Core strengthening with physical limitations?

AMamaLana
AMamaLana Posts: 21 Member
edited November 9 in Fitness and Exercise
Hoping you can point me in the right direction for core strengthening/toning exercises. Specifically:

I've had three very large babies, I carried completely up and out and have the worst stretched skin of any Mama I've ever seen. After weaning my last, most of my extra body fat likes to hang out around my middle, not just a Mama pouch I have big fat love handles too.
I must be very careful what core exercises I do because I also have a fairly extensive pelvic prolapse. Many core exercises put great pressure on the pelvic muscles, this would not be good for me. I was seeing a PT about this issue, I'm off my exercise and motivation track at the moment and have no positive results to show for it...I plan to pick it up again, eventually, just very discouraged right now. PT said she could feel some separation in the abdominal muscles due to pregnancy and core exercises can help to fix that.
I have NO access to gym or such equipment. I do have five pound hand weights and a yoga mat and a TV I can get YouTube on.
I am about 6 pounds from reaching goal weight. I intend to put focus towards this again with holidays gone, I've been very slowly losing since last March, lost 24 so far. I am aware that losing those last 6 pounds or so SHOULD make a big difference for how my stomach/sides look, but knowing what damage my pregnancies did, I am positive that a good core strengthening program should accompany the weight loss.

Replies

  • Cherimoose
    Cherimoose Posts: 5,208 Member
    It sounds like your main concerns are the fat and extra skin around your middle. I'm not sure if you're aware of this, but exercises don't target the fat or skin layer next to a muscle. We can't choose where we lose. For more on that, Google "spot reduction myth".

    To reduce the fat, i'd follow a standard fat loss plan of a calorie deficit plus full-body strength training, to maintain a high metabolism. Since you had a pelvic prolapse, get approval from your doctor or PT before doing strength training. Then look into the Nerd Fitness program, which uses body weight.
    Eventually, consider investing in a pair of adjustable dumbbells ($40) and a set of door-mountable resistance bands ($30).

    As for the skin, much of it may snap back within 2 years of losing the weight, since you're relatively young. There is nothing else that can be done about extra abdominal skin, besides surgery. Exercises don't affect the skin layer, just the muscle under it.

    For the separated abdominal muscles, follow your PT's advice for core exercises. If they left the exercises up to you, see this post:
    http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1426644
  • AMamaLana
    AMamaLana Posts: 21 Member
    Yes, I am aware there is no way to truly target fat spots, and it is indeed all the extra fat around my middle that bothers me.
    I am sure most of this extra skin will never go away, but I do have about another 6# of KNOWN fat to lose, mostly in this area. Knowing that many of my pregnancy related muscle structure is weak, I just assume that losing that 6# and doing the core strengthening exercises will help to achieve a better look in those areas all around (at least with the right clothes haha!)

    Thanks for the link, looks promising.
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