Toning lower stomach Tips - Hard!!

rigby619
rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
edited November 18 in Fitness and Exercise
Hi all, Used Fitness pal for a while and only just discovered this community!

Does anyone have any tips for lower stomach/muffin tops, I struggle to tone/flatten this part. Is this specifically related to my diet? I have a balance between gym and boxing classes 5 times a week and don't struggle to tone the top half.

any help (or friends here) appreciated :)

Thanks
Laura

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Replies

  • schpitt
    schpitt Posts: 37 Member
    ab wheel
  • alyhuggan
    alyhuggan Posts: 717 Member
    Toning is just a "female friendly" word for losing the fat that is covering a specific muscle.

    For a start your body fat percentage won't be low enough if you still have fat over the bottom half so a deficit will be enough to get rid of the excess fat there

    You're lower abs may not be developed enough to get the look I'm guessing you are after. Once you are low enough a bf% you may need to build them up while in a surplus.
  • giusa
    giusa Posts: 577 Member
    Very informative post -http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
  • rigby619
    rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
    very helpful! Thanks, I am lowering my body fat so I guess they might show through in the near future!
  • iLoveMyPitbull1225
    iLoveMyPitbull1225 Posts: 1,690 Member
    Definitely diet. Abs are made in the kitchen, as the saying goes!
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    rigby619 wrote: »
    Hi all, Used Fitness pal for a while and only just discovered this community!

    Does anyone have any tips for lower stomach/muffin tops, I struggle to tone/flatten this part. Is this specifically related to my diet? I have a balance between gym and boxing classes 5 times a week and don't struggle to tone the top half.

    any help (or friends here) appreciated :)

    Thanks
    Laura

    Two that I find helpful...

    The V Up (model in video is actually not that great at it)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iP2fjvG0g3w

    And Leg Drops (I do mine SLOWLY with a 10lb barbell between my feet)

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DPdpsvOxMoI
  • rigby619
    rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
    oh will be using them!! thank-you. Looks like i will need to focus more on my eating too.

    Any tips helpful!
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    edited July 2015
    rigby619 wrote: »
    oh will be using them!! thank-you. Looks like i will need to focus more on my eating too.

    Any tips helpful!

    Definitely do both. Dieting will show off your hard work, and the strengthening exercises will improve your posture and prevent injuries.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 49,030 Member
    You can't spot reduce with exercise. If your lower abs are holding on to fat, it's due to genetics. You can legitmately blame mom and dad for this.

    Just keep lowering body fat to get there.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal and Group Fitness Trainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
    9285851.png
  • rigby619
    rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
    Will try! Need to add some weights too after reading other forums posts
  • HardcoreP0rk
    HardcoreP0rk Posts: 936 Member
    edited July 2015
    Just to avoid killing yourself... establish a baseline with your workouts and work your way up to doing the exercise below. When you are doing ankles to the bar successfully, you'll know your abs are 'strong enough' and any lack of visual progress is just diet / fat / genetics. I think it's a good indication, anyhow...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0Lywt1YDfk
  • rigby619
    rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
    HardcoreP0rk thank-you - that's good idea building up. I need to do more core excersizes and build back muscles up, it is like a dull ache when I start situps.

    I guess this could be technique too
  • rybo
    rybo Posts: 5,424 Member
    ninerbuff wrote: »
    You can't spot reduce with exercise. If your lower abs are holding on to fat, it's due to genetics. You can legitmately blame mom and dad for this.

    Just keep lowering body fat to get there.

