Excercises need!

[Niamh]

okay so, i'm starting a keepfit work out to do in the mornings before i go to work or am on my days off. I really need to loose some weight as i piled on a stone over the summer and i'm stuggling to even get rid of a pound. I started this week and so far so good. My body aches in muscles i never knew existed. BUT!!! The only place that isnt aching (no pain no gain!) is my tummy and lower abdomen. Now this has always been a problem area for me, especially the lower abdomen area I the last ten years i think i've only toned it once and that was about eight years ago.
So what i need is are so really good excercises to work the muscles and burn the fat in my tummy area. I've been doing situps (current record before collapsing... 25 go me!) but they dont seem to be doing much...
Help?

[Zee.]

cardio cardio cardio.
you need to work off what you put in + more, in order to burn fat.

bike riding, running, boxing.. things like that

weights are important, but not until you've done a bit of cardio


losing weight is 70% diet though, 30% exercise

[Hurricane]

Here's a good ab workout I've been doing every other day for a while. Thanks to this, I regularly max out situps (101) for my physical tests. Adjust the numbers so that you're hurting, but they're not impossible. If your max right now for situps is 25, try doing up to ten of each exercise but see how you feel after the first couple and adjust. Push yourself, but you shouldn't be at muscle failure after the first couple exercises (you should be sore).

Pushups
Situps, legs up in the air
Situps, legs flat
Situps, legs at a 90 degree angle
"Babymaker" crunches (bend legs and spread them so that when you go up, you extend your hands in between your legs).
Flutter kicks (keep your legs straight and keep them relatively low--you should bottom out at around 6 inches off of the ground).
Hold legs at 6 inches. This can be very uncomfortable, but it'll help with your lower abs.
Side situps (ex: put your left ankle on your right knee and sit up so that your right elbow touches your left knee.)
Bicycles
Hello Dollies (lie on back with legs extended and separate your legs then close them again, while crossing them over).

Also try doing ladders (i.e. do 2 situps, then 4, then 6...up to 10 or wherever you're comfortable and then back down). Avoid doing just one max set and calling it a day. Try to do increments and sets instead, because you'll be able to do more. Remaining in the front leaning rest (up part of a push up) is good for core strength too. To hold it longer, keep your arms under your shoulders and it'll provide bone support rather than relying on your arm muscles.
The big thing to remember is that most of the fat around your stomach doesn't really go away due to working out the abs, it's more of a convenient place for your body to dump excess fat. The easiest way to get rid of it then is to do a ton of cardio and manage your eating. Doing weights will increase your fitness level, but you'll gain body mass. If you're relatively new to doing extended cardio exercises, don't be afraid to start out biking or on an elliptical rather than jumping right into impact exercises like running. Swimming is also great exercise and non impact.
Again, be smart, but don't be afraid to push yourself. You should be losing at most 2-3 pounds per week steadily. Hydrate, hydrate, and then hydrate some more. Avoid overly fatty and sugary foods (something I try to go by is giving myself one "treat" a week) and try to space out small meals throughout the day instead of three big 'uns.

[Niamh]

My diet isnt an issue as I eat fairly healthy anyway, i cycle alot and can do up to 25 km of walking a day in work. I dont eat really fatty foods because i cant. My only real sugar vice is chocolate, but a lot of what i eat is dark. Most of the excercises i'm doing are ones i did in ThaiBo, but for some reason the only area i'm not feeling (and trust me i'm feeling it) is my lower abdomen. I currently cant go swimming with my shoulder and i do have to be careful with certain excercises because of my low blood pressure, so currently running isnt an option as its a bit lower than normal at the mo because i've been unwell. In saying that jogging on the spot for five minutes is doable.(havent really been able to run properly since my early teens.) Some of those excercises huricane i've been doing. Working other muscles quite well but the lower abdomen is lifeless! :D

[Haunted]

I have a couple of tricks and they work. It involves both exercise AND diet, but it's easier than you think.

Body waves or belly rolls (undulations) are sure-fire ways to a flat ab. Do it real slow, you'll feel your ab contract. The slower you do it, the more effective it is. You only have to do 5x to 10x each day! But this may not be for everyone. No problem. Next...

Lie on the floor and then slowly raise both of your feet above the floor for about 6 inches and H-O-L-D. You will feel your tummy muscles tightening. Hold as long as you can. The key is to hold, it keeps your muscles tight. Then repeat. Don't raise your feet too high: the lower your feet are, the tighter your muscles get. Just feel it with your body, you'll know how high your feet should be.

