Why is my waist getting bigger after working out my abs?

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baristanatorLL
baristanatorLL Posts: 34 Member
in Health and Weight Loss
I've been working on overall weight loss and toning for about 6 months now. I lift weights and do many varying exercises to focus on individual muscle groups each time I work out so that I can work out consecutive days and give my muscles time to rebuild and heal at the same time. I spend most of my time lifting weights because it is more interesting to me than cardio and I usually see the quickest results. I've definitely toned up a lot and I even see more definition all over. I've really been focusing on my abs lately because that's a problem area for me. The problem is that my waist seems to be getting bigger instead of smaller. I am seeing more muscle tone in my midsection but I'm afraid I'm adding more actual bulk even though I'm firmer. Aren't muscles supposed to be less bulky on a woman because we don't have the right hormones to bulk up like men? My goal is not to be a body builder---I want to be more lean and toned and LESS bulky. What gives?
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Replies

  • Heather2784
    Heather2784 Posts: 124 Member
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    It's hard to say without knowing anything about you, your weight, or your body type.

    Could be post work out bloat if it's only a temporary thing.

    Are lifting heavy with low reps? Try lifting light with more reps.
  • camila_scl
    camila_scl Posts: 238 Member
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    From what I have been reading in here, when fat from your stomach dissappears the "bulkiness" will go away, for the moment you have fat+muscles = bulk less fat+muscle= toned
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    I've been working on overall weight loss and toning for about 6 months now. I lift weights and do many varying exercises to focus on individual muscle groups each time I work out so that I can work out consecutive days and give my muscles time to rebuild and heal at the same time. I spend most of my time lifting weights because it is more interesting to me than cardio and I usually see the quickest results. I've definitely toned up a lot and I even see more definition all over. I've really been focusing on my abs lately because that's a problem area for me. The problem is that my waist seems to be getting bigger instead of smaller. I am seeing more muscle tone in my midsection but I'm afraid I'm adding more actual bulk even though I'm firmer. Aren't muscles supposed to be less bulky on a woman because we don't have the right hormones to bulk up like men? My goal is not to be a body builder---I want to be more lean and toned and LESS bulky. What gives?

    I see the same issue with myself...after massive research I learned it could be several reasons：1 temporary "bloating" or "swollen" of the muscle tissues; 2 not losing fat fast enough 3 other reasons I don't know or understand. :(

    And I keep telling myself: fat or muscle they all take up space. :(

    Good luck.
  • baristanatorLL
    baristanatorLL Posts: 34 Member
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    I am about 180 and I'm very curvy. I have big boobs (36DD) and wide hips and thighs. I wear size 13 pants mostly because my hips and thighs are pretty thick. My pants are forever slipping down because my waist is narrower, but they are starting to get tighter on the waist. I usually do 4 sets of twelve varying exercises like crunches on a medicine ball, ab roller, side crunches on the incline thingy that you use for back crunches at the gym, and about 70-80 pounds on the weight machine. What is post workout bloat?
  • baristanatorLL
    baristanatorLL Posts: 34 Member
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    I was kind of thinking the same thing....It seems like the more intense the workout, the worse it is. Maybe I just build muscle tissue more easily than most people. idk. Good luck to you too! (@albayin)
  • baristanatorLL
    baristanatorLL Posts: 34 Member
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    From what I have been reading in here, when fat from your stomach dissappears the "bulkiness" will go away, for the moment you have fat+muscles = bulk less fat+muscle= toned
  • baristanatorLL
    baristanatorLL Posts: 34 Member
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    I hope so! ^^^
  • tomhancock
    tomhancock Posts: 100 Member
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    You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!
  • HYBRIDXXX
    HYBRIDXXX Posts: 86
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"
  • mfpcopine
    mfpcopine Posts: 3,093 Member
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    Hard to say without more info, but you probably need to reduce your overall body fat, as some others have said.

    I've never really heard of women getting thick waisted from weight work, but if you're using any weight on your waist, you could try substituting bicycles, Captain's Chairs, planks and crunches. I think weight loss is probably the key, however.
  • AngelAura777
    AngelAura777 Posts: 225 Member
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    My trainer said that crunches can make your stomach area appear bigger maybe try doing different ab exercises like planks
  • Jacwhite22
    Jacwhite22 Posts: 7,012 Member
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

    I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"

    I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......