    And this^^^^
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    Lose body fat through calorie deficit, and work on muscle building through lifting. You can't spot reduce, as others have said, but if you reduce your body fat through diet, and body recomp through lifting, you'll likely find yourself happier with your overall appearance, and have a much stronger core.
  • vadersaysno
    vadersaysno Posts: 1,965 Member
    HardcoreP0rk wrote: »
    Just to avoid killing yourself... establish a baseline with your workouts and work your way up to doing the exercise below. When you are doing ankles to the bar successfully, you'll know your abs are 'strong enough' and any lack of visual progress is just diet / fat / genetics. I think it's a good indication, anyhow...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-0Lywt1YDfk

    People at the gym would enjoy watching me do this routine. I'd do it one time, slip off the bar and hit my head for concussion #7 (or 8...I've lost count).
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    I'm 5'1", 109.8 pounds, and I still have a bit of a belly and some flab on my thighs and butt. I don't want to lose much more weight... maybe 2-3 pounds as a buffer so that I have a goal weight range instead of a goal weight number...
    I have been advised by many MFP peeps that I need to lift weights to help burn off the remaining fat.
    For some reason I can't find a routine that I can ease into.
    It is so much easier to jump on the elliptical than to keep track of different weight exercises and numbers of sets.
    I realize it's my own laziness and fear of trying something new that's holding me back.

    Maybe you can do it though and that's why I am suggesting it.
    Others will probably be able to give you more specifics...
    Good luck!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    I'm 5'1", 109.8 pounds, and I still have a bit of a belly and some flab on my thighs and butt. I don't want to lose much more weight... maybe 2-3 pounds as a buffer so that I have a goal weight range instead of a goal weight number...
    I have been advised by many MFP peeps that I need to lift weights to help burn off the remaining fat.
    For some reason I can't find a routine that I can ease into.
    It is so much easier to jump on the elliptical than to keep track of different weight exercises and numbers of sets.
    I realize it's my own laziness and fear of trying something new that's holding me back.

    Maybe you can do it though and that's why I am suggesting it.
    Others will probably be able to give you more specifics...
    Good luck!

    Pick a plan to start with that doesn't require you track the weights.

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/find-a-plan.html

    Here are some suggestions:
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/jamie-eason-livefit-trainer.html
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/erin-stern-elite-body-4-week-fitness-trainer.html
    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/the-ultimate-30-day-beginners-guide-to-fitness.html
  • mccindy72
    mccindy72 Posts: 7,001 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    I'm 5'1", 109.8 pounds, and I still have a bit of a belly and some flab on my thighs and butt. I don't want to lose much more weight... maybe 2-3 pounds as a buffer so that I have a goal weight range instead of a goal weight number...
    I have been advised by many MFP peeps that I need to lift weights to help burn off the remaining fat.
    For some reason I can't find a routine that I can ease into.
    It is so much easier to jump on the elliptical than to keep track of different weight exercises and numbers of sets.
    I realize it's my own laziness and fear of trying something new that's holding me back.

    Maybe you can do it though and that's why I am suggesting it.
    Others will probably be able to give you more specifics...
    Good luck!

    It's called body recomposition. Heavy lifting causes a change in the shape of your body's muscles and your overall appearance. Working muscles will demand more energy.
    You don't need to do a lot of reps, just a routine of heavier weights with short bursts of a few reps. And you don't do them every day. You'll do alternating days of the week, different parts of the body.
    Cardio isn't going to burn that fat off of you, it's for fitness.
    Honestly, as far as losing more fat, it's still in the kitchen.
  • skysiebaby
    skysiebaby Posts: 88 Member
    The title of this thread made me think of an Instagram post I just saw...sooo much mis-information there.

    u9o3gkrch2w0.jpg
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    skysiebaby wrote: »
    The title of this thread made me think of an Instagram post I just saw...sooo much mis-information there.

    u9o3gkrch2w0.jpg

    5, 6, 7, 8 are good steps.

    The others are garbage.
  • skysiebaby
    skysiebaby Posts: 88 Member
    usmcmp wrote: »
    skysiebaby wrote: »
    The title of this thread made me think of an Instagram post I just saw...sooo much mis-information there.

    u9o3gkrch2w0.jpg

    5, 6, 7, 8 are good steps.

    The others are garbage.