Now diet. STAY OFF CARBS. Fatty food doesn't make you fat, it's just bad for your arteries. It's carbs that make you fat. Carbs turn into sugar which turns into fat. So avoid eating starches. That means no bread, no pasta, no rice, and no meshed or baked potatoes. An occasional dish is fine, but don't eat that every meal.

Instead eat vegetables, fruits, and meat. Some might say meat is bad for cholesterol. It's not. Since I switched to this diet (basically Atkins) my cholesterol actually improved. The protein in meat makes you less hungry so you won't be eating as much later on. Carbs is basically sugar which burns fast so you get hungry faster and that makes you eat more and pack more pounds. Be sure to have your veggies, they are packed with antioxidants and will keep you healthy and trim :)

[Hurricane]

Some of those excercises huricane i've been doing. Working other muscles quite well but the lower abdomen is lifeless!

Flutter kicks then. Lots and lots of flutter kicks. Almost exclusively works the lower abdomen if you do them right.

[Niamh]

I'll try out those Haunted!

The problem with food is i can only eat certain things due to my IBS. Generally foods that hare really good have the opposite effect on my system and end up piling on fat. The likes of rice, pasta and potatoes are some of the gentlest foods on my system so i'd eat those more with fish and chicken. When i got diagnosed with IBS and had to change my diet habits and started eating more of these foods (with lots of mushrooms and other vegges that were considered safe foods) the weight fell off me. I lost 18 pounds in a few months with little or no excercise and felt the best i've been in years. My issue with the weight this summer is due to stress upsetting my tummy, iritating my IBS and causing my food to not breakdown properly because my tummy wasnt really working which resulted in a weight gain. My tummy seems to be back in order now, but i'm stuck with all this excess weight, hence the need to kill it all! :D

Flutter Kicks? do explain!

[Haunted]

Kill it all you will, Niamh! LOL. I'm sorry about the IBS and hope it goes away soon. I know any illness can take off all the pounds...I'm sure swine flu will do the trick but...nay! I had a death in the family and that took all the extra pounds off me literally overnight, so I didn't have to do a thing. After that I just maintain it. On the other hand, stress makes one put on weight because when under stress, people seek "comfort food". It's a miracle someone invented chocolate :D

My #2 trick should be easy because all you have to do is lying down on your back, there's no sit-ups! What you're after is to tighten your abdominal muscles. Also pay attention to what you do everyday. Even if you walk up the stairs or up a hilly road, you would feel a tightening in your tummy. That's what you want. My point is, you don't have to go out of your way to find painful, torturous workouts, some of the exercises are things you're already doing, so just do it more often.

I want to know what Flutter Kicks are too. And that reminds me, "belly flutters"! Suck in your tummy and do it in a fast, fluttering sequence, it burns the fat right where you want it!

[Hurricane]

Flutter kicks:
Lie on your back with your hands underneath your butt (or on your stomach, try each and see which one you like better, but underneath your butt can help reduce strain on your back). Have your legs out straight in front of you six inches off of the ground and with toes pointed. Your head should be off of the ground too, but it matters less. Think of this as a "four count" exercise.
One: Raise one leg to about a 45 degree angle off of the ground.
Two: Move the upper leg back to the starting position and raise the other leg to a 45 degree angle.
Three and four: Repeat!
If you need to rest while doing them, try to rest with both legs in the down position, but not on the ground. Just holding at 6 inches really helps strengthen your core.

[Haunted]

Hurricane, that's exactly the same one I was describing in my first post. Six inches works best. I find that the higher actually is easier to do so it's less effective.

[Hurricane]

Hurricane, that's exactly the same one I was describing in my first post. Six inches works best. I find that the higher actually is easier to do so it's less effective.

Ok, I thought you were saying to just hold at 6 inches (which works, but is sort of like holding the down push up position vs. actually doing push-ups).

[Virgil]

cardio cardio cardio.
you need to work off what you put in + more, in order to burn fat.

bike riding, running, boxing.. things like that

weights are important, but not until you've done a bit of cardio


losing weight is 70% diet though, 30% exercise


Here's a good ab workout I've been doing every other day for a while. Thanks to this, I regularly max out situps (101) for my physical tests. Adjust the numbers so that you're hurting, but they're not impossible. If your max right now for situps is 25, try doing up to ten of each exercise but see how you feel after the first couple and adjust. Push yourself, but you shouldn't be at muscle failure after the first couple exercises (you should be sore).

