Toning stomach

ksandford

I had a baby in January by Emergency C-Section and have recently returned to the gym to help lose the last 10 pounds I gained. I've always had a toned stomach but now I'm quite flabby in that area but unsure what exercises to do to tone up. Any suggestions? Thanks.

mommyweighless

I'm in the same boat and recently posted about this. The one thing everyone tells me is burn fat..by burning fat you will lose the pooch. The saggy skin on the other hand just takes some time. I have been getting good results do pilates and water aerobics..both tone the muscles and core under the fat and help tighten things up.

dad106

There is not such thing as toning.. so in order to have a flat stomach, you simply have to lose the fat. You can lose the fat by eating a deficit, doing cardio to create a deficit and lifting weights(if you are able.. not sure what restrictions you have after a c-section).

rcharlee

Ok so first I'm going to say if people have not had a baby, they really don't know what the post baby stomach is like first hand. Their advice may not count for anything.

You can "tone" your abdominal muscles. Pregnancy stretches them into a different position then normal, so once you're postpartum you have to strengthen those muscles again. Planks, ab rolls, kettle bell around the worlds, and kettle bell two arm swings are all exercises you can do to restrengthen those muscles. Yes, after having babies we need to lose the baby belly fat, but you also need to get those muscles back into regular working order.

I hope your doctor has cleared you for abdominal exercises before you get back into; wouldn't want you to get hurt. Good luck!

randall774

so does the flabby skin tighten up over time?

i only ask as i once weighed over 300lbs and since dropping down to 194lb ive got this bit of stretchy flappy skin at the bottom of my stomach which concerns me.

dad106

Ok so first I'm going to say if people have not had a baby, they really don't know what the post baby stomach is like first hand. Their advice may not count for anything.

You can "tone" your abdominal muscles. Pregnancy stretches them into a different position then normal, so once you're postpartum you have to strengthen those muscles again. Planks, ab rolls, kettle bell around the worlds, and kettle bell two arm swings are all exercises you can do to restrengthen those muscles. Yes, after having babies we need to lose the baby belly fat, but you also need to get those muscles back into regular working order.

I hope your doctor has cleared you for abdominal exercises before you get back into; wouldn't want you to get hurt. Good luck!

You can make muscles stronger and restrengthen them but thats not "toning" them since toning doesn't exist.

You want a flat stomach, you lose the fat and strengthen the muscles.. how is a post pregnant woman exempt from that info? Telling her that info from people who haven't had children doesn't count for anything is silly.. and a bit pretentious.

UrbanRunner81

Ok so first I'm going to say if people have not had a baby, they really don't know what the post baby stomach is like first hand. Their advice may not count for anything.

You can "tone" your abdominal muscles. Pregnancy stretches them into a different position then normal, so once you're postpartum you have to strengthen those muscles again. Planks, ab rolls, kettle bell around the worlds, and kettle bell two arm swings are all exercises you can do to restrengthen those muscles. Yes, after having babies we need to lose the baby belly fat, but you also need to get those muscles back into regular working order.

I hope your doctor has cleared you for abdominal exercises before you get back into; wouldn't want you to get hurt. Good luck!

You can make muscles stronger and restrengthen them but thats not "toning" them since toning doesn't exist.

You want a flat stomach, you lose the fat and strengthen the muscles..

I agree. I have had 2 kids. I want a flat stomach, I need to build muscle and burn off fat. I am eating a surplus to build muscle afterward I will cut and lose fat so hopefully I end up with a flat stomach. Having a flat stomach is all about body fat, not how much you do ab exercises. You need to do all over body strength training, too.

mandyjb65

I agree. You cannot "spot train" as they call it. You need to lose overall body weight and not just targeted areas as that just does not work. Overall body workouts are best to lose the fat (cardio) and then do resistance with weights to build muscle.

rcharlee

"You can make muscles stronger and restrengthen them but thats not "toning" them since toning doesn't exist.

You want a flat stomach, you lose the fat and strengthen the muscles.. how is a post pregnant woman exempt from that info? Telling her that info from people who haven't had children doesn't count for anything is silly.. and a bit pretentious of yourself."





You must not have noticed the word tone in quotations. People generally use this term in reference to strengthening their muscles and making them stronger, hence why I spoke of strengthen, and what can be done in that effort.

I never said you don't have to lose fat; you lose fat and strengthen.

Now have you had a child? Are you a medical professional, or have first hand knowledge of how a postpartum body is different from women who have not had children? Like I clearly said before pregnancy abdominal muscles are put into a different position then normal, so once you're postpartum you have to strengthen those muscles again. Have you heard of Diastasis Rectus? People especially women who have had children need different types of ab exercises due to this. There's nothing pretentious or silly about being knowledgeable. Maybe you shouldn't read into things. My statement said "may not count for anything," meaning it could or could not for her. Your statement says, "Telling her that info from people who haven't had children doesn't count for anything." Last time i checked doesn't and may not do not share the same definition.

qtiekiki

Test to make sure you don't have diastasis recti. In most women, diastasis recti goes away within a few weeks of giving birth. So don't assume you have it just because you had kids.

The website shows you how to do it: http://www.bacinfo.com/popup/tips/diastasis.htm.
Here's a youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5iAnyo24Es

If you have diastasis recti, DO NOT do any crunchs, planks and other traditional abs exercises.
Try these instead: http://www.momsintofitness.com/post-pregnancy-exercise#q2

ETA: If you don't have diastasis recti, then it is a case of just losing body fat. So eat at a caloric deficit and exercise.

Burlesque12

Test to make sure you don't have diastasis recti. In most women, diastasis recti goes away within a few weeks of giving birth. So don't assume you have it just because you had kids.

The website shows you how to do it: http://www.bacinfo.com/popup/tips/diastasis.htm.
Here's a youtube video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U5iAnyo24Es

If you have diastasis recti, DO NOT do any crunchs, planks and other traditional abs exercises.
Try these instead: http://www.momsintofitness.com/post-pregnancy-exercise#q2

ETA: If you don't have diastasis recti, then it is a case of just losing body fat. So eat at a caloric deficit and exercise.

I have Diastasis Recti. Ive been losing the fat in my belly area slowly but surely by eating healthy, cardio & strength training. Not sure I'll ever have qtiekiki's rockin abs, but I can try! Flat bellies after kids are possible...Ive seen it, but I've heard it just takes alot of patience and of course healthy habits. Good luck!

ksandford

Thanks for all the advice! I've gone back to running (really hard work after not doing it for almost a year!!!!), using the cross trainer, Zumba and walking with the pram and I'm gradually losing the weight at about a pound a week which I'm pleased with. My stomach is starting to look better - it was only a little while ago that I still looked pregnant!!! I've almost accepted the fact that my stomach is never going to look the same and having rock hard abs may be a thing of the past!!!!