healthy can make you battle to lose weight? This is because if the food you’re eating is high in calories, even if it’s healthy, it’s still contributing to weight gain. You should keep a calorie journal so that you’re aware of all the calories you’re putting into your body. This will help you limit how much you eat.
Bear in mind that fat-free foods aren’t always healthy for you and could actually make you put on weight! This is because to replace fat content, these foods contain high amounts of sugar which contributes to weight gain.
You Don’t Get Enough Sleep
It’s called beauty sleep for a reason! When you get enough sleep, your body replenishes itself. Sleep hormones regulate hunger and make you feel satisfied instead of hungry. A study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that people who were overweight experienced approximately 16 minutes less sleep every night than people who managed to maintain their weight.
It’s tough to get enough sleep when you’re a new mom, but there are ways to sneak in some extra sleep. Examples include sleeping when your baby sleeps, and accepting help from others so that you can top up on your beauty naps.
You Delay Starting An Exercise Program
It’s not easy to find the time to go the gym when you’re overwhelmed with being a new mother, but if you keep delaying your exercise routine you could be sabotaging your body. If you had an uncomplicated birth, it may be perfectly safe to exercise a few days after. Check with your physician and even if you cannot, you should wear a medical-grade postpartum girdle to help lose the baby weight.
The truth is that you don’t need a lot of time to get into shape. You can find many ways to exercise daily, such as by putting your baby in a pram and going for a walk, doing chores around the house, lifting your baby instead of weights, and breastfeeding, which is known to burn calories. All of these activities add up, helping you get into better shape.
You Don’t Consider Cosmetic Surgery
Sometimes, despite your best efforts to lose weight, you don’t achieve the results you want. That’s where cosmetic surgery can be a solution to your body woes. Best of all, it really doesn’t have to be too invasive. Procedures such as breast augmentation can be a great solution to getting more attractive breasts according to top Scottsdale plastic surgeon Dr. Berardi. This is especially true if your breasts have become saggy due to factors such as a high body mass index (BMI) or if you’ve had more than one child. Breast procedures help to make saggy breasts look firmer and offer a really quick recovery time of just a few days.
You Wear Baggy Clothing
If you’re still wearing maternity wear, your reason might be that it’s really comfortable. But these clothing choices could be preventing your weight loss. When you wear loose clothing, you don’t really notice your body or if you’re putting on weight. It’s therefore better to wear clothing that fits your current body type but doesn’t conceal too much of it, so you can remain focused on your weight-loss targets and get motivated by the physical changes you see.
Having a baby is a blessing but sometimes it results in body changes you’re not happy about. While you’re making positive changes to your lifestyle to shed unwanted pounds and tone up, make sure you don’t fall into the trap of doing things that contribute to weight gain.