I have to admit, I am one of the lucky ones. Losing pregnancy weight was relatively easy. But there's a difference between dropping the pounds and reconnecting with one's abs. Mine seem to have gone into hiding. That's why I headed back to the gym I've been paying for for months, but have not used for months. I made an appointment with a personal trainer who specializes in pre and post natal fitness and I hung on her every word. All I wanted her to tell me was: do these ab machines a few times a week and in time they'll re-strengthen. What she told me was something completely different.
-First she weighed me and pinched me in order to find the percentage of fat on my body. Great!
-With that information we could then find my basal metabolic rate or BMR. That's the minimum number of calories per day my body requires to survive if all I was doing all day was lying in bed. (Right!)
-Then she reviewed my eating habits and told me I’m most likely not eating enough calories. If I’m not eating enough I may be hurting my metabolism and slowing down my energy level. She suggested using a food journal and counting calories to make track exactly what I'm eating.
-We then found my minimum daily caloric needs based on my energy level. There are tons of online calorie calculators that can help you do this. You’ll also find more information on how many calories you should be consuming in this article “How to Cut Calories to Lose Weight.”
Since I’m breastfeeding I need extra calories but since I’d like to lose fat I need to eat fewer calories. These two things pretty much even themselves out and so for me I should be aiming for around 2400 calories a day. Now usually that would be the number of calories I need to eat to maintain my weight. In most cases you’d need to eat fewer than that to lose weight, but my equation is complicated by the fact that I’m still breastfeeding. Counting calories accurately seems complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. With the help of the internet you’ll know exactly how many calories you’re consuming and burning on any given day.
So that’s my fitness plan: eat more healthy calories, concentrate on eating enough protein, staying hydrated and work out. My workout plan is mostly cardio with a slight emphasis on abdominals. I have to admit I hate working out so this isn’t going to be easy for me. I like to work out on my own terms: when I am working out to stay in shape not to get into shape. But it is what it is and my motivation is a summer spent at the beach.
-We then found my minimum daily caloric needs based on my energy level. There are tons of online calorie calculators that can help you do this. You’ll also find more information on how many calories you should be consuming in this article “How to Cut Calories to Lose Weight.”
Since I’m breastfeeding I need extra calories but since I’d like to lose fat I need to eat fewer calories. These two things pretty much even themselves out and so for me I should be aiming for around 2400 calories a day. Now usually that would be the number of calories I need to eat to maintain my weight. In most cases you’d need to eat fewer than that to lose weight, but my equation is complicated by the fact that I’m still breastfeeding. Counting calories accurately seems complicated, but it doesn’t have to be. With the help of the internet you’ll know exactly how many calories you’re consuming and burning on any given day.
So that’s my fitness plan: eat more healthy calories, concentrate on eating enough protein, staying hydrated and work out. My workout plan is mostly cardio with a slight emphasis on abdominals. I have to admit I hate working out so this isn’t going to be easy for me. I like to work out on my own terms: when I am working out to stay in shape not to get into shape. But it is what it is and my motivation is a summer spent at the beach.
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