Call me clueless but....

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beckyc77
beckyc77 Posts: 12 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
....I really do not understand how lifting weights can help my stomach flab go away? Is it even true that it can happen?

I have lost 68 pounds since September 2011 and have less than 20 to go and need some major toning to be done. I have been running and walking but y stomach is a mess, my butt is pathetic and my arms and back can use some help.

A friend told me that by lifting I can get rid of my stomach flab...please explain!! I want to make the most of my workout time and just cannot wrap my head around it.

I bought a bowflex...hoping that I can do some exercise with it to get started.:ohwell:

Replies

  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    Weight lifting sheds inches of fat faster than cardio. I only know this because it is what happened with me. Your abs are not created by crunches......abs are created more in your diet. You still have to do crunches of course, but until that layer of fat is gone, they won't show. I reached my goal weight, but still had some love handles to get rid of.....I ran, crossfitted, walked, elliptical, cycled....sigh. Nothing. I started lifting.....not bowflex, free weights and benches.....and I dropped 4 more jean sizes....and 1 lb. HEHE. Idk....fat hates muscle.
  • meghannrenee
    meghannrenee Posts: 202 Member
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    Muscle burns fat. In order to really tone your body and get rid of that last bit so you can see the tone you need to add lifting into your routine - 2-3 times a week is recommended, not working the same muscle groups on back to back days.
  • beckyc77
    beckyc77 Posts: 12 Member
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    ladimang---so you lifted weights and your waist shrank? Well that is about as far from spot reducing as you can get ehh?!!
    I would be thrilled with a smaller waist :)


    I am not sure why I cannot wrap my head around this but am MORE than happy to give it a try! Thanks!
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
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    ladimang---so you lifted weights and your waist shrank? Well that is about as far from spot reducing as you can get ehh?!!
    I would be thrilled with a smaller waist :)


    I am not sure why I cannot wrap my head around this but am MORE than happy to give it a try! Thanks!

    You cant "spot reduce" anything.....
    You can't do sit ups to get rid of fat around your belly
    You can't do squats to get rid of leg fat...etc

    You have to do sit ups, squats, bicep curls and dead lifts etc to burn fat in general. If it was possible to "spot reduce" then I would still have boobs.....
  • Acg67
    Acg67 Posts: 12,142 Member
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    ....I really do not understand how lifting weights can help my stomach flab go away? Is it even true that it can happen?

    I have lost 68 pounds since September 2011 and have less than 20 to go and need some major toning to be done. I have been running and walking but y stomach is a mess, my butt is pathetic and my arms and back can use some help.

    A friend told me that by lifting I can get rid of my stomach flab...please explain!! I want to make the most of my workout time and just cannot wrap my head around it.

    I bought a bowflex...hoping that I can do some exercise with it to get started.:ohwell:

    Your diet will get rid of stomach flab, but adding in resistance training is always a pretty good idea unless you have a medical reason that would prevent you from doing so
  • meganrpelican
    meganrpelican Posts: 51 Member
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    You have to do sit ups, squats, bicep curls and dead lifts etc to burn fat in general. If it was possible to "spot reduce" then I would still have boobs.....
    [/quote]

    Agreed! I miss my boobs.
  • waronmyfat
    waronmyfat Posts: 322 Member
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    Lifting weights helps by toning and stopping your skin from sagging... Start Lifting if you dont wanna tummy tuck
  • EvanKeel
    EvanKeel Posts: 1,904 Member
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    Lifting weights, combined with adequate protein intake, will help prevent some muscle loss while losing weight. If you're new to lifting, you're likely to gain a little bit (a good thing).

    If your body is burning more calories than you take in, which is what you need to lose weight, and you're doing what you can to prevent that loss from being muscle, then that leaves one place left for the energy to come from---flab.
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    You're clueless.


    (Okay, and *now* I will go read your post.)


    ETA: Yeah, what ^they^ said.
  • Cranktastic
    Cranktastic Posts: 1,517 Member
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    You're clueless.


    (Okay, and *now* I will go read your post.)


    ETA: Yeah, what ^they^ said.

    beat me:grumble:
  • jofjltncb6
    jofjltncb6 Posts: 34,415 Member
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    You're clueless.


    (Okay, and *now* I will go read your post.)


    ETA: Yeah, what ^they^ said.

    beat me:grumble:

    ^this
  • beckyc77
    beckyc77 Posts: 12 Member
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    You're clueless.


    (Okay, and *now* I will go read your post.)


    ETA: Yeah, what ^they^ said.



    Ha!! Ya ya...I guess I asked for it :)
  • beckyc77
    beckyc77 Posts: 12 Member
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    ladimang---so you lifted weights and your waist shrank? Well that is about as far from spot reducing as you can get ehh?!!
    I would be thrilled with a smaller waist :)


    I am not sure why I cannot wrap my head around this but am MORE than happy to give it a try! Thanks!

    You cant "spot reduce" anything.....
    You can't do sit ups to get rid of fat around your belly
    You can't do squats to get rid of leg fat...etc

    You have to do sit ups, squats, bicep curls and dead lifts etc to burn fat in general. If it was possible to "spot reduce" then I would still have boobs.....

    I knew that I could not spot reduce for sure--that I get...and my boobs are already disappeared..maybe lifting will have the opposite effect for me ;)
  • ubermensch13
    ubermensch13 Posts: 824 Member
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    ladimang---so you lifted weights and your waist shrank? Well that is about as far from spot reducing as you can get ehh?!!
    I would be thrilled with a smaller waist :)


    I am not sure why I cannot wrap my head around this but am MORE than happy to give it a try! Thanks!

    You cant "spot reduce" anything.....
    You can't do sit ups to get rid of fat around your belly
    You can't do squats to get rid of leg fat...etc

    You have to do sit ups, squats, bicep curls and dead lifts etc to burn fat in general. If it was possible to "spot reduce" then I would still have boobs.....

    So, i have to beg to differ on one point made here. You do not have to do sit ups at all to get abs, you can do no direct ab exercises, as long as you are doing compound exercises that work your core, and you are dropping body fat %, you will see ab definition. I don't do sit ups or crunches at all, only do 5x5 strong lift routine, and my abs are getting to a 6 pack.
  • Lady_Bane
    Lady_Bane Posts: 720 Member
    Options
    ladimang---so you lifted weights and your waist shrank? Well that is about as far from spot reducing as you can get ehh?!!
    I would be thrilled with a smaller waist :)


    I am not sure why I cannot wrap my head around this but am MORE than happy to give it a try! Thanks!

    You cant "spot reduce" anything.....
    You can't do sit ups to get rid of fat around your belly
    You can't do squats to get rid of leg fat...etc

    You have to do sit ups, squats, bicep curls and dead lifts etc to burn fat in general. If it was possible to "spot reduce" then I would still have boobs.....

    So, i have to beg to differ on one point made here. You do not have to do sit ups at all to get abs, you can do no direct ab exercises, as long as you are doing compound exercises that work your core, and you are dropping body fat %, you will see ab definition. I don't do sit ups or crunches at all, only do 5x5 strong lift routine, and my abs are getting to a 6 pack.

    That is most likely due to the fact that you already are conscious about "engaging your core" during lifting. A new lifter would have minimal knowledge about doing it properly <3
  • bostonwolf
    bostonwolf Posts: 3,038 Member
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    There is no such thing as "toning." You are lifting to gain muscle. The muscle will pull your skin tighter and reduce the flabby look.

    Drives me NUTS when women talk about toning. You can lift heavy weights. You will NOT get bulky like a man. It's biochemically impossible for you.

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