Still look pregnant after 3 years - what can I do?

[Paperowls]

I am so over looking pregnant but I'm not making any progress. I've been working out with a personal trainer for 8 months but I'm not any fitter or more toned. I've got three kids, the youngest is 3. I look awful, like an egg on legs. My self esteem is at rock bottom, husband has cheated on me and every time I see my reflection I'm reminded of a pantomime dame. Pre kids I was never a super fit person, but I had a waist and didn't look like Humpty Dumpty. Why isn't working out changing my shape?

I'm 5ft 7 and 11st 9lbs. I know I should weigh less, probably about 10 stone but I'm happy not to starve myself to get to that. But I'm just so out of proportion. I get offered a seat on the train regularly as I think people look at my normal arms and legs and think that my barrel middle is a sign I'm expecting.

But surely I need cardio to burn fat?

And if I ditch carbs and fruit I will be living on cheese and veg! That's one way to lose weight but quite limiting.

Seriously, it sounds like you have split tummy muscles. Try the check I described. Diastasis does make you look pregnant as there's nothing to hold your guts in and up...

Muscle burns fat. Protein and weight resistance build muscle. If you're storing fat on your middle you're possibly quite carb sensitive. Cardio and carbs will also make you more hungry.

I'd find a new pt. I don't know all the story but it seems this one is just happy to take your money.

Paperowls- I had a similar apple shape to you. Years of dance and cardio gave me lovely slim legs and arms but which unfortunately made my tummy look even bigger. Doing Jillian Michaels got my waist down from 33 inches to 25.5 inches.

Please find out from a physio or similar if you have diastasis recti before you try hardcore abdominal exercises. If you do have a separation then loads of crunches will make it worse, not better.

Same here OP and I'd echo what a PP said in that I look much worse having put weight on. My belly is huge. I don't recognise myself anymore. I look like my mum who always had that huge belly egg shape . I'm also finding it impossible to lose weight since I lost weight on a low carb diet last year. I put all the weight back on plus another stone and a half. I'm having my thyroid function tested at the moment in case I've got hypothyroidism. I'm determined not to stay this way, I feel awful.

I had my second son 3 years ago and my doctor referred me to physio during my pregnancy because my stomach was doming a lot and after having my son my muscles had split really badly. After 3 years I still feel my belly looks really swolen and not getting any better even after excercising I am thinking maybe I should go back to doctor and see if he can do something about it. It’s making me feel really self conscious about myself.