Managing Weight After Pregnancy

What Is Pregnancy Weight?

Pregnancy weight is made up of several components: the baby, the placenta, amniotic fluid, breast tissue, blood, the enlargement of the uterus and extra fat stores.

The extra fat gained in pregnancy acts as an energy source for birth, but gaining extra weight causes too much fat to be stored in the body. What is commonly called pregnancy weight is generally this.

Not losing the pregnancy weight left after pregnancy can be linked with an increased risk of diabetes and heart disease, with an increased risk of complications during and after pregnancy, with staying overweight after birth, and, especially in women who had gestational diabetes, with serious health problems.

What Can Be Done After Pregnancy?

1. Keep Your Goals Realistic

Contrary to what social media and the people around you say, losing weight after pregnancy takes time.

With a well-planned eating plan and exercise, you can work towards the healthy weight range your doctor recommends for you.

2. Do Not Follow Crash Diets

Crash diets are very low-calorie diets aimed at losing a lot of weight in a short time.

After pregnancy, your body needs adequate and balanced nutrition to heal, renew itself and refill its stores. Breastfeeding makes the body spend extra energy, so when you are breastfeeding you need more calories than usual.

Low-calorie diets cause you to take in some nutrients in insufficient amounts, which is the opposite of what a woman who has just given birth needs. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics (AND) describes a modest, gradual energy deficit as supporting safer weight loss. The right amount for you, particularly while breastfeeding, should be decided together with your doctor and dietitian.

3. Breastfeed If You Can

Organisations such as the World Health Organization (WHO), the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) all recommend breastfeeding. Breastfeeding during your baby's first 6 months is very important for the health of both you and your baby.

In the first 3 months of breastfeeding you may not lose any weight and may even gain a little. This is because of the increased calorie need and intake, along with reduced physical activity during the breastfeeding period.

4. Keep an Eye on Your Calorie Intake

Counting calories is not right for everyone. But when you notice that intuitive eating is not working, keeping an eye on your calorie intake can help you understand how much you are eating and where eating behaviour goes wrong. It also helps make sure you are taking in the calories you need.

You can keep track of your calorie intake by:

• Keeping a food diary
• Taking photos of the food you eat
• Using a mobile calorie tracking app
• Sharing your daily calorie intake with a friend to feel accountable

These techniques can help you reduce your portions and choose healthier foods.

5. Eat Foods High in Fibre

Add healthy grains and vegetables to your shopping list. Eating high-fibre foods supports weight management.

In a study of 354 participants in 2019, eating an extra 4 g of fibre on top of the previous eating pattern was seen to be associated with an average of about 1.47 kg of additional weight loss over 6 months.

According to another clinical study in 2015, soluble-fibre foods were reported to help you feel full for longer by slowing digestion and reducing hunger hormone levels.

Although the results of studies are mixed, these effects of fibre on digestion may help reduce calorie intake.

6. Eat Healthy Proteins

According to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, adding protein to your diet may support metabolism, reduce appetite and lower calorie intake.

Research shows that protein has a larger "thermic" effect than other nutrients. This means the body uses more energy to digest protein than other foods, and as a result more calories are burned.

Research also shows that protein can suppress appetite by increasing the fullness hormones GLP and GLP-1 and also by lowering the hunger hormone ghrelin.

Examples of healthy proteins include lean meats, eggs, low-mercury fish, pulses, nuts and seeds, and milk and dairy products.

7. Keep Healthy Snacks Within Reach

By stocking healthy snacks, you can make sure you have something to hand when your mood dips. Snack options you can keep within reach:

• Hummus and vegetables
• Mixed nuts and dried fruit
• Yoghurt and homemade granola
• Popcorn
• String cheese (dil peyniri)
• Spiced nuts
• Seaweed snacks

Research shows that even just keeping fruit on the counter is associated with a lower body mass index (BMI).

Similarly, a comparative study reported that having unhealthy foods on the counter was associated with higher weight.

Tip: Keep processed foods and sweets out of the kitchen, or even out of your home.

8. Stay Away from Added Sugar and Refined Carbohydrates

Although they are tempting, sugar and refined carbohydrates are generally high in calories and low in nutrients.

Research links high intake of added sugar and refined carbohydrate with weight gain, diabetes, heart disease, some cancers and even cognitive decline.

Some foods that contain added sugar are:

• Sugary drinks
• Fruit juices
• Any kind of refined sugar
• White flour
• Sweet spreads
• Cakes, pastries, biscuits and baked goods

Make it a habit to read food labels when shopping. If sugar is among the first items in the ingredient list, prefer not to buy that product.

Avoiding processed foods is the most effective and easiest way to reduce your added sugar intake. Instead of processed, packaged foods, choose foods such as vegetables, pulses, fruit, meat, fish, eggs, nuts and yoghurt.

9. Avoid Processed Foods

Following all the recommendations up to this point becomes easier when you do not eat processed foods. Unprocessed foods are generally rich in protein and fibre. Processed foods are the opposite: rich in sugar, unhealthy fats, salt and calories. This can make your weight management effort harder.

The following are examples of the processed foods mentioned:

• Packaged foods
• Crisps
• Biscuits and baked goods
• Sweets
• Ready-to-eat meals
• Processed cheeses
• Sugary cereals

Studies have reported that eating processed foods is associated with more addictive-like eating behaviour.

You can make healthy choices by cutting down the amount of processed foods you eat and replacing them with fresh, whole, nutritious foods.

10. Move

Moving has many benefits for your body, including supporting weight management. Walking, running, brisk walking, cycling, cardio and interval training help you burn calories.

According to the CDC, exercise improves heart health, can lower the risk and severity of diabetes, and may lower the risk of various types of cancer. Although exercise alone may not help you lose weight, studies show that combining good nutrition with exercise helps with weight management.

One analysis showed that people who combined diet and exercise lost an average of 1.72 kg more than those who only dieted.

The CDC states that aerobic exercise is particularly important for fat loss and heart health. So even just going for a walk is a good step towards improving your weight and health.

After birth, especially if you had a caesarean, your pelvic and stomach areas need time to heal.

How soon after birth you can safely start exercising depends on the type of birth, whether there were any complications, how fit you were before and during pregnancy, and how you feel overall. Your doctor will help you decide on the timing and the form of exercise.

11. Drink Enough Water

Drinking enough water is vital for anyone trying to manage their weight. The CDC notes that choosing water instead of just one 590 ml sugary drink could save you 240 calories.

According to a 2016 study, drinking water may increase your feeling of fullness and stimulate your metabolism. However, not all researchers agree. Another study shows there is no clear link between water consumption and weight loss.

For breastfeeding women, however, there is no doubt that it is important not to become dehydrated, to replace the fluids lost through milk production.

A common recommendation from health authorities is to drink about 2 litres of water a day. However, women who are breastfeeding or who exercise hard may need more.

Plain drinking water is always the best option, but unsweetened mineral water is also fine from time to time.

12. Get Enough Sleep

However hard it is while caring for your baby, doing your best to get your sleep will benefit you.

This article is for general information only; please consult your doctor and dietitian about your own situation.