For new moms, the road to recovery often means losing the extra pounds gained during pregnancy. While the journey back to your pre-pregnancy body may be challenging, it is a simple one. It takes time and dedication. The benefit is being able to look in the mirror and smile when you see your new shape.

The problem for many new moms is knowing where to start. Should you walk, run, swim, or use weights? There are plenty of options, which makes choosing the right one for your circumstances even more difficult. With this in mind, we’ll offer a few ideas that will help you melt away the excess pregnancy weight. Before using any of them, check with your doctor to get his or her approval.

Pilates

Pilates focuses on the core muscles. You can do them daily to work your thighs, chest, and stomach. For your thighs, stand with your back pressed up against a smooth wall. Slide down until your body is in a sitting position. Then, push yourself back up the wall without using your hands.

Working out your chest will help you straighten your shoulders and correct your posture. Often, pregnant women start to slouch forward due to the extra weight they’re carrying. Even following childbirth, the slouch can remain. This simple exercise will help eliminate it. Stand with your feet together and tip forward slightly. As you do, straighten your back. Then, slowly return to standing upright.

You can strengthen your abdominal muscles by lying on your back while bending your knees; the bottoms of your feet should remain on the floor. Focus on your breathing, drawing air toward the top of your abs, then the middle, then toward your pelvis. This exercise is unlikely to cause soreness, and thus can be done whenever you have a few moments to spare.

Weight Training

Just as Pilates can be used to improve the strength in your thighs, chest, and stomach after pregnancy, so too, can weight training. The goal is not to build a lot of muscle, but rather to shape your body while removing excess weight left over from childbirth. Start with 3lb. weights and do the following every other day (with your doctor’s permission). Eventually, move to five or six days per week.

To work your thighs, you’ll be lunging forward while holding the weights. Take a giant step and bring your chest close to your forward knee. Then, press downward with your forward leg to return to an upright position. Start with three sets of ten repetitions. Then, switch to your other side and do the same.

For your chest, sit down at a ninety-degree angle. Holding the weights in your hands, reach forward with your arms parallel to the floor. Then, bring the weights toward your chest, making sure to keep your shoulders back. Once you have completed a single repetition, do nine more. Three sets of ten repetitions is a good start, but plan to add more repetitions as you develop strength.

When working out your stomach muscles, keep your back straight, bend your elbows, and hold the weights next to your shoulders. While remaining in this position, twist your torso to the left. Then, twist to your right side. Again, do three sets of ten repetitions.

Having a baby, while one of life’s most rewarding experiences, usually results in gaining a few extra pounds along the way. Use the Pilates and weight training exercises above to help take the extra weight off. But be patient with yourself. Your body spent nearly forty weeks putting those pounds on; taking them off will also require time. If you’re diligent, however, you’ll slowly witness your pre-pregnancy shape returning along with your confidence and energy.

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Category: Parenting
Keywords: getting your body back after pregnancy, pre baby body, getting your figure back