Here are some useful tips to lose that excess fat gained during pregnancy

Don’t use pregnancy to rationalize binging.
Pregnancy is the time to get serious about nutrition. Eating junk food will bring about a small baby and make you bigger. Make your pregnancy a time to turn over a new leaf if you are a junk food lover. You will be formulating habits that will benefit you and help teach your children about nutrition.

At the same time, don’t obsess about weight gain. Instead focus on good nutrition, stay as active as you can, and you won’t go wrong.

Breast feed your baby.
Breast feeding burns around 500 to 700 calories a day. Your body puts on anout 9 pounds during your pregnancy specifically for this purpose. This extra weight is to make sure you will have enough fat to burn to make milk for your baby. If you don’t breastfeed, that extra weight goes to waste, and you have to work harder to remove it.

Several studies show that breast feeding mothers return to their pre-pregnancy weight more quickly. Breast feeding also helps your uterus contract back to its pre-pregnancy size faster.

Talk a walk every day
Walking is possibly the best exercise for new moms. It’s not stressful on your joints, it’s free and doesn’t require a babysitter or any special equipment. It gets you out in the sun, which helps regulates your sleep/wake cycle, causing you and baby to sleep better at night and possibly helping prevent postpartum depression.

“Wear” your baby
In addition to the many other benefits, using a baby sling to carry your baby will burn lots of calories during the day as you go about your daily routine. It also makes it easier for you to be active. You’ll be less tempted to sit around. Throwing on a sling and sitting baby inside it is a great deal easier than lugging out and setting up a heavy stroller.

Curb those cravings
Postpartum moms have cravings for several reasons. One is because serotonin levels are dropping, leading to cravings for sugar. Try to snack on fruits instead of high in sugar sweets.

Another cause of cravings may be low blood sugar due to inadequate nutrition. Keep your blood sugar in check by eating frequent small meals that are balanced in nutrients. Keep snacks handy that you can grab quickly before you feed the baby. You need fats, protein and complex carbohydrates. Things like dried fruit and nuts, granola, yogurt, vegetables, whole grain pita bread, fruit smoothies, etc will keep your blood sugar constant and provide good nutrition. And keep taking your prenatal multivitamin to help prevent deficiencies that may cause cravings.

Avoid excessive caffeine
Drinking too much caffeine leads to insulin surges which cause your blood sugar to drop. When this happens you may find yourself heading straight for the refined carbs to quickly bring their blood sugar back up.

Get enough rest
Easier said than done for a new mom. But if at all possible, nap with your baby. When you are terribly sleep deprived, you tend to gain weight. Women all over the world have been doing it for thousands of years. As long as you are not morbidly obese, using sleeping pills or inebriated, sleeping with you baby is safe.

Lastly, be realistic and give it time. Don’t expect to be back into your favorite jeans within a few weeks of delivery.
By eating a healthy balanced diet and getting some exercise each day, you body will back to its pre-pregnancy form in no time