Re-discover sexy on the outside - rebuild from the inside

This is an article I wrote sometime ago and you may have seen it pop up elsewhere but it is one of my favorites and reminds us that it is important after having a baby not to cut corners and to ensure we rebuild our bodies in the best possible way to ensure we stay strong and injury free in the future.....enjoy.....

So you’ve had a baby (or two) and you want to re-gain that flat stomach, sexy bum and killer thighs.  We all want to look and feel fantastic for ourselves, our partners and hey, maybe even to attract a little attention from the opposite sex as we walk down the street.  How good would it feel to slide back into those pre-pregnancy jeans without having to wrench them over your hips and without the muffin top that takes shape as you squeeze to fasten the top button?

“Yes, yes, tell me how” I hear you say.  The secret is starting from the inside out.  You need to re-build your inner unit, make it strong and allow it to function to its greatest capacity THEN we can tweak the fancy bits and make you look pretty on the outside.  You don’t find million dollar homes built upon crumbling, second rate foundations.

Five reasons to make the effort to re-build form the inside out:

• Pregnancy hormones and altered body shape weaken your back and tummy muscles.

• Tummy muscles separate during pregnancy but will start to re-join soon afterwards, you should check the re-joining process at regular intervals.  At 6 weeks postpartum you are only 90% recovered.  Without the proper exercise some women’s abdominals will not fully re-join.

• It is essential to get your inner unit working before embarking on an advanced conditioning program.  If you wobble on the inside it is only a matter of time before the outside crumbles.

• You may need to re-learn how to activate your inner tummy muscles.

• As your baby gets bigger and heavier you will still need to lift and carry them.  Maintaining and increasing your strength will reduce your risk of injury and more specifically back pain.

When I talk about your ‘inner unit’ or ‘core’ I am referring to those deep abdominal muscles which are made up of your transverse abdominals, diaphragm, multifidus and pelvic floor.  These muscles play a vital role in your core stability and function, they also protect the spine and protecting the spine is essential.  The best way to start working your core is to use a simple breathing exercise.  Focus also on the region underneath your undies line, breath in and as you breathe out draw this area away from your undies and draw your pelvic floor upwards (be sure not to push put).  You also want to try and keep you Rectus Abdominals (six pack muscles) and oblique’s nice and relaxed so it can be quite a subtle movement.  It is often easier to practice this exercise lying on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, be sure not to push on the floor with your feet.

If your abs are strong on the inside the outer muscles, your rectus abdominals, will work more efficiently.  You will then be on your way to re-gaining the stomach you once had or discovering an even better one.  Your return to fitness will progress in leaps and bounds and day to day fetching and carrying will feel easier as you move more efficiently.