Belly help

[siblingrevelryagain]

After years of babies/weight gain & loss/being over 40, I now find myself finally able to (sort of) accept my body and dress to better flatter my shape.

I am a 12-14, depending on store and style, with lumpy-bumpy bits but ok legs, and a good hourglass shape.

I need to know what I can do to reduce my huge tum. I eat very healthily, have cut out added/refined sugar, so I don't think I want to 'diet' any further, in terms of cutting down my food further. I eat carbs but only brown rice, potatoes & wholewheat pasta. I eat lots of veg, some fats, some fruit & nuts.

I look good from the front but like a pregnant duck from the side! Is it just something I have to accept as part and parcel of three large babies, and no exercise? I'm a single mum so at the moment there are very few child free opportunities so adding exercise in will be difficult (although I can do stuff at home if anyone knows an exercise I can do to actually help get rid of my tum).

Can I get rid, or can anyone recommend good control pants with no vpl, and that don't push the muffin top upwards!

Cardio exercise is the only thing that will burn the fat no matter how tight the muscles are underneath. Look up some classes..metafit, circuits, spin etc. Hula hooping is fantastic for abs.

M&s control pants always seem to get good reviews .

• meant to add that you can look up lots of fab workouts on YouTube. Hth.

Thank you-I'll give YouTube a look

Primark control pants also get good reviews on here.

Have you seen a dietician? You may be retaining gas and they could recommend dietary changes (not "dieting") that would reduce your stomach.

Like skinful says, you need some cardio exercises to burn the belly fat initially (reduced calorie intake will help too), but then you need also to tighten the abdominal muscles with pilates-style exercises.

I have always been an 8-10, but after the birth of my first baby, my stomach was no longer flat due to the stretched abdominals. It took some effort over quite a while to get back to how I was before (just in time to get pregnant again, so back to square one!).

You could try some workout apps too; I have the Fitness22 7 minute classic app (they also do fat burner and ab cruncher apps too). If you follow it properly (you may need to make some space and put a mat or towel down first), then you will be out of breath at the end. If you can make 7 mins each day for this, it will certainly help (but not if you aren't watching your calorie intake too).

Good luck!

It depends on whether it is loose skin, fluid retention, weak muscle, wind etc.

Sorry to say the only way I managed to reduce my gut was to cut out 'extra' carbs, so no potatoes, rice etc at dinner and extra green veg to replace it. It is not a low-carb diet (tried that and felt very ill) and I have the occasional bit of pasta or potato with dinner, but more like once a fortnight. I try to keep the carb element the smallest part of a meal, so I may have an egg or two and a single piece of toast for breakfast, or an open sandwich (one piece of bread heaped with salad and, say, tuna) for lunch. Dinner is a protein and lots of veg (I eat as much green veg as I can get down me).

I don't otherwise restrict my diet (treats etc) beyond just normal common sense. If I want a biscuit I really want it, whereas I don't miss rice at dinner, so it's an easy choice for me.

When I got very heavy it was eating stuff like brown rice and wholewheat pasta rather than junk. I think I thought it didn't count.

I have one of these in beige and one in black: www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B00284B5HI/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1&tag=mumsnetforum-21
I cut the gusset out (it's impossible to use as is) and wear with anything clingy. They are very comfy as there is nothing to cut into your flesh.

It's great that you're feeling relaxed and happy in your own skin. I think that's the hardest part, and the most rewarding.

I had some results with 30 day shred. Haven't done anything for a while though and my belly is back!

Spanx are good, Pilates is also fantastic as good posture can make you look like you have lost pounds.
I have also had 3 big babies (and 1 smaller one!), I very rarely eat pasta, white potatoes or bread anymore as they make my tummy feel huge. Instead I'll have buck wheat or rice, or sweet potatoes if I fancy something stodgy.