Is it possible to reshape a Mommy body?

As a typically fit person the concept of gaining tons of weight while carrying my twins for nine months pretty much freaked me out.

I gained about 75-80lbs total while pregnant and it's been very hard on my body because I'm very petite.

Since I had my children the thing for me has been the morning runs. My little ones usually wake up for a hearty breakfast right around 5:30. I feed them and strap them into the stroller and head out. Not only does it do wonders in getting them back to sleep but I'm really working my heart and getting lots of good cardio in.

One of the best things I've personally done is add on a personal trainer to my gym membership which I HIGHLY HIGHLY HIGHLY recommend if you do not already have one.

It really wasn't that expensive to add on either. At Urban Active, I pay $35.99 a month for a membership and $50 a month to see a trainer two days a week. He fully customizes a healthy meal guideline for me as well as specific workouts to target places like my stomach and thighs which were particularly affected when I got pregnant.

About a month into the program he got me into a spinning class which absolutely kicked my butt in the most ridiculous way but I noticed a major difference afterward.

Every gym offers tons of specialized classes and those are ALWAYS great to get in on. It gives you a regime to stick to and you can meet great people who can help you with your healthy life and body goals.

He also gives me that extra kick in the butt when I'm feeling particularly lazy so I pretty much can't say "oh well I'm blah blah blah," because I know he'll be on the other end of that phone saying "You're full of crap so get your butt into this gym NOW!"

In six months I've managed to drop about half the weight a gained. If you add that to the fact that I considered myself a little too skinny before I got pregnant, then I'm well on my way to having a great new body.

If you cannot possibly do the above two suggestions then my last suggestion is to find a great friend who would like to start exercising as well and do it together, this way you can be accountable for each other. When you're feeling lazy he or she can't kick you in the butt to get you going and vice versa.

Consider cutting out things like bread for a little while or if you just cannot cut out bread then keep it but forgo things like pasta and other foods high in carbs. Make sure you consume water like a fish. It keeps you flushed out as well as being a healthier and weight friendly alternative to things like sodas, teas and juices.

Instead of eating one or two big meals a day, try going with 5 small meals a day. Try something like a fruit in the morning, a granola bar for brunch, a salad and soup for lunch, some yogurt and crackers for a snack, some grilled fish and steamed vegetables for dinner. Of course you can pick and choose which items you prefer.

When/if you go out to eat, divide your meal in half. Restaurants give you WAY more food than is necessary. Cut it in half and eat only that.

If you have a craving for something like a cookie then go ahead and eat the cookie. If you forgo the cookie for an apple you'll still want that cookie after you've eaten the apple. Instead of piling on the lbs by eating the cookie and the apple, save yourself the trouble and just eat it to begin with.

Finally the BIGGEST advice I can give you is DO NOT EVER LOOK AT A SCALE.

Scales are quite possibly the worst thing to have in your home when you are trying to get in shape.

I've noticed a recurring pattern with people and scales. They exercise and try to get healthy, then they step on the scale and see they don't weigh what they hoped and so they get depressed and turn to the comfort food.

It's not about how much you weigh. You could weigh 180lbs but if you look fit, feel good about yourself and you're healthy then that's the important thing.

Don't ever rely on the scale. When you start loosing weight your body will tell you that it's starting to feel and look better. They way you look in the mirror and feel in those new clothes will do more for you than stepping on a scale could ever do.

Good luck and have fun with those little ones. Sometimes chasing them around the house can be a days workout itself. : D

Yes, you can certainly lose weight and flab.

I have had 2 kids as well. I've always loved fruits, veggies, and whole grains - that helps a lot. I do have to push myself to keep up on (meat) protein intake though. I miss warmer weather, as my favorite exercise has always been walking. Power walking, with weights, and at a fast speed (up and down hills) is a great start. After the walk, I work on toning and definition with weights.

I have sets of two: 5-lb bars, 8-lb bars, and 10-lb bars. Sit ups straight and to each side help define abdominal muscles. Push ups also work well for definition. Start small and slow. You will gradually build up strength to do more and more. Do make sure you give your muscles time to adjust and grow - weight lift Monday, cardio on Tuesday - back and forth.

I always shy away from saying a person can/should lose X amount of weight per month. I just can't think in those terms. I never really had weight goals. My goal was to become strong and healthy, weight wasn't an issue for me. Maybe because I nursed my children?? I don't know. I am 5'5" and weigh 110 - smaller boned. I got up to about 140 lbs in my pregnancies. Despite going back to my pre-pregnancy weight, my body is not the same as it was before. The hips widened and my breasts are smaller. Well, that's my personal experience. Best wishes to you - you can do it :)

I&L, start by talking with your doctor - s/he can talk with you about goals which won't damage your health, and then find a happy, enjoyable way to lose the weight. Happy and enjoyable often don't seem important to people when they are planning, but those two qualities will keep you enjoying the program which removes the weight, so you stick with it.

After you set the goals, think the advice about joining a gym is excellent - pretty often you get counseling on getting in shape as part of the joining fee; sometimes "women only" clubs can provide you with an easier social atmosphere that can add the "happy and enjoyable" qualities.

Finally, if you can get your husband involved, it can be a great encouragement, i.e., model for him each week and get him to tell you what he likes best about the changes in your body. Schedule his play time with your children while you are at the gym. My friends who are very much in love did this - they husband left love notes under her pillow anyway and wrote many notes of encouragement, telling her how beautiful she was, and she found way to reward him for his support - worked for them!

Well, I'm not a mom. But, yeah, it's definately possible to loose the weight. Go on a jog every morning with the kids in a stroller. Go to the gym in the afternoons or on your spare time. Swimming is a really good way to loose weight. One hour everyday in the pool is good enough to loose your stomach. Stay on a healthy diet; fruits, vegetables, wheat foods, ect. Breast feeding also helps loose weight. I think a goal of 5-10 pounds a month if pretty good. Stick to that and you'll be in shape in no time. Good luck :)

I put on 3 stone (42 pounds) during pregnancy and I lost it all. I just ate food as normal but I pushed my daughters pram everywhere and I lost it really quick. I havent got a car and I walked from my place to town, my parents, my friends, baby clinic, my brothers etc.

I do about 10 - 15 miles a week and I am the same weight as I was prepregnancy. My baby is 10 months now but I lost all the weight in under 3 months.

IF you do this it will work...

Your best bet is to join a gym... For tummy fat this is what works for me...

LOTS of cardio , I like the elliptical... A good hour a day...

Buy yourself some arm straps, and use them on a high bar at the gym... All you do is slide your arms through them, kick out the step up your standing on so you are suspended in them and pull your legs up to your chest or straight up out and back down... Don't swing your body, keep it controlled..

It works the lower tummy really good... Nothing aside of a tummy tuck works this well... It also seems to stretch your torso A LOT...

Then use a hyper extension, I have one at home... It is great for back chub... And you can also lean side ways on it, to get the sides of your waistline ....

Don't skimp on a clean diet either and drink plenty of water...

Cut out all breads... At least for a while... Or have only one slice a day of whole grain bread...

If your husband is still attracted to you, it doesn't matter what you look like.

You're a mother of 2, not a playboy bunny.