I'm currently in the process of trying to lose all the weight I put on when pg...so far I've lost 8kg, and I can see the difference around my ribs/arms/bum etc...but with the weight coming off all the other areas, my baby belly seems to be even more pronounced! The weight doesn't seem to be coming off there at all! Has anyone else had this problem? My next problem is that I HATE sit-ups with a passion...Any ideas on how to beat the baby belly without them? I'm doing a fair bit of walking...but, like I said - the weight is coming off anywhere but my tummy! #-o
Juliette, IKHYF about the 'baby belly'. I have always had a bit of a belly, but after I had Lindsay it was more pronounced, even though I lost all the baby weight, my tummy still stuck out. I never worried about it too much.
have you tried sitting on the floor, putting a small weight on your feet and lifting your legs a bit off the floor and holding them there?. Do you have access to a gym or aerobics class?
Unfortunately sometimes it doesn't seem to matter what you do, you can never quite get rid of the belly.
Hi
I have the same problem. I have a couple of friends who have done sit ups using an ab roller, their bellies are as flat as surfboards. I think if you really want to lose it, sit ups would be the way to go. I am going to try doing them each dayt soon!! However I hate them with a passion too!!
Good luck with it all, Hope you find a way to lose it, when you do, give us your tips!!!
I hate sit-ups too! What I'm doing is sucking in my stomach as much as I can (it feels very tight and starts to feel sore) as often as I can. It is making a difference. But I accept my tummy will never be the same as it used to. Good luck!
Juliette - I'm doing a post natal exercise class at the hospital physio and the physio says you shouldn't do full sit-ups anyway, they don't exercise the right muscles once you go above a certain level. Just doing a sit up enough to lift your shoulders off the ground and look at one spot on the ceiling with your hands behind your head (look at the spot to protect your neck) uses the muscles in the tummy that have been stretched.
I agree with Jennifer... we don't do full sit ups in any of our gym classes - which are taught by professional fitness instructors, so I'm assuming they know a thing or two... (I have heard they are not good for your back anyway?)
The smaller situps that Jennifer described are called crunches I think?
You can also work the sides (obliques) by crunching and aiming one shoulder to the opposing knee - like a diagonal crunch.
You can also do leg extensions, which will work the muscles of the lower abs.
Lie flat on your back with your legs up, and knees at a 90degree angle. Then slowly extend one leg out horizontally/straight, and then back in again to 90degrees, then alternate to the other side and so on. Make sure that your lower back stays flat on the floor whilst doing this. When you get stronger at it you can also extend both legs at the same time.
HTH
a lot of the exercise ball exercises - where you have to sit on the ball or lie on it and lift limbs will help strengthen your core region which in turn tones your stomach - just that you might find some of these exercises a bit more interesting than your basic crunch plus you can do your stomach exercises in a manner that you may find more comfortable than the floor. Another way is any time your doing any form of exercise make sure you tighten your stomach and brace with your core before you do it - makes the particular exercise more effecient plus works your stomach/core at the same time. Just some different suggestions on little ways to work on the tummy area.
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