Need ideas for no/low impact exercises to reduce belly flab

dznygrl70
dznygrl70 Posts: 9 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm looking for help on reducing my belly flab without further injuring my back. I've got a herniated disk at L1 and right now am doing a combination of elliptical, water aerobics and upper body strength training 4x a week. I'm under strict "no/low impact" orders from my ortho. My current routine is working really well for general conditioning and toning, but I was just wondering if anyone had ideas on what I could do to further reduce my belly. Things like crunches or sit-ups are definitely out of the picture right now. I was stupid and tried a Zumba class a couple of weeks ago. Thoroughly enjoyed it, but the bouncing around on a hard floor had my back spasming by that evening and it's still not totally recovered.

I'm an exercise newbie, only been in a regular routine since May. Thanks for any input you might have!

Replies

  • McBully4
    McBully4 Posts: 1,270 Member
    I'm looking for help on reducing my belly flab


    just keep walking, you cant target an area.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    Doing crunches and sit up WILL NOT cause you to drop fat in your belly. It will actually build bigger stomach muscles and me your look fatter.

    Eat less, and work EVERY. SINGLE. MUSCLE. in your body. That will warrant the best results.

    If your ortho clears you, hopefully you should be squatting, benching, overhead press, dips, pushups, pull ups, planks, rows. Compound movements are your best friend.
  • wellbert
    wellbert Posts: 3,924 Member
    consider cycling. ask your doctor.
  • nick1109
    nick1109 Posts: 174 Member
    A good low impact plan would be to just keep your diet in strict check.
  • d2footballJRC
    d2footballJRC Posts: 2,684 Member
    Abs are made in the kitchen. Drop the BF and the Belly Flab will eventually go!
  • bcattoes
    bcattoes Posts: 17,299 Member
    I'm looking for help on reducing my belly flab


    just keep walking, you cant target an area.

    This ^^ walking is great exercise and it works your core.
  • Gemmageldmacher
    Gemmageldmacher Posts: 45 Member
    Walking with weights, holding your elbows down at your side, arms bent, and twist back and forth, keeping your abs tight. Kind of looks silly, but works great!
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,010 Member
    This is what I use.....

    mv1950myth05.jpg
  • abnerner
    abnerner Posts: 452 Member
    to reduce belly flab you have to reduce body fat all over. so keep up with what you are doing! and eat good as well!

    the things you are doing now are good, but I do also suggest the biking. I know my gym has a bike that has a back on it so you aren't stressing your back by having to sit straight up at all time.
  • simplydelish2
    simplydelish2 Posts: 726 Member
    Agree that walking is fabulous. I also love my kettle bells!
  • ShreddedTweet
    ShreddedTweet Posts: 1,326 Member
    You can't spot reduce fat, just keep your eating in check, burn calories walking or swimming, stick with it and the belly will go! As people always say 'Abs are created in the gym but revealed in the kitchen!'...
  • dr3wman
    dr3wman Posts: 205
    Like everyone else is saying, keep up the walking! You just need to be in a caloric deficit to shed fat
  • alisonlk
    alisonlk Posts: 15 Member
    consider cycling. ask your doctor.

    I second this. I've been participating in indoor cycling classes for over 2 years and it's been a integral part of my weight loss.
  • jennieth
    jennieth Posts: 105
    My trainer has me do my cardio first thing in the AM. I do an hour on the eliptical at 530 am. Before breakfast! I has been kicking my belly fat's booty. I lost 6 inches around my belly in my first 8 weeks on his plan.
  • michaelsgirl1210
    michaelsgirl1210 Posts: 37 Member
    Have you tried a recumbent exercise bike? I have a severe back injury I have to work around, and I used the recumbent a lot when I was starting out. It helped to strengthen my core and thighs and it took the pressure off my back. I love it so much, I bought one for my house!
  • PTilghm56
    PTilghm56 Posts: 1
    go to Dr. Oz website he has certain foods to eat to help reduce belly fat and says stress can( not always) BE A FACTOR IN BELLY FAT. check it out he just recently had a show on it.
  • monicalosesweight
    monicalosesweight Posts: 1,173 Member
    I'd say walking is your best bet. I would definitely make sure you get good shoes with good support. I went to one of those higher end stores that sell insoles and stepped on their machine to determine the right type of insole and boy did it make a difference. It'll change your gait and will make it easier to walk and will help your posture. Good shoes are VERY important.
  • tristanathan
    tristanathan Posts: 40
    I have 2 herniated discs in my low back. I alter a lot of the exercises I do to help strengthen my core and my back. Squats engage your core big time, so there's something.

