HOW TO lose inches

megangrohl
megangrohl Posts: 56
in Fitness and Exercise
What exercises do I do to lose inches off my sides? I am at a healthy weight so that is not the problem. I just want to know how to lose a few inches off my sides, maybe 2 inches?

Replies

  • megangrohl
    megangrohl Posts: 56
    BUMP
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    For losing inches, it's tough to beat Food Pushaways.
  • megangrohl
    megangrohl Posts: 56
    What is that?
  • kateanne27
    kateanne27 Posts: 275 Member
    my guess is that you push the food away instead of eat it.
    you could try toning your obliques
  • megangrohl
    megangrohl Posts: 56
    I'm not over eating so that reply was rude. I'm asking for honest advice here. I just had a baby recently and have some extra skin in areas from my csection surgery. I've lost all my baby weight plus some on top of it. What are obliqueS and how do i tone them? Could u explain? I like to think I eat pretty clean.
  • DopeItUp
    DopeItUp Posts: 18,771 Member
    Geez, it's a joke. An exercise where you push away food to avoid eating it? The implication being that you need to eat less to lose fat? I guess it's not as funny when you have to explain it.

    Point is, if you want to lose inches on your waist your only real option is to lose the fat that resides there. This is assuming it's fat you're complaining about and not internal organs. Those should be removed by at least a semi-professional.

    So basically, a calorie deficit via diet and/or exercise. That's your answer.

    Answers regarding isolation exercises of the muscles in that region are not really that helpful. If you work a muscle it will remain the same size or grow larger, depending on the exercise performed and the performer's diet and such. If you worked a muscle and it got smaller, all bodybuilders would be stick figures.

    So again, you want a calorie deficit via diet and/or exercise until you lose the fat that you desire.

    If you don't want to lose any weight, it's sort of counter-intuitive. Fat has a weight, therefore if you want it gone you will drop weight. The only way to avoid this is to spend some months eating at a calorie surplus and doing some heavy strength training. In 6-12 months you can put on 5-10lbs of muscle, and then try cutting fat again. Your eventual lower body fat will probably put you at your original weight but with less fat and more muscle. Following some IF protocols may be useful if you don't want to do the bulk/cut routine and just want to maintain your diet but put on a little muscle and lose a little fat.
  • Eafears
    Eafears Posts: 135 Member
    I think that the Jillian Michaels programs are great for loosing just a few inches here and there. you may want to try one of those and they are pretty cheap, under 10 bucks. Good luck.
  • Jynus
    Jynus Posts: 519 Member
    What exercises do I do to lose inches off my sides? I am at a healthy weight so that is not the problem. I just want to know how to lose a few inches off my sides, maybe 2 inches?
    food pushaways is accurate as there is no such thing as an exercise that loses inches. losing inches is a byproduct of diet. eat less than your body uses, and you loss size and weight.

    That said, if you want the inches you lose to mostly be from fat and not lean mass, make sure you do HEAVY strength training as part of your routine.
  • caraiselite
    caraiselite Posts: 2,631 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit/videos
  • mamasmaltz3
    mamasmaltz3 Posts: 1,111 Member
    From what you are describing it does not sound like you will be able to do a whole lot other than wait. You said you had a baby by c-section recently so it is going to take some time for your skin to tighten back up. It will, especially if you are at a healthy weight. Ab work is also going to help strengthening that area. Pilates are great for that.
  • Afterblue
    Afterblue Posts: 78 Member
    I am of "normal" weight now, and I still have inches to lose. So I consider myself to be of "healthy weight" but with some fat loss to go before I reach the proportions I want.

    Core work is great. It helps ensure your posture is right and will develop ab strength, especially the obliques. I am a big proponent of weight training to firm up the body. Adding it has made a big difference to my proportions, especially in the mid-section.

    Keep up the cardio if you are doing any. For me the mid section was an area of visceral fat and steady cardio helped inch loss too. Good luck!

    Oh and dry brushing. A lot of people will dismiss this as nonsense, but it worked for me and no harm trying it to see if it works for you.
  • Mellie289
    Mellie289 Posts: 1,191 Member
    I think that the Jillian Michaels programs are great for loosing just a few inches here and there. you may want to try one of those and they are pretty cheap, under 10 bucks. Good luck.
    I agree - I'm currently doing her 30 Day Shred workout and I lost 2 inches off my waist in the first 20 days. I plan to do her Ripped in 30 workout after I'm done this one (with a little break in between). I'm really seeing results.

    Edit to add: 2 inches in 20 days might be a lot to expect if you don't have nearly as much to lose as I do though.
  • kscouten
    kscouten Posts: 40 Member
    I think that the Jillian Michaels programs are great for loosing just a few inches here and there. you may want to try one of those and they are pretty cheap, under 10 bucks. Good luck.








