Kymberly Williams-Evans, MA and Alexandra Williams, MA
Dear Fun and Fit: My baby/toddler’s 18-month b-day is coming up, but this momma still has a bunch of baby fat to get rid off. Any advice on what strength exercises to do so my abs can be nice and tight again and I can fit into my pre-pregnancy pants? I usually swim about 3-5 times a week, and I walk and cycle a bunch, too, but it ain’t helping (so far)… 
Oh, and my baby still nurses. Marit, Carpinteria, CA
Even If I Have to Stay Here for A Year!
Alexandra: First of all, knowing you are still nursing brings back painful sleep-deprived crazy-pants fond memories of being bitten by nursing my own kids. Other than that, there is one part of being a mom that is the same as for non-moms–calories in, calories out. Good news: you are expending extra kcals since you’re nursing (about 500 per day), but other than that, getting into your pre-pregger pants includes staring down those extra snacks. Kiss your baby hello and the snacks good-bye.
Kymberly: Momma-cita, you are asking about tackling two fronts: reducing “baby fat” and getting your “tight abs” back (or was that back in the front?). And you are right! You do have to reduce overall body fat Let’s start by mentioning that the coupon allowing you to call extra body fat “baby fat” expired about 6 months ago. Keep up the swimming, walking, and biking as it IS helping! However, you may need to increase the intensity to burn more calories to achieve caloric deficit. As for strengthening exercises to move those abs back in time, the focus needs to be on the transversus abdominals, as they get most affected by pregnancy. Did you click on that link? Then stop here and do so as it contains the technical background and juicy wuicy details.
A: Without knowing your method of delivery, I’ll just say that getting your abs to pre-baby hotness is generally a bit more work if you had a C-section, because (to word it tastefully) your muscles were sliced in two by a Black and Decker medical device! We are fans of reverse curls, which are great for any type of delivery (you can do the crunches listed too if you want, even though Fun & Fit have sworn off them)!
K: May we assume that you and your wee one are on a semi-decent sleep schedule? If not, and you are still sleep deprived, you may need to take more naps to lose weight. Is that AWESOME advice or what??!! Basically, interrupted sleeping affects your metabolism, slowing it dooowwwwnzzzzz. Buuuuuut, WAKE-UP! this is usually the case when your baby is a newborn so you may have used up that coupon special as well. And we’re back to the fewer cals in, more cals out with cardio, and adding the disciplinarian parent: strength training!
Getting enough sleep?
A: Baby or no, the main point is that you burn more calories overall (even during that nap) with a combo of cardio and strength training. We covered that topic right here: Walk Off Weight. In any case, here are some fun (my students at the U get nervous when I use this word) abdominal exercises:
- Pelvic tilts
- Back extensions
- Core Strength Exercises (since you are fairly active, try the side lying plank with long, not bent legs).
- Modified plank (same nagathon as above)
- Dead bug
I love the dead bug simply for its name. But smile when you do them, ‘cause you are a ladybug!
Photo credits: Photobucket and Creative Commons
Readers: Are you craving more ab exercises? Have these cravings coincided with an enlarging belly? Then check out our Get Fab Abs Series: Get Fab Abs, Part 1, Get Fab Abs, Part 2, Get Fab Abs, Part 3.
Hi A and K,
Thanks for the abdominal exercises! If I ever get pregnant again, I’ll be prepared!
I want a toned, well defined stomach and I’ve been looking for some exercises to help me in this area.
Take care,
Evelyn
Evelyn Parham recently posted..6 Easy Ways to Eat More Raw Foods
You are welly welcome! If you decide to get pregnant based on our fitness advice let us know so we can hide!
If you fall pregnant again, make sure you follow a properly-designed nutrition and exercise plan while you are pregnant – it will make for an easier delivery and get you your old figure back within a month after you’ve given birth.
Lose Baby Weight Safely recently posted..How to Have a Healthy Pregnancy
Hi gals– such an important subject! In addition to all the great exercise advice, allow me to add my two cents as a childbirth educator and breastfeeding counselor. 1. Nursing a newborn (under 6 months old) does indeed burn about 500 cals a day. But not a toddler– once they are receiving nutrition from other sources, that cal. count goes down quite a bit. After “eating for two” for over 2 years, it can be hard to implement downsizing the calorie intake, just out of pure habit. Also, women’s bodies are so wise that they often hang on to those last 5 lbs. of fat until weaning is complete.
Next point: my undertanding is that your belly will *never* be same. It will never be as tight and firm as it used to be (moms under 20 may be exempt from this rule!)… Unless you have a tummy tuck. It’s not just about abdominal tone. The skin was really stretched, and no amount of exercise can “unstretch” it. Even if you are lean, and super- crunchy (doing loads of those fab exercises mentioned above), your body is forever changed.
Part of becoming a mother is shifting your perspective of yourself. Do what you can to be fit and healthy. And also love and honor your body for the amazing job it did in growing, nourishing, and birthing your baby. Congratulations, you now live in the body of a mother! You can be a hot mama AND asi respect the permanent changes in your life and body.
Hello Ginger: Thank you so much for your very wise and enlightening comments. We have just nominated you as our baby expert for future questions! By the way, I got a message from a friend yesterday, asking if she could blame her “baby” fat on her 24-year old. Unless you say otherwise, I told her she could, but it would be a vicious lie! Thank you for contributing to the conversation.
AlexandraFunFit recently posted..Wave Bye-Bye to Baby Weight! More Than 5 Ab Exercises for Fallen Souffle Bellies
Thanks for these simple exercises! This is perfect timing for me. I especially liked the advise on the cardio and strength training combination :}. I will definitely be incorporating these steps along with my new book, Full: A Life Without Dieting by Michael Snyder, M.D. who writes about ditching the diet and changing your eating and lifestyle habits instead. His book is very practical and with simple strategies like choosing foods that will cause you to eat less because you are staying full longer. This has been especially helpful as I had been choosing foods that would send me back to refrigerator an hour after eating.
Great advice for new and older mothers alike! It’s not easy for most women to wave bye bye to baby weight, especially when they have no idea what they need to be doing to get there. I love that you guys give us new (and older) mothers a guide for getting to where we want to be. Keep up the great work!
HI, Great advice for new and older mothers alike! It’s not easy for most women to wave bye bye to baby weight,You are welly welcome!
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Great fitness tips for moms
mercel recently posted..Infertility, Pregnancy, Ways To Get Pregnant: How Can You Get Pregnant This Month? updated Mon …
Thank you for the great exercises! I can’t say that I think I’ll ever have a problem with pregnancy (men generally don’t, as I understand it), but belly fat I do understand and do have a problem with!
Thanks again for these…much appreciation.
Chris
Chris Banker recently posted..Metformin Weight Loss
The key to losing weight – and keeping it off – is to find the eating plan that fits your personality and lifestyle. And don’t forget about exercise!
Excellent fitness tips! I look forward for more! Thanks a lot!
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Love the article:)
I believe why majority of the folks failed to lose weight – thats because they didn’t keep up the activities. It’s always keep to stick to the routine.
Jay Chua
Publisher, DukanDietRecipesX.com
Jay recently posted..Dukan Diet Recipes: The Natural Way To Healthy Diet And Weight Loss!
This things needs to be read by those women who have hard time conceiving. As well as pregnant ladies for they’ll have to experience labor without enduring so much pain.
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