Let me start by saying this: you certainly DO NOT have to worry about losing weight postpartum. Most of us mamas have enough to deal with without the expectation of our bodies “bouncing back”. In fact, if it causes you a lot of stress it’s likely better for your health that you RELAX about it. Work on loving that beautiful body of yours just as it is!

BUT, if you find yourself ready to consider losing a few pounds - meaning, you have the self-compassion and mental space to make some changes to your diet and lifestyle in a loving way… here are my top tips to start with.

Make a plan

PLAN plan plan plan plan. You can’t plan too much. Personally, I make a weekly plan for dinners, and then I write out a plan for meals and snacks each day (either the night before or first thing in the morning). The reason this is so crucial is that it stops you from making decisions in the moment… when you’re already hungry. If you let your hungry brain make the food decisions, you’ll find yourself struggling to make progress. This doesn’t mean you can’t be flexible, but you’ll find that having a plan (even if it’s rough and you don’t stick to it perfectly) is going to be a game changer for your healthy eating habits.

Keep it simple

Postpartum isn’t the moment for fancy recipes or complicated meals. (Or detoxes or cleanses or crazy strict meal plans!) Here’s your permission to keep it ridiculously simple, and repeat meals as needed. You can even stick to a formula, if that’s helpful. For instance, you might decide breakfast is always eggs, lunch is always some kind of salad, and dinner is a veggie/carb/protein combo. You can tweak it however you like- but my point is not to overcomplicate it. Make extras, eat leftovers, keep your meals basic. And if you’re a person like me that gets a lot of excitement from cooking and making yummy food- reign it in for a while and use the extra mental energy for other hobbies.

Eliminate the “extras”

Extras can be anything from your kiddo’s leftovers, to that nibble of potato chips before dinner, to the extra drizzle of maple syrup on your oatmeal. It’s incredible how much these little things can add up! Be mindful and ask yourself if it’s really something you NEED- and if so, consider if you could reduce (eg. add 1/2 tbsp maple syrup instead of a whole tbsp.) Common “extras” that are actually dense in calories: sprinkling nuts/seeds on meals, sugar/creamer in coffee, olive oil drizzle, nut butters, handfuls of chips/crackers from the cupboard, added cheese on salads, avocado slices, sweet drinks. Some of these are very nutritious, but it’s likely that you’re going to be able to meet your nutrition needs without them.

Load up on veggies

Focusing on vegetables will easily lower the calorie density of your meals, leading to an effortless deficit if you do it consistently. The fibre we get from plant foods is also incredibly important for gut health. So load load load your plate with veggies- aim for at least 1/2 the plate at every meal. Snack on veggies instead of calorie dense treats. Eat BIGGGG salads that make you feel really full. Prepare multiple veggie sides with dinner. Buy pre-cut or frozen veg to make it easier. Eat your favourites, try new ones… just EAT those veggies, and lots of em!

Mindfully manage cravings

This one is a BIGGIE. Cravings will come. Every day, probably. Multiple times. How you handle them makes all the difference. What I recommend is this:

Greet the craving with a little hello. Hello craving! There you are again! Acknowledge it, accept it and don’t try to deny that it’s there.
Feel it fully. What does it feel like? Are there any emotions attached to it? Any thoughts? What is the sensation like in your body?
Then just… don’t have the thing. Know that just because the URGE is there, doesn’t mean you have to act on it. Have you ever had an urge to scream or to hit somebody but then you just… didn’t? That’s what we’re doing here.

I know it sounds simple, and maybe a bit silly- but the more you practice allowing the craving and not acting on it, the stronger this muscle will get. Soon you’ll start to feel much more in control around food, which is very empowering.

NOTE: This process works best if your nutrition game and stress management is ON point. Unbalanced blood sugar, gut issues, stress, and lack of sleep can all make cravings MUCH worse, and physiologically hard to manage.

Include lots of treats!

Nobody is expecting you to NEVER have a glass of wine, piece of chocolate or slice of cake ever again. That’s not fun, not healthy and not sustainable. My advice is actually to PLAN for treats as often as every day so that you NEVER feel deprived. If you know you’re going to have a few chocolates after dinner, it makes it easier to say no to the mid-day sweet craving. Keeping your treats consistent, choosing the ones that you REALLY like, and maintaining reasonable portions is the key to losing weight without losing your mind :) You’ll find that you enjoy your treats much more when they’re in small portions and you’ve built up anticipation for them by planning them into your day, and you won’t feel the need to binge junk food when it’s always available to you (ie. no foods are off limits!)

Track to check

You might be wondering what a “reasonable portion” is. And for that reason I recommend tracking your meals on an app- at least for a few days, or until you start to understand your own calorie needs without tracking. Because the thing is- you’re used to eating a maintenance amount of calories... if you simply listen to your body, you might just stay at the same weight. For weight loss, you’ll need to eat slightly less than maintenance. Tracking does two things: it helps you avoid nutrient deficiencies and under-eating (VERY important), and it helps you stay within a sensible calorie limit. I recommend Cronometer.com or My Fitness Pal.

It’s important to note that fat loss/weight loss of any kind requires a calorie deficit, and in order to maintain happy hormones I recommend not putting yourself in an extreme deficit. Go slowly. 300 calories per day is enough. Don’t cut out entire food groups or go on any crazy cleanses or detoxes. Play the long game, set a realistic goal, and enjoy your weight loss!

P.S. If you want more hands-on coaching and help creating a custom weight loss plan- check out my 1:1 coaching program!