Exercises to loose some tummy...

[sacrificedangel]

Exercises to lose some tummy...

...Am trying to loose a little bit of weight for our works Xmas-do (dont want to be the only young girl not in a dress this year!!) The weight loss is going well, and Im happy with that, its the tightening up the tummy itself (not just the abdominal muscles) that has me stumped. Have googled a lot of different sworn-by techniques, and a lot have a fair few different opinions attatched to them, so I was wondering what people here had tried and suceeded with?

Any links to demonstrate what you suggest are good too!

 

[SpiritRider]

...Am trying to loose a little bit of weight for our works Xmas-do (dont want to be the only young girl not in a dress this year!!) The weight loss is going well, and Im happy with that, its the tightening up the tummy itself (not just the abdominal muscles) that has me stumped. Have googled a lot of different sworn-by techniques, and a lot have a fair few different opinions attatched to them, so I was wondering what people here had tried and suceeded with?

Any links to demonstrate what you suggest are good too!

Upper and lower abdominal crunches....
Lay flat on your backwith legs extended. Slightly raise both legs and hold for ten seconds. Start with three sets of ten.
Still on your back, tense upper body like you're trying to do a sit-up. Hold and repeat.
Instead of raising your legs you can also draw your knees to your chest while on your back.
No links but I hope this helps.

 

[ddenleyy88]

Diet: eat foods low in sodium to counteract bloating of the stomach; eat healthy food all around and about exercises
In addition to 60 minutes of cardio a day (Walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, or jumping rope are great!) I do ab circuits multiple times daily.
*100 crunches
*50 bicycle crunches
*25 leg lifts
*balance your weight on your right elbow (20 seconds)
*balance your weight on your left elbow (20 seconds)
*20 push-ups
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[sacrificedangel]

Upper and lower abdominal crunches....
Lay flat on your backwith legs extended. Slightly raise both legs and hold for ten seconds. Start with three sets of ten.
Still on your back, tense upper body like you're trying to do a sit-up. Hold and repeat.
Instead of raising your legs you can also draw your knees to your chest while on your back.
No links but I hope this helps.

OK, thats a good one, I can add that onto my routine!

Diet: eat foods low in sodium to counteract bloating of the stomach; eat healthy food all around and about exercises
In addition to 60 minutes of cardio a day (Walking, jogging, swimming, dancing, or jumping rope are great!) I do ab circuits multiple times daily.
*100 crunches
*50 bicycle crunches
*25 leg lifts
*balance your weight on your right elbow (20 seconds)
*balance your weight on your left elbow (20 seconds)
*20 push-ups

I actually never thought of skipping/jumping rope, I have one of my neice's somewhere, I was just doing a lot of running and hiking (cant swim all that well). When you say crunches, are you talking of the ones Spirit Rider was? I will google the bicycle ones to be certain how Im going to do them right.

Thank you both, are there any other things you do in your routines, to work the obliques (sp?) for example other than the normal Hips-still-twist idea?

 

[PhilGarlic]

no easy way

Its very hard to target any specific area to loose weight, exercising your tummy muscles will make them bigger and push your tummy out further! unless you loose the weight off of that area, the tummy is normally the last area you see an improvement with, but look at other areas of your body for the encouragement that it is all working.
I would advise eat sensibly and have an all over exercise routine, walking / jogging very good but make sure you use some resistance excise as well, those mentioned are all good, make sure you exercise the rest of your body as well.

 

[Toqueme]

.....

 

[Toqueme]

Oops, double post. How annoying. My apologies.

 

[sacrificedangel]

Thanks all! Just got a brilliant pm from someone, so going to try that out too. Im enjoying watching the weight come off, and am looking forward to getting toned. Not wanting abs, or any such thing, just a nice, trim belly will do me! lol
Thank you again, just finished my day's work out and am going to go collapse now lol

 

[Cloudy10]

Can you please share the info in the brilliant pm?

 

[sacrificedangel]

Can you please share the info in the brilliant pm?

lol

It was regarding this : http://www.beachbody.com/product/fi...ers/p90x.do?tnt=P90X_SHAKE_B2&code=P90XDOTCOM

Expensive (for me right now) but seemingly a well laid out system for weight loss, maintainance, body building etc, anything you could possibly need and want to work on. Going to see if I can find any of the vids on youtube (as everything seems to be on there too)

Plus another person reccommended the online youtube yoga videos if I was wanting to improve on flexibility, and reduce my back pain. So for a free resource, Id say that was pretty damn good! Didnt know you could get yoga/fitness on youtube, its amazing what you can learn when you ask!

