The mommy tummy....

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Mindmovesbody
Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
in Motivation and Support
Hi! I'm 34 years old, 5' 3.5" and right now bouncing between 133-136 lbs. I am within a healthy weight and body fat for my body but I do not look it naked! My tummy is soooo frustrating. I still look 4-5 months pregnant in the stomach and in the upper thighs and then fine everywhere else. I still have a lot of flab to get rid of. Please tell me there is someone out there that had a 'protruding' stomach after childbirth and has gotten rid of it non-surgically. I was at 151 before joining MFP. I have 3 children but had 2 back to back in a 3 year span and didn't really do much to lose in between. I will not just wear a t-shirt and jeans b/c I am so uncomfortable with my stomach. It's an issue, and I am becoming increasingly unmotivated in recent weeks. I start eating like garbage, not caring because its not changing anyway and then getting dressed brings me back to reality. I don't are if I ever wear a bikini again but a t shirt without seeing my belly protruding would be nice! Any success stories with this?
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Replies

  • limabean00
    limabean00 Posts: 9 Member
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    How old is your youngest child? That makes a big difference. Finding the time & energy to workout with babies is very hard. Taking care of yourself is important but don't be too hard on yourself. My youngest is 2 and I only started working out 5-6 times a week this January. When the kids were smaller I was lucky to get in a workout 2-3 times a week - sleep was a priority!

    My best advice is to avoid old fashioned situps, they can actually make things worse. Find workouts that say they use "standing ab work" or "standing crunches" for much better results. Right now I'm using Jillian Michaels 6 week 6 pack and I'm on week 3 and there is a already huge difference. Faster results than I've had than any other workout EVER.

    After my first baby was born, I gained about 50 pounds, but when I finally lost it, my stomach was completely flat again. During my 2nd pregnancy I developed an umbilical hernia so my stomach will never quite look the way it did pre-babies until I have surgery. But I think I've done pretty good considering. I can wear fitted shirts again without people asking me when I'm due! :-)
  • rosehippy77
    rosehippy77 Posts: 54 Member
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    I'd love to hear of a success story for this issue. I'm 5'6 weight of 168lbs, and have had 3 boys, the 1st two within 13 months of each other back to back. I am a natural apple shape and my weight all goes on my torso. My legs arms and face seem to look ok, it's the belly that stores all the excess fat, and I'm starting to worry that the deflated pooch may not ever tighten back up!
    I am aware that you can't target specific areas of the body, and that area will be the last to go.
    I'm trying to be brave enough to do a photo of my body to put on my profile, because if I do manage to sort out the belly issue, I'd love to be able to encourage others with a before and after photo, and this would be a great motivational tool for me too!
    My youngest is 4 next month.
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
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    Hi, thank you for responding! My youngest is 18 months. I can usually get in 4 workouts a week but aim for 5-6. The problem is when I do eat healthfully and weigh every last bite and work out and I don't see results at all after 3 months I get so discouraged and then fall off. I know it is a long slow process but convincing m mind that something good is happening when I can't SEE it is difficult.
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
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    Hey rosehippy77, I would imagine there are probably a lot of women out there with the same issue as us. I'm naturally an apple shape as well. I have the skinniest darn ankles and then the belly. Talk about looking funny. I do not have the gull to post pics. Of course, I don't know why it's not like I have anyone to impress. Ha! Maybe I will to you to give others the courage to do it. I talked to an acquaintance who is a personal trainer and he said the key for me is cardio right now. He said to cut back 1-2 sessions of lifting a week and add in 2 cardio for now. Then reintroduce lifting. I do Zumba usually 4 times a week and then lift about 3 times a week, on a normal non spring break week. My kids are 11 (looked great a year after having him), 3.5 and 1.5.
  • Springfield_Rocks
    Springfield_Rocks Posts: 289
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    As soon as I read Mommy Tummy I thought of this....

    http://inspiredrd.com/2012/06/dear-diastasis-recti-im-so-over-you.html

    hope it helps.

