How To Lose Belly Fat After Tubal Ligation – Health Experts Offer 5 Tips To Follow In 2024

Tubal ligation is a procedure that severs or seals fallopian tubes to prevent pregnancy.^[1] Some women might feel like they have a bigger belly after surgery. However, it’s usually temporary and can be managed with healthy lifestyle tips — which we’ll share here.

So if you’re wondering how to lose belly fat after tubal ligation, read on to find out everything you need to know.

5 Healthy Tips For Losing Belly Fat After Tubal Ligation

Losing stubborn lower belly fat isn’t very easy for everyone. It takes dedication to living a healthy lifestyle and lots of patience. If you follow these tips, though, you’re well on your way. 

Eat A Balanced Diet

It’s well known that eating a balanced diet^[2] that’s easy to stick to promotes healthy weight loss. While eating nutritious foods is not always easy, you can start by implementing one small change at a time. For example:

• Eat one palmful of fruit, nuts, and seeds for snacks.
• Have a protein-rich breakfast.^[3]
• Try a new exciting recipe to cook every week. 
• Add a serving of vegetables to every lunch or dinner. 
• Stock your freezer with lean proteins, vegetables, and fruit. 
• Keep your pantry stocked with nuts, seeds, and healthy snacks.  
• Dedicate a few hours weekly to cooking and prepping meals for the freezer. 
• Buy groceries at least once a week to ensure there’s always healthy food at home.

Avoid inflammatory foods and drinks like alcohol,^[4] soda, and processed foods.^[5] These foods increase inflammation and bloating and can lead to overeating and weight gain.^[6]

Don’t put too much pressure on yourself to eat well all the time to avoid losing motivation. Consider the 80/20 rule^[7] — a flexible approach to losing weight where 80% compliance to a healthy diet is sufficient for weight loss.

Manage Stress

It’s no secret that high stress levels^[8] can lead to weight gain, especially in the abdominal area. While managing stress is much easier said than done, there are small daily actions that help, such as:

• Taking 10 minutes^[9] every morning to meditate.^[10]
• Practicing yoga^[11] or other gentle exercise.
• Spending at least 10 minutes in green spaces^[12] daily. 
• Buying more plants for your home. 
• Watching a comedy show or movie to laugh. 
• Reducing social media^[13] to less than 30 minutes a day. However, there is still debate^[14] as to whether social media is bad for our overall mental well-being.
• Video calling a friend or loved one daily to see a friendly face.
• Prioritizing friendships and time in person with loved ones.
• Spending at least two hours a week in nature.^[15]
• Journaling or going for a walk whenever uncomfortable emotions arise.

All these actions can help center your thoughts, calm your mind, and elevate your mood.

Sleep Well

Your body rests, recovers, and regenerates while you sleep. When it comes to weight management and belly fat, prioritizing sleep^[16] is one of the best things you can do.

Getting 7-9 hours of quality sleep helps:

• Improve insulin sensitivity and balance blood sugar. 
• Balance hunger hormones, leading to eating less. 
• Regulate fat and carbohydrate metabolism.
• Reduce cortisol levels — our main stress hormone. 

Breaking old habits and changing your nighttime routine doesn’t have to be hard. Start by choosing one small thing you can do to help you get better quality sleep. Try to:

• Set an evening alarm reminder to turn off the screens and prepare for bed. 
• Leave a good book on your nightstand to read and relax before sleeping. 
• Make your bedroom a calm and soothing place with dim lighting and pleasant smells.
• Eat dinner at least 2-3 hours before bed. 
• Meditate before bed with nature sounds or calming music.  
• Make sure your mattress, pillows, and blankets are comfortable. 

Stay Hydrated

Water is an important part of your digestion, so it’s not something you can ignore if you want to improve your health. Water can help^[17] to:

• Boost metabolic function. 
• Reduce caloric intake and increase fat burning.^[18]
• Improve digestion.
• Detox your system by flushing toxins out through urination, sweat, and healthy kidney and digestive function for optimal waste elimination.  

Most people don’t drink enough water and don’t realize how much it affects their mental and physical health and energy levels. How much you need depends on many factors^[19] but in general, aim for 6-8 cups daily.^[20] That number might increase if you exercise regularly or live in a hot place.

Here are some tips to help you drink more water: 

• Drink a big glass of water or herbal tea first thing in the morning after waking up. 
• Carry a big water bottle everywhere with you.
• Leave a big glass of water or a water bottle on your desk. 
• Download an app that tracks water consumption and reminds you to drink more.

Prioritize Physical Activity

You should avoid vigorous exercise for one week after the operation.^[21] However, we were built to move, so some form of activity is essential^[22] to promote weight loss and good mental health. You don’t have to hit the gym or force yourself to run if you don’t want to. Once you’ve healed from the surgery, start experimenting with new ways to move your body, such as:

• Dancing to music you love for a few minutes every morning. 
• Signing up for an in-person or online dance class. 
• Looking up fun workouts on YouTube, like Zumba. 
• Trying strength training exercises that use your body weight.
• Downloading an app with fun workouts and upbeat instructors. 
• Investing in a few weights and a good mat for working out at home. 
• Going for a relaxing walk every evening, preferably in a green space.
• Practicing at least 10 minutes of calming yoga every morning or evening before bed. 

The most important thing is to start small with something you can do consistently. It doesn’t necessarily have to burn many calories — physical activity also helps reduce cortisol levels and balance blood sugar, which can aid weight management. Experiment with different routines to see how you can make it an enjoyable part of your day. 

Why Do Women Have Bigger Stomachs After Tubal Ligation?

Tubal ligation^[23] doesn’t directly cause weight gain. However, post-surgery, you might have to reduce physical activity temporarily. You might also eat more calories if you’re at home and bored or if you don’t feel like cooking and ordering take-out.

Also, noticing a bigger stomach might simply be due to post-surgery bloating or swelling. So if you’re wondering how to eliminate bloating after tubal ligation, you might just need to wait a bit for it to naturally decrease. 

Advice After Tubal Ligation

After the procedure, prioritize recovery. It’s not the time to worry about weight loss or appearance. Instead, focus on eating healthy, nourishing foods and balancing your mental well-being. 

Listen to your body and give it what it needs — which will likely be rest, gentle movement, and nourishing foods that will help you heal and recover more quickly. Also, avoid foods that cause inflammation and bloating, like processed and fried foods.

Call your doctor if any symptoms arise or if the bloating and swelling don’t decrease after a few days. 

Conclusion

If you feel like you’ve got a big belly after tubal ligation and you want to lose fat, it could be temporary bloating. Rest, nutritious food, gentle movement, hydration, and self-compassion might be all you need. 

Try focusing on creating a healthier relationship with your body — mentally and physically. Make sure you’re giving yourself time to recover while slowly adding healthy habits like exercise and stress-reducing activities.