The total body workout program made my diastasis worse?
This is a question I have been pondering for the past couple of weeks. It’s been frustrating how I have lost all my weight for over a year, I have been consistent with my workout program, I have been mindful of my food choices, this belly still feels like jello to me.
Like why is this so hard? I’ve seen these ladies with great results after just 8 weeks, and others after 6 weeks. Me? It’s been ONE FAT YEAR AND A HALF! That’s 78 weeks!
Have I been doing something wrong?
I recall every little detail of my journey, how I found out, my progress check-ups with the professional, the sweat and tears and more sweats, the DR education.
Last several weeks, I have done something I have never done before. I stopped doing my usual total body workout, and I focus on the diastasis recti exercise, not because I think the total body workout make my DR worse.
I think and think over this question again, CERTAINLY NOT. The picture doesn’t lie, the way my body feels doesn’t lie. Since this is also my second postpartum with DR, I have been checking in with the physiotherapist regularly. If she didn’t give me a green light each time, I wouldn’t have kept going.
August picture taken when I was about 15 weeks postpartum and picture on the right is 10 months postpartum.
Here are the undeniable facts:
I am in my best shape and strongest I have been
I have definitions on body
I am not experiencing any pain
I am not leaking
I have abundant energy and my mind is clear.
The conclusion I come to this is that there are only so many things you can do. You don’t know what you don’t know. It’s like if only having a baby comes with a manual, there won’t be so many sleepless nights or painful breastfeeding sessions….
And, not to mention, Diastasis Recti is such an under-spoken topic that remains a mystery to many of us. Have you ever been asked to diagnose your postpartum belly other than your unusual blood clot or c-section healing.
But here is something I wouldn’t do, I wouldn’t go for a tummy tuck surgery just because I wanted to get rid of the belly, and here is the reason why.
Most of us know about DR because we research about it online after we notice something is wrong with our stomach. Some are never aware because no one around them talks about it.
Why is my Diastasis Recti Not Healed Yet?
What I think happened is that the total body workouts are generalized. While they are amazing workout programs that got me strong legs, sculpted shoulders and arms, and strong obliques to help pull the tummy in. The transversus abdominal (TVA)muscles don’t get enough attention, which is the muscles that need to get strong to heal the DR.
While I see other moms who have no problem healing their DR by doing the workout programs, for me, my TVA needs A LOT of attention.
So the last few weeks, I purposely stopped the Barre Program, and focus on a list of DR exercises and stretches that are suitable for my problem areas which are
1) a high hinge (the curve on the lower back),
2) a tight hip,
3) lack of ribs and back expansion when breathing,
4) obliques being overly dominated, and
5) lower transversus abdominal muscles under-firing.
I know exactly what I need to do..., but the problem is that I lack a sense of direction and motivation. There is no one in front of me, “do this now.. then do this next”, and cheer me on, and count for me.
Perhaps, I have been too spoiled by Beachbody workouts, it was so hard to stop doing them. The programs are real-time, motivational, short, no thinking involved, I get excited every time I press play because the trainers and crews are SUPER fun. And I know after 20 -30 minutes, I would have gotten a really good workout.
But I know I need to give myself sometimes and trust the process. I preach what I say, ” the difference between a successful body transformation and an unsuccessful body transformation is faith.”
For moms who are struggling with DR, I understand your frustration and disappointment. I learnt that every mom’s diatasis is very different, so there is no one size fits all solution. A general plan is there, but severe cases like mine need a more strategic attack.
I hope you find this post hopeful and shed some light in you that you can absolutely heal yours as well.
