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Losing Weight After Pregnancy

By WLR DietitianJuliette Kellow BSc RD

Q: I recently had a baby boy and have started a low-fat, high-fibre healthy eating plan given to me by my GP. I’ve also started to exercise twice a week. The problem is I’m not seeing any results. I’ve never dieted or exercised before. How long before I’ll see any difference?

A: It’s important to be realistic about how quickly you want to lose weight after pregnancy. Davina McCall very sensibly uses the rule “nine months on, nine months off”. In other words it took you nine months to gain weight so you shouldn’t expect to lose it overnight. As a general rule, you should be aiming to lose no more than 2lb a week. It might not sound much, but that adds up to a weight loss of a stone in less than two months.

You might also find it helpful to measure your bust, waist and hip measurements. Sometimes, if the scales haven’t budged, you’ll find you’ve lost half an inch from somewhere (although if you’re breast-feeding don’t expect to lose any inches from your bust until you’ve weaned your baby off the breast). You may also find it helpful to use your clothes to judge how successful you’re being – there’s nothing more motivating than putting on a pair of trousers that once fitted you, only to find they’re now too big.

Through entering your Goals and Results, WLR will tell you how long it should take you to reach your target weight. In the meantime, be patient. Through a combination of healthy eating and exercising you should soon start to see the difference as you lose that post-baby bulge.

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