Mums with a flat tummy - do you hold it in?

[User112]

That really. How on earth do women with kids have flat tummies? What kind of workouts do you do? Do you always hold it in? I’m 1st away from my healthy weight range (upper boundary) and I have a B tummy. Do I even have a chance if I lose that 1stone?

Mine is luck (just happen to be at the lower end of my bmi ramge). But I've been doing a bit of HIIT recently and it seems fairly quick to strengthen stomach muscles so that it effectively holds itself in.

It’s mostly genetic, I think have a super flat stomach and if I tense you can see quite defined abs. I have had four big babies and do no exercise at all. Obviously some people have that through hard work too.

I agree about genetics. 3DC, eat what I want and don't go to the gym.
Do you have diastasis recti? I believe that can cause your stomach to stick out where the person is otherwise slim. Lots of exercises to fix it on YouTube.

I’ve definitely not got a flat tummy but I was asking a friend who has about this the other day, she reckoned it was a case of having strong stomach muscles to start with, tons of training, more training and good diet.

I'm sure exercise and weight loss will help but I do think that some people are just predisposed to have a flatter stomach than others

Natural body shape plus reformer Pilates, which is magic if you can find a studio near you

Mine is pretty flat after two children. BMI of 20.6, but I have a very slight frame. I’m only 5ft.

I’ve started back at the gym recently and it’s made a massive difference. I’ve found one hour three times a week works for me.

I’ve managed to lose 6% of my body fat in eight weeks. Prior to starting back at the gym I was betting a bit rounder in the middle.

Keep going, if you lose a stone and gain a flat belly great. If you don’t end up with a flat tummy you’ll still be super fit and feel much better for it!

I am slim (size8) but have a slightly sticking out tummy. Certainly wouldn't want to wear a clingy top.
Have noticed that if I don't eat white carbs and too much sugar for a week or so it is drastically smaller! Very nearly flat.

But.. that's not a sacrifice I am willing to make very often!!

Mine only went when I got down towards the lower end of my BMI range, I’m I typical apple shape.

I hope this doesn't sound rude but you have a tummy because you are one stone overweight, I'm also about this weight. At the top of healthy weight range (bmi 25) I'd say most people would have a bit of a tummy. Bmi 25 is great (it's my goal/dream weight) but it doesn't mean slim, slim would be bmi 21 or less for most people.

Strength training is great for all round muscle development, even if you don't specifically target your core. Nothing beats the big compound lifts e.g. squats / deadlifts / bench & shoulder presses combined with a good-ish diet.

But also sometimes these things are just genetic - my gran and mum were lean and had visible abs into their sixties from just being generally active, certainly not focusing on aesthetics. I do a lot of training for my sport but my sister does absolutely nothing and has a similar physique.

As above, it's healthy diet and exercise.

And the right time of the month, I have a belly a few days before my periods, then it goes down again.

Belly is like any other part of your body, you don't get toned by sitting down all day.

I think it's just a combination of genetics, diet and exercise.

Some people will tend towards a naturally flatter stomach in the same way that some people have longer legs or bigger boobs, and will be able to maintain that flat stomach without too much effort. Others will achieve flat stomachs through careful, sensible diet and exercise. Some, unfortunately, will achieve it through very disordered eating and extreme amounts of exercise.

I live in quite a 'yummy mummy' area and I'd say I know various people in all three categories tbh.

I do also think though that as well as all the above, the age at which you have your babies makes a massive difference. The older you are the harder it can be to get back towards pre pregnancy shape because you have age working against you.

Doing back strengthening Pilates exercises really helps posture and flattens your tummy.

@Rtmhwales

Mine is genetic. I eat a load of crap and it never varies from being absolutely flat. So I honestly think you're being too hard on yourself.

Exactly the same here. Just genes. I don't work out or diet, just stay the same.

Yes hold it in all the time even tho I had my kids 14+ years ago. Also still working hard on my pelvic floor after my DSis told me when I was preg that I may end up leaking if I didn’t do pelvic floor exercises. Now at the age where friends laugh, cough and leek but I’m still leek free. Stomach flat

My BMI is 19ish and mine looks fairly flat but not completely. I had lots of envious comments after having my baby about ‘snapping back’ which actually was nonsense because although I looked thin, it took a year of physiotherapy/Pilates/rehab to be able to run out jump without my pelvic organs falling out of my Fanny, so I really think we fail as a society on identifying what a ‘healthy’ body looks like.

Relatively flat tummy after 2 DCs when standing. But lovely relaxed pouch when I sit and still 1-2 dress sizes bigger despite weighing the same.

It took me a while as I wanted my pre baby shape back but now I’m good with it. I just had to change how I was dressing. I have friends who have hit the gym massively and tbh they don’t look natural any more.

@OttilieStonelady God no I meant a week, A WEEK!!!! Not three or four times a day. Dear me, no.

BMI 19/20 and I just eat healthily and only snack on things like fruit/pickles/gum - I don't snack on things like biscuits or chocolate because it's not satisfying and adds up so quickly.

I also walk everywhere.

I have huge boobs so my stomach looks flatter

Wait til your fifties and that spare tyre lands 🙁

Mini Stomach tuck 10 years after c-section
It’s flat and hard 😂 even if I put on a few pounds it stays in shape

@Susannahmoody

I have huge boobs so my stomach looks flatter

Jealous

Mine was flat when I doing a lot of exercise - gym, pilates and walking everywhere. Now I'm a bit lazy and it's not so flat.

**when I was