    I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good. :)
  • GasMasterFlash
    GasMasterFlash Posts: 2,206 Member
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"
    I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......
    I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good. :)
    Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

    ovaltine.jpg
  • FlittyGetsFit
    FlittyGetsFit Posts: 94
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"
    I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......
    I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good. :)
    Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

    ovaltine.jpg

    Luckily I can translate thanks to having teenagers...

    I was just about to say that Tomhancock lol! I always tell people when they say I do crunches all the time and my tummy isn't going down and I say because you're bulking your stomach muscles up which in turn is pushing your stomach out. You have to incorporate cardio to get that layer of fat from around your midsection. "You cannot spot reduce fat"
  • albayin
    albayin Posts: 2,524 Member
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    I WZ JUX ABT 2 SAY DAT TOMHANCOCK LOL! I ALWAYS TELL PPL WEN DEY SAY I DO CRUNCHES ALL DA TIME & MY TUMMY ISN'T GOIN DOWN & I SAY BCZ UR BULKING UR STOMACH MUSCLES UP WHICH N TURN IS PUSHING UR STOMACH OUT. U HV 2 INCORPORATE CARDIO 2 GET DAT LAYER OF FAT FROM AROUND UR MIDSECTION. "U CANNOT SPOT REDUCE FAT"
    I tried to read this but it just gave me a headache. Capital letters are powerful things....as is spelling ......
    I gave up after readin ghte first 4 words...I know my English is not THAT good. :)
    Hang on -- I'll get it figured out.

    ovaltine.jpg

    Luckily I can translate thanks to having teenagers...

    I was just about to say that Tomhancock lol! I always tell people when they say I do crunches all the time and my tummy isn't going down and I say because you're bulking your stomach muscles up which in turn is pushing your stomach out. You have to incorporate cardio to get that layer of fat from around your midsection. "You cannot spot reduce fat"

    Man, I am just glad that newspapers still follow the traditional English and make breaking news still readable...

    Almost missed out all this important information.
  • Expertkobe
    Expertkobe Posts: 1 Member
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    Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!
  • shabaity
    shabaity Posts: 792 Member
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    Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!

    Well you are right about not being able to spot reduce. That being said the rest of this is as much BS as anything any one else has said every person is different. I lose weight easily just at a calorie deficit and frankly I'm bulky no matter what I do I'm never gonna have thin thighs and calves they are already mostly muscle. *shrugs* But what can ya do about it, in my case nothing. Now if you have to do crap tons of cardio to lose weight well I wish you luck with that frankly I despise cardio and won't do it. Secondly, I've never toned up lifting light the only time I had success in that was when I lifted heavy in gym class.
  • DeguelloTex
    DeguelloTex Posts: 6,652 Member
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    Everyone here is spitting total bs. First if all if you want to lose weight, you MUST do high intensity cardio for short periods of time. This in return burns more calories and decreases your overall body. Second, you CAN NOT spot remove fat from single areas. If you want to lose belly fat, you need to decrease your overally body fat percentage. Lift heavy weights with light reps if you want mass or lift light weights with heavy reps to tone up. KEEP LIFTING!!! If you eat clean abd get some good cardio the abs will come out, they're just covered in a layer of fat now. The reason your waist is bigger is because your abdominal muscles have gotten bigger so that's actually a good thing. Just keep cutting down your body fat. Good luck and happy training!
    Clearly, you're part of "everyone."

    I've done exactly zero minutes of high intensity cardio and I've lost 54 pounds so far.
  • JossFit
    JossFit Posts: 588 Member
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    You are gaining muscle in your abs - that is what ab workouts do. It will make your midsection bigger. Once you get the layer of fat off your midsection there is probably a very nice set of abdominal muscles under there!

    ^ This. Abs are muscles just like anyother. Endless sets of crunches, side crunches, etc. build muscle... so you are essentially adding muscle where you want to be nice and small. You don't need to train abs to lose fat in your midsection. My profile photo is me, and I train abs exactly 0 times per week. None.

    Clean diet and lifting heavy.

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