I think I'm flabbier!

[BigDamnNCFail]

I'm not massively overweight but I am right at the high end of 'healthy' and since pre-kids I was always at the low end this feels pretty big to me.

A couple of weeks ago I decided to start actively trying to get a bit more healthy again. I've dug out my old 30 Day Shred DVD and have been doing it every other day, on the days I don't do the Shred I try to walk somewhere with the boys. I'm not on a strict diet or anything but I have cut out almost all chocolate/biscuits etc. and am trying to up my protein and cut down on carbs/sugar a little (so, a poached egg on toast for breakfast and nothing else until lunch instead of jam on toast and then a mid-morning snack).

I was feeling quite full and happy with what I was eating and am doing so much more exercise so assumed I'd steadily get a little less...squishy.

But, I swear my stomach is fatter now than it was before I started. It's not trapped wind from change of diet or anything - it really does feel like squishy fat.

I'm feeling worse now about my body. What's going on??

AF due?

Or your muscles might be retaining more water in order to heal. I find this happened both times I started getting active again after pregnancies. It lasts a few weeks/months depending on your body.

Look at it like your muscles going into shock and trying to wrap a blanket around themselves.

Just keep at it.

Is your tummy bigger or wobblier? It might be that the initial fat loss is starting but the skin hasn't started to tighten yet so you feel squishier. I found when I lost weight I looked fatter to start with because the fat wasn't as solid as it was

Fit, AF is all over the place (pill problems) but water retention sounds plausible.

Sweary, that may well be what's going on.

It's annoying because I've got a rare night out in a few days and whilst I wasn't expecting overnight results (it's not like I thought I'd have lost half a stone and I deliberately went for something that might be sustainable rather than a crash diet/quick fix), I was hoping to feel a little firmer/fitter and therefore more confident. Instead, I think I look worse than I did a fortnight ago despite all the effort I've put in.

Ah well, I'm sure DH will tell me I look great regardless and I'll have a good night.

I get softer before I get smaller. I was quite solid before but am at a squidgy stage. Although the measuring tape hasn't changed much I get a better result from control underwear arm as it can flatten out now.

Okay, so it is a 'thing' and doesn't mean I'm failing. That's something.

It also occurred to me part of the problem might be I think I've lost a little weight off my boobs so my abs look bigger in comparison. Why I've lost weight from my boobs is beyond me since there's so much more fat on my thighs and arse (I'm very bottom heavy).

I told DH about my tummy problems and he said, 'I was meaning to say you look like you've lost weight.'

Bless him. If I lose weight he tells me I'm looking great because I've lost weight and if I put on weight he tells me I look great because my boobs are bigger.

I googled this a while ago and my scientific research {ahem} concluded that lots of women lose from face and chest first then from lower body....so there is a point where things dont look great but if you keep going things should even out with some lower body weightloss.

Also it is possible for tummy muscles to seperate a bit more post childbirth if doing ab workouts it might be worth switching to cardio and weights without any floor work and seeing if that helps? Sometimes my tummy sticks out more after exercise - whether its water being released as part of muscle repair or tummy muscle probs I dont really know.