Nine months of an unpredictable rollercoaster and a dramatic birthing process later you have that bundle of joy in your arms. Then you start thinking: birth weight? Only we’re not discussing the baby’s pounds but what you have to lose!
Ask any new mommy for her top 10 needs and sleep will be number 1-5 on the list. Most people will advise you to ‘sleep when the baby does’. And new mommy will tell you it’s easier said than done. And there are other issues like a round-the-clock feeding schedule. On top of that, you still have a protruding belly and general fat to fight. What can you do?
Don’t put off your fitness to ‘when I get time’. You have a baby now; you are never going to have time. Instead make time. Fitness isn’t just about body weight. Pregnancy puts the body through trauma. Workouts will help you get your strength and stamina back, restore lean muscle mass and promote a feeling of wellbeing. Go back to your choice of workout once your doctor gives you the green signal. If you put it off until the next day/week/month, it will never happen. Pay that gym/yoga/zumba membership. Once your wallet is lighter, you’ll make an extra effort to get your money’s worth.
Fitness guru Abhimanyu Sable of ABS Fitness Academy, a chain of fitness schools in Maharashtra, recommends staying active during pregnancy as it helps one recover better. “Choose whatever activity you like; that will motivate you to be regular. Regularity is the key even if you can’t spare too much time. Start slow and go up gradually as you get your stamina back. Eventually weight training twice a week is a must to keep muscle mass intact, make joints stronger and increase overall metabolic rate. Be it dance, yoga, jogging or free exercises, starting early will not only help you shed weight but also give you the extra energy and stamina you need to take care of your newborn.”
But workouts are only one part of the weight-loss tamasha . Any nutritionist will tell you that diet accounts for 60 per cent of one’s fitness. Celebrity nutritionist and author of three best-sellers, Rujuta Diwekar, talks about gearing up for pregnancy in her book, Women and Their Weight Loss Tamasha . She dismisses the ‘eat for two’ myth and explains that the foetus needs only as much as the mother does. But because, during pregnancy, the metabolic rate doubles, hunger might increase. This is not an opportunity to binge but to eat healthy and concentrate on high-fibre foods. She is also a huge believer of ‘think global, eat local’. Eat seasonal fruits and vegetables and stay true to your genes. Food that you have grown up eating are utilised faster by your system. Her 10-minute rule is magic. Eat small portions and always wait 10 minutes before taking another serving. This stops overeating. If you’re careful not to put on too much, you will have that much less to lose later.
There is also the factor of your doctor’s inputs. As my gynaecologist says, “If Google could deliver babies, I wouldn’t have a job!” Choosing your gynaecologist is very important. From my experience, I would say go to the one that is most accessible and willing to answer questions patiently and, most importantly, focuses on you, especially diet and fitness. A doctor who tells you to gobble whatever you can and not worry about weight isn’t giving you the right advice. Remember; the recommended weight gain for a 40-week term is 10-12 kg. So if you’re already overweight, this will go down accordingly.
As Dr. Meeta Nakhare Head of Obstetrics & Gynaecology at Ratna Memorial Hospital, Pune, says, “Fitness is a state of mind. As a new mother, it is important to stay fit, physically as well as mentally. Hormones, lack of sleep and a complete change in lifestyle together are bound to throw you off. You need energy to handle the changes. Diet and exercise are your main pillars. Start with some type of exercise as soon as your doctor allows. If you are breastfeeding exclusively, eat well but concentrate on high-calorie home-cooked food and avoid outside food altogether. Your aim should be to reach your pre-pregnancy weight by your baby’s first birthday.” But, at the end of it all, remember to enjoy your baby the most; each moment will only come once a lifetime.
