The Dreaded After Birth Belly

So you thought your tummy would be back to normal by your 6-week postpartum check-up, but instead you have unwanted loose skin and belly flab. Desperately seeking to get your tummy back in shape and get rid of the loose skin where your tummy used to be?

1. Lose weight slowly

If you’re seeking that slimmer belly, you’ll need to lose body fat first. Although losing that extra baby weight can make you feel very anxious and at times be overwhelming, it is very important to do it the healthy way. Losing weight quickly will only add to the problem of loose skin. If you lose weight quickly you will lose both fat and muscle. Importantly, muscle helps your stomach to keep its shape. Your skin needs time to adjust to its new shape when you lose weight. If you loose it too quickly, you may just end up with even more loose skin. Allow your skin time to regain its elasticity.

Tips: Aim for losing around 1-2 lbs. per week.

2. Cardio

It is almost impossible to only burn fat from just one area of your body that you’re unhappy about. When you burn fat, you must burn it all over. If you want to get your tummy back in shape, doing cardiovascular exercise is the way forward.

Tips: Aim for doing some type of cardio for at least 30 minutes, 3 to 5 days a week.

3. Protein

If you want to build muscle, protein is the thing to eat. Not only is it good for muscle growth, but it also contains important nutrients that help your skin, such as collagen. How much protein you need depends on your weight as well as how much physical activity and strength training you do during the day/week. Most women need around 50 grams of protein a day. However, if you are more active you may need a lot more protein.

4. Lotion and massage

It is important for you to lotion your skin that contains collagen, as well as vitamins E, A, C, and K to help firm up your loose skin. Massaging the lotion in will improve blood flow to the area, which helps your skin to appear firmer.

Tips: Try massaging lotion to any loose skin once or twice a day.

5. Strength train

Strength training will help improve your overall muscle tone and will give you more lean muscle. The more muscle you have, the more calories you burn. Moreover, strength training will improve your body composition e.g. the percentage of lean muscle to body fat. Improving your body composition will reduce fat not just along your waist, but also all over your body.

6. Exfoliate

If you want an easy way to tighten loose skin, you must start to exfoliate. Get an exfoliating scrub and scrub your belly with it each time your in the shower. Exfoliating helps to improve circulation and regenerate new, healthier, more elastic skin.

7. Water

Water will help hydrate your skin, making it more elastic. In the long run it will help your body to burn calories more effectively. On top of that, it will help reduce water retention in your belly area, which may make the appearance of loose skin less noticeable. If you haven’t been drinking your H₂0, here’s a good reason to start.

Something to Consider: Planks!!!

Many women try to get their tummy back in shape by doing crunches. Crunches are fine, but they may not be enough to get that loose skin to tighten up again. Planks are an isometric exercise. When you do them, you suck in your tummy and hold it tight. This process of sucking in and tightening will do wonders for your belly. Start by doing 2 or 3 planks and holding them for 15 seconds. Work up to doing 30 second and 1-minute planks. Here’s how to do a plank.

Abs are made in the kitchen, not the gym.

Unfortunately we cant walk around with a photo-shopped edit or sucking in our stomachs the entire day trying to make them cute little jeans fit, trust me it’s impossible I’ve already tried. But there are alternatives, less painful and longer lasting to achieve that fabulous tummy you crave.

The tips you learn here will help you shed inches and pounds, banish that unwanted bloat, feeling even more gorgeous and confident in your body. Say hello to those skinny jeans you’ve had to bury in the wardrobe!

Eat at this magic hour

Tummy hacks that I have personally learned is that you must eat a snack that contains protein between 3 p.m. and 4 p.m. Go for a protein bar, a low-fat yogurt, or some almonds with an organic juicy apple. It’s important because it boosts metabolism and balances blood sugar.

The Ball.

The biggest benefit of training using the ball exercises is that they are very effective at targeting core muscles, those muscles that are essential for stability and good posture.

Ball activity:

1. Lay flat on your back with your arms above your head and legs straight out.
2. Start with a stability ball above your head in your hands.
3. Bring the ball up above your chest as you bring your legs up to meet the ball and place it between your ankles.
4. Bring the ball back down to the floor with your legs and straighten your arms back out over your head.Repeat the ball exchange 10 to 12 times, remembering to keep your lower back pressed into the floor as you do this move.

Cut down the grams of sugar.

Eat as close to zero grams of sugar as possible. This will keep insulin levels low and also keep levels of glucagon high. The best way I have ever read Glucagon described is like Pac-Man traveling around your waistline, munching up the fat to be used as energy.

The closer to zero grams of sugar you consume, the lower your insulin and the higher your glucagon,it is really as simple as that.

I recommend the DCBA approach: Diet first, Cardio second, Building muscle third, and Abs exercises last.

Let’s talk FASHION!

My speciality of course, the best way to hide your flaws is to obviously draw attention away from it and show off your assets, but keeping it classy!

If you’ve got gorgeous legs, wear slim pants, skirts(with or without tights due to preference). Have your arms or shoulders out, possibility of a sweetheart neckline or boatneck. Nonetheless, clothing is very important because so many different factors can either complement or bring the attention to the area you don’t want. Colours matter make sure they flatter you and not make you look like an overgrown peach, sometimes it is also wise to buy a size larger than usual so that your clothes don’t hug your figure in the wrong places appearing like you’re almost about to BURST!

Stay within the guidelines of spots and stripes!

Portions matter

Eating portion-controlled meals that include whole-grain foods and monounsaturated fats throughout the day is the best way to achieve a flat belly.

People who eat whole grains lose more abdominal fat, making most of the fats you eat monounsaturated fatty acids, therefore helping reduce ab flabs.

Important: Do not eat more than you need to. Sometimes what we consume is due to plate and cutlery sizes so be careful you’re not over eating.

The ultimate flat-belly day menu

Best breakfast: A slice of whole-wheat bread with natural peanut butter and 1 cup of your favorite berries.

Best lunch: Spinach salad with sliced avocado, grilled firm tofu, and cherry tomatoes, drizzled with a little olive oil and fresh lemon juice.

Best dinner: Grilled salmon, a roasted sweet potato, and sautéed asparagus with olive oil and garlic.

Best snack: A cup of fat-free yogurt with 2 tablespoons sunflower seeds.