Category: diastasis

February 27, 2009

THE CURSE OF CRUNCHES

I want to shout it from the rooftops – Crunches are the mother of horrible things a postpartum women (even if its been decades) can do to her body. Crunches can actually CREATE a separation of the rectus abdominus (the 6 pack muscle).

If anyone indulged two Sunday’s back when Desparate Housewives was on, then you would have seen the exercise BOOTCAMP that the women joined to get looking sleek and fit into model size dresses. Well, let me tell you, ain’t no slimming of the waistline going to happen with the crunches that I saw.

I saw women after women, who granted, are the extras – but still – bulging out their bellies. AAAAHHHHHHH! Its a DISASTER! Watch these crunches carefully and you will see through all their layers of clothing – the entire section of their abdominals were bulging out forward FORCEFULLY. (A couple swear words in the video FYI)

If those women did not HAVE a diastasis (split in their rectus abdominus a.k.a. “mummy tummy”) then they WILL after shooting that scene and doing crunches like that!

It is SOOOOOOO painful to watch. When you do abdominals, do HEADLIFTS instead (shoulders stay GLUED to the floor) and save your abdomals from a most certain fate!

February 14, 2009

Belly Fat or something else?

Well, we moms all have a little bit of “pinch an inch” on our bellies, right.

Would it go away if we trained for a marathon or worked out like crazy?

I have a marathon runner mom in one of my classes. She had a baby 1 year ago. She run 9 miles everyday. In chicago, that is very commendable.

She is super fit and trim. However, she has a 31 inch waist. What is that all about?

In her case her rectus abdominus split during her pregnancy to a 5, as in 5 fingerwidths, which is fairly substantial. So she looks perfectly trim except for what we call “the mummy tummy.”

I see this all the time with even my most fit and trim moms.

How do you tell if its belly fat? Well, if you look in the mirror naked and see a ‘spare tire” type of thing around your midsection – that is fat due to high insulin levels.

What if you see lots of skin, will this go away? Skin tautness is dictated from age and genetics. But there are some things you do to help with the tautness of your skin.

What kind of belly do you have? Most of us moms have a fun combination!!!

February 13, 2009

Do you have to "suck it in?"

Well, its a good question. I have heard some moms saying they are “tired of holding it in all the time.” Or “they feel no need to impress their spouse.”

However, it is a good idea when you are lifting things, doing exercises, reaching for something, getting out of bed, coughing, sneezing, or anything that is considered WORK for the body to do, to bring in the belly.

If not, we moms create bigger bellies being increasing our DIASTISES. This is where that cute 6 pack muscle we all want to look ripped- splits during pregnancy, and even during incorrect abdominals (CRUNCHES – YIKES!)