Dr. Peter McIlveen, MD, provides 3 main points to focus on when trying to lose the baby weight after pregnancy.

1. How to Lose the Baby
Weight
3 Points to Focus On
By: Dr. Peter McIlveen, MD, MBA, FACOG

2. As we know, getting the weight off soon after
pregnancy is critical.
It sets the tone for your own health AND sets
an example for your child.

3. When we say soon, what does that mean?

4. A year is a healthy amount of time to lose the baby weight.
Don’t be too hard on yourself.
Your priority is your new child. But becoming a healthy role
model is your next priority.

5. So now, what to focus on?

6. 1. Move it!
Start moving right away!
10-20 minute strolls/walks are a great way to start
moving. Give yourself 6 weeks of short strolls until
the exercise can begin.

7. Motion will also help quell the stress of taking care
of a new screaming, pooping life.

8. Kristen Horler founded Baby Boot Camp and has
comprised a 26 minute workout for new moms. You
won’t need a babysitter for this either. This is her
scale of rate of perceived exertion:
1. No effort
2. Light effort
3. Vey easy/comfortable
4. Light to moderate effort
5. Moderate to strong effort (you’re aware of your breathing)
6. Strong effort (you can’t comfortably carry on a conversation)
7. Very strong effort (you can only talk in short sentences)
8. Challenging (you can’t utter more than a phrase at a time)
9. Unable to talk (you only keep up this intensity for very short spurts)
10. Maxed out (lightheaded)

9. Beginner: The Crawl
• Warm up: (5 min) walk at a moderate pace, keep your shoulders
back, keep your stroller 6-10 inches from your hips
• First 30 sec: walk at a challenging pace, RPE of 5 or 6
• Next 60 sec: walk a slower pace, RPE of 4 or 5
• Alternate these 12 times, totally to 18 minutes
• Cool down: (3 min) walk easy, RPE of 2

10. Moderate: The Cruiser
• When you feel like you are not being challenged anymore,
increase steps 1 and 2 to 45 and 90 seconds, respectively.
• This will also increase workout time by 9 minutes! Don’t
forget to warm up and cool down.

11. Advanced: Full-on Toddling
• Usually after 4-6 weeks, you’ll be ready to increase
intensity rather than just time.
• Make sure not to increase duration, frequency, and
intensity all at once! Increase one at a time until you are
comfortable.

12. Important Tip
• Make sure when your child is 0-6 months, use a stroller
that reclines fully so the baby can lie flat. Infants do not
develop good head/neck control until 6 months.
• Maybe even get a joggers stroller!

13. 2. Eat Smart
• Even if you’re not nursing, you still need energy for your baby
and yourself. If you are nursing, what you eat affects your baby.
• If you eat broccoli, the baby is more likely to enjoy it.
• Eat foods that energize you rather than make you feel sluggish.

14. Foods with carbs and sugar make your blood sugar spike, giving
you energy at first, and then crash, making you feel hungrier sooner.
Eat foods that are packed with nutrients, lean protein and healthy
fats.

15. 3. Free Your Mind
Stress can build up and cause fatigue, irritability and
weight retention or even weight gain.
Stress can make you crave fatty, sweet, salty, crunchy
foods.
How can you decrease stress?

16. 1. Sleep when the Baby Sleeps
Have someone else do the dishes and laundry or any other
tasks you would do. Sleep is crucial to reseting your body.

17. 2. The Rubdown
If you can’t make it to a spa, ask your partner to give you a massage.
Studies show that adults who receive a deep-tissue massage
experience significantly lower levels of the stress hormone.

18. 3. Go Outside
Bring baby playtime outdoors!
Spending time outside actually
increases happiness and
decreases stress!

19. 4. 6 min. of “me time”
Research has found that
even 6 minutes of reading
can calm frazzled nerves
and reduce stress by 68%
Read, listen to music, play
music, make yourself a
cup of tea and drink it
alone - whatever you need
to do for just YOU, do it.

20. Dr. Peter McIlveen
Dr. McIlveen is an Ob/Gyn and recently
received his certification in Obesity Medicine
after realizing the health problems associated
with women who do not lose the weight soon
after pregnancy. Dr. McIlveen prides himself
on listening to his patients and received the
Patients’ Choice Award in 2013.
Learn more here:
http://drpetermcilveen.net
http://drpetermcilveen.org