So the 3 am feeds are history now, you have graduated from bottle feeds to finger foods, and you are well into your routine as a mom. Thing seem to be getting back to normal day by day. However, you still can’t seem to get your waist back and you spend a lot of time wondering how to make your waist smaller
How long will it take for my waist to get smaller?
It is only natural for women to long for their pre-pregnancy bodies. Unfortunately, most women assume that they will be unable to get their waistline back even long after the newborn days are gone.
Typically it take women several weeks for their stomach to shrink back down to normal size after a vaginal birth. This is due expanded uterus, extra water retention, weight gain during pregnancy, stretching of stomach muscles and other core ligaments and tendons.
Source: Mum Post Pregnancy Body
How Quickly Can I Lose Baby Weight?
If you carried a single child and were at a normal weight, then the recommended weight gain during pregnancy is between 25 and 35 pounds.
Assuming that you can safely lose a healthy 1-2 pounds per week (or 4-8 pounds per month), you should lose 25-35 pounds and be at your pre-pregnancy weight in 6-8 months.
Here are a few amazing tips for a Smaller waist
Before getting into the details, it's necessary to bust the myth that you can lose weight in just one area of your body.
This myth has a tendency to damage one’s self-esteem and thwarts the efforts to get to a better body. Your body can only lose weight and tone all over, not just in one place.
Eat a healthy diet
A healthy body weight should be your priority. Following a healthy diet is a great way to help shed excess weight and keep it off. Aim to eat well-balanced meals.
Eat five small meals daily, focusing on whole grains, fresh fruits, lean proteins, and vegetables. Avoid junk foods that are fatty and have loads of empty calories.
Related Posts:
Eating healthy will help you lose the excess fat on your body especially around your belly. However, for a slimmer physique, you need to complement your diet with exercise.
Exercise 3-4 times per week
There is no way you will get a smaller waist without regular exercise. Goal setting exercises are ideal since you gain direction during your fitness program. Exercising three to four days a week is ideal for new moms.
Postnatal exercises: Full Body Series for New Moms
Do not fall for any products or pills that promise you a smaller waist without exercise. Even if they bring results, the odds of the weight staying off are low.
Fun and safe and low-intensity exercises
Belly dancing
This is a high energy dance routine that lets you whittle your waist as you work out your midsection. It is an excellent form of exercise to get your waist back. It helps to tighten and tone your abdominal muscles. It also helps improve your balance, coordination, and flexibility as well as improving your self-confidence.
Zumba
Zumba is another dance routine that offers fun music, fun steps and great exercise for toning your hips, thighs, abdomen, and waist. It helps you burn a lot of calories without even noticing. Zumba incorporates a lot of hip and abdomen movements which is perfect for getting your waist back.
Today, Zumba is so popular that many mommy/baby Zumba classes are popping up in dance studios for you and your child to have fun together.
Fitness Hula Hoop
Unlike the typical hula hoop that you played with as a kid, these are much larger and heavier. Spinning your hula hoop around your waist is an excellent way to train your abdominal muscles and get a slimmer waist.
Most hoops range in weight from 1.5-5 pounds. The one below can be made smaller and lighter by removing sections.
This exercise does not take too much time, and the results can be visible as soon as 6 weeks into your 4 minutes daily hula hoop work out.
Core workouts
Core workouts will not only help you get a smaller waist but will also help ease your back pain, improve your posture and tone your abs. Using a balance ball is a great way to work your core. Since the ball keeps you slightly off balance, it forces your core to kick in to prevent you from tipping over.
Stretching
Stretching is one of the best exercises you can do to increase your flexibility, strengthen you core. Best of all, stretching requires no equipment and you can do it just about anywhere.
If you are not sure how to stretch properly, download our free Stretching and Shape Android App form the Google Play Store. It has over 50 stretches and 10 workouts
Read 6 Stretching Exercises For Getting Back Into Shape After Giving Birth for more tips
Bicycle Crunches
Crunches are key to a smaller waist. There are different types of crunches to try depending on your body’s strength and how far it has recovered since child birth. However, the bicycle crunch is ideal for a slimmer waist. This exercise helps you work in some cardio and fire up your abs.
As you alternate a knee raise and a torso twist, you get to hit your entire abdominal wall, firing up your abs and generating momentum that gets your heart pumping at a faster rate.
Read: Why Crunches Aren't Flattening Your Mummy Tummy
In Closing
Finally, don’t forget the importance of the fit of your clothes. Even the fittest girl will look like she has a muffin top if she wears pants that are too small. Take time when shopping for clothes, especially jeans. Wearing clothes that fit your body size is a great way to accentuate your slim waist.
Above all, go gentle on the exercises and be healthy!
About the author: Hector is the founder of NightmareWorkout, where he and his associates blog with many years of professional experience in the fitness world. He’s glad to share all his knowledge to help you if you just don't know what to do and when or where to start your road to being physically healthy. He'll even do some research for your questions if required. Problems, solved!