Best workouts to lose baby belly

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Linville10
Linville10 Posts: 15 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hello. I just had my second baby 7 months ago and my belly is still hanging around. I know I will never have a flat stomach but I definitely want to get rid of the baby pouch I'm still carrying around. I know crunches are good, but are there other exercises that are good to get rid of the belly?
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  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    Diet is key (what and how much you eat). Beyond that, lift heavy things.
  • sjaplo
    sjaplo Posts: 974 Member
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    Baby's don't need to diet - they'll lose their bellies as they grow.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    Do 3 sets of eating less everyday.
  • SueInAz
    SueInAz Posts: 6,592 Member
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    Crunches actually don't do anything to reduce belly fat. Fat is lost through a caloric deficit and, unfortunately, you can't pick and choose where it will come off. Focus on eating fewer calories than you're burning and you'll lose fat. Your genetics determine where it will come off first but as your overall body fat percentage decreases, so will your baby belly. :)
  • MKEgal
    MKEgal Posts: 3,250 Member
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    To lose fat (which will come off your body wherever it chooses), eat at a slight calorie deficit, do cardio, lift weights.

    The only thing you can do which will definitely have a direct effect on how your abdomen looks is exercise which targets your core: yoga, planks (front, back, side), situps (front, back, side), try the weight machine which twists your torso (exercises the obliques)...
    That's not going to make you lose weight so much as tone/tighten/strengthen the muscles which are already there.
  • olyjok
    olyjok Posts: 133 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Core is muscles = muscles burn fat. A video or class with a fitness ball can help with your core. Best of luck.
  • Lofteren
    Lofteren Posts: 960 Member
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    olyjok wrote: »
    Core is muscles = muscles burn fat. A video or class with a fitness ball can help with your core. Best of luck.

    No

  • Linville10
    Linville10 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you to those who gave helpful answers. For those of you men who gave smart-*kitten* answers, I don't need them. You obviously have no idea what it feels like to carry around baby weight after youve had kids. I'm not an idiot. I know eating less will help me lose weight but I'm not a fitness expert and that is why I posted my question on here. I want advice, not snarky comments.
  • 3dogsrunning
    3dogsrunning Posts: 27,167 Member
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    Linville10 wrote: »
    Thank you to those who gave helpful answers. For those of you men who gave smart-*kitten* answers, I don't need them. You obviously have no idea what it feels like to carry around baby weight after youve had kids. I'm not an idiot. I know eating less will help me lose weight but I'm not a fitness expert and that is why I posted my question on here. I want advice, not snarky comments.

    I am a woman and have had a baby and I would have given the same advice.
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
    edited February 2015
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    Linville10 wrote: »
    Thank you to those who gave helpful answers. For those of you men who gave smart-*kitten* answers, I don't need them. You obviously have no idea what it feels like to carry around baby weight after youve had kids. I'm not an idiot. I know eating less will help me lose weight but I'm not a fitness expert and that is why I posted my question on here. I want advice, not snarky comments.

    In all seriousness, losing fat is the key. You cannot spot reduce fat, sadly. You can lift weights or do other ab work like planks and leg lifts so that you have nice abs once the over layer of fat is gone. But other than that, just work on losing fat. Once you've lost the fat, it will take time (a year or more) for your skin to settle into whatever its new normal will be.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    So You Want a Nice Stomach was written by a woman who knows EXACTLY what it is like to carry around baby weight after she had kids.
  • Linville10
    Linville10 Posts: 15 Member
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    @jemhh‌ - thank you for your response. I wasn't sure if there were certain exercises I could do to help shrink my belly.
  • Linville10
    Linville10 Posts: 15 Member
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    Thank you Cheshirecat for the article. That clears things up and answered the questions I had.
  • cheshirecatastrophe
    cheshirecatastrophe Posts: 1,395 Member
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    You're welcome! It's been very helpful to me, too. :)
  • Foodiethinking
    Foodiethinking Posts: 240 Member
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    Lofteren wrote: »
    Do 3 sets of eating less everyday.

    ^^Love^^

    You can't spot-target fat. And there's no point doing sit-ups etc because you're just gaining muscle under the fat. You need to work towards a deficit and that will drop the weight, adding exercise if you want but it doesn't matter where you do it. Cardio is best for now to lose weight.

  • Emnelltt
    Emnelltt Posts: 14
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    After baby #1 I found walking was the best stomach reducing exercise I could do. That an cutting out all artificial sweeteners which tend to cause increased belly fat. Here is an interesting little article on walking: http://www.prevention.com/fitness/fitness-tips/lose-your-belly-fat-8-week-walking-workout
  • Jennloella
    Jennloella Posts: 2,287 Member
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    I've had four babies, the youngest is 8 months old, and my stomach doesn't look like I've had one....don't count yourself out. Calorie deficit as mentioned, and I prefer lifting over cardio. good luck!
  • jemhh
    jemhh Posts: 14,261 Member
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    Any exercise is good--cardio, lifting, whatever. They all burn calories, some more than others. Cardio is great because it helps improve your cardio health. Strength training is great because it helps build strength and preserve muscle. There's no reason why you can't/shouldn't do either or both.
  • AllanMisner
    AllanMisner Posts: 4,140 Member
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    olyjok wrote: »
    Core is muscles = muscles burn fat. A video or class with a fitness ball can help with your core. Best of luck.

    Very little muscles. Put a penny in your savings account three times a week and see how fast your savings pile up? Squats and Deadlifts move big muscles. Put a dollar in your savings account three times a week, see the difference.

  • Linville10
    Linville10 Posts: 15 Member
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    Everyone keeps talking about the deficit. What is that and how do I know what mine is?

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