During pregnancy, your body changes. Most women experience a decrease in physical activity and increase in weight gain. After recovery, you might be excited to get back into an active lifestyle, but for some people, the road back can be long and hard. Some women have to start from square one with their fitness goals. If you are trying to regain fitness after pregnancy, follow these tips to get started. 

1. Be patient.

The most important thing to remember as you start your postpartum fitness journey is to be patient. It takes time to get started with exercise, and if you do too much too soon, you can injure yourself. Go very slowly at first, and try not to push too hard. You might feel frustrated with what seems like very easy workouts, but you are laying a foundation for bigger gains later. Spend time walking, stair climbing, and doing light weights to strengthen your body for more intense workouts down the road. 

You should also be patient with the results you get from your workout. You won't run very fast at first, lift as much as you would like to, or have as much endurance. Your body takes a while to recover from pregnancy, and as you do recover, you will see better results from your workouts. 

2. Change your nutrition.

After your baby is born, your appetite can be ferocious. Women who are breastfeeding need enough food and calories to keep producing milk, so your body will crave carbohydrates. As you try to get your fitness back, fuel your body with quality ingredients. You'll have more energy, you'll have an easier time with weight management, and you will recover from your workouts better. To prevent losing your milk supply, make sure you eat plenty of fat and wholesome sources of carbohydrates, like oatmeal, sweet potatoes, and starchy vegetables like corn and squash. Get plenty of lean protein for muscles repair; chicken, fish, lean beef, and eggs are all good for breastfeeding mothers. 

3. Get help if you can.

You might struggle to come up with a plan for your workouts. Reach out to a local gym or fitness center about getting personal training services to help you get on track. Your trainer will assess your goals and help you plan your workouts. Many gyms offer childcare for babies and toddlers so you don't have to juggle caring for an infant with your daily workout. Having a trainer will also keep you consistent, especially during those isolating months of new motherhood.