The joy of having a baby is no doubt one of life’s greatest experiences. For the most part, few things will burst the happiness bubble of becoming a mom–not even the sleep deprivation! But there is one annoying, unsightly and lingering reminder of the bundle we carried for nine months: the flabby belly.
Even once you have returned to your pre-pregnancy weight, often the battle of the bulge continues to rage at your waistline. “Getting back in shape after having a baby is definitely a challenge but not impossible,” says Tracy Roemer, co-owner of Shred415 in Chicago. “The key is to rebuild ab strength while incorporating cardio intervals to burn calories and reveal those strong abs as you shred that baby bulge.”
Roemer and her partner, Bonnie Micheli, have come to our rescue with a some effective ab exercises for women looking to get their killer tummies back–or simply return to pre-muffin top days. “Always be sure to get the green light from your doctor before jumping into a work out routine post-baby,” says Micheli. “Once you are cleared for exercise, if you follow these simple ab exercises a few times a week combined with intense cardio, you will have those shredded abs back in no time!”
For a full workout, combine 30 seconds of these ab exercises with Shred415’s treadmill workout. Then another 30 seconds of abs and repeat the cardio.
Try Shred415’s great stroller workout for when you are out with baby too!a