Toned stomach

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twhaley1990
twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
How flat does your stomach need to be before you can start seeing definition? I'm finally at a point mentally where I feel comfortable implementing strength training (Cassy Ho of Blogilates would call me a 'cardio bunny') and am trying to do some total body toning workouts, but I don't know if I'll even see any results in my stomach

Replies

  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
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    What's a "total body toning workout"?

    Stomach definition depends a lot on where you store your fat genetically, especially in women. I store it in my thighs and butt, therefor my stomach already has some definition at 25% body. If you store it in your stomach you might have to get down into the teens to see anything. I saw the most progress doing full body compound heavy lifting.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Since you're ready to spend the time lifting, you should also spend the time reading so you know what you're doing and don't waste time. I would highly recommend that you read New Rules of Lifting for Women. It's a simple book about fundamentals and even if you don't do the lifting routine at the very end, the information is worth it's weight in gold.
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    I've been using Karena & Katrina's Tone It Up videos workout videos on YouTube, and that's how they refer to their routines that focus on toning arms, abs, legs, and butts. Sorry for not clarifying. Thanks for the link!
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    Women can start seeing stomach definition at <19% body fat, depending on how you carry your weight. A typical "apple" shaped person will likely need to get to a lower BF than a "pear".

    I would start with full body compound lifts- like Squats for example. Compound lifts work your abs plenty. Don't waste your time with a bunch of ab-specific workouts unless you get to the point where your body fat is low enough to see abs and you really want them to pop out. Otherwise, ab work won't get you the results you want.
  • ninerbuff
    ninerbuff Posts: 48,595 Member
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    Definition comes from low body fat %. This has more to do with your diet than exercise.

    A.C.E. Certified Personal/Group FitnessTrainer
    IDEA Fitness member
    Kickboxing Certified Instructor
    Been in fitness for 30 years and have studied kinesiology and nutrition
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    What's a "total body toning workout"?

    Stomach definition depends a lot on where you store your fat genetically, especially in women. I store it in my thighs and butt, therefor my stomach already has some definition at 25% body. If you store it in your stomach you might have to get down into the teens to see anything. I saw the most progress doing full body compound heavy lifting.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    I've been using Karena & Katrina's Tone It Up videos workout videos on YouTube, and that's how they refer to their routines that focus on toning arms, abs, legs, and butts. Sorry for not clarifying. Thanks for the link!
  • darthlacey
    darthlacey Posts: 40 Member
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    How do you determine what % of body fat you are currently at?
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    Listen "toning" is a myth. It's possible to look "toned", but you can't "tone" anything by doing an exercise. It all comes down to your bodyfat % and your genetics.

    The ONLY thing that lifting weights and doing bodyweight exercises does is make muscles bigger. It doesn't make them more defined or tighter, or "longer" (just think about that one for a minute... wouldn't your bones have to get longer too?....). It only makes them bigger. Mix that with less fat on top, and you've got a "toned" look.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    What's a "total body toning workout"?

    Stomach definition depends a lot on where you store your fat genetically, especially in women. I store it in my thighs and butt, therefor my stomach already has some definition at 25% body. If you store it in your stomach you might have to get down into the teens to see anything. I saw the most progress doing full body compound heavy lifting.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/560459-stronglifts-5x5-summary

    I've been using Karena & Katrina's Tone It Up videos workout videos on YouTube, and that's how they refer to their routines that focus on toning arms, abs, legs, and butts. Sorry for not clarifying. Thanks for the link!

    Your body fat has to be low enough to have a flat stomach. If you want definition you have to build muscle in your core. You should probably start lifting like the suggestion above suggesting strong lifts.
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    How do you determine what % of body fat you are currently at?

    Bodypod, calipers or visual.
    http://www.builtlean.com/2012/09/24/body-fat-percentage-men-women/
  • FrnkLft
    FrnkLft Posts: 1,821 Member
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    How do you determine what % of body fat you are currently at?


    - Mirror (there are some images on google that you can search for to approximate your bf%)
    - Electromagnetic Impedance (ok for a rough number, not very accurate)
    - Calipers (fairly accurate IF done right and consistently)
    - BodPod (available at a lot of university athletic centers, VERY accurate but usually aorund $50)
    - Hydrostatic Testing (they submerge you in a tank of water... just go for the BodPod)
  • Some_Watery_Tart
    Some_Watery_Tart Posts: 2,250 Member
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    You've got a goldmine of advice in here. So I'll just say, ditto on reading New Rules of Lifting for Women. Lifting is full of jargon and it can be very intimidating. NRoL4W lays everything out simply and in laymen's terms.

    And listen to everything usmcmp tells you. She's amazing!
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    How do you determine what % of body fat you are currently at?

    Thanks for asking because I was about to Google haha
  • MoreBean13
    MoreBean13 Posts: 8,701 Member
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    How do you determine what % of body fat you are currently at?

    Here's a good start:
    women-bodyfat-chart-visual.jpg

    Calipers are the best inexpensive way. Body fat scales are useless. The best way is by getting it professionally tested using a bod pod or DEXA scan, but doing that is expensive and sometimes hard to find places that do it (check your local university's sports science lab if you're interested).
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    Listen "toning" is a myth. It's possible to look "toned", but you can't "tone" anything by doing an exercise. It all comes down to your bodyfat % and your genetics.

    The ONLY thing that lifting weights and doing bodyweight exercises does is make muscles bigger. It doesn't make them more defined or tighter, or "longer" (just think about that one for a minute... wouldn't your bones have to get longer too?....). It only makes them bigger. Mix that with less fat on top, and you've got a "toned" look.

    Thank you for clarifying that for me (though I must admit I have no idea what lengthening muscles even means ...)! So basically keep up my cardio for continued weight loss that will hopefully lead to what we incorrectly refer to as a toned body
  • usmcmp
    usmcmp Posts: 21,220 Member
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    I wrote this today. It should help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
  • sybrix
    sybrix Posts: 134 Member
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    Great advice in here, thank you.

    Just wanted to add that I have a body fat % scale that also measures your "water hydration" %. It is all over the damn place, EXCEPT when I weigh myself at consistent hydration levels. I have a Tanita brand one that was $40 and use it to track any downward trends in my body fat %. The accuracy of the number it gives you is pretty crappy too but again if you weigh yourself at consistent hydration levels it's useful for just tracking a downward trend, not a super accurate number.

    The chart that was posted also looks pretty accurate.

    A BodPod measurement at the university in my area costs $35.
  • PureAdamic
    PureAdamic Posts: 185
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    So basically keep up my cardio for continued weight loss that will hopefully lead to what we incorrectly refer to as a toned body

    Lift weights as well. Learn how how to do it right please.

    t-nation.com
    elitefts.com
    liftbigeatbig.com
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    So basically keep up my cardio for continued weight loss that will hopefully lead to what we incorrectly refer to as a toned body

    Lift weights as well. Learn how how to do it right please.

    t-nation.com
    elitefts.com
    liftbigeatbig.com

    I'll still be lifting weights of course. As a theatre actress I need to to help prevent injury. But I won't think that's what is getting me a "toned" stomach anymore :)
  • twhaley1990
    twhaley1990 Posts: 140 Member
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    I wrote this today. It should help.

    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach

    This is great! Extremely helpful!

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