 

[Cloudy10]

Thanks!!

 

[DarklyNightly]

Sounds like the bottom line is to loose fat around your waist. There are various ways of doing this but note that working just the abs will not do anything other than strengthen and grow them.

1) Diet - change what you eat, and when. The goal is to have 5-6 small meals a day.
2) Exercise - cardio first thing in the morning. Weights to increase muscle mass and increase your metabolism.

The best way to reach your goals is to engage a personal trainer. Your PT will have helped many people reach their health and fitness goals in the past and will keep you on your path and keep you inspired.

Good luck!

 

[Eilan]

First of all, I'd suggest going to a reputable fitness site like JP Fitness or Lyle McDonald's BodyRecomposition.com and reading everything you can. The broscience is strong in this thread, and some of the info, like eating 5-6 small meals a day and doing fasted cardio, is flat-out wrong. Meeting your macros and calories for the day (or even the week) is what's important.

There is no quick fix, you can't spot-reduce, and abs are made in the kitchen. Keep in mind that you might also have some loose skin on your belly, particularly if you're crash-dieting, and its ability to adjust to weight loss is largely determined by heredity. In that case, I'd suggest patience or a tummy tuck!

I hate crunches and "ab days" with a passion, so I prefer to engage my core through yoga and heavy squats and deadlifts. (And for those of you who'd you say that squats and deadlifts don't do anything for your abs, then I'd suggest not using such pussy weights! )

 

[SweetErika]

What's wrong with eating small meals more frequently, Eilan? (Yes, I'm feeling too lazy to look it up. )

All I know is that it's critical for me to maintain and lose weight. But then I have all sorts of hormonal issues that are probably coming into play. Then again, maybe it's just that I end up eating more--and worse--when I let my blood sugar drop.

 

[Felix_Jones]

From what I understand, if you have fat to lose concentrating on a single body part (i.e. abs) won't work. The trick is to up the cardio. Jogging, biking, whatever. And the right diet is a must as well, there's no contradicting the laws of thermodynamics here. Whatever energy you put into your body, that's not used up through the regular physical processes and exercise will get stored as fat.
Where the fat is distributed (e.g. hips, waist, stomach, etc.) is largely genetic.
Good luck.

 

[VelvetSin]

Like some others have said, there really is no such thing as being able to target loss to a certain area of the body. You can lose the fat, but your body will decide where it takes it from (often in a last on / first off pattern, so if the tummy was the first area to gain, it will often - not always though! - be the last to lose). You need to focus on calories in vs. calories out, and building lean muscle to shed what's hiding the flat stomach. The calories in versus out will ideally create a calorie deficit so your body will burn the fat for fuel. Building the lean muscle mass burns more calories at rest, so you can continue to burn fat cells even when sleeping and so on. Also, once the fat does disappear from the preferred area, you'll have a smooth, trim tone beneath to show off.

One falsehood in the thread, "exercising your tummy muscles will make them bigger and push your tummy out further!" Absolutely not. I've helped a few folks with the weight loss process, and core toning has never, ever made anyone's stomach pooch. In fact, while they won't look entirely slim and svelt until the overlying fat disappears, they usually do lose a couple inches because lean muscle is, you know, lean. Anyway, the moral of the story is, strength training is very important to a weight loss program, but try to build all your muscles like others have said, not focus solely on one group. The more tone you have, the more calories your body will burn at rest, and that's faster fat-burning. Another possible falsehood that holds some women back is that women will bulk up if working a strength training routine but female hormones do not promote bulky muscle, so unless you do hours and hours a day plus take some pills, it's not likely to happen.

If you're looking for a complete weight loss system that's priced fairly (as in, free) look for Sparkpeople on the web. A friend stumbled across it a few months ago and has kicked butt with it so far. It looks like all the normal advice doctors, nutritionists, and (good) fitness instructors will give but it includes tools for the novice so counting calories and stuff isn't a big pain in the butt.

 

[MsGoodBody]

.....

 

[newlegz]

I'd like to simply reiterate some of the good things that were said (to enforce how good they are ) and then add a little bit.

