Flat Stomach After Pregnancy

Email from Anonymous:

I have a big stomach left from having a cesaerian delivery of my baby. Many people still think that I am still pregnant. I exercise often, doing ab crunches, leg lifts, oblique crunches and twist. I do cardio workouts about 3 times a week. I workout on my Total Gym Machine. I drink about 6 to 8 glasses of water a day. I've positively changed most (90%) of my eating habits, but I'm still not really able to lose my stomach. I feel like an egg with legs. Do you have any ideas of new things to try.

Lisa's Response:

Hi

If your "deep" abdominal muscles are weak and stretched from childbirth your stomach can bulge even if you do not have much abdominal body fat.

The key to flattening your stomach is strengthening these "deep" muscles. The most important of these are the Transverse Abdominis and your Internal Obliques. They hold your internal organs and stabilize your body for movement. When you exercise these muscles, they increase their tone and help pull your stomach in.

View this article for exercises that work these parts of the body.