Q. “I had my baby over 8
weeks ago and really want to get rid of my flabby belly but find it’s difficult
to prepare and cook food with a baby! Any advice to help rid my stomach”? Sylvia, Mum to Isabel
Its quite a challenge to focus on your own health whilst looking after your new baby or toddler! So focus on these steps first:
- Eat a little and often to keep your metabolism up. Starving yourself means your body holds onto body fat; if you eat regularly your body is more likely to burn fat for fuel. Instead of focusing on calories, think about how nutritious a food is – for instance hummus and carrot sticks will nourish your body more than the same number of calories from a slice of cake. To breakdown fat your body needs optimum levels of vitamins and minerals, which are often depleted after pregnancy, so nutrient-rich foods are key.
- Go easy on portion sizes – your stomach is not much bigger that your fist. Chew food well and always wait 20 minutes before having seconds – often by then you are no longer hungry.
- Choose healthy ready meals such as ready-cooked
lentils, quinoa or pre-made salad pots that can easily be mixed with some
veggies and cooked chicken, for example. - Have a cook-off. Choose an evening or weekend, make a big batch of fruit salad or a dish that will last a few meals/can be frozen.
- Plan your meals (and shopping list) a week in advance – this takes a bit of time in the short -term but it makes quick, healthy eating so much more
achievable in the long term. Worth it! - And finally, keep up the exercise!!! This not only burns calories but increases your metabolism – so you will be burning more calories per minute, even while you sleep…
