Image Credits: Shuttershtock
Finally, your bundle of joy is in your arms! Ability to create a life is an ultimate gift that God had given to a woman & you are enjoying that bliss of motherhood. This bliss comes along a whole package though. There is a lot a mother goes through post-delivery. Sleepless nights, sudden change in hormone levels, sense of withdrawal & sense of new responsibility can leave you exhausted. All this takes a toll on your fitness & health. Suddenly one day you look yourself in the mirror and you see all that fat which was never there before. The flat tummy that you were once proud has given way to bulging tummy with loose skin. You are not fitting into your favorite pair of skinny jeans anymore.
Well let me tell you, all is not lost; You can get your fit body back. It just requires a little discipline & efforts….
Post-pregnancy weight loss needs a multi-faceted approach-
- Reduce all the extra fat- Subcutaneous as well as Visceral
- Toning & correction of lose abdominal muscles
- Tightening of the lose skin on tummy
Let’s address the FAT first…
During pregnancy average weight gain is between 10- 12kgs but one can put on more or less weight depending upon various reasons. Some of this weight is lost immediately post-delivery. About 2.5-3 kg of weight of the baby, half a kg weight of placenta & another 1 kg of amniotic fluid. Plus, as water retention goes away in first week post-delivery about 1.5-2.5 kg of weight is reduced. This all adds up to 5.5-7 kg of weight. The rest of the weight gained is the fat weight.
Proper nutrition is important especially when one is breast feeding. Ne requires 200- 300 extra calorie to feed a baby. Adequate protein intake, moderate carbohydrate intake using low glycemic index food such as whole grains, varity of vegetables and fruits and adequate fiber intake is a good approach to follow. Avoid trans-fat, sugar, processed food and aerated drinks which further may contribute to weight gain.
Getting into an exercise routine has lots of benefits besides weight loss. It improves blood circulation, helps in regaining of muscle strength and tone. Also reduces stress and depression. You can do exercises which can be done at home like yoga, Pilates, bodyweight exercises etc. Slowly begin your exercise and progress gradually.
Toning & correction of lose abdominal muscles
Normally, the two sides of the rectus abdominus muscle are joined at the linea alba in the midline. Diastases recti (also known as abdominal separation) is a disorder defined as a separation of the rectus abdominus muscle right and left halves.
100% of women have some level of diastasis of the rectus abdominis in the third trimester. (Gilliard and Brown 1996, Diane Lee 2013) Importantly, for many women the gap remains widened at 8 weeks, and left untreated, this distance at 8 weeks remains unchanged at 1 year postpartum. (Coldron et al 2008, Liaw et al 2011)
Correction of this condition requires specific exercises & physiotherapy.
Tightening of the lose skin on your tummy
The abdominal skin stretches a lot to accommodate the baby during pregnancy. This can result in a lot of lose skin & stretch marks post-delivery. Following a good lifestyle, post-natal exercises & massage can help to solve this to some extent.
Define Aesthetics approach for Post-pregnancy Weight Loss
At Define Aesthetics combination of technologies like Ion Magnum & High-intensity Focused Ultrasound (HiFU) is used for fat loss. When we exercise our brain sends signals to the corresponding muscles. Ion Magnum mimics these signals so that the muscle tissue is made to believe that it is performing a muscle-toning workout. In return what you get is the benefits of an intense, professional workout minus the pain, physical exertion or inconvenience of conventional exercise. Ion Magnum reduces both surface & visceral fat & also builds muscles & improves muscle mass. This naturally increases metabolic rate which further initiates weight loss. HiFU uses targeted ultrasound energy to burst fat cells without damaging surrounding tissues. The released fat is used up in the body. Our body cannot form new fat cells after a specific age, so the destroyed fat cells are never replaced. Less fat cells mean less space for body to deposit fat. If one follows a healthy lifestyle that we advise our patients; these results are permanent. Our expert doctors evaluate and plan the specific exercises required for correction of divarication along with physiotherapy muscle conditioning technique to correct the muscle. Radiofrequency heats up collage & elastin in your skin increasing formation of new fibers & thereby tightening the skin. It also helps to reduce stretch marks. Our Clinical Nutritionist creates a Quantified Nutrition Plan which makes sure a well-balanced and nutrient-rich diet.
These are all Non-surgical & FDA approved technologies. There are absolutely NO SIDE EFFECTS. Moreover, all the treatment is planned & monitored by our expert doctors making sure you reach your goals.
References
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/14534032
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2968609
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2930888
