Tips for a toned belly??
mgero78
Posts: 16 Member
Hi all 
New to the fitness aspect of life..but have been dieting for just over a year. Down 45 lbs.
Any opinions on how to tone the lower abs? Feel like im going to never get a flat stomach!!
New to the fitness aspect of life..but have been dieting for just over a year. Down 45 lbs.
Any opinions on how to tone the lower abs? Feel like im going to never get a flat stomach!!
0
Replies
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Hi:
welcome to MFP. This thread has very good suggestions
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach/p1
In addition, I suggest to read MFP Most Helpful Post at the beginning of this board
Good luck in your healthy journey5 -
Are you male or female? Pilates is great for tightening and lengthening. I find sit ups bulk up my midsection so I try to be careful not to do too many crunches. Yoga is another good stretching and tightening activity. Swimming and jogging help hold in the midsection area also.0
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Female. I was thinking of trying yoga
Its really only my lower stomach that im having trouble with... right at the waist line0 -
Practice conciously holding your navel towards your bellybutton during every day activities. As you repeat this over time the stomach muscles will pull in and hold your abdomen more flat. I find I often relax them without thinking and can get a bit of "pooch belly" easily if I forget.2
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muscles don't get "toned" they have tone.
To have visible abs you have to get rid of the fat on top of them first.
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If you're dealing with loose skin, there's not much you can do short of surgery. But every body is different. You may be able to tighten up to some degree. I've had two children and my baby pouch is not going anywhere no matter how much I lose. If you haven't had children and you don't have a lot of stretched-out skin, you may have a shot at a flat belly. Good luck!0
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and what is the difference between that and the question?
Sorry but visible abs if from losing the fat from the ab muscles...end of story. You can do all the crunches and situps planks you want but if you have a layer of fat over your abs...you won't have visible ab muscles.9 -
Im not working towards having a 6 pack abs look... that would be fabulous... but im being realistic
I focus on cardio to burn fat and i am doing a 1200 calorie a day intake...0 -
U cant do pics on here can u?0
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Im not working towards having a 6 pack abs look... that would be fabulous... but im being realistic
I focus on cardio to burn fat and i am doing a 1200 calorie a day intake...
Add in weights !!! You what to be more "toned" more pulled in work on strength training , it helps with fat loss too but also stronger muscles will pull you in more. Full body moves are great if you do them right and activate you core
I used to only do cardio and cal control and I was always fluffy feeling/ looking now with weights even at a heavier weight my waist and stomach size has shrunk.
Poster above is right though you literally need to burn off fat. There is no magical fix
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and what is the difference between that and the question?
Sorry but visible abs if from losing the fat from the ab muscles...end of story. You can do all the crunches and situps planks you want but if you have a layer of fat over your abs...you won't have visible ab muscles.
If one pushes out the abdominals it gives a round appearance to the midsection, but if one "sucks it in" the abdominals appear to be flatter. I'm reading her "toned" to be "flatter". But I may be wrong. No worries.0 -
I dont see where i can post pic0
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It's up in this tool bar....the one that looks like paper with an arrow pointing down beside it.0 -
I dont have all of those options
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Sorry. Found it. Mine looks a little different0
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that's what my belly looks like at the bottom...I have to lose weight to get rid of it...0
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You have an awesome midriff!1
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I just really want to get rid of that bottom half... it disappears when i lay down haha...
But unfortunately i must live vertically lolol3 -
Which requires getting the fat off of it.
OP, I second the recommendation to read this:
https://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/1161603/so-you-want-a-nice-stomach#latest2 -
and what is the difference between that and the question?
Sorry but visible abs if from losing the fat from the ab muscles...end of story. You can do all the crunches and situps planks you want but if you have a layer of fat over your abs...you won't have visible ab muscles.
If one pushes out the abdominals it gives a round appearance to the midsection, but if one "sucks it in" the abdominals appear to be flatter. I'm reading her "toned" to be "flatter". But I may be wrong. No worries.
There is no need to debate what OP meant. In short we all know here in the MFP community know what toned means in the sense of what someone is looking for to get a nice stomach after or during weight loss.
OP I have abs and no mine are sticking out like a person with 12% body fat, but I do have them and they are solid as a rock. You can or will loose fat around the abdominal area if you continue to cut calories and loose more fat all over.
The key is strength training. You can workout the ab muscles and build them up and you also can just engage your core each time you exercise like in strength training. Strength training is where its at. When doing strength training you really do not have to focus on exercising the abs alone, they get exercised every time you exercise.
Use the link "so you want a nice stomach". Lots of details there on what ya need to do.
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Thank you all! Just would like to make the most out of my time spent at the gym. I know it will take hard work and dedication and that it wont happen overnight.1
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Hi all
New to the fitness aspect of life..but have been dieting for just over a year. Down 45 lbs.
Any opinions on how to tone the lower abs? Feel like im going to never get a flat stomach!!
The abdominal wall is just one muscle...there is not an upper/lower set up to them.
Ultimately it comes down to just continuing to diet till your BF % is low enough that you uncover the muscle.
But just do ab specific exercises....
Along with various compound lifts will indirectly stimulate the abdominal/Core muscles.
i.e. Deadlifts, squats, Overhead press (OHP)0 -
I'm new to the MFP community (<2 weeks) so I'm not used to the semantics and strict/quick corrections on figures of speech.2 -
@pseulomon has a great list of programs. If anyone is interested in looking them over.
http://community.myfitnesspal.com/en/discussion/10332083/which-lifting-program-is-the-best-for-you/p10 -
I'm new to the MFP community (<2 weeks) so I'm not used to the semantics and strict/quick corrections on figures of speech.
The reason for my correction on "looking toned" or toned in general is because it's a fitness industry catch phrase that means nothing and people need to understand that the fitness industry is there to sell crap that most of us don't need.
it's a pet peeve for more than a few here to see it perpetuated and we try to correct it asap.7 -
Are you male or female? Pilates is great for tightening and lengthening. I find sit ups bulk up my midsection so I try to be careful not to do too many crunches. Yoga is another good stretching and tightening activity. Swimming and jogging help hold in the midsection area also.
The process and requirements to get a toned belly are the same for male or female. Calorie deficit to reduce the fat and adequate lean mass to have a firm look once the fat is gone.
OP: Based on your picture you would benefit from a progressive lifting routine, but you already have a nice foundation. There's a bit of extra fat on the lower part of your stomach. You can't target that fat through exercises, only through continued fat loss.
Also, a six pack is possible for most people. You can look through my pictures and see. I was obese when I got pregnant both times, but I still managed a six pack. It's all in following a lifting program.2 -
Im not working towards having a 6 pack abs look... that would be fabulous... but im being realistic
I focus on cardio to burn fat and i am doing a 1200 calorie a day intake...
I would like to get down to the % bodt fat where you are now. Congratulations! How much did you lose total , and how long did it take? Were you able to do this with MFP alone?0
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