Diet or exercise?
Returning to prenatal weight and BMI is a medical, not aesthetic, issue. Prolonged maintenance of the weight gained during pregnancy can increase the risk of diabetes, heart disease, and high blood pressure. Women who return to prenatal levels within six months will, on average, be less likely to be overweight after 10 years. Therefore, researchers from different countries are studying various methods to help mothers get back in shape.
What mom needs
An analysis of 14 studies [1] showed that:
- physical activity without a healthy diet does not give noticeable results
- a healthy diet without exercise leads to weight loss
- diet plus exercise is no more effective in terms of weight loss than diet alone
However, experts still recommend combining diet with exercise, because it strengthens the cardiovascular system (which is very important after such a serious and prolonged load as pregnancy). And also, it helps you build muscle mass.
What baby needs
Babies get everything they need from mother's milk. There is no evidence that a healthy diet and exercise affects its quality or quantity.
- Diet or exercise, or both, for weight reduction in women after childbirth. Amanda R. Amorim Adegboye, Yvonne M. Linne. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, 2013. https://doi.org/10.1002/14651858.CD005627.pub3
