Stomach Exercises???

Only cardio will rid your body of the excess fat around your stomach. Crunches only work the muscles underneath.

Yes, any type of cardio. The treadmill and/or Taebo are great workouts.

so, I think what foxxy is trying to say is, in order to lose weight (and fat generally, although not always) you need to be at a calorie deficit, and you can't dictate to the body which areas of fat to burn first, because of a lot of complex anatomical reasons, the body will choose which fat stores to burn first based on where the fat is in the body, how accessible it is to your blood stream, and how dense the fat is (among other reasons). Cardio burns extra calories, which forces the body to get those calories from alternate sources (fat stores, muscle...etc) which helps you lose weight.

Doing crunches (correctly) is great, but it won't help you diminish fat around the mid section, and especially for women whom have had their abs weakened by c-sections, it's vital to retrain your abs. If you are doing crunches and not feeling any discomfort after about 20 or so, then either you're doing them with bad form, or you are in superior shape and need more advanced exercises. In your case (no offense intended) I think it's probably a form issue. I would NOT recommend 500 of any exercise on a regular basis as that is a recipe for severe fatigue related muscular injury, most people need little more than 30 to 50 repetitions of crunches, 3 to 4 days a week to sufficiently train their abs. Please note that abs should NOT be your only core work, because there is symbiotic relationship between all your core muscles (abs, lower back, obliques, gluts) you should work them all equally, this way you don't end up with unbalanced muscle groups that can cause strains and other injury.

foxxybrown is right: ab exercises will tone your muscles, but weight loss is the only way to actually slim down, and unfortunately there's no way to pin-point where weight is lost.

Some ab exercises with a stability ball that I did in dance and/or aerobics classes:
1. Do plank position exercises with your feet propped up on the ball. Add push-ups for upper body strength training.
2. Do reverse crunches (shoulders on floor and lift hips) with your feet propped up on the ball. You can also hold the "up" position, kind of like a reverse plank.
3. In the "reverse plank" position just mentioned, lift one foot off the ball. You can just lift it straight up or you can try bringing your knee toward your chest. Replace and lift the other, etc.
4. Lay on your back, holding the ball above your head. Lift your hands with the ball and your legs at the same time. Transfer the ball to your feet (pin it between them) and then lower your hands and legs. Do the same thing, transferring the ball back to your hands, etc. Make sure to keep your arms and legs straight during this exercise. **This can also be done without the ball, but it's kinda fun to have it.
5. Do a plank position with the ball around your knees (will vary by person, find what's comforable for you). Bring your knees to your chest; the ball should roll and end up around your feet. Roll it back to the original position as you straighten your legs out. This should be a VERY slow and controlled exercise.

I agree with the cardio advice. I haven't lost much weight since baby #4 came 9 months ago, but I have lost a couple inches around my waist. I don't do much strength training, but do cardio regularly and my tummy has really flatten down quite a bit.

I was just reading that Jillian Michaels recommends cutting back to 1500 milligrams of sodium per day to reduce bloating, but I have found that nearly impossible.

I really really love plank work. You have to engage your entire core while you do the moves.

I am doing low impact, high intensity Jazzercise...it is a standing ABs routine that is really helping my stomach and butt. I've lost 3" from hips/stomach/butt with this routine. Have lots more to go, but feeling good and strong!

I found this article very helpful. Hope it helps.


Belly fat, which is also referred to as stomach fat, visceral fat, pot belly, and so on, is the kind of fat that is found deeper in the body compared to subcutaneous fat, which is located just under the skin. Belly fat is particularly dangerous since it collects around the organs in the abdomen. Health practitioners are sounding the alarm increasingly as more and more Americans are being diagnosed each day with high levels of cholesterol, diabetes, heart diseases, and so on – all of them linked to belly fat. So, here are some tips on how to lose belly fat:

Lose belly fat by eating 5-6 times in a day. That does not mean 5 to 6 big meals; rather it is about eating smaller meals more frequently. Usually, when we eat the traditional way, eating 3 times a day, we tend to binge, which leads to belly fat. By eating 5-6 small meals a day regularly, it prevents you from overeating. Plus, it also helps in boosting the metabolism, since the body requires energy to digest the food. And, while following this plan, it is also a good idea to keep the heaviest meals at the start of the day and reduce the amount at the end of the day.

Lose belly fat by eating foods that burn fat. Foods that are high in protein and low in carbohydrates, sugar, and saturated fats are the best for losing belly fat. Eggs, fish, lean meats, complex carbs like vegetables, whole grains, and a variety of natural fruits which are not sweetened or canned are the way to go. Avoid simple, refined carbohydrates that contain white sugar or white flour. Include healthy fats such as fish fats, seeds and nuts, olive oil, etc. Essential fatty acids are necessary for process of burning body fat, especially belly fat.

Lose belly fat by drinking the right fluids. In order to lose belly fat, you need to drink plenty of water, particularly when you workout or sweat. Your body requires water in order to function at its optimum best. When you are dehydrated, the organs in the body work harder in order to retain the water reserve of the body. The liver, which helps in burning fat in order to produce energy, is one of the important organs that suffers the most. When the liver’s function is hampered, then the process of burning fat will not be as effective as it needs to be. Avoid drinking canned fruit juices, chocolate drinks, and soft rinks, since their sugar content is very high.

Lose belly fat by lifting weights. Working out with weights induces the abdominal muscles to work harder and thereby become tighter. Chest presses, lat pulldowns, dumbbell rows, free weight squats, and so on, will force your abdominal muscles to work, since in order to perform these exercises correctly, the core muscles have to be stabilized.

Lose belly fat by getting a cardio workout. Keep in mind that in order to lose belly fat, calories need to be burnt. Running, jogging, brisk walking, swimming, tennis, dancing, and cycling are great exercises for burning fat. Cardiovascular exercises provide oxygen to the body, and thereby help in burning calories. Plus, aerobic exercises also provide a boost to the metabolism. The ideal duration of your cardio workout should be 30 to 45 minutes, about three times a week, or more.

Lose belly fat by not overdoing the crunches. You cannot lose your belly fat by doing those endless amounts of crunches. This is because spot reduction cannot be done in any part of the body, including the abdomen. The only way is to lose overall fat in the body, which can be achieved by incorporating healthy eating habits, and stimulating the metabolism by weight training and cardiovascular exercises. This does not imply that the abs should not be worked out at all. After all, there are muscles in the abdomen, which need to be worked out with the correct intensity and then given rest. The best way to do this is incorporating a circuit style of working out the abs on three alternate days in a week.