Bella Bellies 10 Tips When Considering Postpartum Weight Loss

-Written By Bella Bellies Owner, Annie Martens

Tip One:
Write down 10-20 physical attributes you like about yourself. Remember to include the fact that your body created, cared for and birthed your baby.

Tip Two:
Speak with your health care provider prior to beginning **any** exercise program.

Tip Three:
Consider a thorough blood test to ensure your weight concerns are not related to a physiological condition / problem. Ensure the test includes the **most** thorough screening of the thyroid gland, allergies and other factors that will directly affect your metabolism (such as low vitamin D levels, low calcium levels, low magnesium levels...)

Tip Four:
When establishing goals, prioritize goals that stress health and well-being, rather than goals that strictly prioritize being "thin". Children model their parents consciously and (often) unconsciously. Think of yourself as a template your child(ren) will one day grow into -ideally a model of health, happiness and well-being. Just as one tries not to swear or behave improperly in front of children -do not make poor dietary or exercise habits in front of your children. Also be sure to exercise and eat well in front of your children, explain (and thereby teach them) why you are preparing certain foods for the week and include them in your exercise routine (Stroller Moves, Momilates; Pilates for Mommies, a fun soccer game, a walk in a park, etc).

Tip Five:
Be aware of the calories you consume when drinking, especially sugary drinks. Try to eliminate daily soda beverages and replace fruit drinks with actual fruit. Compared to fruit drinks, naturally fruit has more fiber in it and is not only more filling, but more nutritious.

Tip Six:
Consume enough water. Often we feel hungry because we are thirsty. Read the blog below on the metric we use at Bella Bellies for drinking enough water postpartum

Tip Seven:
Get all junk food or junk drinks out of the house. Throw them out. Pitch it and do not purchase it again.


Tip Eight: :
Be aware of your caloric intake after you stop nursing / after you deliver baby.  When you are nursing / pregnant you need an additional 300 - 500 calories (depending on your health care providers recommendations). Ensure you are not in the habit of consuming these additional calories when not pregnant / nursing, unless you need them. 

Tip Nine:
Prepare, prepare, prepare. Pick a day of the week, Sunday, Monday...to set-up and prepare food for the entire week. Prepare all your vegetables for snacks and meals, clean the necessary amount of fruit off for the week and ensure you have a healthy balance of protein for the week (fish, meat and nuts). Allocate the proper amount of food out per day and stick to your healthy plan.

Tip Ten (last but not least!):
Do not overwhelm yourself and over exert yourself with a drastic life style change. Gradual changes are often the most effective. Week one include a daily walk in your schedule, week two include Bella Bellies 5 minute workout on Bella Bellies you tube channel / our blog, week three one of the above tips....

The Best Exercise for Pregnancy and Postpartum

Today, I had the pleasure of interviewing for a popular magazine (stay tuned for more details on the publication later). During my interview the author asked, "If you could share ONE piece of advice with women (both prenatal and postpartum), what would that ONE suggestion be?"

When I answered the question with, "remember to breathe", the reporter was surprised. I "took a deep breath" and explained 'Diaphragmatic Breathing' was one of the only exercises consistently stressed during my various studies ( Pilates, Personal Training, Doula, Lamaze Child Birth Education, Gyrotonic and more). Also Diaphragmatic Breathing has helped me, personally, during my own experience(s) carrying, birthing and mothering my two little "Roo's" / children.

In this article, I would like to highlight three issues:

1. The physiologic response to Diaphragmatic Breathing,
2. Why Diaphragmatic Breathing helps tone your belly,
3. And how to breathe Diaphragmatic-ally.

As a mother, I understand we are all busy, so I promise to keep it simple!

First, the physiologic response. Nitric oxide's highest concentration is in the back of the nasal cavity / nose (always with diaphragmatic breathing you breathe-in through the nose). Once absorbed by the lungs, and then the bloodstream, nitric oxide will help open (or dilate) blood vessels and calm the valgus nerve (this nerve is a "trigger nerve" for anxiety and sensitivity to pain).

So, want to take the edge off painful contractions? Answer: Try Diaphragmatic Breathing
 
Want to take the edge off the anxiety inducing feeling you may have when your child is tantrum-ING or baby crying? Answer: Try Diaphragmatic Breathing

Next, breathe for a "Bella Belly." A deep exhalation requires the use of a belly muscle called the transversus abdominis (TVA). The transversus abdominis wraps around your core, similar to a corset. When the transversus abdominis contracts it "tightens" or "cinches" (like a corset) and narrows you waistline.  

Also, on a slightly side note, immediately after birth, this contraction helps your uterus shrink (involution).

The how to...

Set-Up: 
Sit up with the shoulders over the hips and place one hand at the base / bottom of the rib cage and the other hand over your navel. Align both hands over the mid-line of the body. Begin with the eyes open or closed.

Action:
Inhale through the nose and purse your lips tight. Next, exhale through the mouth and drop your shoulders and relax your lips. Continue inhaling through the nose and exhaling through the mouth.  Inhale and as you deeply exhale notice the muscles underneath the bottom hand pulling the navel in, towards the front of the spine, and up, closer to the heart. Repeat, as you deeply exhale, notice the muscles underneath the top hand pulling both halves of the rib cage together and down. As you continue breathing, notice the belly musculature underneath both hands narrowing the abdomen from the front, side and back. Remember to keep your inhalation gentle, meaning do not force the abdomen to expand (this may over stretch some of the superficial muscles). Gradually as you progress focus on breathing and exhaling deeper and deeper.

Repetitions and Timing: 
Begin with 3 breaths and "work-up" to ten. Postpartum women breathe in for 5 counts and exhale for 5 counts. Prenatal women breathe in for 2-5 counts and exhale for shorter duration 2-3 counts or 3-4 counts. During pregnancy the metabolism changes so that you lose carbon dioxide more easily; this makes prenatal women more vulnerable to dizziness, nauseous and fainting.

Any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me at info@bellabellies.com