[amyx33]

hey everyone i just had a baby boy and i gained 40 lbs.
my whole life i was to beleive i was on the heavy side, but now i am ready for some change, and i just mostly need to lose my stomach, but to me thats the hardest place to lose the skin.
So i was wondering if anyone knew what the best exercises that are out there for losing the weight in your stomach, and making the stomach tight

thanks tons
Amy.

[Eves]

Unfortunately, there's no way to spot reduce. You have to lose weight from all over, that means lowering your body fat %.

So the best thing, even better than 10000 crunches, is to clean up your diet. No junk, no refined carbs, no super fatty pizzas, etc. Find a diet plan you can stick with. The best diet plan out there is one that you love and can go on with it indefinitely.

Next best is to do cardio. Running, walking, swimming. Try to get yourself up at least 30 minutes 5 days a week. Step it up once it gets easier.

Finally, some sort of resistance exercise. Weights or use body weight exercises. This is stuff like push ups, lunges, squats. I think if you google it, there are even exercises you can do with your baby.

Ab exercises or ab only exercises won't help you see your abs. You can do them, I like doing the captains chair and stability ball exercises, but these are not going to flatten your stomach. Losing fat will.

GOOD LUCK!

[PhotoChick]

Exactly what archy said, above.

I'll add one thing more - you can do crunches until the cows come home and that *will* strengthen and tighten your ab and core muscles. But it won't reduce the fat that's on top of those muscles. In fact it can cause the fat to "pooch" out more ... since the base is now firmer.

The only thing that will remove tummy fat is losing weight ... all over.

.

[vixjean]

Yes, they are right - even though it sounds sort of silly - you can't chose where fat will come off. I think cardio and weight training will help you lose weight and fat everywhere. Of course, diet will help with those last few layers especially. You do have to still train your abs and back as to make them stronger to avoid injury and help with posture.

[amyx33]

hey guys! thanks alot. I am deff. going to start doing crunches as soon as I can. It has been like 3 days since I have had the baby so cant do the crunches yet, but I am doing 20 mins of walking a day because it hurts to walk for a while.

I joined weight watchers to help me with my eating habits, because I LOVE TO EAT. but I believe WW will help me.

Thanks again

[SSmomof1]

and good luck!!!

[tigerchic89]

Give yourself some time to recover from your birth. Light walking with your baby is a greta way to exercise for teh 1st 6 months. You are also retrain your core w/o crunches by just trying to bring your navel to spine throughout the day. HTH

[amyx33]

Tiger - thnks i walk about 10-15 mins in the morning and then again at night.
tomorrow and thursday i will b doing alot of walking because i got orientation at university and we get to tour the WHOLE campus.. so thats alot of exercise.
but i kno walking doesnt shed the skin in the stomach so i am going to do wut u said to help thnks

[Tomato]

Amy, congrats on your baby!
I have no idea how soon after childbirth you can start exercising, just please make sure that don't try to do too much too soon and take a good care of yourself! I know you want to lose weight but give yourself time to recover first.
Hugs.

[amyx33]

tomato - ive read that ur suppose to take it easy for like the first 6 months.. wooo thts long.. but i might just cut tht down. i am relaxin alot now just resting all the time until my walks in the day and night. soo i will get there hoepfully. i need to lose 80 lbs. well i want to

[zinkemomx2]

With a vaginal birth and barring any complications your doctor should be able to give you the go ahead to start exercising again at 6 weeks. With a c-section I would probably wait 12 personally.

[rockstar87]

I'd also add watch your sodium intake and drink plenty of water to flush out any sort of bloat that may give the illusion of your stomach being bigger than it really is.

[amyx33]

rockstart - thnks i am drinking tons of water!!

zinke - hey thnks. yuh i ment 6 weeks cause ei kno its 6 weeks haha idk y i put 6 mnths.. but thnks!!