    My chiropractor gave me an exercise to do on a balance ball to help strengthen my core and lower back. You lay on the floor with your feet on the ball about shoulder width apart, back/shoulders/head on the floor. Pull toes in toward you (do not point them). Lay your arms out (like you're flying) on the floor. Then, using your core, lift your butt off the floor as high as you can and hold for 5 to 10 seconds. Do 30 reps until that gets easy, then do 60.
  • porffor
    porffor Posts: 1,210 Member
    Sounds mad or did to me, but I found doing Karate routines (not fighting or mat work and no impact) worked well in helping build my back muscles stronger and thus supported my back more. :) Also if you can then swimming would work as weightless. Aqua Aerobics is great fun too.

    I do agree on the advice on lowering BF overall is best we can do.. I know it's not easy.

    All the best.
  • Alicemarieed
    Alicemarieed Posts: 86 Member
    Have you tried swiming? I do 1 length Brest stroke then 1 length back stroke..and repeat there for 10mins. I can feel my tummy muscles tightening .i have hip and knock problems so I have to be carfull what exersises I do.i have noticed a difference in my body fat with the calories I am losing with swiming as well as diet.
  • michelle_mareshfuehrer
    michelle_mareshfuehrer Posts: 312 Member
    I have a bad disk, too but have been able to do some exercises (standing) with a resistance band. Like, step out with one foot and hook the band under that foot and then behind your head and bend down. Or, stand with your legs apart, have the band wrapped around your mid back and hold the band in each hand (the ends will dangle because you are not holding them), and twist side to side and bring the arm in front. Stand with legs apart and kind of lift torso and then drop it to the side. (Hard to explain grr).
  • Cassaaaaandra
    Cassaaaaandra Posts: 184 Member
    Swimming and treading water will be great cardio. As for strength training you need to work two muscle groups at the same time such as combining squats with military press or lunges with arm curls to get the maximum workout for the time spent.
  • TeaBea
    TeaBea Posts: 14,517 Member
    Look for "standing crunches" or "standing pilates"

    A few DVDs that have standing ab work
    http://www.amazon.com/Flat-Belly-Workout-Walk-Off/dp/B002Q3N2CC/ref=pd_bxgy_mov_img_b .... mor

    this is low impact aerobics & then standing ab work ... kind of circuit like

    Only 1 - 10 minute section is all standing .... lots of ideas on this one (pretty cheap)

    http://www.amazon.com/Kathy-Smith-Tummy-Trimmers/dp/B000WOSAVK/ref=sr_1_1?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1343678427&sr=1-1&keywords=kathy+smith+tummy+trimmers

    Standing pilates

    http://www.amazon.com/Susan-Tuttles-Home-Fitness-Standing/dp/B001RRCK76/ref=sr_1_3?s=movies-tv&ie=UTF8&qid=1343678499&sr=1-3&keywords=standing+pilates
  • beckyinma
    beckyinma Posts: 1,433 Member
    SWIMMING!
  • dznygrl70
    dznygrl70 Posts: 9 Member
    Wow, thanks for all the great input! I'm already doing 65 mins of elliptical 2-3x wk, plus 30-60 mins of circuit training - basically every machine that doesn't involve my lower back, plus 60 mins of water aerobics 2x week. It's been very successful so far, combined with eating right I'm down almost 55 lbs and dropped 5 dress sizes. It just seems that the belly is the last to go.
  • Plates559
    Plates559 Posts: 869 Member
    It's been very successful so far, combined with eating right I'm down almost 55 lbs and dropped 5 dress sizes. It just seems that the belly is the last to go.

    Your body decided where to add the fat, now its deciding where it wants to remove it. Its a survival trait your great great great cavemother learned, and passed down to you.

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