Journal: Battle Flab

photo credit: http://blogs.parentcenter.babycenter.com/momformation/2008/02/25/my-postpartum-diet/


After you have a baby, you certainly end up with battle wounds. But most of us also have what I like to call Battle Flab. After I delivered my son, I noticed fat in places I never thought could get flabby. It's something you might not notice as much when you have a giant belly hanging in front of you. But after the baby comes out and your tummy looks like a deflated balloon, it tends to stand out a little more. I think you know what I'm talking about...

Take my back, for instance. Since I am what they like to call pear-shaped, I never even thought twice about back fat. All of my jelly existed below the waist. But after having a baby, I noticed that my range of motion when twisting from side to side was greatly inhibited by my back fat. It would kink up and prevent me from twisting any further. It made my ab exercises with my Core Secrets ball a bit more challenging.

Then there are my arms and face. My previously stick-thin arms seemed to grow as if I was on steroids, and my face looked like I never lost my baby fat. Although they have both have gone down significantly in the past six months, my arms still feel like "fat man in a little coat" in my old shirts.

And of course I can not leave out my belly. My poor, poor belly. This area usually suffers the greatest amount of damage, especially for us short women. Our bellies have nowhere to go but out, out, out (though for me it was more like front to back, side to side)! Every time I sit down I feel (and look) like I'm wearing an inner-tube around my waist. That area was always the smallest part of me, and the easiest to control. Now it is completely out of control and goes from here to there and everywhere. In fact, my legs and bottom have gotten into shape faster than my stomach. I guess that shouldn't be a surprise, since, despite how it looked, I was not carrying a baby in my butt cheeks.

But even though some strangers may still wonder when I'm due, it isn't so bad knowing that I've got my little buddy by my side. And maybe it's a good thing that I can't remember my old body.

Up next: Battling My Flab