Reasons for post-partum weight gain:
Weight gain during pregnancy is quite natural, what is not natural is, weight gain after pregnancy. Women will more often than not get in shape after conceiving, however, that probably won’t be the situation for everybody. Even with breastfeeding, some women find it difficult to do so. Postpartum weight gain is due to some developing low thyroid function during the time. In such cases, consult your doctor who might recommend a thyroid test.
Another contributing factor to weight gain is sleeplessness. Studies have shown that women who slept less than five hours a night were most likely to have kept their baby weight and gained furthermore.
Most importantly, stress also increases a mother’s weight as stress hormones trigger women to eat more as result can cause increased weight.
What can be done about it? Well, maintaining a healthy lifestyle by performing light exercises for at least 30 mins per day, eating healthy food and drinking lots of water, avoiding fat and sugar intake, thereby keeping in line with the calorie intake in your nutrition are known to produce effective results.
The article will highlight certain practices that have proven to be effective.
What types of foods are helpful for weight reduction after giving birth?
Foods that necessarily should be included in the diet:
After delivery, it is quite common to cut down the amount of food consumption as well as the balanced diet that one might have been taking and go in for ‘crash diets’. This practice is a big no-no. Balanced and healthy foods are important even after delivery to help through the recovery from vaginal or cesarean delivery and for supporting breastfeeding. So plan your diet accordingly. Include a sufficient amount of fruits, vegetables, dark leafy greens, eggs, legumes, low-fat dairy products, water, and whole-grain cereals. Follow the 50/50 rule. Fill half your plate with fruits and veggies and half your plate with whole grains, this is a healthy food habit and it also helps to stay full longer. Foods such as cheese, yogurt, and low-fat cow’s milk have the much-needed Vitamins D and B that play an important role in the brain development of the infant.
Whole-grain foods like whole-wheat pasta, oatmeal, and brown rice are accessible options for effective weight loss as they have plenty of fiber which promotes proper function of the digestive system making you feel full longer. If you are breastfeeding then your calorie intake should be higher than what you used to take during your pre-pregnancy period.
Fruits and vegetables are the best options for a quick and easy snack. The abundance of minerals and vitamins in them can promote your baby’s health. Greens and dark leafy vegetables like spinach, chard, and kale provide the key minerals and vitamins A, C, E, AND K.
Vitamin D essential for healthy eyesight and good skin is abundantly found in eggs and legumes. This is necessary as the body looks to repair the skin and muscle tissue that were stretched during pregnancy.
Omega -3 fatty acids like DHA are found in abundance in fish, broccoli, flaxseed, cantaloupe, spinach, cauliflower, broccoli, walnuts, and kidney beans. Consumption of these supports the baby’s brain development both during pregnancy and while breastfeeding.
Drink plenty of water sufficient enough to flush out the waste and toxins of your body thereby encouraging healthy metabolism.
Foods that necessarily should NOT be included in the diet:
If you are a breastfeeding mother, your appetite might increase as the calories you consume become a part of the baby’s diet. Apart from feeling the need to eat often to support your milk production, it is also dependent on various factors like your body mass index, age, activity level, and the breastfeeding schedule.
This appetite boost can also intensify cravings. Plan your diet in such a way that all the necessary nutrients are included as well as it suits your taste preferences. It is wise to avoid the consumption of coffee, alcohol, fried foods, soft and fizzy drinks, and certain types of seafood.
Alcohol consumption passes on the child through breast milk and causes heavy sedation disrupting the development of the child. Similarly, caffeine-containing coffee and fizzy drinks can make the baby fussy, gassy, and irritable resulting in disturbed sleep. Fried food contains excess amounts of fat and the fat accumulation can be difficult if your goal is to lose weight.
Not all seafood is appropriate to be included in your diet as certain fish contain high levels of mercury that can be toxic. Go in for crab, anchovy, sardine, oyster, salmon, crab, and others.
Physical activities:
Include doing physical exercises in your daily routine. For uncomplicated vaginal delivery, light exercises can be done after a few days of resting whereas, for complicated or C-section delivery, it is mandatory to consult your doctor about the right time to start your physical exercise regimen.
When you have started your exercises, take your breastfeeding into account. wear comfortable clothing to avoid discomfort. Start with light exercises and don’t overdo them. Including your baby by taking them out for a walk in the stroller and asking other moms to take part in your activities can help motivate both you and them.
Phentermine for weight loss:
Phentermine is a prescription drug that is recommended for those looking to lose weight. It works by suppressing appetite thus reducing the urge to eat often. Take Phentermine precisely as endorsed by your doctor. High dosage consumption can have side effects that can be a potential risk to health and in extreme cases can lead to coma and death. Phentermine is also known by various other brand names including Adipex-P, Ionamin, Phentercot, Fastin, Zantryl, and Obeniux.
Precautions:
Phentermine is a stimulant medication which means it increases the pulse rate and blood pressure to burn calories. Due to its mechanism of action, consumption of other stimulating substances such as caffeine and ephedra should be avoided. Those having high blood pressure conditions or elevated cholesterol of type 1/2 diabetes are advised not to take this medication.
Simultaneous consumption of Phentermine while taking MAO inhibitors should be avoided due to potential interaction between the two that can have severe adverse effects. If not using Phentermine as per medical advice, there is a high possibility of getting addicted to the medication.
Phentermine while trying to conceive:
There are no reports of the medication being associated with infertility. There are chances that if obesity is preventing one from getting pregnant, then weight reduction by using phentermine can be a solution to improve fertility in both men and women.
Effects on pregnancy:
It is categorized as a relatively safe medication for use during pregnancy as there are no adverse effects for both the mother and the child associated with the use of the medication.
Be that as it may, it isn’t fitting to reduce weight during pregnancy for the wellbeing and safety of the individual. Phentermine belongs to category X for pregnancy.
Safety during breastfeeding:
Taking phentermine during the breastfeeding phase can cause the medication to pass through the milk to the child. There have been no reported side effects though it is important to maintain your calories for sufficient production of breast milk.
