Being a mum is hard. Being so and staying at home can be even more challenging. It’s challenging to maintain your weight as you’re trying to take care of the kids, cook for them, do chores around the house, and still have some time for yourself. This article will give you tips on how to avoid weight gain while being a stay-at-home mum!
Eat less than you did during the pregnancy
It would help if you tried to be strong and eat less than you did during the pregnancy to avoid weight gain as a mum. It is highly recommended that you consume between 1700-1900 calories daily; however, eating less than this amount will allow your body to get back into its routine.
Naturally, it would be best if you ate more often once you’re used to it, and being around the kitchen all the time doesn’t help your case. Luckily, some natural appetite suppressants can be found precisely there. Try them out, and you’ll see that you will start avoiding snacks once more.
Once the craving goes away, you’ll start eating less. Your body will adjust, and you won’t have to worry about crazy weight gain anymore!
Have a healthy diet
Simply eating less isn’t enough, and you should still create a healthy diet for yourself divided into five food groups.
- Lean proteins, such as chicken and fish
- Whole grains like oatmeal and whole wheat bread
- Vegetables of different colors to get a variety of nutrients in your diet
- Healthy fats from things like avocado or nuts if you choose not to eat meat on certain days of the week.
- Limit your intake of red meat and sweets as much as possible
By having a well-balanced diet, you can avoid weight gain that is not healthy. You’ll stay fit and energized for mummy duties.
Get plenty of sleep
It may seem like an impossible task with all your duties, but having enough sleep is one of the best ways to avoid weight gain as a stay-at-home mum. When you are well-rested, your metabolism will work better and help you burn more calories throughout the day by increasing your body temperature slightly for about an hour after waking up.
Additionally, sleep deprivation can make it much harder for women to control their appetite, which makes weight loss very difficult, if not impossible. If weight loss is already hard with enough sleep, imagine what happens when lack of sleep becomes part of the equation! So try to get eight hours every night to keep off unwanted weight-and feel great doing so!
Try to exercise when you can
Whenever there is time for it, do some exercises. Try to exercise at least four times a week, if possible daily. Even short workout sessions are better than nothing and can be very effective in weight loss.
It is essential to work on the lower body because this part of our body tends to accumulate more fat during weight gain periods, especially after pregnancy. This means that it may take longer before you notice losing weight there, but don’t give up! It will come eventually with regular exercising.
A short training session should become a part of your daily routine, even if it means waking up earlier or going to bed late. However, this is not the case when you have other things to take care of than exercising like your child.
Walk as much as you can around the neighborhood
Try walking as much as you can around your neighbourhood while taking the kids to school or anywhere else. If it’s too cold to go without pants outside, walk in place or take a few laps around the house before breakfast.
Get off of the couch and put away laundry instead of watching television during nap time so that you get some exercise throughout each day as a stay-at-home mum. Instead of having someone else pick up your groceries for you, walk to the store by yourself.
Take walks with other stay-at-home mums during naptime or play date time so that you can get some fresh air and weight loss tips from them as well.
Stay active while playing with your kids
Playtime can be another excellent exercise opportunity for stay-at-home mums. For example, instead of watching your kids play on the playground or swing in a park, you can suggest that they do it together with you. This way, not only will you get some exercise but also spend time bonding with them!
You can also go bicycling with your child’s bike seat attached to either your bicycle or a scooter. You can always go dancing with your baby. It’s a great way to get some cardio exercise in and have fun at the same time!