Losing the Pouch

beckywilkeherbst
beckywilkeherbst Posts: 139 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
Hoping i can get some help here. I am 5'3 and started my weight loss journey at 197.4 pounds. I am now down to 139.6. That is almost a 58 pound weight loss. My problem is that even after all of that, I still have the horrendous c-section pouch. I have two kiddos (2,9) both delivered via c-section. I am getting really discouraged that this will never go away, it gives way to the defeatest attitude of why the heck did I go through all this trouble if I am not going to have the body that I want.
I know that you can't spot lose the weight but I am looking for any help that anyoen can offer.
Currently I excercise 6-7 days a week and alternate different forms of cardio. Day 1-Treadmill / Day 2-Elliptical / Day 3-Treadmill / Day 4-Zumba , etc. etc. I also have done a couple rotations of the 30 day shred.
Thanks in advance everyone!

Replies

  • GouchisGirl
    GouchisGirl Posts: 321 Member
    Congrats on the weight loss! I've never had a horrible pouch, but I did have 2 c-sections 8 years apart and the only advice I can give is work on those abs. Crunches and reverse crunches and it should help minimize it. Good luck! :)
  • cgraylyon
    cgraylyon Posts: 292 Member
    I also have the pouch. I have come to realize that with my own body I really just have a ton of extra skin and it most likely will not go away without some kind of surgery. I am a big baby and would never get a voluntary surgery so I have decided to just try to be comfortable with my body and have accepted the fact that even though I will never look good in a bikini I will still look great in my tankini! LOL

    With that said I have really reduced my waist with side bends, standing crunches, plank exercises and kickboxing. I find that if I do cardio exercises that aim at the waist and back that this really helps.
    Good Luck to you!
  • BamaBreezeNSaltAire
    BamaBreezeNSaltAire Posts: 966 Member
    I too still have a pouch simply from just carrying my second baby. I am working on strengthening my transversus abdominis muscle (which is the deepest layer of muscle on your stomach and what gets so stretched out when you are pregnant). If you google exercises for that muscle group you will find youtube videos, and information abound for them! For me, they are tough, but I can see it working and feel it too of course! Good luck and I hope I helped in some way!
  • SlimsLiftingMoreThanLipstick
    SlimsLiftingMoreThanLipstick Posts: 122 Member
    Great job,58 pounds is awesome! I know where you are coming from. I have had 4 children, all natural but the last 2 were twins and boy did my stomach get large. I am probably fitter and more toned now than I have ever been, even when I was "skinny" BUT my stomach is still gross, and Pouchy. I have noticed some change by doing more ab exercises now that I've lost some fat. Not sure I will ever truly lose it. Good Luck!
  • 76birdy76
    76birdy76 Posts: 44 Member
    hi, I have a friend and she had the same problem. The way she tackled it was by doing alot of core training and ab exercizes . and it is helping her
  • TinkrBelz
    TinkrBelz Posts: 866 Member
    I have 6 kids but never had a c-section. So, I do not have a c-section pouch and so I am not sure if it is the same thing that Ihave. I have loose skin and stretch marks.

    I know that I can not make mine perfect, but here are some things that have improved ths kin and muscles.

    I do planks and ab vacuums. These work your transverse abs (your core) and really pulls in you tummy. Google these...they are awesome. And the vacuums, those have actually taken me a few months to do them better...at first, you could not even tell that I was pulling in my abs!

    I eat Virgin coconut oil (1 TBSP/day) and I run coconut oil all over my skin. This has helped the appearance of my skin.

    And I dry brush. (Google it too) But, it suppose to make the skin regenerate.

