Monday, October 27, 2008

Lose Pregnancy Weight Fast - 5 Bad Habits to Quit

By Teresa Brown

Time for a new mom passes so quickly that the months soon pass into years and before she knows it, the pregnancy weight has never left her and she's now overweight. Why was she not able to lose the pregnancy weight fast? Here are 5 possible reasons as to why pregnancy weight has never and will never leave you.

1. Eating too much of the Unhealthy Processed Foods

What's the quality of food in your kitchen? Check your cupboards, freezer and fridge. If you have a lot of canned goods, boxed meals or sugary cereals, white pastas or breads, frozen dinners, or any processed meats like hot dogs, your diet is too high fat, sugar and salt. Processed foods like these are convenient but they can put a huge damper on your health and ability to lose your pregnancy weight fast.

There are some processed frozen foods that retain their nutrients such as fruits and vegetables. Also pasteurized milk and juices that are fortified with extra omega-3 fatty acids, vitamins and minerals are good for you. Fresh foods are better for your health and for managing your calories.

2. Super Size Me

These days' people get addicted to everything and fast food is no exception. Losing pregnancy weight fast is not going to happen when you choose fast food over a home cooked meal because it tastes good and is convenient. Eating burgers and fries, pizzas and fried chicken seems harmless enough but the huge calories from the fat, salt and sugar found in fast food only makes you fatter.

Pre-planning your weekly meals and grocery lists is one way to get organized to start cooking and eating healthier meals. There are thousands of delicious healthy recipes available that are quick and easy to prepare. So plan ahead and recruit the rest of the family to get on board with eating healthy and make the next meal at McDonald's a special family treat and not the family meal norm.

3. Breakfast Skippers

It's very easy for a busy mom to skip a meal or two but doing so will only make it more difficult for her to lose pregnancy weight fast. Your body works more efficiently with a frequent input of nutrients to keep it going. Three big meals are better than one, but this is not what makes your metabolism working at its optimum. Instead this inconsistency slows down your metabolism.

Missing breakfast and not eating until several hours later will hinder your metabolism from doing what it's supposed to do and that is, burning fat to provide your body with energy. Consuming six small portioned meals during your day will keep your metabolism working as it should to lose pregnancy weight fast and keep your energy levels up.

4. Emotional Eating

Do you eat and drink empty calories while watching your favorite TV show? We all have foods that soothe us when we are depressed, stressed or bored. Unfortunately, these comfort foods and are high in fats, salt, sugar and often times cholesterol.

One surefire way to help lose pregnancy weight fast is to stop buying or replacing these foods with healthier choices. Also finding other non-food outlets to deal with your emotional eating such as joining a yoga or meditation class can help wean you off of eating for comfort.

5. Lack of Exercise

A busy mom's life maybe fast paced, but if she's not losing the pregnancy weight fast, it's because she's not getting enough exercise. Driving around town doing errands, picking up after your toddler and looking after a household can keep you busy but not burning the baby fat.

Exercise and health go hand in hand. If you want to lose the pregnancy weight fast, you have to work your heart and skeletal muscles. Living an active lifestyle doesn't require a gym membership or spending hours on a treadmill. Just playing some basketball with the kids, taking the stairs instead to the elevator or walking your dog to the park are simple activities to make exercise a necessary part of your day-to-day life.

Take responsibility for your health by being an informed consumer. Eat a lot of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains and lean meats. Exercise daily with and without your family. Life is what you make it, so take charge to live healthy and make it fun.

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