Losing baby weight is a really sensitive topic because there is absolutely no time limit on when you should lose your baby weight. Let us repeat: THERE IS NO TIME LIMIT. Realistically, after your baby is born, the last thing on your mind is your weight because you are too busy caring for a baby who is either crying, eating, or not sleeping. Also, you just grew a human for 9 months. Give yourself a break!
When you are ready, though, you should do it the healthy way that works for you. Slow and steady wins the race here, and like we said, you just housed a human in your uterus for nearly a year, so take it slow, give yourself time, and do what feels right for your body.
One of the most important things about weight loss is that it’s not just about losing weight, it’s all about shifting your lifestyle. Once you start eating healthy, you’ll have more energy and feel better overall, which means you are a happy mommy. Plus, you’re setting a positive example for your children from the get-go. When they see you focusing on your health and the importance of eating healthy and staying active, they’ll likely follow suit when they’re a bit older.
So, how do you eat healthy when you’re busy caring for a baby at home? A good way to start is by getting rid of all the junk you have at home. You know what we’re talking about. Comfort food like chocolate, ice cream, empty carbs, etc. — we can go on, but you probably know exactly which foods you should be throwing out.
Let’s get one thing straight here: we’re not telling you tonot indulge, but rather, do it in a healthier way. If you want a piece of chocolate, eat the damn chocolate. Depriving yourself will most likely make your cravings worse, and allowing yourself to have a little something will likely help keep you on track with your healthy lifestyle.
However, the two main things you should be gradually cutting from your diet are sugar and carbs.
We’ve put together a list of foods that you should consume in minimal amounts — we’re not saying don’t ever eat these again, just do so in minimal moderation!
Sugars
- Ice Cream
- Milk Chocolate
- White Chocolate
- Fruit
- This is a tricky one because although fruit can be healthy and is free of refined sugars, there’s still sugar in fruit. Try consuming lower-sugar options, like berries, or grapefruit.
- Juices
- Just steer clear of store-bought juices. Have you ever looked at the nutrition label on the back of the carton? It’s literally just sugar! If you’re craving juice, though, try making one at home, but balance it out by adding low-sugar veggies like celery or cucumber.
Carbs
- White pasta
- Stick to wheat pasta if you need to satisfy your cravings, or check out one of the lower-carb pastas that are available at most grocery stores.
- White rice
- Stick to brown rice or healthier alternatives such as buckwheat, quinoa, or farro.
- White bread
- Stick to multigrain bread, or look into lower-carb options — a good brand to check out is Great Low Carb Bread Co.
- Bagels
- Yes, they’re delicious and great for a once-in-a-while treat, but an average bagel has around 50g of carbs with little-to-no nutritional value.
So, we gave you a long list of things you should cut back on, but what are some things you CAN eat? The following is a list of healthier alternatives that are high in protein and low in sugar and carbs:
Foods You Should Be Eating
- Eggs
- Peanut Butter
- Hummus
- Salmon
- Having salmon at least once a week is a great addition to your diet because it’s rich in Omega-3 fatty acids.
- Buckwheat
- What’s great about buckwheat is you can have it either sweet or savory. Whole Foods carries Buckwheat pancakes, which are AMAZING, but you can also make it in rice form and eat it with a piece of chicken or salmon.
- Avocados
- Leafy Greens
- Greens like spinach and kale are great to include in your meals!
- Veggies
- Veggies like broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, asparagus, and brussels sprouts will fill you up and pack a powerful punch of much-needed Vitamin A.
- Cottage Cheese
- If you’re okay with the texture, cottage cheese is a great high-protein, low-carb dairy product.
- Nuts
- Nuts like almonds and cashews are a great, healthy snack that can hold you over until your next meal. Although they are high in fat, it’s the good kind of fat. Nuts are also a great way to add some crunch to a salad or veggies without the added carbs!
- Chia Seeds
- Chia seeds are high in fiber and don’t really have a taste to them, which make them the perfect addition to your morning smoothie!
- Yogurt
- Yogurt is a great probiotic! Just make sure when choosing yogurt, you watch out for the sugar content — a lot of flavored fruit yogurts have unexpectedly high carb/sugar counts.
