is there anything i can do about my mum-tum??

[CandyCrate]

I have a stupid belly that I need to get rid of. I am 5'10, have no idea how much I weigh but I'm a size 12. I would be perfectly happy with my body except since I had DS 2 years ago my belly just seems to always be big and sticks out over my jeans!

I never have anyone to look after DS so any exercise I do would have to be in my own home in the evening, or walking, which I do a lot of anyway.

Has anyone got rid of their mum-tum?? Is it possible without hours and hours in the gym?

Yup. My gym instructors plural have never heard of it pushing your muscles out because i asked them about it. I do all of my exercises correctly, as there is no point otherwise, and i also vary the type of ab exercise i do not just the plain crunch.

And my DD is nearly 4 years old so i have had plenty of time for my muscles to return to normal. I also did my post birth exercises religiously, and im the only person i know who did.

I've had three babies and the big up and down muscles in my tum (can't remember the proper name) are still 2 finger widths apart - btw these muscles are meant to do this to enable your bump to grow. I've been told they may not go back together but I can still work on strengthening my core muscles, I do pelvic lifts with a ball between my knees to maintain stability.

I've been doing pilates for just over a year and it's really starting to make a difference - it's only been the last month or so that I've been focusing on my stomach and doing the exercises daily though. Was working on stabilising my wobbly pelvis and back beforehand.

I do a one-to-one session at my house once a week (the instructor only lives 2 mins walk away) which means I don't need to worry about childcare for youngest, I do an hour while she's asleep.

My belly sticks out under my belly button, no idea what to do about it.

I am glad Wendy has been on to urge caution with sti-ups. They are all fine and dandy if, as others have said, done correctly, but most people don't and that can be a real problem after pregnancy.

Also sit-ups done 200 million times might give you a six-pack (if you are also really slim so v little body fat hides muscle definition), but they do not act as a corset to pull you in. The human body is made of two halves: we have the same set of muscle on each side, connected by a fibrous band. It is this band that in some pregnancies separates and, being fibrous and NOT muscle, will never reconnect.
By training the deeper muscles (transverse rather than rectus) by concentrating on core exercises these muscles can pull you in.
If any of you have a palpable gap of more than 2 fingerwidths when lying down, this will not close, but you can get the appearance of closure by increasing muscle tone of the lower muscles.

There endeth the sermon.

I don't know Wendy, and I know v little about MuTu System. I am also not saying 'don't ever do another sit-up in your life', but you need understand the difference in what muscle groups are targeted by different exercises, and the associated benefits and risks.

That's really helpful pacific .

I have 3DCs and am almost certain I've never had anywhere near a 2 finger gap after any pregnancy. I remember the MW checking after DC1 and being amazed she couldn't find one at all.

I will see how things stand once DC4 makes its appearance in the next couple of weeks, and then hopefully permanently regain obtain my 6 pack and flat tummy at some point after that .

Your core is your stomach muscle though isnt it . I am also well aware that sit ups alone will not get rid of my tummy hence why i said about losing the weight then you would be able to see the stomach muscles.

Ok, first of all you need to work out if it's due to poor tone or if it's excess weight or skin. Stand sideways on into a mirror and stand straight and tall, holding your stomach in as much as you can but only to a comfortable level. If your mum-tum all but disappears, then you need to improve your posture and tone up. If it doesn't, then it's excess weight/skin.

IMO sorting out stomach muscles requires a two-fold approach - diet and exercise. Just doing one without the other is doomed to failure. If you can't get out of the house, try skipping for 20 minutes, or doing a workout TV. For toning, try leg raises and the plank if situps don't appeal.

Good luck. I'm sure it's worse in your eyes that it is in anyone else's. Your height and dress size suggest you look fab to me!

I've had 4 DCs, have no palpable gap now (DS4 is over 2), but could do with taking some of my own advice and do some exercises and lose 2 stone

Puds, your ' core' (which is kind of a made of phase anyway) is made up of several layers of stomach muscles, several layers of back muscles and your pelvic floor.

After pregnancy/child birth it is entirely possible to be skinny and have a bulging stomach.
If one did lots of sit-ups and lost weight (not that I am recommending that you do), you could end up with good muscle definition but still with a lot of girth if that makes any sense at all.
Different muscles have different purposes - rectus (straight up and down in groups of 3) lets you sit up, transversus pull you in.

Disclaimer: my anatomy knowledge is a bit rusty...

Just marking place till I can get on the PC in a bit. I've always had a tum even before children were thought of I looked pregnant it was annoying. I hate sit ups but the only time I have ever done them regularly I was a lot more toned in that area. I'm interested in that mutu thing, but I'm already following an eating plan which is working for me so will look to do the exercise part

Also how do I find this gap. I have no idea what it is

Ah thanks pacific i was becoming quite confused! So are we saying i shouldnt be doing the sit ups even though i know how to do them properly and have done them for a long time?

puds the sit ups are ok if you are doing them correctly, but doing them alone, with no other exercises to strengthen your transverse abs won't have the effect on a 'mummy-tummy' that you are hoping for.

I use Julie Tuplar's method and it has done nothing short of wonders. I do now do some sit ups and other ab work, but I go very carefully and do her basic exercises every day.

I am very similar to you op, am 5'10" size 12, big flabby belly stuck on the front

It's not so bad when I first get up but I look pregnant by bedtime, I also had terrible stretch marks so lots of loose skin. I don't have a gap though.

I think mine is just buggered. If I do loads of exercise and eat very low carb and no wheat or sugar it does improve but I find it really hard to keep it up.

So how do you check for this gap? I've read about women having gaps that are 2 or 3 finger widths apart - how do you tell?

My dc2 is 5 months old and I still have my lovely belly, even though I've lost all my baby weight and a little bit more. Grr.

Ive just had a look on the website and I can't see what to do. Is it just that 12 week program? If so £77 is way out of my budget (having young children and all that kind of takes money off you) so its a no go for me. Also can't find anywhere to tell me about this 'gap' that I really dont know what Im looking for. I will stick to running and swimming and watching my food intake I think.

oh god. so even if i do sit ups it might just make it worse?

maybe i should just buy some more spanx...

The Tuplar book is available on Kindle for about £7.

Apologies Ali I missed your previous post regarding Tuplar, will have a quick google now. Thanks.

The Tupler technique is available in a book that's much cheaper than £77 (!) though I haven't tried the MuTu system do can't compare them.

In fact I haven't tried the Tupler technique either, though it's on my kindle which is half the battle...right?!

No worries FB :)

Kaloo - go and read it now!

Kaloo I did apologize for missing Ali's post about Tupler. I read the thread originally on my ipod touch and came on here (The PC) to check out the MuTu system

£77 is a lot of money. Maybe the company would consider a MN discount?