Hi,
I am working in graveyard shift. I have my biggest meal of the day in the morning before I go to sleep. I usually eat rice, vegetables and meat (sometimes chicken) and fish. I used to drink coke zero for months now. I stopped it because I've noticed that I gained a lot of weight. I have sedentary lifestyle. Later in the afternoon and evening I usually just eat little portions of food and yet I am wondering why my tummy looks like I am 4 months pregnant. The sonologist touched it when I had my transvaginal ultrasound and she told me that it is so firm that she began suspecting if I have a medical concern in my stomach. She took a look at it and she said that its full of waste product. I am having my bowel movement regularly. I have also started drinking more glasses of water. I ate fiber-rich foods. I am just so bothered because all my pants can't fit anymore. I used to weigh 110 lbs, now I am 120 lbs. My waistline used to be 28, now its 31 or 32. Can you also give me tips on how to do a cardio exercise? I have no idea. I don't have any equipments at home and I don't want to go to the gym. Are there any exercises I can just do at home?
Cut back on the rice. Also the coke (tho no calorie) may be causing you to bloat. I'd switch to regular flat water.
The study of sound waves? Your stomachand colon are not full of waste if you are having bowel movements - it sounds fishy - like they want to sell you colon cleansing supplements. After having children, the muscles of the abdominal wall stretch out and FOR SOME do not return to their normal shape. That's why women resort to tummy tucks to sew the muscles back together.
Tailored, side zip pants are a great hider of bulging bellies. Or try Spanx with the built in tummy control.
You can try a cardio DVD at home to avoid going to the gym. Unfortunately, spot reducing exercises won't work without cardio fat-burning ones, too.
Good luck!
As a nurse I worked 12 hour nights for over 5 years. I always cooked and took my "big meal" to work with me for those nights when I was lucky enough to have time to sit down and actualy enjoy it. When I got home in the mornings I would eat just a small breakfast before going to bed. You may try a little miralax or a colon health supplement to see if you notice a difference. Choose healthy fiber rich foods cut back on carbs. Try to incorporate a little exercise in every day. Even if it's just going for a brisk walk.
If you were told it is full of waste product, in spite of "regular" bowel movements, I wonder... "regular" to some people can mean two per day or two per week or once per week... so "regular" does not always mean "good." (My doctor said 2 per day is good). I wonder if you feel bloated. I wonder because the big belly full of waste happened to two people I know and both turned out to have problems with both gluten and dairy. I read that food issues are hugely on the rise with Celiac happening more frequently any time in life now, even in older age.
As far as losing weight goes, especially in the gut area, you may want to cut down on starchy or refined carbs. For instance if eating rice, use brown or wild rice. You can use a different grain sometimes, like Quinoa which is higher in protein.
For exercise, walking is great, but anything making you move is wonderful - jumping jacks, jumping rope, going up and down stairs, push ups, etc. Then there is Pilates - you can get a DVD to teach you that.
Okay I recommend spanx and to do some cardio exercise which I hate exercising but I have to now that I am trying to lose baby fat. But turn some music on in the house and dance around for about 30 minutes. I get the kids up off there feet and dance with them. Dance while I am cleaning or washing dishes. Just a way for me to get some exercise in without feeling like I am working out. Make it fun and be creative. Walk up the stairs two at a time. Dance when doing acitivities. Practice kick boxing and karate with your kids mine love it. Good luck!
You could get an exercise ball; great for sit-ups without hurting your back. There are lots of exercise shows on TV; try one that gets you jumping, dancing, or jogging in place, etc. Even though you feel like all is normal in your gut, you may want to try Miralax...even just a half dose and see if your BM "improves". A digestive enzyme supplement may help as well. Good luck!
I just want to say that it is not true if you have regular bowel movements that you can not also have waste build-up. My daughter was having similar problems so her doc sent us to a ped. gastro specialist. He confirmed that her bowel was full of waste. He had her drink the over the counter magnesium citrate (any CVS or Rite Aid has it) to get her cleaned out, then Miralax to get things moving regularly again. It has made a huge difference! He certainly wasn't trying to 'sell' us anything!
Cardio is easy to do without any equipment. Do you have stairs at home? Walk up and down them at a steady pace for 20 + mins each day. You can even do this with just one step, like on your back porch. Just step up and down (left foot up, right foot up, left foot down, right foot down, repeat) at a steady pace. An ipod or other music can help you not to get bored. You will feel your heart rate increase and begin to be tired. Don't over do it, but also don't wimp out too early. Effective cardio is marked by sweat. If you are not sweaty, you are not getting your heart rate up there enough.
Try to change your biggest meal to be later in the day. A big meal before you sleep is a sure way to gain weight. Something smaller with slow burn carbs is great before bed. Carbs make you sleepy. Protein wakes up your brain.
Lastly, stress is a big factor in tummy fat. Try to take time to relax. Stressing about your tummy can actually make it bigger! It is good to be aware that you've gained weight and do something about it, but don't stress too much. Just get a little more active and watch what you eat. :)
To answer the other responder's question... a sonologist is the person that gives you a sonogram/ultrasound. A transvaginal ultrasound is an ultrasound that uses a small wand inserted in your vagina. Often used in the first few weeks of pregnancy to confirm a heartbeat before it can be detected with an external ultrasound our stethescope. It is also used to detect cysts, fibroids, tumors, and such internally.
Just a quick question...what is a sonologist? and what is a transvaginal ultrasound?
Cutting out gluten flattened my tummy. I didn't necessarily lose a lot of weight, but I was able to fit in pants a size smaller and I felt a lot better. I'd try that before you got too concerned about a medical problem. Good luck!
Get some cardio in your routine.... 30 minutes a day at least and do some crunches and abdominal strengthening excersizes. It's helped me a ton.
You may want to talk to your doctor about diastasis recti. It is a condition in which your stomach muscles stretch after giving birth, but never go back to their normal size. Your stomach will have little fat in certain areas, but the muscles make you look 4-6 months pregnant. We figured out that I had it after years of working on my muscles produced zero results. If you do have it, the only option is plastic surgery to correct your muscles. Good luck!
Do you have Comcast On Demand? They have a section devoted to Exercise. Also, try a walking routine in your house. I have Leslie Sansone videos but if you don't just walk in place slowly and then pick up the pace after a few minutes, do kicks, side steps, walk up 3 steps then back 3 steps, include some arm movements above your head to increase your heart rate. 30 minutes a day should help.
change up when you eat that big meal. take it to work with you, or eat before you go in and just have something light (yogurt and fruit or a salad) in the morning before you go to sleep.
if you're drinking plenty of water and eating a diet rich in fiber, i doubt you're full of waste. there are tons of good ab exercises you can do at home. they won't make your stomach smaller (you can't spot reduce) but they will tone you up and make you feel great.
khairete
S.
