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!
All expecting moms need to quit smoking, give up alcohol, and keep their stress level down, but the impetus to do so is even more compelling when expecting twins. The single most common complication in twin pregnancies is premature labor, which leads to other problems, such as low birth weight and respiratory problems. By quitting smoking and drinking and learning to relax, a woman can dramatically increase the chance of her twin pregnancy going full term.
Smoking is particularly linked with earlier labor and smaller babies. Low birth weight babies have an increased risk of congenital defects such as cerebral palsy and mental retardation. Since twins are likely to be smaller than singletons anyway, it is very important that a mother having twins give up smoking as soon as possible.
Smoking is also linked with birth complications, such as placenta previa and placental abruption. Both of these conditions cause increased bleeding during birth. In addition, smoking is linked to premature rupture of the membrane, which usually results in early labor and a premature birth. Stillbirths are more common, as well.
Infant health is also impaired when the mother smokes during or after pregnancy. Sometimes babies experience withdrawal symptoms after birth, and the likelihood of a baby of a smoker dying of SIDS (Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or crib death) is three times higher than for non-smokers. In addition, there is the effect of second hand smoke on the babies after the birth.
According to the March of Dimes, even if a woman smokes through the early part of the pregnancy, the babies' chances are improved by quitting. The less you can smoke during pregnancy, the better.
Drinking alcohol is also discouraged during any twin pregnancy because it increases the risk of many complications. Alcohol is not safe in any amount during pregnancy. It is linked with stillbirth, low birth weight and premature labor. After the birth, babies born to drinking mothers have a wide array of symptoms that affect their health, development, and intellect.
Controlling stress is a little harder to define than giving up alcohol and tobacco (not to mention illegal drugs!) Still, stress contributes to premature labor and the other complications that can arise when giving birth to twins. Moderate exercise helps control stress. It is best if a pregnant woman can avoid stressful occupations. Staying at home during pregnancy and when rearing the young babies can reduce her stress level as well as getting those babies off to a good start.
Other practices that help lower stress levels include relaxation exercises, which are good preparation for birth anyway. Yoga, deep breathing, and meditation are particularly helpful. Mentally, it is helpful to learn to calm the mind. Prayer and other spiritual exercises are great for reducing stress.
So to quickly recap- to lower chances of complications during a twin pregnancy...
-Don't smoke.
-Don't drink alcohol, or take any other drugs.
-Do what you can to avoid stress (Including exercising, yoga, and meditation)
And as always, make sure you have regular trips to the doctor.
If your having twins then your body is going through a lot of stress- and exercise is one of the best known ways to handle it.
Find out more here
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