Most new moms have a little extra what I like to call “love” around the middle. It’s a given. You have to gain some fat to grow a human. But, I totally get that when 9 months of growing a human is over, you want to get rid of it and get your old stomach back. But, if you have Diastasis Recti and you’re trying to lose your mommy tummy by tacking on the miles running and running and running, hoping to flatten your stomach, I have some bad news:
Running can make Diastasis worse. If you don’t have great running technique, you don’t ease back into it, and you don’t also do some strength training, running can widen the gap, prevent you from healing fulling, and make your stomach protrude more when you’re trying to flatten it.
Hear me out and read on for 4 tips to heal:
Most runners stick their chest out and suck in their stomachs to power through the middle and end of a run. This can actually make Diastasis worse and make your stomach protrude more because it activates your outer abdominals, which builds your stomach outward. So, instead of flattening your stomach, it makes it protrude more. Opposite of what we want. It also puts a ton of pressure on the pelvic floor and makes it harder for Diastasis Recti to heal. When I see a mom in her home or the clinic, they often think they have a lot of fat on their stomach, but once I do my assessment, we find out that she actually doesn’t have *that* much fat, but outer abdominal muscles that have built outward and make her stomach bulge out. So, it’s typically not that much fat, but un-coordinated core that is making her stomach appear bigger.
If this sounds like you, here’s 4 tips to help you run with confidence:
Keep your boobs pointing straight ahead (not up) when you run. This aligns your ribs over your pelvis, which puts the pelvic floor and deep abs in the best position to work. If you run with your boobs up, it puts your outer abdominals (your rectus abdominis and obliques) to work more than your pelvic floor and deep abs, which builds your stomach outward and can prevent Diastasis Recti from healing.
Let your stomach go. I know, the last thing you want to do when you have extra fat on your stomach is to let your belly hang out, but trust me, if you want to flatten your stomach and heal your Diastasis, you need to STOP pulling your stomach in. When you suck it in or pull your belly button toward your spine, it activates your outer abdominals, which builds your stomach outward. So, instead of flattening your stomach, it makes it protrude more. Opposite of what we want. It also puts a ton of pressure on the pelvic floor and makes it harder for Diastasis Recti to heal.
Take shorter strides. This tip will help you with the first 2 tips. Shorter steps will help you keep your ribs and pelvis in better alignment, take pressure off your body, and potentially help you let your belly relax.
Book a free consult with us. These tips go a long way, but in order to heal fully and fall in love with your stomach again, you need to make sure all moving parts are strong, flexible, and resilient. Each mom needs a different approach. And that’s why we’re here. We will help you determine if you have Diastasis Recti, overactive outer abdominal muscles, or something else. Let us help you determine if you have Diastasis Recti or a core coordination problem and get you back to loving your body
