How to lose belly fat after birth

Are you worried about your postpartum belly fat and want to get rid of it? Stop worrying about it. The research found that you can easily achieve this target with dietary and lifestyle modifications. Mostly, women gain 8 to 10 kg weight during pregnancy, which looks difficult to remove after delivering a baby. But with a healthy, balanced, nutritious diet, and physical activity, you can easily shed off your extra belly fat naturally. Here are some easy-to-follow tips on How to lose belly fat after birth.

Causes of belly fat:

After birth, usually, your belly fat can be blamed on your pregnancy. But not all women experience conception in the same way; many factors contribute to the accumulation of fat around your abdomen.

Some of them are:

-Genetics:

Some women genetically have extra fat around their belly than others. That’s because of the traits that pass down from your paternities. Thus it became part of your genetic makeup.

-Hormones:

Hormones play a crucial role in bringing change in your body during conception. Some hormones are responsible to store fat and increasing weight during pregnancy. For example, in pregnancy, there is an increase in the production of estrogen, which enhances fat accumulation around your belly, thighs, and breast. Moreover, this primes your body for safe pregnancy and breastfeeding.

On the other hand, hormones can also increase your belly fat through stress. In stress and depression, there is a high production of cortisol hormone, which leads to the store of more fat in your body.

-Abdominal separation:

Usually, in conception, an issue can arise which is abdominal separation. In this condition, your abdominal muscles get separated in the middle of your stomach, more common in older women. But for any woman, who gets abdominal separation, it can lead to bulge formation on your abdomen.

Effects of belly fat:

Abdominal fat is very dangerous to health. According to research, extra belly fat can increase the risk of insulin resistance, which contributes to the development of type 2 diabetes. Moreover, it also affects lung functioning and can cause migraine headaches. Even the risk of asthma also increases with abdominal obesity. Some other negative consequences of postpartum belly fat are:

Enhances the risk of obesity
Strongly associated with the development of heart diseases
Increase the risk of gestational diabetes

How to lose belly fat?

You can get rid of extra belly fat through dietary modification, lifestyle changes, and physical activity.

With changes in eating habits:

The basic trick behind the fat loss diet is to consume maximum nutrients with minimal fat, calories, and sugar. Some simple and easy to follow recommendations about diet are:

Drink a sufficient amount of water; this will help in removing toxins from your body.
Consume fiber-rich foods such as legumes, whole grains, fruits, and vegetables.
Eat 3 meals and 2 snacks daily, with the interval of every three hours.
Add some portions of salad to your main meals.
Consume fat-free dairy including skimmed milk, plain yogurt, and cheese.

2. With organic foods:

Fruits are rich in dietary fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. These nutrients are effective in losing weight and belly fat. Some fruits having a promising role in losing belly fat are.

Apple: It is heavily loaded with flavonoids and fiber, which help to lose belly fat. Especially the protein present in the peel of apple pectin is very good in reducing fat because it digests slowly. This gives a satiety feeling and reduces appetite.
Tomato: It contains amino acid carnitine, which plays an important role in the metabolism of fatty acids. Tomatoes help to reduce lipids in the blood and reduce belly fat naturally.
Guava: It is low in glycemic index (slowly add sugar in your bloodstream), high in fiber, and low in calories. Good for weight loss.
Strawberries: Gives you only 33 calories per 100 grams. You can add them to salads, or blend in smoothies.
Kiwi: This tarty fruit is effective in boosting your digestion naturally. It contains an actinidain enzyme, which regulates digestion. On the other hand, poor metabolism leads to weight gain.

3. Drinks good for losing belly fat:

Beverages also have a prominent role in fighting belly fat, regulating metabolism, and attaining desirable body weight. These are some effective drinks for losing belly fat.

Green tea: It is a well-known drink, which is effective in fat reduction. It is rich in antioxidants also known as catechins. These catechins fight with your stubborn belly fat by releasing fat from your fat cells and enhance the liver’s ability in burning fats.
Cinnamon-Honey water: Cinnamon increases your rate of metabolism. It also enhances the breakdown of sugars, which turn into fat and store in your belly. So daily before breakfast drink one glass of warm water with one teaspoon of honey and cinnamon.
Warm water with Apple Cider Vinegar: This drink stimulates bile secretion, which balances the stomach PH and keeps your tummy flat. It is good to have one glass of warm water with one teaspoon of apple cider vinegar in the morning with an empty stomach.
Pineapple juice: This juice contains the bromelain enzyme, which is good for metabolizing protein and burning extra stomach fat.
Peppermint tea: This tea boosts the digestion rate, and prevents fat storage. This is effective in releasing bloating, which causes the accumulation of fat in the abdominal area.
Celery juice: This is a natural diuretic, prevents water retention, which is another cause of fat accumulation in the belly. You can also add ginger roots in celery juice to get maximum results.

4. With lifestyle changes:

Breastfeed if you can:

The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and the World Health Organization recommend exclusive breastfeeding for the first 6 months. Breastfeeding not only benefits the child but also good for the mother’s health as well. It reduces the risk of several diseases in mothers such as hypertension, breast cancer, ovarian cancer, and type-2 diabetes.

The research found that breastfeeding is helpful in postpartum weight loss. However, you may experience weight gain in the first 3 months of lactation. This is due to physical inactivity and a high intake of calories during lactation.

Get enough and proper sleep:

You already know that it is difficult to get enough and proper sleep, as your little one wants you around the clock. One study revealed that lack of proper sleep after pregnancy contributes to weight gain. Another review of 11 studies found that there is a strong relationship between obesity and a short amount of sleep.

For a new mom, it is tough to get enough sleep. But some strategies can be helpful such as ask your family and friends for help and support, and limit the intake of caffeine.

Ask for help:

Being a new mum, you have to do a lot of work. Stress and lack of sleep might be overwhelming, every 1 in 9 new mom experience postpartum depression. Yes, it is important to get a healthy weight after birth, but it should not undue anxiety and stress in your body.

If you are suffering from depression and stress, then don’t be afraid to ask for help. Ask your partner, friends, or family members for help around the house, prepare a meal for you, or can take care of your kid for few hours. So, you can take a rest or get some time for exercise.

5. Best exercises for belly fat:

You cannot get rid of your belly fat just with a healthy diet, proper physical activity is also essential to get results early.

Some effective exercises are:

Bear crawl:
First, come on your all fours (hands and feet). Your hips must in line with your hands and knees, your hands just below the shoulders. Then lift your knees off the floor, the back must be flat, and legs apart. Move your left hand and right leg forward, and then perform the same with the other leg and hand. Repeat at least 10 times.
- Sit-ups:
Lie down on the floor and bend your knees. Put your hands behind your head and pull forwards your body’s upper part towards your knees. Do not stop breathing out while doing exercise. Hold for 3 to 4 seconds, and then slowly lower your body. Breathe in while going down.
- Reverse crunches:
Reverse crunches are very helpful in losing belly fat quickly. By putting arms aside, lie on the ground. Cross the feet and lift them above the ground in the way your knees make a 90-degree angle. Try slowly contract your abdominal muscles and raise your shoulders and head above the floor. Breathe out during contraction and breathe in while getting down. Perform one to three sets with ten to fifteen repetitions at a time.
In the bottom line:
Hence, pregnancy adds extra weight to your body. But with nutrition and exercise, you can get rid of it naturally. Follow a healthy lifestyle, prefer organic food, consume more fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and stay hydrated. Herbal teas or drinks can also help in losing extra belly fat. Moreover, without exercise you cannot achieve your goals, so be physically active and eat a nutritious diet.
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