Find yourself toting around a few unwelcome “souvenirs” from your last pregnancy? You’re certainly in good company. According to Health Canada, 20 to 30 percent of women are still 4 to 5 kg (9 to 11 lbs.) heavier than their pre-pregnancy weight a year after giving birth.
While exercise plays an important role in shedding those extra pregnancy pounds, it’s also important to monitor the types and quantities of food you’re consuming. Some women find that rather than losing weight, they actually gain weight during the months after giving birth because they simply don’t have the time or the energy to make healthy, balanced meals.
Fortunately, dishing up nutritious meals doesn’t have to be as difficult as you might think. No one’s expecting you to play Martha Stewart at this stage in your life. The key to avoiding postpartum weight gain and to shedding those extra pregnancy pounds is to find quick and easy ways to prepare a variety of healthy foods and to avoid using food as a substitute for sleep (an all-too-common trap for many new moms).
Here are some practical strategies for winning the baby fat war:
Set realistic weight loss goals for yourself. It took you nine months to pack on those extra pounds, so don’t expect them to disappear overnight. While it’s particularly important to go slow with your weight loss efforts if you’re breastfeeding—a recent study from south of the border indicates that it’s safe to lose 1 to 2 pounds per week when you’re breastfeeding, but most health authorities advise nursing moms to aim for a loss of no more than a pound a week—but bottlefeeding moms need to go slow, too. No new mother can afford to feel exhausted and drained, and that’s exactly how you can expect to feel if you sign up for the latest (but not necessarily greatest) crash diet.
Get a handle on how much food you really need. Pull out your copy of Canada’s Food Guide to Healthy Eating and figure out how much food you need to eat in a day in order to lose weight at a slow and steady pace. You can obtain a copy of the Food Guide by calling your local health unit or by visiting the Health Canada web site: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/nutrition/pube/foodguid/foodguide.html
Give grain products and fruits and vegetables star billing when you’re planning your menus. They tend to be lower in fat (and therefore calories) than foods in the milk product and meat and alternatives food groups.
Look for the healthiest possible choices within each of the four food groups—the foods that will pack the greatest nutritional punch for your caloric “dollar.” Don’t settle for white bread when you can have a more satisfying and nutrient-rich slice of whole-grain bread. And get in the habit of looking for tasty low-fat cheeses rather than their high-fat counterparts when you’re strolling down the dairy aisle.
Recruit friends and family members to Operation Baby Fat. When they drop by to visit you and to sneak a peek at the new baby, ask them if they’d mind giving you a hand in the kitchen. (This is the one time in your life when you’ve got a license to ask for help, so be sure to take advantage of it!) Ask them to make a salad, prepare a fruit or veggie platter, or to whip up a healthy entrée that you can enjoy for dinner later on.
Don’t succumb to Mother Hubbard syndrome—letting your cupboards get too bare. No one can make a healthy dinner out of a jar of peanut butter and a package of Twinkies! If you get in the habit of keeping a variety of healthy foods on hand, you’ll find it a whole lot easier to give your body the types of foods it needs.
Take advantage of healthy “convenience foods” like pre-made salads, pre-peeled carrots, and pre-chopped stir-fry veggies. They may be a bit pricier than their unprepared counterparts, but they can save you a lot of time in the kitchen. (Besides, how are you going to manage to peel a bag full of carrots when you’ve got a sleeping baby nestled in your arms?!)
Get in the habit of having a piece of fresh fruit with each meal. Fruit helps to fill you up and provides you with a variety of important nutrients. Certain types of fruit can also be eaten with one hand when you’re nursing or jiggling a baby—a key consideration for any new mom.
Team up your carbohydrates with a serving of protein. If you find that eating carbohydrates like bread or crackers on their own leaves you feeling hungry, try teaming your carbs up with a serving of protein. Eating protein and carbohydrates at the same time allows the carbohydrates to break down into sugar at a slower rate, giving you more sustained energy and preventing those dreadful blood sugar swings that can have you reaching for a bag of cookies in a flash. Carbohydrates and protein make an almost unbeatable team—the ultimate in appetite suppressants.
Try to time your meals so that you’ll actually be able to sit down and enjoy them. You’ll feel less satisfied if you end up gobbling down your dinner while you’re pacing the floor with a crying baby. Either pass the baby off to your partner and sit down and enjoy your meal in relative peace, or postpone your meal until later on. You’ll be less likely to go back for snacks later on if you feel satisfied with your meals.
