How Can I Lose This Mommy Belly

I feel like Im reading about myself N.. Unfortunately for both of us, there is only one way. Exercise. A routine that works the abdominal floor muscles and aerobics together. Do that and bye-bye belly. I just cant seem to get up the energy myself. Good luck.

I don't know what your current diet (meaning what you consume- not a "diet plan") is like these days. But what works for me when I start to put on a few unwanted and unintended pounds is to try to up my H2O intake (not flavored or "diet" waters, just plain water out of the tap on ice). Start out the day (even before a cup of coffee) drinking 6 or 8 oz of water. Then throughout the day, before I eat anything (snacks, lunch, dinner, whatever) I try to remember to take a few good deep drinks of water first. If I can, I have a full 6 or 8 oz again. Another HUGE factor, first thing in the morning, eat some protein. Instead of cereal, toast, bagels, etc, grab a handful of nuts (I like almonds) or a slice or two of cheese (I get the hunk cheese from Walmart- Colby is my fav). If you have the time, fry or scramble an egg or two (or eat a boiled one that you cooked yesterday). Not getting sufficient protein in your diet will keep you feeling hungry and wanting to snack. A single egg has about 6 grams of protein, and 1 oz of cheese has 7 grams of protein. If you start the day with some protein (at least 10 grams; 15 grams is better), you will eat less all morning. Same with lunch and dinner, be sure to eat sufficient protein (about 20 grams per meal), and eat the protein part of your meal first. If you do, you will feel satisfied sooner and eat less "junk" (bread, potatoes, chips, sweets, rice - processed or refined carbohydrates in general).
Keep yourself hydrated with plenty of water at mealtime too. Skip the soda, sweet iced-teas or juices... after a short time, you won't even miss them.
Small changes that you can stick with, and that won't break the grocery budget are what are easiest to maintain for the long haul. And that is the best way to lose, slowly...
Change your habits. Don't "go on a diet".
I wish you a Merry Christmas and a healthy New Year!

Sweetie, I know nothing about losing weight but I DO know about attitude and yours makes you such a winner! You're surrounded by such unconditional love that anything you reach for is going to be at your fingertips! Keep striving for better health and weight, but sister...GET BACK ON STAGE! There are community theaters all over the place. A little song and dance will melt the hearts of many and maybe a couple pounds along the way! Good luck and keep us up to date!
J.

With so much around you, you don't need to fret about a belly. Enjoy those three men who love you,but do try eating small portions and walking 30 minutes at least four days a week. Think HEALTHY, not diet.---Besides, if you have never been 140 it's unrealistic to try now, specially after two babies, tell your dr to try it himself!

Run run run!!! I've recently started running and my belly is visibly shrinking! LOVE it!

Hi N.,
It really makes you feel lazy when you take allergy meds. that make you drowzy! I was taking zyrtec and didn't realize why I was so sleepy all the time until a friend told me that it could cause me to feel that way. I use sudefed (from the pharmacist) on days when my allergies are bad. I can take a small dose of zyrtec at night it I need it, but I hate to because it often lasts the next day for me. You should see your doctor about prescribing you something different than what you are taking. What makes one person drowsy might not have an affect on another. Or just try other over the counter - like claritin or alleve??? (I'm not sure). But first I would try to get myself feeling awake by adjusting my medications so that I wasn't sleepy in the day while moderating my foods and exercising. Good luck!

Keep walking, dear. Enjoy the fresh air and smell the roses on the way. It's how I keep it fit!

i have the same problem. before i had kids i was 125 i had my first and gained 50lbs had my 2nd and gained 60. never lost back down from my first so i'm still about 30lbs overweight. i had 2 c-sections so because of scar tissue mine won't go back down. i don't think for flab you can do anything, that is if it's strecthed skin. if it's just c*** then i would try to cut out whites, you know like rice,potatos, white bread, stuff like that. my brother lost a lot of weight doing that. also mayo. i lost about 5-10 lbs just cutting out mayo. and of course sit ups lots and lots of situps. ;)

Hi N.,

First off, let me congratulate you on your happy marriage. May it always be happy. =)
I am an aerobics instructor on the side and my husband is a personal trainer/gym owner.
First small note: the sweat wraps can be very dangerous because they dehydrate you. they do not melt fat, they make you lose water ONLY. Make sure you drink a lot of water.
As far as diet goes, moderation is key. Eat normal portions and don't deprive yourself of what you love/crave. Then, emphasize on protein. Force yourself to add some at every meal. It's awesome to see how much more energy you get when you do that. Then, try really hard to include veggies and fruits every day.
Now for the exercise part, walk every day whenever the moment is best for you. There again, your energy will increase and it will encourage you. Run after the ball with your sons, chase them, play tennis with them, chase them in the pool, dance with them...
I offer an outdoor fitness class. It's for every level and it's fun. Call me for more details if you're interested (it's inexpensive). ###-###-####.

Good luck and happy holidays to you and your family,

S.

There are no quick cures or magic weight loss (or belly loss) plans. To lose the belly, you'll need to lose the fat, and to lose the fat you have to burn more calories then you are eating.
There are many ways to do this, but to keep it off you need to make life style changes--both with what you are eating and your activity levels. No you don't have to start running 5 miles and eating grape fruit every day, but make a choice and then stick to it (like adding a morning walk), then make another choice (eat 1 egg instead of 2 in the morning), then keep adding to it (make sure you are eating 5-6 servings of fruits and veggies a day), but keep changing you eating habits and exercise habits.
If you are looking for a "plan" look at Weight Watchers and South Beach. Both are food plans that promote healthy eating--fruits, veggies, lean meats, whole grains. I like WW because it is all about lifestyle and they incorporate exercise and you can eat what you want (it's all about making good food choices)--they also have a great support network. South Beach has some great cookbooks though and both complement each other. (If you do WW, you will find that SB foods are low "points".)
Making these small changes over a period of time will lead to weight loss, a smaller belly, and won't feel like you are dieting--because you aren't, you are just eating better and being healthy...
Once you get rid of the "fat" you can firm you belly up by doing simple core muscle exercises-(You can do this while you are losing too) crunches work-but they get boring fast. Look into yoga, pilates, and other exercises that work those core muscles (you can save money by checking out DVDs from the library).

Don't waste your money on the creams, they DON'T work and are basically a scam...
And stick to it--so many of us struggle with this too, just take it day-by-day and don't scrutinize yourself--obviously your kids and husband love you no matter what!!!

N.,
I shop with Beachbody! I love their Turbo Jam series. It allows me to keep in shape, while having fun. In just 20 minutes per day, I lost 10 lbs. in just 2 weeks. If you'd like to look at their products, please visit my store at www.milliondollarbody.com/motherto2
C.
WAHM

Hi N.,

The ladies said it..there's no quick cure. Nutrition is the most important thing. PROPER nutrition will not only get rid of your belly, but will also get rid of your allergies. (That's a little cost savings there on the meds...)

Proper nutrition is hard these days because there are so many things pumped into food (pesticides, preservatives,hormones,antibiotics, processing...)that deplete the nutritional content. My husband lost 110 pounds on a good absorbable multivitamin and burned the fat and most of his belly with some additional effort. He lost the first 60 pounds from no additional effort at all, just the nutrition.

If you want to know more, let me know. I'll be glad to help.

Regards,

M.
www.squidoo.com/ifyourbabycouldtalk