This blog inspired an entire series called The Unclosed Core. The information and encouragement you will find here is timeless and we trust you will find hope as we continue this journey together.

Most of Us Are Turtles

Remember Aesop’s fable about the tortoise beating the hare? The majority of the fitness world screams at us to be rabbits, but most of us are turtles who feel like quitting when we’re told we have to be like the rabbits, and go fast or go home. Workout fast or don’t workout at all. Heal fast or give up on healing. No room for slowness. No room for reality. All lies.

Consistency always beats intensity, especially in fitness and especially because the rabbit wore himself out and needed a nap while the turtle kept putting one foot in front of the other and won!

Fact: Most people quit their fitness program after just 3-5 weeks because they’re tired and not seeing results yet.

However, the visible results start to show around 6 weeks if you’re being consistent, and the deeper results like fascial reconstruction, muscular remodeling, better posture can take 6 months to a year! You’ve got to stick with it! Yes, life gets busy. But everyone’s life is busy. You are worth being consistent. You are worth the investment of time. You are worth a spot in your own schedule to do the exercises that make you stronger for the rest of your schedule.

A Safe Place to Share

“Ladies, Be encouraged! Remember when you were a kid and you had no idea that you were growing until one day you put your pants on & they were too short?? Healing is the same way, you may not see the results you want at first and then bam! You are growing (figuratively spreaking – haha) a little every day, whether you know it or not! Hang in there!” –Jennifer G.

That was posted by a member of Fit2B Studio in our private, drama-free facebook forum. Yeah, I know you might not believe me because FB groups are typically prone to heated discussions and nasty debates. Not ours. Encouragement, help, hope, ideas, lovely ladies all around. Jennifer went on to say:

“So last time I checked I had a little bigger than a 4 finger separation & very weak pelvic floor muscles (after baby 4). I went to the Dr. today & was telling him about it & he said that the only way to fix diastasis is surgery. Well he checked & said, “actually yours isn’t that bad, only about a 1-2, most women I see come in with a large ridge at the top of their stomach & you don’t have that at all” I told him that i did have that ridge, it stuck out pretty far, that’s how i knew my belly wasn’t healing the way it had with the last 3 babies! I shared with him the the tummy safe exercises I have been doing, mostly just breathing & staying engaged when I move! He said to keep doing what I’m doing, he would not recommend surgery (not that I would have done it any way, but if i had not already done the research i may have taken the doctors word that surgery was the only way) Be encouraged!! By the way, “baby” number 4 is almost 4 years old… It’s never too late!”

For whatever reason, after Jennifer posted that day, several other awesome testimonies came in right after hers as if women around the world were having a breakthrough together after a long winter of darkness and struggle. Another member shared her story…

“I learned about fit2b one random night browsing blogs a year and a half ago. My middle never felt the same after #3. With all I learned here I wasn’t surprised to learn my DR was a 2-3-2. We moved before I could work on it much and when I finally checked again I had gone up a finger width. It was a long process to retrain myself. A miscarriage and then soon after another pregnancy. I met Beth around 6 weeks pregnant and she confirmed I was a 3. I was scared to check the rest of my pregnancy and just kept doing my best. Fast toward. I had a planned c section. I knew going into it how weak the middle is after. I knew I’d be sore if I just managed like before (slouching!!!) or if I kept myself in check with alignment. It wasn’t easy to keep on it, but keeping proper alignment really made a huge difference. I checked at 5 weeks postpartum expecting maybe a 4… Would be thrilled with 3…. Nope. I was a 2! I felt my tummy feeling much tighter the other day and my belly button seemed different. Tighter, really shallow. I checked tonight and I’m at a 0-1-.5!! I am shocked. I still have plenty of weight to lose and muscle and skin to tone up but I’m so thankful to have learned what I did, and to have a happier, stronger tummy.” –Kara E.

A Safe Place to Learn

Of course, our forum isn’t all sunshine and rainbows. There are posts about frustrations and setbacks where members rally around a discouraged mama. During that same 24 hour period there were also a couple of members who were irritated by articles they found elsewhere touting falsehoods like this one offering alternative to crunches which were basically all advanced crunches … what? But it’s cool because we discuss them and elaborate on why they don’t work for those with diastasis recti.

This one from Desirae became my fave that day. It prompted me to tell her, “Today YOU are my WHY” which made her cry {sorry, sweetie} but it was all so beautiful, and I ended up sharing it on our fanpage wall where she could inspire a few more thousand souls:

. . . AND NOW I’VE TURNED THE CORNER . . .

“I am morbidly obese and 32 weeks pregnant with baby #7. I joined fit2B one month ago when I was diagnosed with gestational diabetes. I have been following the diabetic diet they gave me (watching carb intake really) and exercising some through fit2B although I have skipped more than I’ve worked. I have also started walking to the school pushing the clumsy double stroller to pick up my older kids, and to the post office and trying to just “move” more. Anyway, yesterday at my doctor visit I stepped on the scale and I have lost 11 pounds! 11 pounds from my highest weight ever! AND, I’m 3 pounds less than I started this pregnancy! I’m going to stick with this for life! I have said through the last 4 pregnancies ‘I’ll work on myself after my body is done having babies and nursing and…’ whatever, and didn’t even realize how stupid that thinking was until this diagnosis and now I’ve turned the corner and see my kids making more healthy choices as well. I’m sad that I didn’t do this earlier but feel blessed by the changes I’m already seeing in my families health and attitude towards health!” –Desirae L.

Be still my proud and bursting heart. BUT THIS IS WHY. SHE IS OUR WHY.

Fit2B exists to change lives one tummy at a time. Let us help you where you’re at, starting today.

Join HERE

Read the other articles in “The Unclosed Core” series about how time, consistency, chemistry, and biomechanics all affect a narrowing diastasis recti! Next is “Hope for that diastasis recti that will not close.” After that comes “How your chemistry affects your diastasis recti” and then “How emotions affect your diastasis recti.“