Iโve got a Jelly Belly. Unfortunately, not the delicious kind, but instead the kind that jiggles when I walk and bulges when I cinch my belt. Some moms might call this a baby tummy. But my son is almost 4, so I donโt know if I can use that excuse anymore.

I cannot get rid of this thing! Okay, I havenโt tried thaaaat hard yet, but I want it gone โ especially for summer.
When I drive home from work, I have to drive by the local high school. This time of year, there is usually a run going on along the road. Track team, I assume. Yesterday, it was warm and muggy and some of the young women were just running in shorts and a sports bra. And this reminded me of when I was in high school, and how I would could run in my sports bra.
Can I just tell you how much I wanted to run in just shorts and a sports bra on Monday? I was really dumb and did a 7-mile tempo run (ahem, the day after a 9-mile long run) during the hottest part of the day on a trail with no shade, and didnโt bring water with me. Luckily, I had on a new New Balance airy tank, so that helped, but I still was so, so hot, and I just wanted to take it off.
But I cannot bear the Jelly Belly. My thighs do enough jiggling in my shorty-short shorts, I donโt want to add my stomach to the mix.
I was thinking about it recently, and last year when I was training for the full, I had a less jiggly stomach even though I weighed a little bit more. So how was that possible?

Then I remembered that I was doing Jillian Michaelsโs 30-Day Shred video 3-4 times per week in addition to running. I was only running 3 times per week: two 30-minute mid-week runs, and one slow, long run on the weekend with walk breaks, as I was trying to avoid getting injured. But I was doing my PT exercises and busting out some 30DS regularly.
Lately, I havenโt been cross-training much. I havenโt been making time for it and also my front bike tire keeps going flat. I Mr. T just replaced the tube, so Iโm not sure what the deal is. The really annoying thing is that the tube has a weird air valve that doesnโt work with the air compressor, so I Mr. T must pump it with the hand pump. I hate asking for help with it. So I havenโt been riding my bike. Iโm thinking of getting another new tube.
Anyway, I substituted JMโs 30DS for cross training when I was training for the full, so why not do it again? It helped me a ton, especially with hills since I canโt do hill repeats (they make my shins too sore, so PT said no, no on hill repeats โ FINE BY ME!). But I have to find a way to, as my PT said last year, exhaust the glutes.
So, 30DS is a good start. Even if I do fit in a bike ride or a swim, I still want to do my 30DS on those days. I did Level 2 last night, then added a modified version of the Run Less Run Faster strength routine afterward. Modified, as in I just do squats instead of wall sits. I donโt think Iโm doing the wall sits correctly because they really hurt my knees and Iโd rather not injure my knees, thanks. I also canโt donโt want to do pushups on the exercise ball. It freaks me out. So I did real, manly man, pushups instead.
How did you get rid of your baby tummy/jelly belly/muffin top? Whatโs your favorite Jelly Belly flavor? Mineโs popcorn. Have you ever done something as stupid as run a 7-mile tempo run the day after a long run?
11 comments
Will be reading avidly to see what other’s solutions are! I *need* to do 30DS with some continuity. My first time scarred me so much I’ve had trouble going back – yes, I’m a chicken-****.
Favourite bean(s): Peach, pear, and green apple. Sorry, can’t stand popcorn. If we ever share them you can have them all. ๐
Yay! I will eat all the popcorn!
My weird hip injury makes all the core and ab work really painful. As you could see in my video, I have not gotten rid of my jelly belly or muffin top ๐ Someday…
and you can have all my popcorn jelly bellies too…my least fave flavor!
More popcorn for me!
I used to take an ab class, and the trainer went to a core/ab conference. She came back saying – the most effective ab exercise without equipment is bicycle crunches, when performed correctly with your feet low to the ground. The most effective ab exercise with equipment is the captains chair.
bicycle crunches can be done anytime, anywhere you can lie down. Why waste time on the less effective? you’ll feel these instantly and they work!
Mix in some obliques, like side taps with a medicine ball and side planks with dipping/twisting one hand under your waist.
ALSO – exercise is only part of the equation, as you well know. What you eat and DRINK might be going right to your belly. Cut those processed carbs (ehem cup of noodles) and beer/soda/alcohol.
But I love cup of noodles!
I have a jelly belly too (and thighs) and have never had a baby!!! So what’s my excuse?!?! I need help eating better and strength training. Obviously I’ve got the cardio covered. And it was so hot yesterday! Seriously 30 degrees warmer than Last Tuesday!!
Haha, jelly belly!! I like that!! I’m in the process of getting rid of mine as well as my “mini” muffin top (my husband says its not a full muffin, lol) I like workout clothes that help flatten these areas because I really hate the extra flab because I didn’t have these areas before being prego (my issue was always and still is jelly thighs and buns, sorry didn’t mean to give you a visual there). Diet does have a part in it as well as strength training, Blonde Ponytail has a good workout for “love handles” I’ve been throwing that in with some Jillian and its been helping ๐
Can’t say I have done the 7 mi tempo after a 9 mile long run, but I have done the equivalent on a bike and paid for it… ๐ As far as your flat goes, you might check the inside of the tire out really well. I have had repeat flats from the same pieces of wire/metal/glass stuck into the tire that wasn’t apparent from the outside but was sticking through enough into the inside of the tire to keep ‘mysteriously’ killing tubes… The other trick (you may already know all this so sorry if you do) is to pull the tire off the rim on one side only and pull the tube out but leave everything in place, ie leave the tube sticking through the wheel so everything stays lined up. Then re-pump the tube up to make it easier to find the hissing hole (getting the tube wet helps even more). Once the location of the hole is found use it to check the inside of the tire for ‘goodies’ that could be causing the punctures. Just my 2 cents. I know nada about tempo runs, but I can fix a bike! ๐ PS- crossfit workouts 3 times a week on top of whatever else I have going on is what I use to ‘kiss my belly goodbye’ or when I feel myself start to go a bit ‘weak’ from all the pure endurance work. Its totally what I plan on doing after this kiddo has arrived!
I hear ya! I’ve been really concentrating on my core this whole winter. I can’t say my jelly has gone down but I can definitely tell I’m stronger when I lift things. Got muscles under all the flab. Nice but not so nice. Right now, I’m on a JM band wagon too – Ripped in 30/30 DS + meal plan (loosely following).
Answer might be: tummy tuck.