Woman World Web

July 29th, 2008 by Teresa Brown

Moms who want to lose weight after giving birth can do so by exercising. The goal is to find the most effective ways to reduce your workout time and increase your metabolism, to get a lean, fit body.

1. Strength Training

Weights are a good for losing the baby fat because they work the fat burning tissues of your body, namely your muscles. Not all weight training is the same and thus you should choose resistance weight training because it increases your muscle strength. Resistance training uses any form of resistance such as your body weight or free weights, for example, to work your muscles. You should choose weights that provide some challenge for you to move them, as this will increase your metabolism and burn more calories in the long term.

2. Perform Compound Exercises

In order to maximize your body’s ability to burn the baby fat, you have to recruit as many muscle groups as possible. Compound exercises do just that. It is a form of exercise that engages several muscle groups and this increases the demand for more energy and therefore burns more fat. Doing lunges with dumbbells, for example, works the muscle groups of the leg, back, arms and buttocks.

3. Workout your Body in Pairs

Muscles are paired. You can lose the pregnancy weight efficiently when you work the upper and lower body in your workout session. You can do this by alternating your lower body and upper body exercises. This keeps your heart rate elevated and your metabolism in the fat burning zone. Remember, the more muscle fibers you stimulate, the more fat that your body will burn and this will help you to lose pregnancy weight fast and get you lean and toned.

4. Reps Low and Rests Low

Performing each exercise at maximum intensity with brief recovery intervals is the quick and efficient way to tone your muscles and trim your tummy. Studies have shown that lean muscle formation is stimulated by performing each exercise between 8 to 12 reps and to have a rest of 30 to 60 seconds between each set of exercise. Therefore, you will have the advantage of a workout that burns more calories and does so in less time.

5. Cardio in moderation

Only focusing on cardio as the answer to losing the baby fat will leave you frustrated and getting nowhere fast. Cardio burns calories, as does any form of exercise. What you have to realize is that cardio works on building your heart and leg muscle endurance.

Cardio burns fat for the short term and does not give you lean muscles. The proper way to get toned muscles is by incorporating some resistance training into your weekly workout schedule. You can alternate your cardio training days with your resistance training days to get a more balanced workout schedule.

The sound way to approach your pregnancy weight loss is to strive to live a healthy lifestyle. This includes eating right, exercising regularly and taking care of your mind and soul. Lifelong weight management involves the whole person and not just their body fat. However, by executing these five strategies you can lose your tummy and move yet one-step closer to wellness.