    :flowerforyou:
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
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    Wow lots_of_love, thank you for that post. Getting on the floor to check right now!
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
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    No diastasis-recti, I can fit maybe a half a finger in between, I'm thankful.
  • Debbjones
    Debbjones Posts: 278 Member
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    Is the skin on your tummy stretched? Do you see visible stretch marks or does your tummy skin sag? If this is NOT the case for you, then I agree concentrated sit-ups might do the trick. Anywhere the skin sags or there is visible signs of damage where the skin has stretched beyond it's elastic capacity, fat will accumulate and it may be impossible to return to it's original state.

    Sorry to say, but like you I am 5'3.5"; I weigh 108 pounds and I wear a size zero (sometimes 00)... I will NEVER lose my tummy. I had my last baby 30 years ago, but both of my children weighed over 10 pounds at birth, since giving birth to my first, my tummy never returned to original state.

    It is a difficult thing to think you may not have a flat tummy like before giving birth, but what you see when you look in the mirror, is not what others see. Keep on trying the sit-ups... place your feet under the edge of the couch or have one of your children sit on you feet when you do them... the resistance on your feet will help strengthen your tummy muscles... and never give up. All your efforts will pay off in the long run!
  • forwesgar13
    forwesgar13 Posts: 56 Member
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    What I've learned along the way is you cant spot reduce your weight. What did help me though because I always carried weight around the middle was I started out with a walk / run three days a week 3 miles then extended it to five days. Diet was key of course. I ate cleaner but also cut out sweet tea , bread , and all pastas at first I now do in moderation except the tea. I have spent years in the gym doing tread mills and classes but have never lost inches in my stomach and waist like I have now. I have gone from and 8 to a 2 . The smallest before I had ever been was a six. Diet has been a huge key . Just eating good stuff and also 5 meals , no starving. Something I never did when I worked out before. Cardio will help you loose fat and inches. Now I strong lift to build and maintain muscle along with the cardio a few times a week. Hope this helps its just what helped this mom of three with a tummy.
  • servilia
    servilia Posts: 3,453 Member
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    Does it still stick out when you pull it in with your abs?
    If it's flab then all you can do is continue to lose fat and lower your body fat percentage and strengthen your abs so it's pulled in more.
  • klhessling
    klhessling Posts: 48 Member
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    Quality sleep and a clean diet low in processed sugar and white carbs is key. You may need to lose another 10 pounds for your height too. Are you doing strength training too? I have my flat stomach back after 2 kids, but my youngest is 8. Good luck!
  • raeraebeau
    raeraebeau Posts: 47
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    I have a 5 yr old and a 2 yr old. My stomach is gross. Like hang over my pants gross. I hate looking in the mirror because of it. I was doing a ton of crunches a night and not seeing any results, I've decided to forget that and concentrate on losing 20 lbs because I think I'm just fat and it's not all just baby belly. I have a lot of stretched out skin but Im sure lots of fat under it. I'm hoping once I get to 150 I will have an easier time toning my abs. But honestly I don't think it will ever go away completely and I will never wear a bikini, which honestly I'm ok with never felt modest to me either way :)
  • abyssfully
    abyssfully Posts: 410 Member
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    you need to re-strengthen your core from the inside out.

    that means learn to engage and strengthen your "transverse abdominis"

