5 Simple Ways to Speed Weight Loss and Reduce Women’s Urinary Incontinence

by General Urinary IncontinenceUrge Urinary IncontinenceUrinary Incontinence

In our past two articles on our blog we have discussed ways women can lose weight as a conservative therapy to alleviate symptoms of urinary incontinence, such as urinary urgency, frequency, and leakage. These weight loss tips are useful for any woman who is carrying even a few extra pounds and who has urinary incontinence symptoms. Being even 5% overweight can worsen these types of symptoms, so dropping just 5 or 10 pounds could equal a lot of relief!

Be sure to read our last few blog posts if you are unsure why extra weight contributes to and worsens symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence. The short version is that extra weight between your collarbone and your pelvis puts pressure on your bladder and urinary system, which equals urinary urgency and possible leakage. This is true whether you are a new mom or a menopausal woman!

How to Slim Down Fast – 5 Simple Ways
Assuming that you have already committed to losing weight as a way to reduce or even stop your urinary incontinence symptoms, we have 5 simple tips on how you can slim down even faster. These tips enhance what you are already doing by eating healthy, staying hydrated, and getting some moderate exercise. These tips are designed to maximize the effectiveness of your weight loss plan by making a few tweaks.

Tip #1: Intensify Workouts
Whether you walk or visit the gym or do yoga at home, you can always take steps to make each workout a little more intense. Studies in exercise science show that short intense workouts burn fat faster than longer workouts that are slower and less intense. While you still need to get enough cardiovascular workouts to ensure heart and circulatory health, aim to intensify at least one or two of your weekly workouts.

For instance, if walking is your workout of choice, you can intensify each session by climbing a hill or two as part of your route. You can also take longer strides, walk off-road, or carry light weights to burn fat faster. By the same token, yoga does not have to be all about serene music and slow movements. Moving through certain poses–such as some forms of the Sun Salutation–can be quite intense. Or hold the Down Dog position for three to five minutes to really work your arms, core, and legs. If you are not sure which poses will work best for you, join a yoga class for a few weeks or months until you find a workout plan that is effective for you.

Tip #2: Eat Breakfast
While this tip is a no-brainer, a surprising number of women skip breakfast anyway. Nutritional studies demonstrate that eating a healthy breakfast keeps you full throughout the morning, and helps you avoid food cravings and snacking before lunch. A healthy breakfast, eaten within one hour of getting out of bed, also stabilizes your blood sugar, which provides you with plenty of energy all morning.

Tip #3: Sneak In Workouts
Instead of spending your energy figuring out how to sneak snack foods into your diet plan, focus on sneaking quick workouts into your day. Intense workouts do not have to be long in order to be effective. Spending just 15 minutes on your spin bike at home or speed-walking around the block between coming home from work and spending time with your family is all you need for your daily workout. You know your workout is intense if you are able to build up a sweat during that 15-minute period.

Tip #4: Eat a Bite Before Your Workout
If you find yourself fading fast during workouts–especially during evening sessions after work–try eating a small snack before you workout. Try eating a heaping spoonful of peanut butter or a few healthy crackers. Your snack will give your body some extra calories to fuel your workout, not to mention stabilizing your blood sugar so you feel enthusiastic about your exercise session.

Tip #5: Setup Rewards for Yourself
Without rewards, exercising and dieting can feel like one long jog down a dark tunnel–with no visible light at the end! Choose a reward that will really motivate you to stick with your dietary and exercise goals. For instance, if you absolutely adore Rocky Road ice cream, promise yourself a bowl of it when you have stuck with your program for 30 days in a row. Or if massage is more your style, buy yourself some time on the table when you have lost 7 pounds. Studies show that reward is an extremely effective motivational tool, so use it to boost your commitment to your weight loss program!

Beat the Leak with Weight Loss
While weight loss continues to be the most popular New Year’s Resolution, this goal is especially important for women who experience urinary urgency, leakage, or frequency. If you are overweight, shedding a few pounds will go a long way toward helping you “beat the leak”! Plus, you will be contributing to your overall health–and you will LOVE the way you look. Hopefully the five tips in this article will enhance your weight loss plan and help you slim down faster while getting healthier.

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How to Lose Your “Mommy Middle Muffin-Top”

by General Urinary IncontinenceWomen's Healthcare

In our previous article  we discussed guidelines for healthy weight gain during pregnancy, and healthy weight loss after delivery. One of the main benefits of losing the extra baby weight post-partum is reducing the risk of women’s urinary incontinence. The joy of welcoming your new baby can be marred by always having to run for the bathroom, so making a plan to lose extra baby weight post-partum is a really good idea.

Unfortunately, a lot of women don’t receive the information they need from their healthcare providers on losing baby weight. A recent study (http://huff.to/13pfqxT) indicated that up to 85% of women had not received post-partum weight loss information 4 months after they had given birth!

If you are looking for ways to lose your “mommy middle muffin-top” hopefully the following tips will give you some good ideas.

How to Slim Down Post-Partum
The good news is that the delivery process itself pretty much guarantees you a 10-pound weight loss (the baby’s weight plus placenta and amniotic fluid). You can also expect to lose another 3 to 5 pounds of water weight in the first week after delivery.

To continue that weight loss trend–with every pound loss reducing your risk of women’s urinary incontinence–consider some of these tips.

1. Eat Right
Let your body tell you when you should eat. Another way to put it is, “Eat only when you are hungry.” Women who breastfeed will need more calories, as babies who are exclusively breastfed require between 500 and 800 calories per day. Focus on whole grains, fresh fruits and vegetables, and lean meats. Eat small portions and consume small meals more frequently during the day. If you are not sure you can stick to a diet, consider joining a recognized weight loss program to support you through the process.

2. Return to Gentle Exercise
Check with your healthcare provider about when you can safely return to gentle exercise. Women who have straightforward vaginal deliveries can expect to return to light exercise within days of giving birth. Women with more complicated deliveries (including C-sections) will need to follow guidelines offered by their doctors. Of course, women can and should do pelvic floor muscle exercises during pregnancy and after delivery to keep those muscles toned and fit. Focusing on pelvic floor muscle exercises significantly decreases your risk of women’s urinary incontinence during and after pregnancy.

3. Sleep When Your Baby Sleeps
In other words, get as much beauty rest as your baby allows. Studies show that women who got adequate rest were more likely to lose baby weight more quickly than women who had less pillow time.

4. Hydrate Regularly
Getting plenty of pure water is important post-partum, especially if you are breast-feeding. Hydration is also important as you return to your exercises program. As a bonus, water can also help you feel more full so you avoid snacking on unhealthy foods. Finally, if you don’t get enough water your urine will become more acid, which can irritate your bladder and worsen symptoms such as urinary urgency and frequency.

5. Set Realistic Goals
When slimming down after delivery, a healthy rate of weight loss is about one pound per week. This may seem slow to you, yet this rate of weight loss is healthy and tends to be more permanent. Be gentle with yourself, acknowledge that pregnancy and delivery equal major body changes, and be patient with the weight loss process. Trying to fit into your skinny jeans a few weeks after delivery isn’t realistic for many women. Often, healthy post-partum weight loss can take up to six months so set realistic weight loss goals so you don’t end up judging yourself too harshly.

Hopefully these simple tips on getting rid of your “Mommy Middle,” which definitely decreases your risk of urinary incontinence, will help you lose weight in a healthy manner post-partum. Most importantly, if you are able to avoid or minimize symptoms of women’s urinary incontinence, you will be able to devote your full attention to your new baby!

If you enjoyed this post, we invite you to check out our book, leave a comment, contact us, download our free ebook, or interact with us on Twitter and Facebook.