    Now, none of these is going to make your tummy pre-baby, but it could make your tummy more bearable. I also noticed that as my body fat got lower, my tummy did look better too. HTH!!! :happy:
  • SafireBleu
    SafireBleu Posts: 881 Member
    Try adding some strength training in to your workouts. It'll help strengthen your muscles and lose that fat that is making the pouch. You might still have loose skin but it should go down. At least that is my plan when I get to where you are. Congrats on losing all tat weight you have done great!
  • ziggy5621
    ziggy5621 Posts: 44
    I also have the baby pouch along with extra skin from being large and in charge of nothing but what I put in my mouth to healthier exercising and still......do not have the stomach I want and have worked so hard to get. I started weight training 4 days a week about 2 months ago and wow have I noticed a difference in my body. I have also started dry skin brushing along with using coconut oil as lotion...has helped my skin seem to bounce back a little bit more. Good Luck!
  • bkandisjj29
    bkandisjj29 Posts: 172
    I have been doing Lara Hudson's 10 minute solution Pilates for Abs DVD. Only 10 minutes a day, and I can tell a big difference in my belly. I have a 4 year old and a 1 year old. I was pregnant with the 1 year old for almost 42 weeks (so overdue) and he stretched my belly something awful. I started out doing it 3x a week, but now I do it everyday.
  • bluberrygoo
    bluberrygoo Posts: 222 Member
    I've been doing pilates and using avon firming lotion, for your face, on my pooch. Last night my husband told me how surprised he was that it's disappearing so quickly.
  • candisweet
    candisweet Posts: 18
    Congrats on the loss, you look amazing! I have also had 2 sections and I can't even call mine a pouch. It's more of ALOT of access skin that HANGS bigtime. I have gone to two doctors and both have told me that weight loss will help reduce the problem, roughly about 30%, but it will never go away. I was told that if someone is overweight or obese when they have a section, they will more than likely come across this problem. Because the muscles are cut, no amount of crunches or core excercises will be able to fix it. :sad:
    I'm currently down 38 lbs and in another 17-27 lbs when I reach my goal, I'm going for a tummy tuck as recommended by both my doctors if access skin is affecting my quality of life.
    I hope you have better success and can get better results from all your hard work than I have!!
  • VICKY_83
    VICKY_83 Posts: 51 Member
    I have the same problem.... 2 c sections at a young age really upset me... But you do get over it. I use a sweat belt when I do any exercise and it make me sweat alot more round my stomach and gives me a better flat look , try cutting out things that make u bloat as well..xx
  • sondra216379
    sondra216379 Posts: 174 Member
    I have also been told that you can never get the pouch to completely go away without surgery due to that muscle ripping.
  • kaydensmom12
    kaydensmom12 Posts: 338
    Strength training! Strength training will start to tighten the stomach back up, lift as heavy as you can 3-4 times a week. It has done wonders for me!
  • misticache
    misticache Posts: 364 Member
    bump
  • MissVickie220
    MissVickie220 Posts: 29
    Sorry to say it isn't going to leave. Us ladies are so hard on ourselves. Never appreciate ourselves even our accomplishments. Ask your Dr. be happy 4 your accomplishments don't be so hard on you! Toning is one thing but loose skin sorry it's not leaving unless you have surgery. I had 2 c sections too lost 125 lbs started at 325, Then I hated the skin !!!! But I don't care anymore Its not going to let me get depressed over it. I did it! You look great!! Don't let the small crap get to you. :flowerforyou: I have 60lbs to lose LOL I'm going to have a **** load more skin hangin Okie Dokie I can handle it........ and so can you :smile:
  • idziak04
    idziak04 Posts: 69
    I have had 4 c-sections within a little less than 7 years time. I started my weight loss journey at 174 and am down to 166. I am currently doing Jillian's Michaels Six Week Six Pack and I am happy so far with the results. It really works your core. Good luck to you and congrats on your weight loss. You are doing awesome!!

    Amy
  • siwelh
    siwelh Posts: 50 Member
    I had 2 c-sections as well. I went from 210 when I had my youngest 21 months ago, to 131 today (5'3). I still have a pouch.

    One thing to keep in mind, while I am in the "healthy" BMI range, I'm not there my a lot. 131 is not even mid- way in the healthy BMI range for our height. My BMI is 23.2 and healthy range is 18.5-24.9. :( I think I'm going to have to get down to 120 to make the pouch go away. That would give me a BMI of 21.3, just about the middle of the range.

    That said, there has been a big difference in it from when I was where you are to now- and that's only like 8 lbs.

    I also second that strength training. I do a lot- I think that's why almost a size 4 now, even though I weigh 131.

    Good luck!
  • JanSmelly
    JanSmelly Posts: 143 Member
    I third breaking out the weights. I had 3 children in less than 2.5 years and my twins were delivered via c-section. My tummy is't perfect, but it's better than before weights.
  • jetabear10
    jetabear10 Posts: 375 Member
    CORE CORE CORE...you need to dedicate about 10-15 minutes a day to doing core strengthening exercises.

    Good luck! and way to go on such successful weight loss!!

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