Almost to goal weight...need to tone up stomach

summer92008
summer92008 Posts: 202
in Fitness and Exercise
I'm halfway to my goal weight (139 atm, started at 149 lbs). I'm 5'6'' tall and a female. I'm consuming around 1,200-1,500 calories per day.

I can tell a difference in my body from my front profile, but from the side I still do not like the way my stomach is. I can't afford to lose too much more weight (10 lbs max), so I was wanting advice on how to tone up my stomach. Mainly, make it more flat and not as soft.

Should I do sit ups, crunches, what?
I'm a novice when it comes to toning up or exercising in general, so please use layman's terms in explaining things to me. I also don't want to get in over my head starting out.

Replies

  • Laurenloveswaffles
    Laurenloveswaffles Posts: 535 Member
    Say no to the diet pills (from your other thread), continue eating with a deficit, and start lifting heavy weights if you have access to them. You cannot spot reduce.
  • pojinx
    pojinx Posts: 34 Member
    Just continue doing what you're doing! Continuing to eat at a deficit will help you lose unwanted fat- also throw in a good amount of cardio. Try high intensity interval training (HIIT) where you switch off sprinting (or increasing your speed on any cardio machine) and rest periods. There are many sites that will break down the times and intensities that would work best for you.

    I have always had trouble keeping my middle small. it's the first thing to gain weight when I don't watch my calories. I have heard that cutting carbs can help your middle but, as everyone else says, it's hard to spot reduce. The HIIT workouts have helped me because I tend to be pretty bad (aka undisciplined) at cardio. Knowing I just have to run as hard as I can for a minute and then I can walk for a bit helps.

    Also try looking up core exercises to do- movements that focus on core but use many muscle groups.
  • diannethegeek
    diannethegeek Posts: 14,776 Member
    http://www.myfitnesspal.com/topics/show/1161603-so-you-want-a-nice-stomach
  • rosebette
    rosebette Posts: 1,660 Member
    I know you're not supposed to be able to "spot reduce" but since you are already at a slim weight for your height, you might try pilates or yoga to tone your core. I got amazing results in my core/waistline area with that.
  • wilmnoca
    wilmnoca Posts: 416 Member
    First things first, you cannot "tone" muscle. You either build it or lose it. You can also do 1000 crunches a day a you will never NEVER see a change in stomach fat. You have to burn the fat off overall. You can't "spot reduce". Start weight training using compound movements i.e. Squat press, walking lunges etc that require a tight core. It takes time, but cardio alone only makes you "skinny fat". Still waiting for the world to catch on to this!
  • catnips30
    catnips30 Posts: 7 Member
    Lol. No of course you can't spot reduce but I don't think that's what your really asking. Sounds like you know you can't get fat to come off an area of your choosing because you asked about toning up/tightening your middle. What worked best for me was actually push ups. And it DID make my stomach flatter/stick out waay less. Even at a heavier weight, 190-160, my stomach looked flatter than it should have all because of push ups. Weight fluctuations proved this for me. The first time I was 160 pounds and had been doing various types of push ups I could wear fitted clothes because my stomach muscles were tight. Got sick gained weight back lost it again back to 160 now but belly and arms don't look as good or as small, so im stuck wearing loose clothes til i get back to my workouts. Why? Because I didn't do the push ups this time around.

    I used an old mini trampoline to place my hands on and did the push ups that way. I also did leg lifts in pushup position or with both forearms on the trampoline and planking where I lifted my knees up toward the tramp. I wish I knew the names for the exercises I did or where I learned them but I can't remember. But they do work very well. My stomach actually got a better workout than my arms did which seemed strange but its true. Good luck!

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