postpartum weight loss

#1 TIGHTEN THAT TUMMY. Flabby abs are the biggest battle Phitchick's readers face. Regular crunches focus on lengthwise muscles. Try to target the transverse - muscles that wrap around the abdominals horizontally - Try the slide: On a slippery floor, like wood or linoleum, get into a push-up position, balancing on your forearms. Place a folded towel under your toes, and as you pull your abs in, slide your knees toward your chest. Do 2 sets of 5 - 8 reps, 3 X per wk; work up to 3 sets. According to Prevention magazine (Dec 1999 p. 139), the best lower belly exercise is the REVERSE CURL. Here's how it's done:Lie on your back and place your hands, palms down, alongside your thighs. Bend your hips and knees to form a 90-degree angle: thighs vertical, lower legs horizontal. Now slowly contract your abdominal muscles, lifting your hips about 2 to 4 inches off the floor. Keep your upper body and arms relaxed. Hold, then slowly lower. OTHER POSTBABY AB MOVES: after baby tummy tighteners, ab exercises that really work, and lower back exercises.

#2 EAT SMART. What do BROCCOLI, BANANAS, and WHOLE GRAIN BREAD have in common? According to author Theresa Francis-Cheung, these are nutrient-rich foods that can "eliminate hunger, erase water weight, and speed up your body's fat-burning power." WHAT I DID: I made a copy of these foods to help slim me down my postpartum body and stuck it on my fridge. #3 DRINK WATER BEFORE and AFTER exercise to prevent dehydration. Read about the importance of drinking water. Drinking water helped me lose weight after pregnancy because it helped flush out excess water weight. WHAT I DID: Wash out an empty 64 oz. apple juice container, fill up with water in the AM, and empty it by the end of the day.