Victoria, I had a baby sixteen months ago and I am struggling with getting the fat off my lower belly. What can I do to get my six pack back. I use to be in great shape and now I don’t feel very confident and strong like I use to. I can almost see them trying to peek through, but I need some inspiration and some guidance I think. Can you suggest some exercises for me?

~ Raela




Raela, I can hear the exhaustion and frustration in your voice. You have asked the million-dollar question.

I was a conference for “special needs” whatever that is, clients. One of the presenters who specialized in pre and post partum fitness gave us all some interesting insight.

She said that back in the day, doctors tried to limit the weight gain for pregnancy to 25 pounds. It seems that we have entered into an era of unlimited fat production for baby carrying princesses.

She said that the amount of weight gain the average woman is experiencing during pregnancy is up thirty percent along with extremely high body fat percentage, more post partum blues, more hormone imbalances and higher levels of depression.

WOW… compound that with diaper rash, terrible two’s, adolescence and college spring Break trauma, it’s a wonder you and other mother’s are still sane. Whew..just kidding. Motherhood is the highest honor on the planet as far as I am concerned. None of us would be here if someone had not literally carried us and given us birth. I hold motherhood in high esteem.

In regards to your baby belly and energy let me say this. Relax, grab a cup of warm tea and let’s work on your issue.

Exhaustion comes form lack of sleep, too many simple carbohydrates and not enough “ME” time. This is a problem for everyone, but new moms have a special case of it.
You have to make sure you train your new bundle of joy to be on a firm schedule and you allow yourself time to work on you. I was raised in a home with many siblings, so there was NO such thing as random eating schedules, baby running the house programs or my mother letting the baby eat all the time.

My multiple baby mama mother had the infants trained on feeding schedules, sleep schedules and play time schedules. I know that probably sounds military to many people who want to give their children freedom, but my mother had to stay healthy, rested and happy to raise the other children. I turned out okay... I think. I still eat on a schedule, lead a productive disciplined life and am very creative. Plus, I love organization.

Let’s work on your baby mama belly. First of all consistent abdominal workouts (10-15 min, 4-5x per week) performed correctly are not jus for aesthetics but or physical well being too. Another important tip is to be sure to keep track of your abs exercises on a calendar that you can see daily so you can be consistent and you will know which exercises work best for you and produce the best result for you.

There is no magic formula that will make your abs appear. Nothing replaces the time, perfect healthy diet and consistent effort you put into your quest for uncovering your pre-mama six-pack.

My AB Tips and three of my basic simple exercises that work for the stars, the jocks and they will work for you too.

Keep a fists distance between your chin and chest to be sure to target your abs and not strain your neck.

Take a deep breath before you crunch and exhale as you curl up and pause at the top of the movement and tighten your abs for two counts.

Slowly lower your head, neck & shoulder blades as you inhale and return to starting position.

Ab Exercises - Work up to 4 Sets of 20 repetitions four times per week.
Example: Monday, Wednesday Friday, Sunday

Traditional crunch - Lie on your back with knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you. Lie on an exercise mat rather than hard floor to prevent back strain. Position your feet hip distance apart. Place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are tucked behind your ears. Hold elbows slightly out to the sides and keep chin pointing upward. Curl up and forward lifting your head neck and shoulder blades off the floor. Press your ab wall flat as you do this and try not to pooch it out at the top. Make sure you're not pulling your head forward with your hands.

Bicycle maneuver - Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head. Bring knees up to about 45-degree angle and slowly go through a bicycle pedal motion. Touch your left elbow to your right knee, then your right elbow to your left knee. Keep even relaxed breathing throughout. The same principles apply here too. Keep your abs flat and exhale completely with each revolution. I like to have clients do four thirty second intervals with thirty second breaks to rest your neck and hip flexors between each set.

Reverse crunch - Lie flat on the floor with your lower back pressed to the ground. Put your hands beside your head or extend them out flat to your sides-whatever feels most comfortable. Keep your head, neck and shoulders on the floor. Crossing your feet at the ankles, lift your feet off the ground to the point where your knees create a 90-degree angle. Once in this position, contract your abdominal muscles and exhale. Your hips will slightly rotate and your legs will reach towards the ceiling with each contraction. Remember to exhale as you contract; inhale as you return to the starting position.

Remember when you "at home" exercisers...consistency is the name of the game. It does not take expensive gym memberships or thousand dollar pieces of exercise equipment to get into shape. You are walking around with everything you need to improve your health right now, your own body. You would be surprised just how tough a workout could be using your own body weight for resistance.

You also will need some cardio to burn that belly fat off. I suggest five times per week for 30 minutes to start. Try the treadmill; power walking with the stroller or stationary bike during naptime will revive your energy.

Just do something physical, anything, everyday to work on you. Do your crunches combined with some fast walking or stair climbing or whatever cardio you like to get the heart rate up. Be creative and try to give yourself new challenges. Play fun music, put on cute workout clothes, wear bright colors. DO things that make you FEEL good, happy and strong?

Raela, commitment to self-improvement, consistency and dedication will pay off. Being happy will make your baby happy. Children’s hearts are connected to their mother’s heart. If you are anxious, they get anxious, if you are happy, they are happy.

Work on yourself, get your six pack and enjoy the process and each moment in your life is a gift. Feel what you feel, then take action to create what you desire and your entire family will prosper in health with you. You will not only feel great, your hubby will be helping you get more cardio...if you know what I mean.

Make This Your Best Week Ever.

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