Lose Weight after giving Birth - Keeping It Real

submitted: Jul 17th 2008 | by: TeresaBrown | Total views: 1 | Word Count: 705 | PDF View | Print Article

Diet and cardio are the two "staples" that Moms start with when trying to lose pregnancy weight fast. They are the staples that women trust when they need to lose weight. But the times are changing and there is more to the general consensus about one of these staples that meets the eye.

The first attack on losing the baby fat begins with going on a trendy diet or maybe signing up at the gym or spending hours on the treadmill at home. This all seems logical and gets us in the habit of eating right and exercising regularly. However, you find that you are not getting the results you were expecting and are a bit frustrated. Well, here are some reasons why you are unable to lose the pregnancy weight.

1. Cardio is good but to not that good.

Cardiologists love cardio because it is the exercise that is best for strengthening our heart and keeping it healthy. It also builds up your muscles endurance. Even though cardio burns calories, its overall effect, when done too much in tandem with a diet can result in losing your muscle mass. Therefore, you will get slim but have no muscle tone.

Why not make cardio worth your time and effort? You can make it work for you to burn the baby fat by doing cardio interval training. Cardio intervals keeps you moving at varying intensities within a shorter time frame to keep your heart rate and metabolism up. For example, changing the pace at which you run for 30 minutes will challenge your body more than running at the same pace for 60 minutes on a treadmill.

2. Using weights to get toned go together like Bonnie and Clyde.

We are quick to notice a woman with a lean, toned body but fail to connect that she got that "look" by strength training with weights and not from running 6 times a week. Weights come in different shapes and sizes but the ones suited for your purpose are free weights. Strength training with weights stimulates the muscle fibers to re-build your muscle's density. A dense muscle is a strong, toned muscle. However, not all strength training is the same and you need resistance strength training to lose your tummy.

Unlike the other forms of strength training such as weightlifting and bodybuilding, resistance training does not make you bulky. Also to gain "big" muscles involves more than just lifting weights a few times a week. Bulking up requires an increased caloric intake especially lean proteins and anabolic hormones to stimulate muscle growth in size.

If you want to lose pregnancy weight fast, you have to balance your workout routine by alternating cardio with weight training. This variety will certainly trim your tummy by melting your body fat by the pounds and the inches.

3. Weight training is not only for Body Builders.

Who wouldn't want the option of being able to workout at home? Resistance training enables you to this luxury because a typical workout can be as simple as using an exercise ball to do crunches or dumbbells to do lunges. As along as you are using an external form of resistance, you are burning the calories and working your muscles. You should learn how to execute each exercise before you begin any form of training.

Gym memberships can be taxing on the family budget and on your time. Your best bet would be to workout at home. This is possible with a resistance workout because it requires any type of external resistance, whether it is elastic, water, free or body weight, to work your muscles. It will not only save you money but it will save you time as well because a workout lasts no more than 20 minutes.

Focusing on only one form of training to lose pregnancy weight fast is like putting all your eggs in one basket. Combining your cardio and resistance training will certainly speed up your goal to get back into pre-baby shape and then some. You need to diversify your workouts to get the body you want and be the better off for doing it.

About the Author

Teresa Brown is a steadfast supporter for women's health and wellness. For more information about losing the baby fat and on losing pregnancy weight the right way for the long run, visit Teresa's blog.


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