1. As almost everyone has said, Cardio is the key. 30 minutes a day is not going to be enough for a washboard, totally flat stomach. But it sounds like the idea is more to impress, so its up to you.
2.Interval training is a good fat burning workout. Something like running fast (6-8 mph) on a treadmill (pick your fast speed) for 3 minutes and then walking (about 4 mph) for 2. You can work with this. Or if you're an outdoor runner, you can adapt to fit.
3. Eat lean. There is a reason that body builders drink a ton of water and eat a lot of lettuce.
4. Low Sodium. Watch out for those diet meals, they pack the sodium in the form of preservatives.
5. Are you weight training? That helps you to continue to burn after you've stopped working out.
6. Don't forget to work your entire core. If you just do abs, it may cause problems for your back. Look up some good lower back exercises. I've been doing supermans lately to each side. It really works those love handle oblique areas as well as helping with overall back pain.
7. Honestly, work hard and if at the end of November going into December you're not quite where you want to be, rock some spanx to take care of the last little bit after you work hard all fall.
8. Working out can be boring after awhile. You obviously have the internet, dont be afraid to use it to find a new work out or drill.
9. Work your abs at work/ on the commute. Contract your abs while sitting at your desk/in the car or see if you can sit on an exercise ball. Make every extra minute a workout.
10. Just to say it again, your stomach is all diet.

 

[switchbitch]

absolutely fantastic

we all know that abb crunches are great for tummy shaping but you can make it fun.I gaffer taped my dildo to the end of my weight bench and found myself having to do more reps and more reps and more reps.just be careful not to get too excited otherwise you have a very sore tummy the next day.

 

[viper2000]

Hi there I am finishing my exercise science degree this is the beginner abs program and instructions for how to do each exercise. To get abs is a combination of low body fat and muscle definition. So clean diet and exercise. These are the keys to a flat firm stomach.
If you are unsure of any of these exercises search them on google and they will come up if this is to easy tell me and ill post the intermediate program.

Abdominal Crunch - On Floor 2 Sets 15-25
Iso-Abs - Prone 2 Sets hold 30-60 seconds
Iso Abs - Side Lying 2 Sets hold 30-60 seconds each side
Lower Body Twist - Supine on SB 2 Sets 15-25
Bridge - Floor 2 Sets hold 30-60 seconds
Cobra - Floor 2 Sets 15-25

ABDOMINAL CRUNCH – ON FLOOR
Reps: 15-25 Sets: 2 sets
Preparation:
• Lie on the floor with knees bent and shoulders flat against the floor.
Movement:
• Contract your abdomen and draw knees in to your chest.
• Hands can be placed out to the side for support.
• Hold and release.
• Do not use momentum during the movement. Use abdominal contraction to draw knees in.
• Repeat recommended repetitions.
ISO-ABS – PRONE
Reps: hold 30-60 seconds Sets: 2 sets
SPX 212 Exercise Prescription and Programming Page 3
Preparation:
• Assume a prone position with elbows bent and closed fists positioned under your shoulders.
Movement:
• Draw your lower abdomen inward toward your spine.
• In optimal postural alignment tighten buttocks and lift body up onto forearms.
• While maintaining the abdominal draw-in contraction, hold optimal alignment for 15 SECONDS and
repeat 10 times.
• Your spine should be in a neutral position from cervical to lumbar and your glutes should remain tight
without compensatory motion.
• Keep chin tucked in.
• Reduce time if necessary. Form is more important than how long or how much!
ISO-ABS – SIDE LYING
Reps: hold 30-60 seconds each side Sets: 2 sets
Preparation:
• Lie on your right side with legs bent.
• Before movement begins, optimal postural alignment is mandatory.
• Place right elbow directly under the right shoulder for support.
Movement:
• Draw your lower abdomen inward toward your spine.
• While maintaining the drawing-in maneuver, lift body up onto forearm and hold for 5-10 seconds
(seconds may vary depending on individual abilities).
• While still maintaining the drawing-in maneuver, lower to the floor.
• Repeat recommended repetitions.
• The cervical spine (neck) must stay in a neutral position (line up with the center of back).
• Do not sacrifice form for more time.
LOWER BODY TWIST – SUPINE ON STABILITY BALL
Reps: 15-25 Sets: 2 sets
Preparation:
• Lie on your back, heels on the stability ball, arms out to the side on the ground.
• Maintain hips and lower back while drawing in your abdominal muscles.
Movement:
• Elevate the hips off the floor, maintaining good spinal position and hold.

