Why is my waist getting bigger after working out my abs?

baristanatorLL

I've been working on overall weight loss and toning for about 6 months now. I lift weights and do many varying exercises to focus on individual muscle groups each time I work out so that I can work out consecutive days and give my muscles time to rebuild and heal at the same time. I spend most of my time lifting weights because it is more interesting to me than cardio and I usually see the quickest results. I've definitely toned up a lot and I even see more definition all over. I've really been focusing on my abs lately because that's a problem area for me. The problem is that my waist seems to be getting bigger instead of smaller. I am seeing more muscle tone in my midsection but I'm afraid I'm adding more actual bulk even though I'm firmer. Aren't muscles supposed to be less bulky on a woman because we don't have the right hormones to bulk up like men? My goal is not to be a body builder---I want to be more lean and toned and LESS bulky. What gives?

Heather2784

It's hard to say without knowing anything about you, your weight, or your body type.

Could be post work out bloat if it's only a temporary thing.

Are lifting heavy with low reps? Try lifting light with more reps.

camila_scl

From what I have been reading in here, when fat from your stomach dissappears the "bulkiness" will go away, for the moment you have fat+muscles = bulk less fat+muscle= toned

albayin

I've been working on overall weight loss and toning for about 6 months now. I lift weights and do many varying exercises to focus on individual muscle groups each time I work out so that I can work out consecutive days and give my muscles time to rebuild and heal at the same time. I spend most of my time lifting weights because it is more interesting to me than cardio and I usually see the quickest results. I've definitely toned up a lot and I even see more definition all over. I've really been focusing on my abs lately because that's a problem area for me. The problem is that my waist seems to be getting bigger instead of smaller. I am seeing more muscle tone in my midsection but I'm afraid I'm adding more actual bulk even though I'm firmer. Aren't muscles supposed to be less bulky on a woman because we don't have the right hormones to bulk up like men? My goal is not to be a body builder---I want to be more lean and toned and LESS bulky. What gives?

I see the same issue with myself...after massive research I learned it could be several reasons：1 temporary "bloating" or "swollen" of the muscle tissues; 2 not losing fat fast enough 3 other reasons I don't know or understand.

And I keep telling myself: fat or muscle they all take up space.

Good luck.

baristanatorLL

I am about 180 and I'm very curvy. I have big boobs (36DD) and wide hips and thighs. I wear size 13 pants mostly because my hips and thighs are pretty thick. My pants are forever slipping down because my waist is narrower, but they are starting to get tighter on the waist. I usually do 4 sets of twelve varying exercises like crunches on a medicine ball, ab roller, side crunches on the incline thingy that you use for back crunches at the gym, and about 70-80 pounds on the weight machine. What is post workout bloat?

baristanatorLL

I was kind of thinking the same thing....It seems like the more intense the workout, the worse it is. Maybe I just build muscle tissue more easily than most people. idk. Good luck to you too! (@albayin)

baristanatorLL

From what I have been reading in here, when fat from your stomach dissappears the "bulkiness" will go away, for the moment you have fat+muscles = bulk less fat+muscle= toned

baristanatorLL

I hope so! ^^^

tomhancock

You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!

HYBRIDXXX

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

mfpcopine

Hard to say without more info, but you probably need to reduce your overall body fat, as some others have said.

I've never really heard of women getting thick waisted from weight work, but if you're using any weight on your waist, you could try substituting bicycles, Captain's Chairs, planks and crunches. I think weight loss is probably the key, however.

AngelAura777

My trainer said that crunches can make your stomach area appear bigger maybe try doing different ab exercises like planks

Jacwhite22

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

albayin

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good.

GasMasterFlash

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good.

Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

FlittyGetsFit

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good.

Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

Luckily I can translate thanks to having teenagers...

I was just about to say that Tomhancock lol! I always tell people when they say I do crunches all the time and my tummy isn't going down and I say because you're bulking your stomach muscles up which in turn is pushing your stomach out. You have to incorporate cardio to get that layer of fat from around your midsection. "You cannot spot reduce fat"

albayin

I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good.

Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

Luckily I can translate thanks to having teenagers...

I was just about to say that Tomhancock lol! I always tell people when they say I do crunches all the time and my tummy isn't going down and I say because you're bulking your stomach muscles up which in turn is pushing your stomach out. You have to incorporate cardio to get that layer of fat from around your midsection. "You cannot spot reduce fat"

Man, I am just glad that newspapers still follow the traditional English and make breaking news still readable...

Almost missed out all this important information.

Expertkobe

Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!

shabaity

Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!

Well you are right about not being able to spot reduce. That being said the rest of this is as much BS as anything any one else has said every person is different. I lose weight easily just at a calorie deficit and frankly I'm bulky no matter what I do I'm never gonna have thin thighs and calves they are already mostly muscle. *shrugs* But what can ya do about it, in my case nothing. Now if you have to do crap tons of cardio to lose weight well I wish you luck with that frankly I despise cardio and won't do it. Secondly, I've never toned up lifting light the only time I had success in that was when I lifted heavy in gym class.

DeguelloTex

Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!

Clearly, you're part of "everyone."

I've done exactly zero minutes of high intensity cardio and I've lost 54 pounds so far.

JossFit

You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!

^ This. Abs are muscles just like anyother. Endless sets of crunches, side crunches, etc. build muscle... so you are essentially adding muscle where you want to be nice and small. You don't need to train abs to lose fat in your midsection. My profile photo is me, and I train abs exactly 0 times per week. None.

Clean diet and lifting heavy.

ZaCkOX

You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!

^ This. Abs are muscles just like anyother. Endless sets of crunches, side crunches, etc. build muscle... so you are essentially adding muscle where you want to be nice and small. You don't need to train abs to lose fat in your midsection. My profile photo is me, and I train abs exactly 0 times per week. None.

Clean diet and lifting heavy.

But I am sure you do exercises that work your core and that is like doing ab exercises. For instance squats actually works the abs anyway.

usmcmp

Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!

Correct that you cannot spot reduce and that adding core muscle under the fat increases waist circumference, but the rest of it is garbage.

<---No cardio, no direct ab work, I don't eat clean and I use all the ranges of sets and reps.

Mikkimeow

usmcmp

You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!

^ This. Abs are muscles just like anyother. Endless sets of crunches, side crunches, etc. build muscle... so you are essentially adding muscle where you want to be nice and small. You don't need to train abs to lose fat in your midsection. My profile photo is me, and I train abs exactly 0 times per week. None.

Clean diet and lifting heavy.

But I am sure you do exercises that work your core and that is like doing ab exercises. For instance squats actually works the abs anyway.

You are correct that compound lifts engage the core for stabilization. Most people think you have to do core/ab isolation to build nice abs and that isn't always necessary thanks to the work the muscles get from heavy compound lifts.

SanteMulberry

Try HIIT (High Intensity Interval Training) to burn off the fat (in addition to heavy lifting, of course). In several studies, it has been reported that HIIT burns 500-700% more body fat than ordinary cardio does. I have discovered that to be true for my own body. HIIT is pretty easy--well, on second thought, not exactly easy, but it is not complicated. You go all out in a "sprint" (going as fast as you can go) for 30 seconds, (in whatever exercise you want to do--I swim) for 30 seconds. Just when you feel that you are going to collapse, your thirty seconds are done and you get to "rest" with aerobic exercise for the next 90 seconds. This is an "interval". Most people do 6 to 8 intervals per exercise session. I started with 6 and am now up to being able to do 8 each time. My waist got bigger too, at first, because I was building muscle and not losing the stubborn fat that was on my abdomen. Then I started doing HIIT and lifting heavy. My shape has totally changed. I'm still wearing the same jeans that I wore over a year ago but they fit me in an entirely different way now. They were tight around the waist and baggy in the thighs and rear before (had an "old lady's physique). Now they are baggy over my waist and abdomen and fit in the rear and thighs. I'm back to the shape I had in my youth.