Having trouble with my midsection, Any tips???

HILLIO1

I've been doing my fitness pal for almost 4 weeks now, and it's helped control my caloric intake tremendously! I started exercising on a regular basis (when I can find the time) about a week and a half ago. I work three jobs so I don't bother with a gym membership because it would be a waste of my money, so I find things to do at home or outdoors. So far, what I do is 1) Biggest Loser Last Chance workout DVD, 2) go for 30 minute bike rides (until I don't feel like I'm going to die afterwards...then I'll up my time!) and 3) I've just become more active in my everyday life. Instead of sitting around, I get up and do things...instead of getting on the internet at work when there's nothing to do, I get up and walk around...stuff like that. My problem is, the area I want to work on more than anything is my stomach...but out of anything I do to try and get exercise in, I never feel the burn in my stomach. Does anyone have any tips or exercises they could share with me to help me? I have an ab roller that I also do crunches on sometimes, but I read that it doesn't really do anything for your stomach because even though it works your abs you still have to lose the fat covering them! I was looking into the ab wheel but I'm not positive it would work. Any advice or tips would be greatly appreciated, thank you!

eayal002

calorie deficit + cardio, to show off abs there needs to be no fat on top of them. This is done by getting to a low BF%. Add an ab workout a couple times a week to start tightening up the skin as you loose the fat around the mid session. It won't have in a month it will take time but it will happen.

here are a few workouts you can do, most of them you don't need gym equipment.

http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/beginner-core-training-guide.htm

P.S. I know you said you won't join a gym but think about doing some weight training around your home or even doing a resistance band workout. Will help with overall fitness program.

tauny78

Unfortunately, you can't spot reduce. You'll usually lose the fat fairly evenly, or where you last put it on first. I'm in the same boat, I would love to lose around my belly more, but it seems to be the last thing wanting to shrink any! Just keep up the good work, and it will show soon enough! Good luck!

paruls86

biking is good for both cardio and as a lower ab excercise.. just wait I trust u'll get your result but rest assured your tummy fat is ALWAYS the LAST one to go...

Stacyanne324

Like the others said you really have to take the weight off in general to have it leave your belly area. I also take CLA which a lot of people will say doesn't work but it has convinced me enough that I'm on my third bottle.

Mindmovesbody

I've actually been wondering the same thing. I am dropping weight and my tummy is getting smaller but I want to 'target' that area. While I understand there is no 'spot training' I know I can tighten up the middle. I'm not looking for a six pack (although that would be fab!) I'm just looking to get rid of the baby belly and have it be flat. I have a small frame so I don't carry weight well at all but especially in my tummy! I've been doing a lot of cardio and Jillian michaels 30 DS and I definitely am seeing a difference. I heard bicycle crunches are the most effective, but I am not a trainer.

HILLIO1

My workout DVD consists of 30 second intervals of strength and cardio and without the warm up and cool down it's 25 minutes. Although my weights right now are very light (5lb lol) I can definitely feel it in my arms! Don't get me wrong, I would LOVE to join a gym, I feel that if I had all that equipment readily available to me, I could definitely workout harder and longer and obviously probably work more of my muscles than I do just doing my video and bike riding. But paying $58 a month to find the time to go MAYBE twice a week isn't worth it to me.

About my stomach, I obviously do want to focus on that area, but I'm not so much saying like "what can I do to get a flat stomach" as I am saying, "what can I do so that I know I"m actually working my stomach?" It just never feels like I worked it at all. The first time I did my workout video my hamstrings and arms were burning for days, but my stomach was completely unaffected.

I've just started reading all sorts of things on being healthy, what to eat, how to lose the fat...all that stuff, so I AM fairly new to fitness and I will be the first to admit, I'm a dummy. I don't even know what triceps and biceps are! I could look it up obviously, but I'm making my point. One thing I do know from several things I've read is that women tend to be fatter in the midsection than men because anytime you eat sugar, that's where it goes...and there lies my problem. Since I've been doing myfitnesspal I've been amazed at myself for my willpower to pass up candy and donuts. Sweets have always been my go to, and I've done really well. But for instance, some mornings I will have fat free vanilla yogurt with granola for breakfast. I put that in and already I'm over my sugar for the day. Also one of the things I have as a snack frequently is dark chocolate covered prunes. Obviously there's a lot of sugar in those. Granola bars=sugar. I'm a woman who has a huge sweet tooth, and while I'm proud of myself that I"m not gorging out on a huge hershey bar, I do have to have one sweet snack a day to get my fix.

It's stressful to read so many different things and not really know which to follow, what exactly to do.

tauny78

I've been doing a core workout for 3 weeks now, and I can already feel my center getting stronger. You could do everything at home too with just a few pieces of equipment. You need a stability ball, workout mat, and a medicine ball (or really any weight you can hold comfortably for some resistance).
I do:
Planks with my forearms on the medicine ball: be sure to keep your tush down, keeping your body in line, and tighten those abs. Breath as normal as possible, and hold for as long as possible, then relax, and repeat . I started holding for 10 seconds, doing 5 reps, and now I'm holding for 20 for a few, then as I get tired 10-15 seconds.

