How to Tone Your Belly Postpartum
It can feel so hard to lose the baby weight and flatten your stomach after pregnancy. You’re trying to lose weight, but of course, it’s coming off everywhere but your tummy. Your core feels extra weak, and all you want is to start feeling like your strong self again.
You keep hearing about performing crunches if you want abs, but no matter how many crunches you do, you’re just not seeing results. While crunches are a decent postpartum routine, they are not the best exercise to target all of your abdominal muscles.
If you’re looking for the best exercises for your postpartum belly, you’ve come to the right place. These 3 exercises take 3 minutes to do, and while they seem simple, each will have your core on fire!
In no time at all, your core will be stronger than it was before pregnancy. I stuck to these three exercises for 30 days, and my core was stronger than pre-pregnancy, and my stomach was visibly smaller!
Here are my tips on exactly how to do each exercise and how often for the best results.
Why Is My Belly Not Going Down After Pregnancy?
Your stomach may not shrink after birth for a few reasons. During the first few months postpartum, your uterus is healing and shrinking back down after stretching to be big enough for a baby to fit inside. It just takes a little time for your body to adjust to normal size. If it’s been longer than three months and your stomach is still looking pregnant, you may have diastasis recti.
Diastasis recti is the separation of abdominal muscles and lining of the connective tissue in the center, called linea alba. When our muscles stretch to accommodate babies, sometimes they need help connecting together again. Proper breathing techniques and core strengthening exercises will help close the gap and shrink your stomach.
How Can I Tone My Tummy After Having a Baby?
Toning your stomach after delivery can be done by exercising your abdominal muscles and losing the baby weight. Your abdominal muscles consist of the rectus abdominis, aka the six-pack muscles, transverse abdominis, which is more internal, and obliques on your sides.
The best workout for your post-pregnancy belly will include each of these parts of your core to tighten your stomach and avoid the mom pooch. If you focus on exercises that only target the six-pack muscles, you won’t get the results you desire, and you may have weaknesses in the other muscles.
Losing the baby weight can be done with proper nutrition and time. It may take a year or even longer to have a more toned stomach, depending on your body type. But if you stay consistent, the results will come. Choosing meals that prioritize healthy fats, fiber and protein will help you balance your blood sugar. When your blood sugar is balanced, your body will burn fat more easily.
Carbohydrates are still important, especially if breastfeeding. Choose grains like rice, quinoa, sweet potato, and sourdough bread when looking to add carbs to a meal.
Quick Stomach Exercises For Your Postpartum Belly
Each of these exercises will target the different parts of your abdominals so you can make sure you’re targeting your core as a whole. This routine takes 3 minutes at a minimum; how easy is that?!
If you do each exercise for 30 seconds, you can target your core faster than it takes to change a wild toddler’s diaper! (and sweat just as much!)
For optimal results, perform each exercise 3 times for 30 seconds daily. Spending 10 minutes each day for 30 days will completely transform your core! You will feel stronger and see a difference in how your stomach looks, hands down.
If 30 seconds is too hard, start with what you can and work up to 30 seconds. The same goes for if it’s too easy; try each exercise for 1 minute or longer.
Mountain Climbers:
- Start in a plank position, making sure to distribute your weight evenly between your hands and your feet.
- Your hands should be about shoulder-width apart, back in a straight line, core and pelvic floor engaged, and head in alignment.
- Pull your right knee into your chest as far as possible without creating a curve in your back.
- Switch legs, pulling one knee out and bringing the other knee in.
- Keep your hips down and slowly bring each knee into your stomach, focusing on your core engagement with each repetition. Alternate each leg for 30 seconds.
Quadruped hold:
- Get into a tabletop position with your arms shoulder-width apart and knees hip-width apart.
- On all fours, exhale and lift your pelvic floor while lifting your knees off the floor.
- Hold this position without rounding your back for 30 seconds.
Side plank:
- Lie on your right side, legs extended and stacked from hip to feet. The elbow of your right arm is directly under your shoulder. Ensure your head is directly in line with your spine. Your left arm can be aligned along the left side of your body or up in the air.
- Exhale and engage your pelvic floor, drawing your navel toward your spine.
- Lift your hips and knees from the mat while exhaling. Your torso is straight in line with no sagging or bending. Hold the position for 30 seconds.
- Change sides and repeat.
Try This Post Pregnancy Belly Workout
Are you ready to strengthen, tighten, and firm up your tummy after giving birth? There’s no need to overcomplicate your workouts postpartum, so stick to a few effective exercises, and you will be on the path to getting your body back better than it was before pregnancy.
I’m so excited for you to try these after-birth exercises for your tummy and see for yourself the difference they can make. You deserve to feel your very best postpartum, so take the time to implement these exercises and see the difference in how you feel.