The 'coles notes' to weight loss; what you need to know

Losing weight and getting back into shape after giving birth can often seem like a daunting task. We never really know where to begin and are often overwhelmed with choices that are all touted as being "the best" way to shed those unwanted pounds. The reality is that the gimmicks and tricks to increase weight loss in a short period of time are not sustainable and do not actually get to the root of the problem (inactivity and over-consumption).

So what's the answer? How are you supposed to get back into those jeans? The hard truth is that a combination of a healthy diet and regular exercise are the only way one can achieve healthy weight loss and maintain it over a lifetime.

So as you begin your journey to becoming a FITMOM™ here’s the “skinny” to help you ensure success:

• 3500 calories is equal to 1lb of fat. There are only 2 ways to 'kill the fat': reduce the consumption of extra calories OR increase activity levels.

• Women should never reduce their daily caloric intake to fewer than 1200 calories. If you are a breastfeeding mom remember to make sure you are still consuming the 300-500 extra calories you need to sustain your milk. You also need to add an additional 300-500 calories when you are exercising. Meeting with a nutritionist can help you put together a healthy meal plan that will meet your daily dietary needs and assist you with your weight loss goals.

• Blast Belly Fat: Sorry sisters, but you just can’t target your weight loss to a specific body part or region. Why? Fat cells are found all over the body and unfortunately, you can never know which ones will be broken down to provide you with the energy you need to complete a physical activity. However, you can TONE and tighten specific areas of your body to make them longer and leaner!

• Legs, Bums and Tums: For most women, these are the top 3 areas we seek to improve. Why does it take so long? There are certain hormones that are produced in our body that actually inhibit the breakdown of fat cells from those specific regions. To help improve these areas, a combination of cardio and strength training will help increase muscle mass, decrease fat, tighten and tone.

• Set a goal and make it SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Realistic, and Timely). For example: To improve my core strength I will perform The Plank 5 times/day and hold it for 45 seconds.

• Build exercise into your daily activities. To achieve any weight loss goals you can expect to work out up to 1 hour at least 4 times per week. This may seem like a lot, so start by exercising for 15 minutes every day, then increase your sessions by 5-10 minutes every week until you are up to 1 hour of physical activity. Always increase TIME first then increase INTENSITY.