Ab help

naugustyniak

Okay, I have been eating my calories and my exercise calories. I do mostly cardio (walking and running) and I am losing weight slowly. My problem is my stomach. Now I can feel there are muscles under all that fat but want to know what I can do to get rid of the fat. It is just there and won't go away. I know certain foods, stress and certain exercises effect this. Any suggestions? I have tried crunches but it doesn't seem to help and they hurt my back. I have also done them on the ball. I feel my abs working but that glob (for lack of a better word) of fat will not go away. HELP ME (please)

SHBoss1673

cardio is the only way to get rid of fat. To be specific aerobic activity does it. That and eating a calorie deficit. Doing ab exercises help the muscles under the fat, but because the abs are a small and relatively weak muscle group, they aren't going to help you burn many calories. The harder you work aerobically the more fat you'll burn in total.

Try doing to some HIIT training, spinning is a good HIIT derivative, or you can do interval high intensity running and low intensity running. It takes time naugust, time and hard work. you'll get there.

dmscarff

Keep running the fat will come off ....you just need to keep at it : )

naugustyniak

I was hoping you would be the one to answer me. What is HIIT? I have been doing walk/run on my treadmill. I am losing everywhere else but my stomach. Grosses me out What should my target heart rate be to burn more? I have an HRM that says my heart rate should be 128-144 and it is right in there within 5 minutes or so after I start exercising. Would upping that some help or not? I know it will take a while but I am getting discouraged that I am losing everywhere else but there. Thanks

hiddensecant

High Intensity Interval Training .. it spikes your heart rate up and down through several zones during the workout. Try googling it for the treadmill and you'll get plenty of plans that you can try involving different speeds, inclines, target heart rates, etc.

naugustyniak

High Intensity Interval Training .. it spikes your heart rate up and down through several zones during the workout. Try googling it for the treadmill and you'll get plenty of plans that you can try involving different speeds, inclines, target heart rates, etc.

Thank you. :happy:

pattitricia85

try doing some sprints for 30seconds to a minute every five minutes or so that really takes the fat burning to the next level. Also i love pilates for long lean muscles (abs especially). My favorite dvd is pilates for dummies. Or if you have Ondemand they have great pilates stuff!

naugustyniak

try doing some sprints for 30seconds to a minute every five minutes or so that really takes the fat burning to the next level. Also i love pilates for long lean muscles (abs especially). My favorite dvd is pilates for dummies. Or if you have Ondemand they have great pilates stuff!

I have tried pilates and my body just doesn't want to do those things :laugh: Plus for some reason, it makes me really sick to my stomach. I want to like it (yoga too) but I just can't seem to do it without feeling like I need to throw up. :sad:

kenne

You can interval train. Sprint 2 minutes then Jog/walk 3 minutes and keep repeating. Make sure you are warmed up first. I do intervals on a treadmill for me 7-8 mph sprinting and 3.5-4.5 jog/walk.

Unfortunately the answer is more cardio.

SHBoss1673

Yep, what ghanie and kenne said. HIIT is High Intensity Interval Training.

It's basically any cardio that you can do at a really high level, like WAAAAAYYYY out of your comfort zone. Forget the target zone on your HRM, those aren't high enough for it (unless you edit). I don't even use my Target zone with my Polar.

Basically (and remember, everyone is different, so your % may be different) start out with HIIT by expecting to do about 16 minutes of real exercise, with 5 minutes stretching before, 5 minutes warm up, 5 minutes cool down after and 5 minutes stretching at the end, so 36 minutes total, it's equivalent to about 1 hour and 10 minutes of regular cardio, but it's a better burn because you raise your growth hormone levels much higher (which helps with cortisol, which helps keep insulin working, which helps the fat levels)

An example HIIT beginner program would be:
pre-work - find out what speed you normally can do on the treadmill at about a s70 to 70% Max HR on the treadmill for an extended period.

then

5 minute stretch
5 minute warm up on the treadmill
2 minute at 70% max HR
30 seconds 85% max HR (usually around 1.5 to 2 mph faster then your 70% levels)
2 minute 70% max HR
45 seconds 85% max HR
2 minute 70% max HR
1 minute 85% max HR
2 minute 70% max HR
45 seconds 85% max HR
2 minute 70% max HR
30 seconds 85% max HR
2 minute 70% max HR
5 minute cool down
5 minute stretch

NOTE: you can do this type of HIIT with any cardio exercise, what matters is the Heart Rate spikes. These spikes cause the body to enter it's "Fight or Flight" response, which releases hormones. It also causes the muscles to burn up their quick release glycogen stores, and forces the body to pull energy from stores (part of this will be fat), and keeps the muscles guessing which is good.

give this a shot, you won't be disappointed, remember, the first 1 or 2 times you do it, you will think you're going to die, but don't worry, that passes quickly, the body really will react and change to this routine, do this 3 times a week for about 2 months and I'll bet that belly will be no more. Assuming you keep all your other factors the same (I.E. calories, weight training and resistance work, healthy foods...etc)

naugustyniak

Thanks everybody, I will give it a shot. I really prefer cardio over strength training anyway. I know I have to do both but if I had to do one or the other maxed out, it would be cardio.

kimber607

Thanks everybody, I will give it a shot. I really prefer cardio over strength training anyway. I know I have to do both but if I had to do one or the other maxed out, it would be cardio.

Hey,

I'm having a similar problem and I have been doing the 30 day shred for 60 days and walking/running sprints on the treadmill
I think I eat fairly wel but have tried taking a closer look at my diet and am going to be more diligent about my 'healthy' splurge snacks (jello puddings and low fat ice cream/frozen yogurt), especially with getting some of the hidden sugar out ....

Good luck
Kim

Delaina1

try doing some sprints for 30seconds to a minute every five minutes or so that really takes the fat burning to the next level. Also i love pilates for long lean muscles (abs especially). My favorite dvd is pilates for dummies. Or if you have Ondemand they have great pilates stuff!

I have tried pilates and my body just doesn't want to do those things :laugh: Plus for some reason, it makes me really sick to my stomach. I want to like it (yoga too) but I just can't seem to do it without feeling like I need to throw up. :sad:

I'm a dancer and I used to have this problem in modern class. First of all keep trying it...the worst that can happen is that you actually get sick (I have). But concentrate on the movement of your body and your focus. Change the direction of your focus with the direction of your body. Or if you are stationary just close your eyes and feel your muscles working. Your body WILL get used to this and you will eventually enjoy it. This is a common problem!!! No worries, just keep trying and remember to stabalize your focus! It can be overcome...I've done it!