Pushups
Situps, legs up in the air
Situps, legs flat
Situps, legs at a 90 degree angle
"Babymaker" crunches (bend legs and spread them so that when you go up, you extend your hands in between your legs).
Flutter kicks (keep your legs straight and keep them relatively low--you should bottom out at around 6 inches off of the ground).
Hold legs at 6 inches. This can be very uncomfortable, but it'll help with your lower abs.
Side situps (ex: put your left ankle on your right knee and sit up so that your right elbow touches your left knee.)
Bicycles
Hello Dollies (lie on back with legs extended and separate your legs then close them again, while crossing them over).

Also try doing ladders (i.e. do 2 situps, then 4, then 6...up to 10 or wherever you're comfortable and then back down). Avoid doing just one max set and calling it a day. Try to do increments and sets instead, because you'll be able to do more. Remaining in the front leaning rest (up part of a push up) is good for core strength too. To hold it longer, keep your arms under your shoulders and it'll provide bone support rather than relying on your arm muscles.
The big thing to remember is that most of the fat around your stomach doesn't really go away due to working out the abs, it's more of a convenient place for your body to dump excess fat. The easiest way to get rid of it then is to do a ton of cardio and manage your eating. Doing weights will increase your fitness level, but you'll gain body mass. If you're relatively new to doing extended cardio exercises, don't be afraid to start out biking or on an elliptical rather than jumping right into impact exercises like running. Swimming is also great exercise and non impact.
Again, be smart, but don't be afraid to push yourself. You should be losing at most 2-3 pounds per week steadily. Hydrate, hydrate, and then hydrate some more. Avoid overly fatty and sugary foods (something I try to go by is giving myself one "treat" a week) and try to space out small meals throughout the day instead of three big 'uns.
I agree with both here. Cardio to burn calories and a lot of good core exercises to firm the mid. But also don't forget to do muscle building exercises. Muscles by their very existence burn more calories than fat, even when you are not moving around.

Niamh - does this mean your back and neck are better? I still remember that.

"Baby maker crunches?" :lol: I never heard them called that. I guess from a woman's point of view that's what they must be like. :D

[Haunted]

Ok, I thought you were saying to just hold at 6 inches (which works, but is sort of like holding the down push up position vs. actually doing push-ups).

Now that I re-read yours, it's slightly different. Mine is the abbreviated version, yours involves more muscle groups. I did say hold at 6 inches with both feet off the floor at the same time. That crunches the stomach and the holding tightens it. And that's all to my routine, no kicking. :)

[Niamh]

no my neck and shoulder are still crappy. probably gonna be crappy for a long while... but i need to sort myself out. i'f anything stresses my neck and shoulder i wont do them. I do however need to locate that blog you did up for me!

[kilted exile]

for lower abs really ab crunches are the best thing.

will put more strain on the muscles and help the workout if you do them from lying on your back on your excercise ball.

dont worry bout only being at 25 just now, you wont be able to go stright into doing lots. stick at 25 this week and build up in increments of 5 each week.

you can also do sitting ab crunches at work while doing paperwork or something

[Virgil]

no my neck and shoulder are still crappy. probably gonna be crappy for a long while... but i need to sort myself out. i'f anything stresses my neck and shoulder i wont do them. I do however need to locate that blog you did up for me!

Yeah that's in my blogs somewhere. A lot of those gut exercises do not put a lot of stress on the back and neck. Start easy and if you feel pain in the wrong place stop. You know sometimes muscles are weak and that the cause of bad back issues. The muscles take up part of the strain off the back and if they are not strong enough the back picks up more than it should.

[MANICHAEAN]

Even though I work out in a gym for 3 hours once a week (cardio, free weights, stretching & machines), my work now involves a lot of meetings & computer work & so I found that along with a good appetite I was piling the pounds on. Got to 122 kilo & was realized that I had to get this under control as I was struggling to do my shoe laces up.
I'm down now to 115 kilo & lost 2 kilo last week. You reach a stage of self-disgust that gives the motivation to diet properly. So its one meal a day (lunch) & nothing to drink but water. You wont just lose weight in your stomach, you lose it all over the body that is not muscle. But once you have lost that fat layer, then you can start to get the definition in the six pack.
What helps me as well is an excell spreadsheet tabulating my daily weight every morning, converted into a bar chart with a trend line. It keeps you focused.
Hope this helps.

[Maryd.]

