If you've recently had a baby, you may be wondering if you will ever be able to have a flat stomach again. Over the course of your nine-month pregnancy, your expanding uterus caused your abdominal muscles to stretch and lose muscle tone. Flattening your stomach again after childbirth requires a commitment to rebuilding this muscle tone and losing any remaining excess pregnancy weight in a safe and healthy way. By incorporating exercise and healthy eating into your normal lifestyle, you can achieve a flat stomach over the course of several months.
Step 1
Seek your doctor's consent before starting a new eating or exercise regimen. If you begin exercising or change your diet without your doctor's approval, you may damage your body or deprive yourself and your child of important nutrients. Breastfeeding mothers especially need to be careful about changing their diet since they are their children's major source of nutrition. In most cases, your doctor will allow you to return to regular exercise after six weeks.
Step 2
Eat a healthy and balanced diet of lean proteins, whole grains, dairy and fruits and vegetables. After giving birth, your energy requirements will most likely change, so with doctor's consent, you can begin to scale down the quantity of food you eat. Consider eating several smaller meals rather than two to three larger meals in order to supply your body with continual sources of energy. Avoid energy drinks, soda, junk foods and sweets, which can contain large amounts of refined sugar and empty calories.
Step 3
Develop a regular exercise program. Regular walking is one option for beginning your exercise regimen. As your stamina and energy levels increase, you can boost the intensity of your exercise program. Commit to exercising at least three to four times a week to see the best results.
Step 4
Perform exercises designed to strengthen your abdominal muscles several times a week. It is very important that you do not start these exercises until your doctor has given you consent to avoid injury. Once you've been given consent, the American Congress of Obstetricians and Gynecologists recommends exercises such as leg slides and the kneeling pelvic tilt to rebuild strength in your abdominal muscles. You should avoid doing crunches immediately; instead, perform shoulder lifts for a few weeks before moving to abdominal curls.
Things You'll Need
- Comfortable shoes
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