i gave birth on sept. 18th and i am just dying to get back to my old self. i had a c-section so i officially have two more weeks until i can work out but i have been walking every day. i have lost a lot of the weight but i still have that "i need a tummy tuck" look and i am still having to wear my maternity clothes.
i enjoy working out and i worked out throughout most of my pregnancy.
also, what is the best way to get of the tummy? what exercises worked best for you?
It took me me awhile with my first pregnancy and I think that was because I didn't exercise much in those days. It took me 10 months to get back to what I was before I was pregnant. Don't stress too much. Eat right and exercise and you will get there. If you are interested in a "diet" contact me and I will give you one. Otherwise, just take care of yourself!
I have a 5 month old and i'm just now starting to loose the weight. I also had a c-section and still look like I'm pregnant and i'm still wearing maternity clothes. I have to say though, I have lost 10lbs in the last 2 months. All I have been doing is cutting out sodas and sweets and I start walking.
I drink iced tea instead of coke or coffee, ect. I also take a regular daily walk with my baby in his stroller in the neighborhood. You would be suprised what walking does for you!
Good luck and dont worry! I've heard the saying...it takes 9 months to gain the weight and 9 months to loose the weight...minimum.
I'e always been an athlete. With my first, it took about 6 months to get back to my pre-prego weight - and I did it with BFing and some jogging a few times/week. (Looking back I'm even envious of myself!) With my daughter (probably a girl thing), it took TWO YEARS! She is now 2.5 and I started training for a triathlon last Spring, when she was about 2. There were lots of reasons it took longer with #2. But mainly, I didn't excersize and didn't manage my diet at all after she was born. When I really decided that wasn't OK anymore, I began working out 6-7 days/week, and saw a dietician, and have lost 30 pounds since having her. I'm down 10 lbs from the the pre-preg weight from her, and size-wize I'm where I was BEFORE I had my older child (who is almost 6 yrs).
My week looks like this:
M/Sat: Bike/Spin Class
T/Th: Swim/weight train (Legs)
W/F: Run/weight train (Arms/Abs)
Sun: Yoga
Best of luck to you. You can recover from a C-section and get back into amazing shape - a girl at my gym who I still envy has 3 kids all by C-section!!
sparkpeople.com tell them what you like and they will tailor make a plan for you! Best of all its free!
day 2 after both my babies were born, I wore a postpartum wrap. I got mine from the Brooke Burke website. It helps your stomach shrink back. Altho, I'm not sure you can wear it if you've had a csection? I had both of mine vaginally and unless I am in an all fours position(my stomach tends to hang in that position. :/), my stomach looks almost as good as it did pre- babies. I couldn't work out until 6 wks post delivery, but I would still flex my stomach and hold througout the day. Just like kegel excercises.
As far as the weight, that came off with the breastfeeding. Both my babies ate so much that I couldn't eat enough to keep up. It wasn't until I stopped breastfeeding that I gained 6 pounds in one week so now I'm back on my small portioned 6 meals a day diet.:)
I also excercise when I find the time. I can no longer fit into my pre baby jeans because my hips have expanded due to carrying 2 babies, but I'm only one size up from before and I weigh the same.
It's only been 1 mo for you. Depending on how much you gained, and if you are breastfeeding,excercising, and eating well, you could be back to normal in 3-6 mos. Altho, with Thanksgiving and Xmas coming up, you may have to postpone that a bit. :-) LOL.
Everyone is different. But the key is not to have too high expectations. It is going to be very difficult to look exactly like you did before. We women(especially mothers)are way too judgemental of our bodies.
Having a baby is a beautiful thing and we shouldnt let body image overshadow pregnancy. I was so self conscious when I was pregnant! And now, whenever I see a pregnant girl, I think she is the cutest thing. And I now realize that maybe people were thinking of me in the same way.
After my 1st pregnancy, I was much more concerned about getting back to my old self. But after the 2nd, I was way too busy to notice, and before I knew it, I was at my average weight again.
Good luck!! :-)
Oh, and a good trick is to flex and hold your stomach muscles while you are on the treadmill. :-) And power walking burns more fat than running.
