Sit ups and over weight people

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I've always had a question about sit ups and am really interested to hear what people on this site think about it as lots may be in my circumstances. I've almost lost 2 stone and have a stone to go until I'm 11st which puts me in healthy catagory. I'm 5"6. I'm a bit of an apple shape so lots of my weight sits on my belly. As I'm getting slimmer I obviously want to tone as I go and my belly has slimmed loads from the aerobics I do but I was wondering if sit ups or ab workouts would be at all benecial. A few years ago, when I was losing weight, I was doing sit ups and one of my guy friends basically laughed at me and said they were totally pointless unless u were very low in % of body fat. So I gave up doing them and have always had this debate in my mind ever since. Can anyone give advice to whether A) us overweight people can do them and find them beneficial. and or B) what I can do instead to help my tummy along. It's not grotesque, it's just not firm.

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  • bokodasu
    bokodasu Posts: 629 Member
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    You need to do enough to keep your core strong; it's not going to help take fat off that area. So no, they're not pointless, unless you don't like being able to sit or walk upright, but only overall fat loss is going to make a big difference in how that area looks.
  • dixiewhiskey
    dixiewhiskey Posts: 3,333 Member
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    It's not pointless but you have to do other exercises, eat right to see progress allover. For some people, it's fairly quick - for others it's a long process. Just keep up the fat fight, you will be successful :-)
  • freelancejouster
    freelancejouster Posts: 478 Member
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    I mean, they're not going to make you have abs like *snap* and maybe that's what he was indicating, that you wouldn't get that kind of result, but everything helps. It will definitely help whittle your middle and make you stronger in the long run.
  • Tats1000
    Tats1000 Posts: 36 Member
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    What other exercises can be done to target that area?
  • SJ46
    SJ46 Posts: 407 Member
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    What other exercises can be done to target that area?

    Planks, side planks, and all of the plank variations.

    I consider my core to be pretty strong but compound weight lifting with a barbell has been challenging my core recently, do you lift weights?
  • Tats1000
    Tats1000 Posts: 36 Member
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    What other exercises can be done to target that area?

    Planks, side planks, and all of the plank variations.

    I consider my core to be pretty strong but compound weight lifting with a barbell has been challenging my core recently, do you lift weights?

    No, but I have been looking to buy some ladies weights. Can these help trim the stomach as well as arms and shoulders?