How to lose baby weight the healthy way

My name is Rhian Allen and I am mom of two little boys. In 2010 I launched The Healthy Mommy to help moms lose their baby weight in a safe and healthy way and without having to resort to drastic measures

I lost a total of  38 pounds of pregnancy weight on both of my pregnancies from following The Healthy Mommy plans

I started The Healthy Mommy after doing a lot of research into the post baby market and talking to a lot of moms who were struggling to lose their pregnancy weight.

There was nothing that had been created especially for mom post baby which took into consideration the sleep deprivation, the emotional rollercoaster of being a mom, the lack of energy and time that moms have and which provided a safe and holistic approach to weight loss.

The website has now become a free tool to 100,000’s of moms and includes exercise videos and advice, hundreds of healthy and easy to prepare recipes, daily motivation, weight loss support tools plus an array of inspirational stories from other mums.

We don’t recommend that women try and lose weight when they are pregnant unless under strict supervision from their Doctor. However, we do believe that in pregnancy a woman should eat a diet full of nutritious food and to try to eliminate any junk or processed food from the diet.

Eating a diet full of fresh fruit, vegetables, wholegrains and lean protein will not only nourish the baby but it will provide the mum with energy to cope with the added pressure placed on her body from the pregnancy.

The motto we have on exercise is to move as much as you can. We suggest going for a 30 minute walk every day with your baby and pram which is not only good for the moms physical health but it is also great to get out of the house and get some fresh air.

We also suggest incorporating exercise into daily life – so doing some squats when making a cup of tea, dancing to some nursery rhymes with your baby or doing some leg raises while tidying up.

Getting the right nutrition when pregnant is key to not gaining excessive amounts of weight and remaining healthy and the top foods to eat are;

• wholegrain breads, wholegrain rice, wholegrain pasta and other grain foods
• vegetables and legumes (legumes means dried beans and peas, lentils and soy foods such as tofu)
• fruit
• milk, yoghurt, cheese  or soy, rice or oat milk if lactose intolerant
• meat, fish, poultry, eggs, and nuts.

What you eat in your pregnancy has a large effect on your baby and it is important to eat a healthy and nutritious diet to ensure your baby gets the best start in life.

Some researchers now believe the 9 months of pregnancy are the most important period of our lives, permanently influencing the wiring of the brain and the function of organs like the heart, liver and pancreas so it is crucial to eat well and eat fresh foods for maximum nutrition.

There are various guidelines about what foods pregnant women should avoid such as raw fish, raw egg, pate, soft cheese, uncooked meats, deli foods, too much fish (guide lines limit to 3 times a week) and of course alcohol.

With regard to alcohol in pregnancy, the National Health and Medical Research Council recommends not drinking during pregnancy (NHMRC 2009) as it is not clear how much you can drink before it has an impact on the developing baby.

During pregnancy and breastfeeding there are a lot of similar and key nutrients that women should be getting but which a lot of women are also deficient in – such as iodine, iron and calcium. The top food sources to obtain these key nutrients are:

• Iodine – seafood, seaweed, iodized salt, eggs
• Iron –  lean red meats, seafood, beans, leafy greens, tofu and green vegetables
• Calcium – Almonds, leafy greens, dairy, sardines, salmon, green peas, baked beans, oranges and tofu (with calcium an issue is absorption and we need vitamin D to absorb it properly so try and get 10-15 minutes of sunshine each day to give you your daily vitamin D dose)

It can be hard to lose weight post pregnancy but it is possible if you focus on eating foods that give you the best nutrition possible.

When our cells are fully nourished with good nutrition, the whole body begins to work better at a cellular level which means a better metabolism, digestion, immune system and ability to lose weight.

So moms should focus on eating fresh fruits and vegetables, lean proteins and increasing their fibre food intake to help them lose their baby weight and increase energy levels

The most important point to note when focusing on losing weight is to see it as a lifestyle change as opposed to a strict weight loss campaign over a short period of time.

It is important to incorporate exercise into your life as well as learning about healthy food choices and how to cook healthy family meals on a regular basis.

This way you will lose your weight in a healthy way and it will be sustainable as well as filling you with energy to be a mum and setting a great example to the rest of your family.

If you want to find out about The Healthy Mommy plans that have helped moms lose over 6 million pounds take a look here