It can be particularly hard to lose wight after a twin pregnancy. Some women seem to do it effortlessly, whereas others really struggle.
Often those that struggle are doing some things right, but are missing out on some important parts of weight loss.
Here are 15 tips for losing weight, that will be particularly useful to those trying to lose weight after a twin pregnancy...
Misc...
1. Take your time. Don't expect to lose the weight in a few months- that's unrealistic, as well as unhealthy. If you want to safely lose the weight, and keep it off, then you should aim to lose the weight over 6 to 9 months. Anything quicker than that can be bad for your health.
2. Breastfeeding is a great way to lose weight. Your body expends a lot of energy making the milk, and you will use a lot of calories for free by breastfeeding- Not to mention it's great for your twins health. Moms of twins have an advantage here- they will roughly make twice as much milk compared to a normal pregnancy, which will roughly use up twice as much calories!
3. Don't focus too much on losing weight- It's more important to be healthy. If you are feeling healthier and fitter, then the weight loss will eventually follow.
4. Don't give up. You may not see results on the scales straight away- try measuring yourself instead, as you may be getting thinner. If you are getting more toned through exercise, you will have a higher percentage of muscle. Muscle weighs more than fat, so it's quite possible to actually put weight on at first!
5. Don't compare yourself to celebrities. Celebrities may lose weight after child-birth quickly, but they only do that because they feel that they need to. (Because they are in the public eye, and if they don't the tabloids will call them fat). They would be much healthier losing the weight over a more gradual period. Don't try to emulate them! Count yourself lucky that you don't have to lose the weight in a few months!
Food and Drink...
6. It's important not to skip meals, or make your meals too small. Doing so will decrease your metabolism, and your body will try to store what food you eat as fat. Don't eat too much, but don't stop eating- because this won't help you lose weight, and if your body doesn't have the nutrients it needs, it will effect your twins health.
7. Try to eat healthy foods as much as you can. Try to avoid sugars and fatty foods, and focus on whole grains, lean meat, and vegetables. If you experiment with some different recipes you will find some healthy foods that are quite delicious, and you wont want to eat the "bad" foods.
8. Keep some healthy foods (that you like), around for snacks. Find some nuts, or fruit that you like, and munch on these when you get hungry, instead of biscuits or cake!
9. Drink a lot of water. Minimize how much soda, and caffeine you drink.
10. If you feel the need to have something "bad", then don't think "Ohh well, all or nothing, I may as well have a large serving". Just accept that you will give-in occasionally, don't feel too guilty about it, and have as small a serving as you can.
Exercise...
11. Try and exercise. It's very hard to lose weight without exercise, because your metabolism decreases. Exercise is also great for your emotional state, and can help ward off the "baby blues".
12. Don't exercise too vigorously, particularly for the 6 to 8 weeks after the twin pregnancy. (This is extremely important if you had a c-section). You need to speak to your doctor about what you should, and should not do with regards to exercise in the first 2 months.
13. Try to go swimming if you can. Swimming is a great exercise for raising your metabolism, and it's great for toning the entire body. Also, it isn't too jarring on the body, and is much better for you than many other exercise alternatives, such as running.
14. Try to walk as much as possible. Walking is an easy exercise to do, but is still very effective. Whenever you can, try to walk. If you are driving somewhere, park a little further away, so you can walk a longer distance from and to the car. Try and take regular walks with your twins- the walking will be great for you, and the fresh-air will be great for them.
15. When your able to, try and do a light weights routine. This doesn't have to be too intense- you just want to build a little muscle and tone up a little. Muscle burns more energy than the equivalent fat, so any extra muscles you have will help you lose weight easier. Having some extra strength will come in handy when it comes to carrying your twins around as well!
