Are you dealing with post-delivery belly fat?
It’s a loaded issue. With some of the horrible things that happen to new moms in this specific area of their body, it’s not difficult to see why.
Even though you might be trying your best to maintain a healthy diet and exercise routine, many things can impact belly fat after pregnancy: sleep deprivation, hormonal imbalances, and genetic predispositions.
Luckily for you, there are many ways that daily routines like these can improve your odds of reducing postpartum belly fat without hurting your progress with other workout goals.
However, you should be aware that it may not occur as rapidly as you would like.
While some women simply have a lot of fat to lose in this area and will see noticeable changes sooner than others, it can take as long as 12 weeks for the postpartum belly to begin to reduce in size.
Apart from this, having a fitness buddy will really help you in getting better shape. So, if you are looking for a gym buddy or workout buddy then download our Find Your Fit App today and workout with experts in your locality.
There are many ways that you can improve your post-delivery belly fat reduction routine, and these exercises and nutrition tips will be your best allies on this journey.
1. V-ups
This is a good exercise to start with, just to get your body back into working shape. You can also start with a progression of 25 V-ups every day, and increase that by 25 each day until you reach your goal. Eventually, you can increase the number of repetitions to 100 per day. You will feel a difference in your stomach soon!
2. Crunches
Performing 3 sets of 12 crunches every morning and evening will help you improve your strength and flexibility in the muscles that contribute to a flat belly. In addition, if you are experiencing back pain from the weight of a watermelon-size baby belly, these simple exercises will be valuable in relieving pressure from the spine.
Crunches seem to be an obvious choice, but they are not all created equal. Make sure to put emphasis on form and do each repetition with good form. Do not just ‘go through the motions or else you may find yourself more sore than productive afterward. To make sure that you are doing them correctly: have someone watch you do them, or watch a video online and use that as a guide for correct form (or teach yourself from this article!).
3. Squats
This is a move that will help you target the core area, which is essential in reducing belly fat. The more you include it in your routine, the better off you will be. With squats, you can also help raise your metabolism and burn calories by doing it at the beginning of your day. By doing this, you will be able to rise above the stress of a hectic schedule and get in a good run before you head out to work.
To avoid injury, make sure that you don’t bend at the waist when you squat. Your knees should go straight, and your back should be straight up and down. Focus on keeping your core tight as well, as this will reduce abdominal strain as well as keep you more upright when doing squats.
4. Flutter Kicks
Flutter kicks are another great tool in the arsenal of any post-pregnancy belly fat reduction routine. This is a very simple exercise and one that requires no equipment. It is great because it is something that you can do with your baby on your hip at the same time, or while your little one eats.
It is a great full-body exercise that will help improve blood flow to your body which helps the skin get firm and vibrant. It will also help improve circulation. Be sure to focus on good form, especially when doing this move with your baby on you.
5. Side Planks
Side planks are a great tool to help your core work harder and improve the body more quickly. They will also help you keep your glutes engaged, even when holding your baby in one arm. They are a great exercise that you can do anytime, anywhere.
To start, you should lay down on the floor and make sure that your knees are both straight in front of you and that your back is on the floor straight up and down. Make sure that your hips are stacked over one another, not splayed out into one direction or another. This will reduce strain on the spine as well as put less pressure on the glute muscles.
6. Burpees
This is a great move to do at the end of your workout. This will help you burn calories, but more importantly, it will improve your posture and reduce back pain. Burpees are a very simple exercise that can be done while holding your baby on one arm, making it very accessible and useful in daily life as well.
Burpees also help to develop your core muscles and fire up your heart rate at the same time. You will find that burpees are painless since they require no equipment for performing them!
7. Jumping Jacks
The jumping jack exercise develops strong leg muscles and improves balance in the lower body. It also strengthens the lower back, which is incredibly important in reducing belly fat. This is a great exercise to do if you are lying down so that you can work on getting your core muscles engaged while you are doing it.
To start, push off with your feet and jump with as much force as you can. Using only your hands and not your feet will require more balance and strength than the exercise would normally require, so be sure to practice with good form before moving onto jumping jacks with both legs for real!
Remember that these exercises will help you feel better physically and mentally during this time of life.