Weight loss after pregnancy, at a pace your body is ready for

Some of the weight goes in the first weeks, as fluid and the baby's weight leave. What remains takes longer, and for many women some of it stays: weight kept a year after delivery is linked in long-term studies to higher weight years later. That makes the first year worth planning, without rushing it.

Three things in the blood change most after birth. Anaemia is common, because pregnancy and delivery use up iron, and it leaves you tired and breathless on the stairs. The thyroid can become inflamed in the months after delivery, sometimes overactive first and underactive later. And if you had diabetes in pregnancy, your risk of type 2 diabetes later is many times higher, so the American Diabetes Association asks for a sugar test four to twelve weeks after birth.

The body itself needs time. After a vaginal birth most women can start gentle walking soon; after a C-section, the wound and the muscles beneath it need several weeks to heal, and your obstetrician should clear you before harder exercise. A gap between the stomach muscles is common and changes which core exercises are safe.

Breastfeeding uses extra energy, which can help weight come off, but it also raises hunger and needs enough protein, iron, calcium and fluid. A crash diet risks your energy and your milk. The plan aims for a steady loss that you can keep up on four hours of sleep.

Food comes first, and it has to be fast. Your nutritionist plans meals and snacks that can be eaten with one hand: curd with fruit, roasted chana, paneer or egg rolls, dal with roti made in batches. Protein and iron are built into every one, because recovery and milk both depend on them.

Traditional postpartum food is respected, not banned. Ghee-heavy laddoos and panjiri are part of many families' care. Your nutritionist works with them, often keeping them in smaller portions, rather than asking you to argue with your family.

Movement starts with walking, often with the pram or carrier, and builds slowly. Core work is chosen to suit any gap in the stomach muscles, and harder exercise begins only once your obstetrician has cleared you, which after a C-section usually takes several weeks.

Sleep is planned in pieces: naps when the baby sleeps, help with one night feed where possible, and a coach who adjusts the plan when a week goes badly instead of calling it a failure. Your doctor reviews progress every month.