Flat stomach and toned abs required......PLEASE HELP

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gemmalouiseyoung
gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
in Introduce Yourself
Ive got to a weight im quite happy with just recently and I want to start concentrating on toning up my stomach muscles and muffin top.

I know everyone dreams of having the flat stomach and toned abs and I too dream of it every day - I go to Aruba in just less than 8 weeks and wonder if in 8 weeks i will see a change if I stick to my 8 minute abs routine every day. I found the 8 minute abs on Youtube (my sister told me to give it a go) and I do enjoy it - do you think it is enough, am i being realistric to expect to see a change in such a short period of time?!?

I look forwad to any help or tips anyone has to offer?

Thanks
Gemma

Replies

  • EHuntRN
    EHuntRN Posts: 320 Member
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    Yes...stick with it...if you are at your goal weight then you have nothing to worry about!!! Congrats and have fun on your trip!!!
  • bekahjk
    bekahjk Posts: 74 Member
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    Yes, stick to it and eat clean. Real clean. You know how the saying goes "Abs are made in the kitchen". :)
  • Joanne4494
    Joanne4494 Posts: 26 Member
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    Hi not to sure where you are from but have you heard of power plates there are really good for toning up.
  • ZebraHead
    ZebraHead Posts: 15,207 Member
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    Check out:

    Planks
    Side Planks
    Crunches ( I like bicycle crunches)
    Sit-ups (yuck)

    Anything that targets those muscle groups will help tone them up.

    Another one I like that you can do anytime at all is Isometrics, this allows you to work those lower ab muscles all day long, and will provide you with two things, toning and posture, the concentration for this will become effortless, you will find yourself doing whenever you think of it.
  • eternalfyr
    eternalfyr Posts: 3
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    You are being realistic to want to see a change in 8 weeks yes, however will you have chiseled abs in 8 weeks, more than likely not. Do not give up on the idea and keep working at it. The hardest problem to over come with your abs is that the body tends to store body fat in this location and it tends to be the last place it goes to when it starts to burn it off. The eight minute ab program is a good start, but maybe a small change in your diet or small changes in cardio could help push you to this goal.
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    Thank you to those who have posted so far.

    Power Plates - are they the vibrating machines that you stand on??
  • mbnharrison
    mbnharrison Posts: 57 Member
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    Jillian Michaels does a 6 week 6 pack dvd which I have heard to be amazing and will be picking up for June. Realistically a flat stomach doesn't come without cardio so don't cut that out of your life in lue of ab routines, work them together. Also considering pilates as a means of stretching and cutting your ab muscles and core. Hard to describe it but one pilates move is called my waist wittler, using 3lbs weights do a single leg V sit, 15 lifts each side x2. I can barely move but have my 2 pack back after baby. Have a great time in Aruba!
  • therealangd
    therealangd Posts: 1,861 Member
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    To get toned abs you need to get rid of the layer of fat that is covering them. So, while you can do your ab exercises, and you should, you need to make sure you are eating really clean too.
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    I know this might sounds stupid, but a few people have used the term "eat clean". Im not entirely sure what this means?
  • Joanne4494
    Joanne4494 Posts: 26 Member
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    Thank you to those who have posted so far.

    Power Plates - are they the vibrating machines that you stand on??

    Yes they are my friend uses them and she has toned really well she has been going on every day for a month theydo work.

    Good luck x
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    Thank you, I have used one once before - mainly on my legs and I thought it was briliant. I ached liked mad after using it. Thank you
  • fuzzymel
    fuzzymel Posts: 400 Member
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    I know this might sounds stupid, but a few people have used the term "eat clean". Im not entirely sure what this means?

    No processed food.
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    Ahhhh right, I understand. I eat clean the majority of the time so i think all is good on that front (apart from when feeding a hangiver which is not that often these days!). I might give the Jillian Michaels dvd a try?
  • AllyS7
    AllyS7 Posts: 480 Member
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    Diet+ Cardio + Ab workouts + Genetics = Ripped Abs.


    I do greatly recommend Jillian Michaels 6 weeks to 6 pack. I did week one the other day and I boy was I sore. I say keep with your ab routine, make sure you are still eating correctly and do some type of cardio activity.

    Good Luck!
  • cindia7
    cindia7 Posts: 3 Member
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    Off the subject, but I just joined and I see you joined in April of 2011. Have you lost 31 pounds in that short of a time period? YIKES! Congrats to you! What an inspiration!:flowerforyou:
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    Thank you - your profil;e picture makes me wanna work so HARD! I hope to have abs like that some day!
  • JDMPWR
    JDMPWR Posts: 1,863 Member
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    Ive got to a weight im quite happy with just recently and I want to start concentrating on toning up my stomach muscles and muffin top.

    I know everyone dreams of having the flat stomach and toned abs and I too dream of it every day - I go to Aruba in just less than 8 weeks and wonder if in 8 weeks i will see a change if I stick to my 8 minute abs routine every day. I found the 8 minute abs on Youtube (my sister told me to give it a go) and I do enjoy it - do you think it is enough, am i being realistric to expect to see a change in such a short period of time?!?

    I look forwad to any help or tips anyone has to offer?

    Thanks
    Gemma

    If you still have a muffin top it's 1 of 2 things saggy skin or fat under skin. So if you want to "tone up" or lose those areas then your best bet is still to do a good amount of cardio get real serious with your diet and circuit training along with it.

    There is no way to tone up fat.
  • gemmalouiseyoung
    gemmalouiseyoung Posts: 12
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    A very good point you make there - thank you :-)

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