how to flatten and tighten abs quickly?

Amuggsy78
Amuggsy78 Posts: 33 Member
edited September 29 in Health and Weight Loss
I hate sit ups! But sit ups are better than leg ups, which are better than bicycles. I have Hip hop abs but I just can stand it anymore. Right now my only exercise is Just Dance on Wii. Don't knock it. I just did 32 min and burned 215 cal, and I'm pouring sweat. But I need to be bikini ready by mid August. Going to Mexico! What should I do?

Anyone have any success tips?

Replies

  • gnat45
    gnat45 Posts: 833 Member
    Lose fat. That means cardio and watching what you take in.
  • onehecticmom
    onehecticmom Posts: 299 Member
    I hate sit ups! But sit ups are better than leg ups, which are better than bicycles. I have Hip hop abs but I just can stand it anymore. Right now my only exercise is Just Dance on Wii. Don't knock it. I just did 32 min and burned 215 cal, and I'm pouring sweat. But I need to be bikini ready by mid August. Going to Mexico! What should I do?

    Anyone have any success tips?

    Curious as well. I have lost 14 lbs so far, but swear most is from the girls :sad: My tummy has a ton of fat to shed, but it hangs on to it for dear life
  • MayhemModels
    MayhemModels Posts: 367 Member
    Cardio and lots of it
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    There's no quick way about it, but I :heart: planks.
  • hunterzmomma
    hunterzmomma Posts: 121
    ohhh I wish I knew!
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    bump!
  • brit49
    brit49 Posts: 461 Member
    bump!
  • Treed79
    Treed79 Posts: 28 Member
    Unfortunitly you can't spot reduce fat. You just have to keep watching your cals and doing a combo of cardio and strength training. But keep working on those abs because when all the fat melts away you'll have beautiful toned muscle underneath.
  • masonmst
    masonmst Posts: 84 Member
    My husbands favorite saying is "abs start in the kitchen!" He says it all the time!! So aggrivating! haha
  • I hear Turbo Fire and Rev Abs are good workouts to help you tone & flatten your belly. I have Hip Hop Abs too but found I had better results with Turbo Jam.
  • Seajolly
    Seajolly Posts: 1,435 Member
    I have had a stubborn pooch that just wouldn't shift, but since I've started doing hula hooping 2-3 times a week for 20-30 mins each time I've noticed a BIG difference!
  • mamagooskie
    mamagooskie Posts: 2,964 Member
    The exercizes you hate the most are the ones that probably work the best. I do P90X and really have a love/hate relationship with it. Try ab ripper X and see for yourself.

    I think if you keep eating right, and working those abs you will see change....but maybe not in a month, as it could take many many months ( or longer ) to get ideal abs but you should see an improvement by august.
  • j_courter
    j_courter Posts: 999 Member
    ask your best friend to run over you? jk.

    i really like my winsor pilates abs dvd! i've used it with great success in the past.

    i've also heard through the grapevine that belly dancing classes are uber great for tight abs!

    the truth is: there's no shortcuts on this. you have to work hard at it and keep working to maintain.

    best of luck!
  • MayhemModels
    MayhemModels Posts: 367 Member
    I have had a stubborn pooch that just wouldn't shift, but since I've started doing hula hooping 2-3 times a week for 20-30 mins each time I've noticed a BIG difference!

    WOW so old school but dang I bet that is a wonderful workout, thank you for sharing :flowerforyou:
  • cutmd
    cutmd Posts: 1,168 Member
    You should go back to hip hop abs or maybe try another beach body program. Insanity is particularly good for the abs. Remember to pull your belly button in towards your stomach when exercising, especially during ab work. The vacuum is a good exercise for your transverse abdominus, which helps hold the belly in, it's basically sucking in the abs while pushing out the air from your chest and holding for 20+ secs:

