Tummy Muscles - help!! (long & complicated)

[KatieMac]

I'm not sure if this should be here or in health??

I've lost a total of 47 lbs over a four year period. In the last 12 months I have lost no weight (I'm now 11 st) but have lost inches off my waist, arms, legs and bum.

Which is lovely....but I've now got quite a reasonable figure - apart from the waist/tummy.

My tummy is very big almost distended. My surgeon said my tummy muscles were torn when I had an ectopic pregnancy (in 2000) and they would never repair and that I would never have a flat tummy again.

My question is (and maybe it should be in health??) is it worth exercising to try and reduce it? Is the surgeon wrong?

The reason it's so important is that I have ME and any energy I have has to be used effectively - not wasted (iyswim) - 'cos there is so little of it about (after work/cleaning/children etc)

So what do you think??

[Fran1]

I watched a programme once where a woman was having some kind of plastic surgery on her stomach, and they talked in great detail about what you mention, the muscles being torn and hers had occured after a normal pregnancy. I'm sure i have the same problem as they showed how you have a dip in the middle of your tummy where the muscles won't go back together.
I would imagine excercise would help tone your stomach now that you have lost weight, i think the surgeon means it will never look the same again.
I find it really depressing as the rest of my body is ok, i just have a big tummy and i also seem to get really bloated nowadays aswell. I am terrible for sticking to sit ups, i do loads in a few days and then the novelty wears off.

[KatieMac]

Fran1 it's not the dip in the cntre I had that (a bit) after DD was born. This is on the left hand side and I have an enormous strechmark. It's about 5 inches long and 2.5 inches wide.

After the op it was bruised black and it went purple. It stayed purple for 2+ yrs then faded through red to pale pink/silver

[SeaShells]

well done for the massive weight loss and for doing so well with the ME (your a childminder aren't you? wow!)
Sorry can't help much with the tummy, it is always the last thing to go when you loose weight and the first place you put it on, I hate mine, I have pretty slim arms and legs but my tummy is a nightmare, and sit ups are a nightmare! The thing with sit ups though is that it's not really the amount you do but how effectively you do them, even just a few each day might make all the difference, someone mentioned pilates on another thread, maybe some sort of excersise like that might be better, as it's quite a gentle excersise?

[KatieMac]

Hadn't thought of Pilates. I think Tummys are so annoying....

My ME is pretty much in remission (touch wood) and has been for nearly 8 years. But you get so careful that you don't DO anything to agrevate it.

[jampots]

Katie - my GP offered me a apronectomy if I chose to go that route (and still needed it after losing weight) on the NHS. Apparently some surgeons are sympathetic to this problem (apparently one in Brum) cant remember where you are though?

[KatieMac]

What's an apronectomy??

I'm in Norfolk

[zippy539]

Same here KatieMac. I've lost three stone since having my two but my tummy is still a complete disaster. TBH I still look pregnant unless I actively suck it in and I've got loads of flubby skin I'll be watching this thread with interest.

[jampots]

an apronectomy is where they take away all the loose "overhang" - presumably a tummy tuck

[jampots]

www.zen7008.zen.co.uk/abdominoplasty.htm

[KatieMac]

Not sure if they would do any more (unnesissary) surgery after all that my poor tum has been through

But it's an idea

[jampots]

my thoughts exactly katie (but desperately need to)

[soapbox]

Oh definately give pilates a go - it is the only exercise I have ever done which I can say has really changed my body shape!

I've still got a saggy tum but only cos I need to lose one more stone

If you can you need to go to a proper studio and do equipment based pilates which is much more effective than mat classes. The sessions themselves are not ardous - the opposite really they are deeply relaxing

[KatieMac]

last time I went to a gym their "top Instructor" took me round as I had so many things on their list. He then explained that I couldn't use any of the equipment as my body was too knackered

So equipemt based - sends a kind of chill down my spine.....

[soapbox]

Oh its very very gentle - my days of killing myself on the cross trainer or climbing wall are defo over

It really is a lovely way to exercise - quite holistic. To completely put your mind at rest - there is a lady who is paralysed from the waiste down who uses the same studio as me each week and she loves it

[KatieMac]

OK - I'll get together some money and see if I can find anywhere local.

But I'm having Reflexology every 2 weeks so hope they are compatable

[soapbox]

They would definately be compatable.

I think there is a website on one of the other pilates threads where you can search for a centre near you - might be worth searching for

Goodluck!!

[KatieMac]

Hmm seems a better bet than surgery (ie if I don't like it - I give up)

So here goes

[jampots]

katie - i went to see a kinesiologist on monday and ive lost 6lbs already ! she balanced me!