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Happy Tummy Expert

6 months ago

Dear Jayaasree, Thank you for the question        

Weight gain during and after pregnancy is a natural phenomenon. During lactation & breastfeeding the lactating mother’s nutritional requirements should meet her own daily needs, provide enough nutrient in milk for growing infant and furnish the energy for milk production.

It is recommended to consume 2000+kcal with 63g (for 0-6 months lactation) and 59g (for 6-12 months lactation) of protein per day and 1200mg of calcium per day.

Here are few guidelines for healthy balanced diet that can be considered:

• Have a Diversified Balanced Diet that includes all the food groups in the right quantity which thereby provides you with all the essential macro and micro nutrients that your body requires daily for proper functioning.
• Try to incorporate the My plate Concept by dividing your plate into 4 quadrants, fill half of your plate with fruits and vegetables, the other two quadrants with cereals and protein. A small quantity of dairy intake is recommended.
• Begin your day with a well-balanced breakfast as it is an important meal of the day.
• Avoid skipping meals. Also, try to avoid fasting and feasting too often.
• Consume small frequent meals, with healthy snacking options.
• Consume minimum 5 servings of vegetables and 1 serving of fruit as they are rich in Fiber, essential minerals & Vitamins as well as they give you a feeling of satiety.
• Try to consume more of Whole grains, Millets and Multigrain foods as they are a good source of fiber.
• Limit intake of deep-fried foods. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before sleep time.
• Drink adequate amount of water (minimum 8 glasses) of water daily to keep yourself well hydrated
• Try and follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and Quality.

Galactogogues or lactogogue increase the prolactin secretion which in turn increase milk production foods like garlic, milk, almonds, Green leafy vegetables as they stimulate the production and Secretion of Breast milk. 

Consume a diversified balanced diet including all food groups ensure good intake nutrients such as protein, calcium, iron dietary fibre etc. Calcium is essential during lactation for secretion of breast-milk and prevent the risk of osteoporosis in the mother. Some of the good sources of calcium include milk and milk products, ragi, green leafy vegetables, nuts etc. Maintain hydration and good quality sleep regimen.

It is also important to bring to your attention that the body requires sufficient time after childbirth to recover and sustain the increased calorie needs with adequate nutrition and care. When you believe enough time has passed by after your delivery and you’ve healed and recovered to gradually start on weight loss, here a few guidelines to help you in your journey:

Ideally a sustainable and healthy weight loss regimen, should target on overall weight loss and fat reduction and requires a holistic approach that involves lifestyle modification which includes Dietary modification, Physical activity and stress management.

With any weight loss plan changes take time to reflect as your body requires sufficient time to adapt to the changes in order to show results.

An ideal weight loss meal plan should include calorie deficit diet with appropriate exercise regime followed under professional guidance.

However here are few objectives to be considered when planning to start with a weight loss program.

Count Your Daily Calories

• It is recommended to consume 500kcal less than your average, daily, current dietary intake of calories to target on 2-3kg weight loss per month (ideally 0.5kg per week).
• This target is a healthy& sustainable way of reducing and then maintaining the weight loss.
• The first step hence is “counting your daily calorie intakes”. Counting your daily calorie intake is proven to be effective when on a weight loss diet. You can use applications/apps freely available, that will help you count your calories to keep a track on your daily calorie intake and physical activity levels.
• These apps will also help you to track your hydration & sleep patterns which also impact your weight.
• Ideal body weight for an individual can be calculated using the Broca Index (BI) which is: Ideal Standard Weight (kg) = Ht (cm) – 100
• WHO has given different BMI (Body mass index) classifications to categorise adults into different weight categories. BMI is a simple index of weight-for-height. It can be considered as a 2nd level indicator of overall health.

It can be calculated using a simple formula of BMI = Weight (kg) / Height (m²)

Following is the WHO BMI Classification for Asians

18.5 to 23 - Normal

Less than 18.5 - Underweight

23 to 27.5 - Overweight

Above 27.5 - Obese

However, if you intend to lose weight please note it is recommended that the target body weight must be maintained within the normal BMI & ideal body weight range.

General Dietary Guidelines for weight loss that can be considered:

• Eat a well-balanced diet that includes all the 5 food groups (cereals, pulses, fruits, vegetables, milk & milk products).
• Do not skip your meals. Have small quantity of meals at regular intervals.
• Choose healthy snacking options in between your meals.
• Monitor your portion size.
• Fiber in your meals can potentiate the satiating property, suppress excess hunger and control food intake. All fruits and vegetables, whole grains, multigrain, millets, nuts & seeds etc., are a good source of fiber.
• Try switching from saturated fats and trans fats to MUFA (mono-unsaturated fatty acids) & PUFA (polyunsaturated fatty acids) as they are essential fatty acids and are good for your health.
• Include protein in your diet. Some of the sources include pulses, lentils, milk, paneer, soybean, eggs, lean meat, nuts & seeds, etc. 
• Consume fresh, seasonal fruits as they contain many essential nutrients and are good sources of fiber.
• Carbonated and alcoholic beverages to be limited or preferably avoided.
• Deep Fried foods to be restricted. Method of cooking like baking, grilling, boiling, steaming is preferable over deep frying with excess fat/ oil.
• Minimum of 8 glasses of water should be consumed to keep yourself hydrated.
• Have your last meal at least 2-3 hours before Bed time.
• Try to follow a good sleep regimen in terms of both quantity and quality.

Some Physical Activity Tips:

Engage in at least 30-45 minutes of physical activity of moderate intensity such as walking for at least five days a week. Kindly get guidance from your gynecologist for appropriate physical activity regimen that can be followed.

For a customized and personalized meal plan for specific conditions please contact your Health care professional or any registered dietician.

Hope we have answered your query.

Wishing you a great day ahead.

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