How to lose weight after giving birth
Mar 18, 2025
Source: Cainiu Health
Dr. Yang Ziqi
Introduction
Postpartum weight loss can be achieved through consistent breastfeeding, adjusting to a light, low-fat diet, increasing aerobic exercise, ensuring adequate sleep, and wearing appropriate postpartum shapewear. These methods can help burn excess calories, promote metabolism, and restore abdominal firmness. However, regardless of the method chosen, safety and health should always be ensured.
Generally speaking, the postpartum period refers to the time after giving birth. Weight loss during this period can be achieved through persistent breastfeeding, dietary adjustments, increased physical activity, adequate sleep, and the use of shaping garments. A detailed explanation is as follows:
1. Persistent Breastfeeding
Maintaining breastfeeding helps burn excess calories and fat in the body, thus assisting in weight loss. Additionally, breastfeeding benefits the baby's development and promotes healthy growth.
2. Dietary Adjustments
The postpartum diet should follow the principles of being light, low-fat, and low-calorie. It is recommended to appropriately increase the intake of dietary fiber, such as from cucumbers, celery, and leeks. For meat consumption, options like chicken and beef are preferable.
3. Increased Physical Activity
It is also important to engage in physical exercise postpartum to accelerate fat metabolism and promote overall metabolic activity. It is recommended to perform aerobic exercises daily, such as jogging, brisk walking, calisthenics, or yoga, which can help burn fat and eliminate excess calories.
4. Ensuring Adequate Sleep
Sleep deprivation is one of the causes of postpartum weight gain. Therefore, it is important to ensure sufficient sleep during postpartum weight loss, aiming for 8–10 hours of sleep daily. Avoid staying up late or overexertion, as these may negatively affect the body's metabolism.
5. Use of Shaping Garments
After childbirth, the abdominal muscles are typically in a relaxed state, which may affect overall appearance. Therefore, it is recommended to use shaping garments soon after delivery to achieve abdominal tightening and restore a firmer abdomen. However, the tightness should be properly adjusted to avoid excessive pressure on internal organs.
It is important to note that postpartum weight loss should focus on healthy and safe methods, avoiding excessive weight loss or extreme dieting. At the same time, maintaining an optimistic mindset postpartum is essential, avoiding unnecessary stress.