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

    And of course you have to lose fat to expose your abs, but a lot of belly pouch is from weak abdominal muscles and poor digestion
  • jeffpettis
    jeffpettis Posts: 865 Member
    Actually you have it backwards, out of the 3 you mentioned bicycles work far better on your abs than the other two, and leg ups work your lower abs which are harder to tone than your upper abs, which is what situps work. :wink: But planks are probably the best of all, and there are a bunch of different variations. Like someone said before you can't spot reduce the fat over your abs, but you can work on them while losing the fat. A friend of mine said once "you can do all the ab exercises you want, but if you don't lose the fat over them, you'll have the best looking abs no one can see" Just my 2 cents. :drinker:
  • fridayjustleft04
    fridayjustleft04 Posts: 851 Member
    Lots of cardio, first of all, because that'll shed the fat that's covering your abs. Turbo Jam is awesome for cardio and it's very ab-oriented..especially the 20 minute ab workout. I have a Better Belly Yoga DVD from Prevention magazine that works well. Biggest Loser has a yoga DVD that has a whole ab section. Jillian Michaels has 6 Week 6 Pack. Good luck!
  • Amuggsy78
    Amuggsy78 Posts: 33 Member
    Actually you have it backwards, out of the 3 you mentioned bicycles work far better on your abs than the other two, and leg ups work your lower abs which are harder to tone than your upper abs, which is what situps work. :wink: But planks are probably the best of all, and there are a bunch of different variations. Like someone said before you can't spot reduce the fat over your abs, but you can work on them while losing the fat. A friend of mine said once "you can do all the ab exercises you want, but if you don't lose the fat over them, you'll have the best looking abs no one can see" Just my 2 cents. :drinker:

    Actually I was listing them in terms of what I hate the least. I know bicycles are the best overall but I just can't do them. I wanna cry right before I start.
  • Amuggsy78
    Amuggsy78 Posts: 33 Member
    I have had a stubborn pooch that just wouldn't shift, but since I've started doing hula hooping 2-3 times a week for 20-30 mins each time I've noticed a BIG difference!

    Thanks. This king of original tip is just what I was looking for.
  • hapilymarried2006
    hapilymarried2006 Posts: 27 Member
    Have you tried planks I like doing those better then regular sit ups. And that just dance game is awesome have also tried the zumba on the wii? Its good too and really works your abs :)
  • Rae6503
    Rae6503 Posts: 6,294 Member
    Turbo Fire has toned my abs like nothing ever before (although I tend to store fat in my thighs not my abs). I've had 3 children and am working on the start of a six pack. You do a 20min core routine once a week but every single day works the abs a lot in the general cardio. It's expensive though, $120 for 10 DVDs and some resistance bands.
  • Amuggsy78
    Amuggsy78 Posts: 33 Member
    You should go back to hip hop abs or maybe try another beach body program. Insanity is particularly good for the abs. Remember to pull your belly button in towards your stomach when exercising, especially during ab work. The vacuum is a good exercise for your transverse abdominus, which helps hold the belly in, it's basically sucking in the abs while pushing out the air from your chest and holding for 20+ secs:

    http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/ms-fit5.htm

    And of course you have to lose fat to expose your abs, but a lot of belly pouch is from weak abdominal muscles and poor digestion

    Yes you're right. I'm actually not fat. I can walk around in a bikini and not look like a total slob. But I just want to tighten my abs. Even though I've never had a sexy six pack, my abs used to be ok. But since I had a baby 3 yrs ago, I can't seem to get my abs back from the stretching they went through. If I'm crawing around on the floor cleaning or playing with my daughter, if I spot my abs they are hanging away from my body in a vertical line from chest to pelvis. It's not exactly sexy. I think my problem is mostly weak muscles and poor tone.
  • LorinaLynn
    LorinaLynn Posts: 13,247 Member
    I think my problem is mostly weak muscles and poor tone.

    You cold also have torn abdominal muscles from your pregnancy... not just a matter of them being stretched.
  • Amuggsy78
    Amuggsy78 Posts: 33 Member
    I think my problem is mostly weak muscles and poor tone.

    You cold also have torn abdominal muscles from your pregnancy... not just a matter of them being stretched.

    So if that's the case, what do I do?
This discussion has been closed.