It is normal to have some weight to lose after having a baby. There will be a time after giving birth that your body is still adjusting. The process of childbirth can be hard on your body and cause you to hold on to excess weight temporarily. Many women find that it takes days or even weeks for your body to get back to normal so you can determine just how much fat you want to lose. Once you get the all-clear from your doctor to start working toward your weight loss goals, you can get started on the process by following the five tips outlined below.

Find an eating plan that works for your lifestyle and your body

A quality eating and nutrition plan is an important part of successfully losing fat after having a baby. A high-quality eating plan will include an abundance of natural foods and little to no processed foods. The exact plan you follow will depend on how your body responds to various foods. For example, some people thrive on a low carb/high protein eating plan while others cannot tolerate such high protein. The key is to find a plan that provides you with the nutrition you need and is sustainable for the way you live your life. For a busy new mom, this will likely mean keeping your nutrition plan as simple as possible. Take a look at the Intuitive Nutrition Guide to help you find a way of eating that will help you lose fat while you live your life.

Make drinking the right amount of water a priority

Drinking the right amount of water is an important part of losing fat after having a baby. Your body will sometimes hold on to fluids after a major event like childbirth. This can make it seem like you have more fat to lose when it is actually fluid retention. Drinking enough water will help your body release some of that unwanted fluid. Drinking enough water can also help you avoid mindless eating and keep you adequately hydrated so you can continue breastfeeding.

Increase your non-exercise activity thermogenesis (NEAT) throughout the day

NEAT is any type of movement that is not part of your dedicated workout program. This can include taking your baby on a stroll around the neighborhood, doing heavy housework, or playing outside with your older kids. Increasing this type of movement can help with fat loss and it is something you can do throughout the day.

Implement resistance training into your workouts

Resistance training may not be your first thought when you think about the best way to exercise for fat loss. The reality is, however, that resistance training is your best option for losing weight and keeping it off postpartum. Resistance training helps you build muscle. As you build muscle, your metabolism will start to increase. An increased metabolism allows you to burn more calories while at rest. This means that it will be easier for you to keep the weight off long term because it is easier to burn off excess calories. Cardio-based workouts will burn more calories in the short term. However, your body will quickly adapt and it will become more and more difficult to burn the same number of calories which will lead to a plateau. A high-quality resistance training program will prevent your body from adapting and allow you to make continual progress toward your fitness goals.

Getting help balancing the demands of motherhood

The final tip for losing fat postpartum is to get help balancing the demands of motherhood. Caring for an infant can become all-consuming. It is understandable that you want to put all of your time and energy into bonding and caring for your new baby. However, you cannot be the mom you want to be if you neglect your own health and wellbeing. For many moms, finding the balance to focus on losing fat postpartum requires the help of others. Ask for help balancing some of the demands of motherhood so you have space in your schedule to focus on your own health.

If you want some help getting started, check out the Fit Mom Bundle from MAPS Fitness. It has everything you need to get your nutrition and movement on track so you can lose fat and reach your postpartum fitness goals.