    I agree! Search some of the other forums for 30 Day Shred by Jillian Michaels and look at the results. You may lose a couple lbs but it will also help get you toned.
  • AABru
    AABru Posts: 610 Member
    as a long shot, you might try skin brushing once your incision has healed. t-tapp.com sells skin brushes and instructions. I also agree with the weight lifting, but get clearance from you OB first...
  • Prudiddy
    Prudiddy Posts: 262 Member
    Dancing, jumping rope, lots of cardio! I mean lots, don't forget to eat clean too!
  • Taahira11
    Taahira11 Posts: 2 Member
    Hey girlie ! the best answer I can offer is to work your TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS It's the muscle that wraps from the sides of our waist and on to our lower back ......look up exercises for that that muscle is like having your own little built in girdle once you tighten it!!! ...IT WILL HELP TAKE CARE OF THAT :) hope that helps
  • tessavonhagen
    tessavonhagen Posts: 94 Member
    I am of "normal" weight now, and I still have inches to lose. So I consider myself to be of "healthy weight" but with some fat loss to go before I reach the proportions I want.

    Core work is great. It helps ensure your posture is right and will develop ab strength, especially the obliques. I am a big proponent of weight training to firm up the body. Adding it has made a big difference to my proportions, especially in the mid-section.

    Keep up the cardio if you are doing any. For me the mid section was an area of visceral fat and steady cardio helped inch loss too. Good luck!

    Oh and dry brushing. A lot of people will dismiss this as nonsense, but it worked for me and no harm trying it to see if it works for you.

    what is dry brushing?
  • HiStOrYmOm
    HiStOrYmOm Posts: 2
    Please try this, as I think it might be the easiest thing you ever tried. These are ballerina type exercises, and not hard. Stand with feet apart or together, arms raised up straight, in a DOOR FRAME. With both arms still up, reach with your left hand for the RIGHT upper corner of the door frame, and alternate with your right hand reaching for the upper left door frame. That is one side whittler. Another? Back away from the door frame and grab a towel. Twist the towel until taught, and hold one end in each hand, holding the towel overhead. You have made a cup for visual image, right? Okay, tilt the cup, bending at the waist, left, back up, forward, back up, right, back up. Repeat a good while. You WILL feel these exercises, and then you will believe me that they are working on your waist. Let me know how it goes, dear.
  • ZoeyRobinson
    ZoeyRobinson Posts: 301
    Hoopdancing. You can get a a hoop from www.hoopnotica.com

    Butt Bible. You can find it on www.youtube.com

    Jillian Michael's Kettlebell workout is pretty good as well.

    Tae Bo is amazing at blasting calories and inches too.
  • Mayela05
    Mayela05 Posts: 31
    As a fellow mom, and friends of many women who are moms too the only thing that has worked for them has been toning try that hope it helps!! And after you give birth your body just isn't the same sadly! But you can do it! It's just working out and making that tummy tighter :)
  • Afterblue
    Afterblue Posts: 78 Member

    what is dry brushing?

    Here is an article that will help explain a lot better than I could. Basically, it involves using a brush with natural bristles and firmly brushing your dry skin before you take a bath. It exfoliates, but I believe it helps skin get more resilient as a result. I am not sure about the cellulite claims, but I don't have that issue yet because of rhino thick skin.

    http://drybrushing.net/

    I believe Teresa Tapp has her own patented way of doing it but I do not know much about that. AAbru might be able to explain more about it.

    I also consumed sufficient vitamin E and C for elasticity. I believe that helped me too.
  • Redtango76
    Redtango76 Posts: 144
    Hey girlie ! the best answer I can offer is to work your TRANSVERSE ABDOMINIS It's the muscle that wraps from the sides of our waist and on to our lower back ......look up exercises for that that muscle is like having your own little built in girdle once you tighten it!!! ...IT WILL HELP TAKE CARE OF THAT :) hope that helps


    ^ this will help tighten your core and support you back ...I was prescribed this in physical therapy for a weak core (probably as a result of childbirth) . There are several other exercises that tighten and support the core such as planks. You can YouTube core exercises. It may not actually take off inches of actual at but it will look and feel like it ...so what's the difference. They have helped me tremendously . I wouldn't start too soon after birth tho you don't want to disrupt the healing process ...
  • angel101netta
    angel101netta Posts: 152 Member
    http://www.youtube.com/user/BeFit/videos