    Agreed!
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,219 Member
    skysiebaby wrote: »
    usmcmp wrote: »
    skysiebaby wrote: »
    The title of this thread made me think of an Instagram post I just saw...sooo much mis-information there.

    u9o3gkrch2w0.jpg

    5, 6, 7, 8 are good steps.

    The others are garbage.

    Agreed!

    Also 10. That should be a given for any stage in life anyway.
  • terar21
    terar21 Posts: 523 Member
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    I'm 5'1", 109.8 pounds, and I still have a bit of a belly and some flab on my thighs and butt. I don't want to lose much more weight... maybe 2-3 pounds as a buffer so that I have a goal weight range instead of a goal weight number...
    I have been advised by many MFP peeps that I need to lift weights to help burn off the remaining fat.
    For some reason I can't find a routine that I can ease into.
    It is so much easier to jump on the elliptical than to keep track of different weight exercises and numbers of sets.
    I realize it's my own laziness and fear of trying something new that's holding me back.

    Maybe you can do it though and that's why I am suggesting it.
    Others will probably be able to give you more specifics...
    Good luck!

    You could use an app to make it much simpler. Some programs have an app (strong lifts) but I just use an app where I can load the exercises I have for a workout into a group. So I just select "workout a" and it populates all my lifts for that workout. Then I just enter the sets/reps I complete. Really simple and shows the progress I've made over time.
  • rigby619
    rigby619 Posts: 28 Member
    Great help. Currently following steps 5, 6, 7, 8 in the picture. I feel like progress is slow but coming along, I'm happy :-)

    weight lifting is something I need to ease in too - going the gym at busy times doesn't help, should probably try some morning gyms sessions when the gyms quieter!
  • javalkarrohan
    javalkarrohan Posts: 78 Member
    Hi there. You can do all you need, but 70 - 90% results will be achieved through a proper diet. It is the key. Also there is this interesting exercise "The Plank Position". If you try that, I'm sure it will help. All you need to do is 3 sets of it, 30 seconds for each set. Works WONDERS for both men and women.

    https://youtube.com/watch?v=TWpbe9nRySc

  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    edited July 2015
    terar21 wrote: »
    DoreenaV1975 wrote: »
    I'm 5'1", 109.8 pounds, and I still have a bit of a belly and some flab on my thighs and butt. I don't want to lose much more weight... maybe 2-3 pounds as a buffer so that I have a goal weight range instead of a goal weight number...
    I have been advised by many MFP peeps that I need to lift weights to help burn off the remaining fat.
    For some reason I can't find a routine that I can ease into.
    It is so much easier to jump on the elliptical than to keep track of different weight exercises and numbers of sets.
    I realize it's my own laziness and fear of trying something new that's holding me back.

    Maybe you can do it though and that's why I am suggesting it.
    Others will probably be able to give you more specifics...
    Good luck!

    You could use an app to make it much simpler. Some programs have an app (strong lifts) but I just use an app where I can load the exercises I have for a workout into a group. So I just select "workout a" and it populates all my lifts for that workout. Then I just enter the sets/reps I complete. Really simple and shows the progress I've made over time.

    Thanks for the info @terar21 ... I'll check out the Strong Lifts app.
  • DoreenaV1975
    DoreenaV1975 Posts: 567 Member
    Thank you for the info @usmcmp and @mccindy72.
  • amtru2015
    amtru2015 Posts: 179 Member
    So obviously diet is your number one here but if you are looking for exercises that target lower abs?
    my two favorites are suitcases (youtube has a video) and tabatta planks
  • jneen29
    jneen29 Posts: 27 Member
    I totally agree with the 10 Ways to Reduce Belly Fat... ha! Sugar and white flour products cause inflammation.
  • Drewlssix
    Drewlssix Posts: 272 Member
    jneen29 wrote: »
    I totally agree with the 10 Ways to Reduce Belly Fat... ha! Sugar and white flour products cause inflammation.

    Inflammation isn't fat though. Sodium can cause retention, you can see it on the scale and even in the mirror but it's still not fat.
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