The current “snapback” trend is incredibly toxic and forces new moms to push themselves to lose their pregnancy weight as quickly as possible. We see celebrities who bounce back to their pre-pregnancy bodies within a few months or even weeks after having their babies and feel ashamed of our “lack of progress”. To add to the pressures from societal expectations, we sometimes have family members or friends comment about how it’s evident that we are not caring for ourselves since we haven’t lost weight. It’s difficult to push back against the pressure, especially since you haven’t had a good night’s sleep in months and you just don’t have the energy to argue.
While postpartum health is important, you need to accept that your body needs time to recover and that you need to adopt a holistic approach to weight loss – this is where yoga comes in. Yoga offers a unique, balanced approach to postpartum weight loss that prioritizes both physical health and mental well-being.
Yoga is Gentle on Your Body
In their quest to lose their “mom bod”, a lot of women turn to high-intensity workouts to lose weight as quickly as possible which tends to do more harm than good. It took nine months for your body to change and accommodate your body so don’t expect overnight changes – it will take time to lose weight. More importantly, it will take time for your body to recover, so be kind to it. Many people don’t think that postpartum yoga is useful for weight loss because they only focus on how many calories are expended during these sessions. However, the benefits of yoga after pregnancy are far greater than most exercises. For instance, pregnancy and childbirth weaken your core muscles, especially your abdominal and pelvic floor muscles.
Yoga poses help to strengthen these muscles as well as improve your flexibility. This will reduce body aches and pains which in turn makes it easier for you to continue with your fitness plan. It’s also important to pick the right clothes – for instance, a comfortable t-shirt and postpartum leggings are a good option. Even if your pre-pregnancy leggings fit you, it would be better to invest in postpartum leggings as they have a broad waistband that provides gentle compression and support to your stomach and back muscles. You can compare the top postpartum leggings recommended by experts to help you decide which ones would be ideal for you.
Yoga Reduces Stress and Improves Mental Well-Being
New moms take multi-tasking to a whole new level! You have to take care of your little one, manage household chores, take care of your family, and somehow still find time for self-care. As if that wasn’t difficult enough, it can take months for hormone levels to settle which makes it that much tougher to regulate emotions. A lot of new moms land up stress eating for several months which adds to their weight gain. This weight gain then causes additional stress which turns into a vicious cycle. Practicing yoga on a regular basis helps to quiet the mind, reduce stress, and promote emotional resilience. Studies on the effects of yoga for postpartum women show that practicing yoga has a positive impact on sleep quality which in turn improves overall mental health.
Yoga Promotes Mindfulness and Better Eating Habits
Yoga promotes mindfulness which helps you make better food choices. Instead of stress eating junk food, you will be more likely to reach for a healthy snack when you’re hungry. Reduced stress levels also have a positive impact on regulating hunger hormones such as ghrelin and leptin – this means that you won’t be constantly hungry. Since your stress and anxiety will be lower, you won’t be tempted to eat when you’re not actually hungry. Mindful eating also helps you realize when you are full which will reduce overeating. Combining yoga with a healthy daily diet will help you lose weight and keep it off.
Conclusion
Postpartum weight loss is not only about reducing weight but it’s also about nurturing your body, mind and soul as you recover from the beautiful journey of pregnancy and childbirth. Yoga is one of the key effective approaches to achieve this balance in your life. Yoga practices will strengthen your core, reduce stress and promote mindfulness which will help you to recover easily from this postpartum journey.
However, it is important to go slow and steady without pressurizing yourself as your body has done something extraordinary and will require time to heal. Prioritize self-care and consistency during this journey. With Yoga, you can successfully promote overall physical health and emotional well-being while embracing love, kindness and patience.