• Bring your legs toward your chest until your upper legs are perpendicular to the ground.
• Simultaneously, slowly lower your legs and rotate your hips towards the floor.
• This movement should be SLOW AND CONTROLLED.
• As the elevated leg falls towards the floor, make sure that the shoulder blades DO NOT come off the
ground.
• Rotate the hops back to the starting position.
BRIDGE – FLOOR
Reps: hold 30-60 seconds Sets: 2 sets
Preparation:
• Begin by lying flat on floor in supine position with knees bent, feet flat, toes pointing straight ahead and
arms by sides.
• Activate core by drawing navel towards the spine and squeezing the glutes.
Movement:
• With core activated and glutes squeezed, lift hips off ground to form a straight line between knees and
shoulders.
• Hold and slowly return back to floor, touching floor momentarily then repeat.
COBRA – FLOOR
Reps: 15-25 Sets: 2 sets
Preparation:
• Laying face down on the floor in a prone position, have arms beside your hips.
• Activate core by drawing in navel towards spine and squeezing glutes.
Movement:
• With core and glutes activated, lift chest off the floor, lift arms up and back towards the hips while
rotating thumbs towards the ceiling.
• Pause momentarily at the top of the lift then return to starting position; at all times keeping the chin
tucked into the chest.
• Upon completion of the movement, repeat.
• Only lift the chest off the floor without overly emphasizing the arching of the back. No lower back pain
should be felt.

 

[sacrificedangel]

WOW, I am so glad I asked this question here! You are all so descriptive! THANK YOU!

I do work the other areas of my body as well as running, it was just that the tummy bit was being helluva stubborn. Havent done much in the way of weights, as I do my workouts at home and out running the pavement rather than at the gym (we live on a small island, we have one gym, but it doesnt open on a sunday as its "against the sabbath" GRRRRR. Doesnt help much when you work six days a week and its not open long enough after work for you to actually get there)

Nevermind! lol I shall persevere and follow the advice here. Eating healthily anyway, small portions, lots of water, I dont add salt or sugar to anything anyway, and I steer clear of the general prepackaged crap. Im going to re-read all of this and refine my work outs and like newlegz suggested...I can always rock some spanx for the very last little stubborn bit if Im not at the stage I want to be before xmas.
Thank youuuuuuuuuuu to all of you! Mwah!

 

[Firebrain]

There's a fabulous workout DVD called Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Three sets of 20min circuits that you rotate and she does loads of abs and cardio work (cardio neccessary for abs, as I'm sure you know).

When you first do it, you're all proud and smug because you managed it quite well. Then the next day, it's like you've been raped by three bears and you have to WORK THROUGH THE PAIN [twitches in the corner]

Brilliant results, and fast too.

 

[sacrificedangel]

There's a fabulous workout DVD called Jillian Michael's 30 Day Shred. Three sets of 20min circuits that you rotate and she does loads of abs and cardio work (cardio neccessary for abs, as I'm sure you know).

When you first do it, you're all proud and smug because you managed it quite well. Then the next day, it's like you've been raped by three bears and you have to WORK THROUGH THE PAIN [twitches in the corner]

Brilliant results, and fast too.

LMFAO I knew there was a way to describe that feeling! LOL Thanks! Your in UK too, take it you can get it in the supermarket dvd collections, or if not, an Amazon thing!?

 

[Firebrain]

LMFAO I knew there was a way to describe that feeling! LOL Thanks! Your in UK too, take it you can get it in the supermarket dvd collections, or if not, an Amazon thing!?

Yep, I got it on Amazon. Was about £7 I think. Good luck!

 

[newlegz]

WOW, I am so glad I asked this question here! You are all so descriptive! THANK YOU!

I do work the other areas of my body as well as running, it was just that the tummy bit was being helluva stubborn. Havent done much in the way of weights, as I do my workouts at home and out running the pavement rather than at the gym (we live on a small island, we have one gym, but it doesnt open on a sunday as its "against the sabbath" GRRRRR. Doesnt help much when you work six days a week and its not open long enough after work for you to actually get there)

Nevermind! lol I shall persevere and follow the advice here. Eating healthily anyway, small portions, lots of water, I dont add salt or sugar to anything anyway, and I steer clear of the general prepackaged crap. Im going to re-read all of this and refine my work outs and like newlegz suggested...I can always rock some spanx for the very last little stubborn bit if Im not at the stage I want to be before xmas.
Thank youuuuuuuuuuu to all of you! Mwah!

Hey there are a ton of ways around the no weights thing! Use your body as resistance or other items, like a jug of water, heavy books, or cans. The idea is that building that muscle helps your metabolism.

Good Luck!