Sit ups on the ball: concentrate on your abs, curl up slow and steady and use that core to bring you up, don't bounce off the ball.

Oblique twists on the ball: holding your medicine ball or weight out in front of you, lean back to a 45 degree angle and twist from side to side. I do 20 each direction for now.

Lunges with medicine ball: again, holding the ball or weight out, lunch on front leg, bending your knee to a 45 degree angle, and don't let you knee go past your toes, once down, hold and twist to both sides like the oblique twist, then come up. Your back leg is for balance, so try to concentrate your weight and effort in the front. I do 10 per leg.

Now, on the mat:

Supermans: lie on your tummy, and raise your opposite arm and leg, squeezing your abs and butt, hold for 10. Alternate sides and I do 5 each.

Push ups: I just do the best I can, can't yet go all the way down. Be sure to keep your butt down, body straight and do as many as you can. As of now, I'm going half way down and only 10 of them.

Planks: yes, more! On the mat, on your forearms. Just like the ball, squeeze your abs and hold steady as long as you can. Relax in between reps.

Side planks: lie on your side, bottom forearm on the mat, top arm on your waist, use your obliques and squeeze yourself up off the floor, and balance for as long as you can. Switch sides. I do 5 reps each side, and hold for up to 20 right now.

Back bridge: lie on your back, and squeezing abs and butt, lift your hips off the floor as high as you can and hold for as long as you can. If this is easy, lift one leg and hold then alternate.

Hip lift: on your back again, raise legs to ceiling as high as you can, using your abs then back down. I do 20 now, started at 10. Try to see if you can lower yourself down slowly

V-sits: Balance on your butt at a 45 degree angle, feet in the air and reach for your toes. Tighten those abs of course! lol And hold for as long as you can, then relax and repeat. I do 10.

Squats: Hold abs tight, feet hip distance apart, squat as low as you can and come back up. Try to focus on the butt and backs of the thighs, and keep as much weight as you can on your heels. I use the smith machine at the gym for this, but you don't need any extra weight, and you can always hold a couple hand weights if you want.

The entire workout for me only takes about 30 - 35 minutes. I start with a quick cardio warm up though, to get my heart rate up and muscle warm. I'm at the gym for about 40-45 minutes total including a cool down and stretch.

Hope I've been able to help some!
Good luck!

LilRedRooster

Go learn how to ballroom dance with proper technique.

Seriously, I haven't found anything better to target your entire core, from your abs to your back, then ballroom dancing with technique. It's gloriously painful.

AudreyMSmith

I have always wanted to keep my mid-section down. I had a great trainer for 18 months and he had great tips that worked....1. Limit your white Carbs in your calorie intake. Carbs settle on the belly and butt. Eat your calories rich in protein, not carbs. 2. The crunches will work but you must give it time. Try only lifting your shoulders a few inches off the ground and really focusing on crunching your abs. Also, lift your legs into a L position and then do your crunch. If you do 4 sets of 20 every day, you should have an ab ache on day 3.:0) Also, jumping jacks are an awesome cardio workout and easy to do almost anywhere! Good Luck!

AudreyMSmith

What is CLA?

223730

P90x has short DVD called Ab Ripper X, and they are not playing around, that is for sure! I am focusing one more month on mostly cardio so I can shed the weight and burn the fat, and starting in May I am going to start the Ab Ripper to supplement my walks (hopefully jogging soon!), my baby weights (3 lb dumbbells, LOL), and my stairs and squats and stuff. I have no doubt this DVD hits the abs - I have done it a few times and even the VERY FIRST exercise you do, I swear you feel it instantly.

HILLIO1

@tauny78- those are some great tips and I will definitely be considering them! I have been wanting to get a big exercise ball but I've been holding off because I was interested in that ab wheel, but I'm not seeming to get any feedback about it, so I'm not sure about the purchase.

@AudreyMSmith- I will definitely be trying those crunches, thanks so much. However, I'm a fat girl who lives in an apartment on the 3rd floor, so I can't do the jumping jacks and I'm too self conscious to go outside and do them!

@223730- having said that above, I'm not sure the P90x would work for me because I'm sure you have to be doing some major cardio.

Since I've just started working out on a regular basis I told my fiance that I'm giving it a month...if by the end of April I'm not seeing better results with my weight than I am now, I'm joining a gym, whether I have time to or not! It's a 24 hour gym so maybe I can just start getting up really early! lol

Thanks to everyone for your opinions and ides!

lilbitsc89

bump

AZackery

Try Tae Bo Insane Abs. You can preview the workout on Collagevideo.com and buy it at Walmart, Target, Kmart, etc. or cheaper than Collagevideo.com on Amazon.com