    I love this channel on you tube my favorite are the Denise Austin workouts I also though eat most of the time clean. I still have a treat every now and then.
  • invictus8
    invictus8 Posts: 258 Member
    The only way to lose fat is to get a calorie deficit -- most effectively by reducing caloric intake. Those last few inches of fat will only reduce through a consistent deficit, and no exercise will "spot reduce" fat. In fact, given the amount of fat it's possible "spot reduction" will actually make an area look fatter. For example, doing ab crunches can make the muscles slightly larger in the abs, so if the fat isn't lost in the mid-section the mid-section will actually appear larger.
  • Fozzi43
    Fozzi43 Posts: 2,984 Member
    I find using a weighted hula hoop works for me..I do around 15 minutes each side. :smile:
  • megangrohl
    megangrohl Posts: 56
    Thanks for all the replies. I do eat clean, you can check my food diary. I do have a lower calorie intake mostly because I don't have time to eat alot during the day due to how much my daughter needs me. I had her 3 months ago, almost 3.5 months now. Is it too soon to start doing these exercises? She was a massive baby so she really messed up my abdomen. I took a few pics of my belly too if anyone cares to see them. But I don't want any rude replies.

    I was looking at starting the 30DS program, I was reading reviews lastnight and apparently it is good for losing inches so I'm going to try that. I know that you can't spot reduce I was just looking for a good way to tone up after having my c-section surgery.
  • Redtango76
    Redtango76 Posts: 144
    Thanks for all the replies. I do eat clean, you can check my food diary. I do have a lower calorie intake mostly because I don't have time to eat alot during the day due to how much my daughter needs me. I had her 3 months ago, almost 3.5 months now. Is it too soon to start doing these exercises? She was a massive baby so she really messed up my abdomen. I took a few pics of my belly too if anyone cares to see them. But I don't want any rude replies.

    I was looking at starting the 30DS program, I was reading reviews lastnight and apparently it is good for losing inches so I'm going to try that. I know that you can't spot reduce I was just looking for a good way to tone up after having my c-section surgery.


    Is this your first ? I have had two kids who are now early teens. It takes some time for your body to bounce back post partum . Stretch marks eventually fade and diminish but usually never go away. C- section can extend this process and causes muscle damage that some times requires physical therapy . If you focus on strengthening the muscles in your mid section and tightening your core it will improve the appearance of your mid section regardless of fat loss . If your like me you may never have a washboard ab stomach due to tissue damage from being stretched so much ..it looks like and resembles fat but really isn't it's loose skin and the only way to get rid of excess loose skin is surgery an option I am not willing to do ...8-10 weeks is usually the recommended time to start working out after a c-section and 6 weeks for vaginal but you should check with your doc if you are worried about complications related to your case.
  • megangrohl
    megangrohl Posts: 56
    Thanks for all the replies. I do eat clean, you can check my food diary. I do have a lower calorie intake mostly because I don't have time to eat alot during the day due to how much my daughter needs me. I had her 3 months ago, almost 3.5 months now. Is it too soon to start doing these exercises? She was a massive baby so she really messed up my abdomen. I took a few pics of my belly too if anyone cares to see them. But I don't want any rude replies.

    I was looking at starting the 30DS program, I was reading reviews lastnight and apparently it is good for losing inches so I'm going to try that. I know that you can't spot reduce I was just looking for a good way to tone up after having my c-section surgery.


    Is this your first ? I have had two kids who are now early teens. It takes some time for your body to bounce back post partum . Stretch marks eventually fade and diminish but usually never go away. C- section can extend this process and causes muscle damage that some times requires physical therapy . If you focus on strengthening the muscles in your mid section and tightening your core it will improve the appearance of your mid section regardless of fat loss . If your like me you may never have a washboard ab stomach due to tissue damage from being stretched so much ..it looks like and resembles fat but really isn't it's loose skin and the only way to get rid of excess loose skin is surgery an option I am not willing to do ...8-10 weeks is usually the recommended time to start working out after a c-section and 6 weeks for vaginal but you should check with your doc if you are worried about complications related to your case.

    my first AND last child, yes lol I dont care about the stretch marks to be honest. I see them as beauty marks and a constant reminder of my beautiful baby girl :) I don't want washboard abs just a little tighter tummy really. I have a bit of what they call the mommy pooch/excess skin like you mentioned and I think it is due to the c-section. Its not big by any means. I'm 5ft4 and I weigh 144.4 lbs. So I guess I just need/want to tighten up. I can definitely see the loose skin youre referring to and I have cleared with my doc for regular exercising and she gave me the go ahead at 7 weeks postpartum - I'm 14 weeks postpartum as of tomorrow so I think its been long enough to give it a go.

    Thanks for your post!

Categories