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Dear Dr. Emily,
I had a baby about six months ago and have been working out about four days a week. I’ve dropped 30 lb. so far, but I can’t seem to get rid of my belly. I currently do about 100 crunches a day (a mix of crunches to target all areas), and I haven’t seen much progress. What else can I do?
-Frustrated
Forearm Plank
Dear Ms. Frustrated,
Thank you for your question. This is a common concern among women who have recently given birth. Due to the high demans placed on the abdominal muscles during a pregnancy, it often requires a lot of dedicated core work to tighten the midsection. It’s important to understand that our abdominals are made up of a deeper layer (which you cannot see) and a more superficial, outer layer (which you can see). Post-baby, you actually want to focus on the deeper muscles, which will help to pull everything back into your pre-baby physique. Some examples of great exercises for targeting the deeper muscles are the forearm plank, push-up plank, side plank, and isometric crunches. Prefer to take a core-targeted class? Pilates is a great workout known for hitting the deeper core muscles!
Do you have a question for Dr. Emily? Email emily@lucilleroberts.com.