    *do not* do regular crunches or oblique crunches!
  • rosehippy77
    rosehippy77 Posts: 54 Member
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    Hey ladies,
    I will have to check out that link, a lot of good pointers here. I haven't yet started any specific exercise program yet, my plan for the moment is purely to sort out my diet, my downfall has been grazing throughout the day on sugary snacks and not stopping to think about what I'm putting in my mouth!
    I'm guessing I need to lose around 30lbs overall, although for the moment I've set my goal at 20lbs, then will reset when I get to my initial goal. When I've got the 20lbs off (6 off so far) then I will up my game and actually start some sort of regular and structured exercise program. For the time being I am taking the "couch to 5K" type approach, and have this week started walking with a friend for half hour in the evening around 3 times per week. I am excited to get to a point where I can jog then run. I have bought some lovely new running shoes which I saved up for. I haven't really been the exercise type, so am starting right at the beginning!
    I have somehow been blessed with very few stretch marks and regained a reasonable shape after my first 2 sons were born, even though they were big babies, it was the third that ruined me! I had a few complications with him, and had polyhydramnios (excess amniotic fluid) so looked absolutely huge with him! My poor belly has never recovered!
    I sure will do my best to try to fix it if I can!
  • Mindmovesbody
    Mindmovesbody Posts: 399 Member
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    Yep, polyhydramnios here as well with my second. I'm not sure if I am more frustrated with the fact that the last 10-15 don't want to budge or the fact that even with all the weight loss already I hardly see a change in the tummy area. I do not have stretch marks. By some miracle and my ridiculous 'cream' that I whipped up and slathered on through all my pregnancies I do not have them. I do have a small 'sag' line at the bottom of my stomach so maybe that is skin. Idk. Frustrated :explode:
  • grandmastime
    grandmastime Posts: 57 Member
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    My girls are adults now but I have had a Belly for the last 6 years. I was frustrated. I accidently found something that worked for me. I was looking to get healthy because this winter I was sick all the time. I started to work on my digestive track. I took a natural health class and found out that if we eat a lot of processed foods we lose the good Flora (bacteria) that helps us digest our foods poperly. As suggested by a person that specializes in Natural Healing I started taking fiber (Phsyllum husks are the best), a digestive emzyme and a probiotic. I also cut out all processed food and went back to cooking like my mother and grandmother did on the farm. I have lost a couple of pounds but the most surprising thing is that my "pooch" is getting flatter. I measured my waist today and have lost 1 off it. It has only been 3 weeks. All this after my doctor told me to basically get use to it because i was in the first stages of menopause.
  • sllp1976
    sllp1976 Posts: 1
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    I'm in kind of the same boat as you. My youngest is 1.5 and the oldest is 6. I've got about 20 pounds I want to lose to really feel like I've ditched all of the allover baby weight. I carry weight in my hips and thighs (pear). My stomach is relatively flat when standing, but it feels so pudgy when sitting. And if I lean over, the skin stretches and hangs kind of loose. Not sure what to do about that. I have about the same stats as you - 5'2" and current weight 134. I've been doing Zumba 2 days a week for the last year but have realized I need to kick it up a notch now to get over this last hurdle. I did WW last year to lose most of the baby weight, but decided to give MFP a try since it's free! Hoping I can get there. MFP has me eating a net of 1200 calories a day which I think will help a bunch since I'm pretty sure I've been eating MUCH more than that! I'm also going to add in at least two more days of cardio and/or circuit training and see what happens.

    I have read a lot about the different causes of tummy pooch. Here's an interesting article a friend of mine pinned that might be useful: http://haileyshelpfulhints.blogspot.com/2012/03/tame-tum-spare-tire-or-stress-bulge.html. Diet plays a huge factor in tummy bulge and I've read a lot of things about eliminating processed foods to make a big difference. For me, that's a hard one as a busy working mom. I just don't have time to clean eat all the time so I'm just going to do the best I can!

    Good luck!
  • leyshockl
    leyshockl Posts: 17 Member
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    Hi There! I definitely understand your frustrations. I have 2 boys, 7.5 and 5 years old. I am naturally pear shaped and my tummy was never really a problem area for me until after I had my boys. However, now it is one of the best parts of me! What has worked for me is: running, Jillian's 'Ripped in 30', staying at my calories and limiting sugar. It took quite a bit of work to get to where I am now (you can see in my profile pic), but I am proof that it CAN be done! Good luck to you!
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
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    I am an inch shorter than you and when I weighed 127 lbs after baby number two I had a tummy. It was easy to hide it when fully dressed but it was still there. For a while I thought some of it was just stretched out skin from being pregnant. Turns out it was fat and a weak core. Exercise and diet worked wonders and now I have a nicely defined, flat stomach.

    I know it is hard to find time to exercise with two little ones, do you have access to a gym with childcare? A nice gym with childcare has saved my sanity, I highly recommend it if you can. Good luck!
  • MercenaryNoetic26
    MercenaryNoetic26 Posts: 2,747 Member
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    Weight training. I have an 8 month old. I just started working out (again) little over a month ago and the belly is shrinking. Before that it would not really budge and I was more lazy & low on energy. Now I feel like my old self. I also eat at a mod tdee.

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