During your pregnancy you more than likely gained weight. The average amount most women are told to gain is between 25-35 pounds. If a woman is underweight it may be suggested that she gain more than 35 pounds. Likewise, if a woman is overweight it may be suggested that she gain less than 25 pounds. However much you gain, how do you take it off?

The weight that the average woman gains is broken down somewhat like this:

Now this is just an average as some women will have 5 pound babies and others will have 10 pound babies. Getting rid of this weight after the baby comes is where the hard part comes in. If the chart is accurate for you, then you can probably expect to leave the hospital just 15 pounds lighter than when you came in. This accounts for the baby weight, the amniotic fluid, the placenta and some of the blood volume. That leaves you 16-20 pounds to still lose. Some of these pounds will come off naturally during the immediate weeks following pregnancy. Others will take longer.

If you started the pregnancy overweight and only gained a few pounds then chances are you will leave the hospital weighing less than you did before you delivered your baby. This is a GREAT feeling. If you desire, and begin eating healthy then you can continue the downward loss after your baby is born.

Some women will gain more than the recommended amount of weight during there pregnancy. From bad nutritional choices and a possible sedentary lifestyle during pregnancy, some women will gain, 50-60 pounds. Occasionally a woman will gain 80 pounds during pregnancy. The excess weight is all fat and is much harder to lose.

If you want to try to take advantage of the “best diet” a woman will ever go on, and continue to lose weight there are things that you can do. After your baby is born remember to eat healthy. Try to stay away from the sweets and fats, and eat more of the good healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and lean meats. If you are breastfeeding you will need the calories to help produce breast milk so you do not want to go on a strict diet. Healthy eating will go along way. After your 6-8 week postpartum doctor’s appointment, when your doctor gives you the all clear, start a light work out program, reawakening, and reshaping your muscles. Exercise, along with a healthy diet have been proven to help with weight loss.

Also, remember to drink a lot of water. Water consumption helps clear your body of the toxins and helps flush out the fats. The old “rule” is eight glasses of water a day, however many experts now suggest that you should drink half of your body weight, in ounces of water each day. Therefore, if you weigh 140 pounds, you should drink a minimum of 70 ounces of water each day. This computes to approximately nine glasses of water each day. If you are 200 pounds you should drink 100 ounces of water a day, or 12 1/2 glasses of water. If you have a hard time drinking water there are now flavored powders that you add to your water and that can give it a great taste.

Before you start any weight loss program, you should be sure to check with your doctor to make sure it is safe for you.