MOMS IN MOTION: Crunches don't make your abs flat

For all you moms out there who are crunching your way to a flatter belly, but can't see the results of all your hard work, guess what - you probably won't.

Think about it. If you want to create a flat tummy, why would you do something that causes your abdominals to come forward? This is partly where pilates has their thinking in the right direction. If you want your abs to go in, then you should be doing movements that encourage your belly button and abdominals to go toward your spine, not away from it.

So that's part of it, but what else?

Well there are definitely other contributing factors to a bulging belly. Diastasis recti, also known as abdominal separation, is the certainly one of them, but there are other things that can make it look worse.

Hydration

Water intake is essential as it pushes things along and helps to clean you out.

Dehydration can cause bloating and irregularity that results in constipation and bigger bellies. The average person sweats about two litres of water each day so replenishing those liquids is vital especially for a flatter tummy.

Proper nutrition

Similar to water, eating whole foods in their most natural state that are not filled with lots of fat and fillers help move waste out of your body. If you eat a hamburger and french fries and find yourself full after several hours, it's because it takes your digestive system a lot longer to break down food that's not natural and shouldn't be in your body any way. This extra "stuff" sits in your tummy and just adds up until it's eventually passed.

Cortisol

Otherwise known as the "stress hormone", cortisol can result in elevated levels when undergoing stressful situations or lifestyles. Elevated cortisol has been linked to increased abdominal fat storage. Exercise and proper amounts of sleep are good ways of controlling cortisol to manageable levels.

Strength training

Although cardio burns calories while you are doing it, strength training gives you the benefit of actually burning more calories at rest. And research has shown women who lift weights have less abdominal fat compared to those who do cardio exercise alone.

So think of these things the next time you try and crunch your way to an abdominal separation and abs that probably won't be flat again if you continue on that path.

If you remember these rules and train your abs from the inside out, you definitely have a fighting chance.