Hi Niamh, just thought I'd give you my thought on the subject. This time last year I was 16 kilos (not sure exactly what that is in pounds) heavier. I had breathing issues and palpitations. So I decided it was time to lose weight. I started with diet. I quit cold turkey in that area. Changing everything from mashed potatoes. I didn't add butter and milk. To hard boiled eggs for breakfast instead of a large bowl of sugary - fake - cereal. I portion sized everything. Believe me it was tough. Exercises. Well that was another story as I was quite top heavy and everything seemed to tire me. So this may sound silly, but I started off with ten minutes of walking a day and even that was a chore. Every week I added another 5 minutes. Until eventually I was up to 1hour and 15 mins, twice a day. I faced the tredmill towards the meal table and at nights I would put my dinner on the table and stared at it while I worked out. Directly after the workout my reward was dinner. I would park the car far away from my destination, making it an excuse to walk. Then eventually I added light hand weights. (Nothing fancy, just something I bought at a local cheap store). I lost the 16 kilos in 9 months. And have kept it at bay now, for the last 4 months. I did go up a kilo during this winter as I didn't walk as much as I did during summer. But have lost it this week on the tredmill. This is what I did. That's not to say it will work for you, but it did for me. Where I got this regime from was - my own head, as nothing I went on, over the past 10 years helped. I just had to push myself to move. Hope this helps.

[Virgil]

Hi Niamh, just thought I'd give you my thought on the subject. This time last year I was 16 kilos (not sure exactly what that is in pounds) heavier. I had breathing issues and palpitations. So I decided it was time to lose weight. I started with diet. I quit cold turkey in that area. Changing everything from mashed potatoes. I didn't add butter and milk. To hard boiled eggs for breakfast instead of a large bowl of sugary - fake - cereal. I portion sized everything. Believe me it was tough. Exercises. Well that was another story as I was quite top heavy and everything seemed to tire me. So this may sound silly, but I started off with ten minutes of walking a day and even that was a chore. Every week I added another 5 minutes. Until eventually I was up to 1hour and 15 mins, twice a day. I faced the tredmill towards the meal table and at nights I would put my dinner on the table and stared at it while I worked out. Directly after the workout my reward was dinner. I would park the car far away from my destination, making it an excuse to walk. Then eventually I added light hand weights. (Nothing fancy, just something I bought at a local cheap store). I lost the 16 kilos in 9 months. And have kept it at bay now, for the last 4 months. I did go up a kilo during this winter as I didn't walk as much as I did during summer. But have lost it this week on the tredmill. This is what I did. That's not to say it will work for you, but it did for me. Where I got this regime from was - my own head, as nothing I went on, over the past 10 years helped. I just had to push myself to move. Hope this helps.

Wow, I think you did everything right Mary. Portion control on food (which I can't do, I'm a hog. :lol:) Cutting the carbs and sugars is critical. (I've recently read that cutting fat is not as important, and that the overall calorie content is key.) As to your exercise, that's great, weights and cardio in a mix. And going up in intensity every week is also the right thing. They say you should increase your intensity about 5-10% each week until the reach the level of fitness you're aiming for. But that could vary for each person, and beginners may need to take it slower than that. Great job.

Oh and one kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. That's quite a bit of weight you lost in nine months. :thumbs_up

[Maryd.]

Wow, I think you did everything right Mary. Portion control on food (which I can't do, I'm a hog. :lol:) Cutting the carbs and sugars is critical. (I've recently read that cutting fat is not as important, and that the overall calorie content is key.) As to your exercise, that's great, weights and cardio in a mix. And going up in intensity every week is also the right thing. They say you should increase your intensity about 5-10% each week until the reach the level of fitness you're aiming for. But that could vary for each person, and beginners may need to take it slower than that. Great job.

Oh and one kilogram equals 2.2 pounds. That's quite a bit of weight you lost in nine months. :thumbs_up Thanks for that info...

Yes, but I had quite a lot to lose.

Mind you I fit into clothes, I couldn't fit into, in my twenties. Actually I weigh less now than I did the day before giving birth to my last child. I don't want to brag, but I am proud of my achievement.

[Virgil]

Thanks for that info...

Yes, but I had quite a lot to lose.

Mind you I fit into clothes, I couldn't fit into, in my twenties. Actually I weigh less now than I did the day before giving birth to my last child. I don't want to brag, but I am proud of my achievement.

You should be proud. That's excellent!

[Buh4Bee]

Twisting with the broom. You can put the broom across your shoulders and twist in a controlled fashion to each side.

[Maryd.]

Twisting with the broom. You can put the broom across your shoulders and twist in a controlled fashion to each side.

Thanks for that tip Jersea... Will try it.:santasmil

[Janine]

I'll try out those Haunted!

The problem with food is i can only eat certain things due to my IBS. Generally foods that hare really good have the opposite effect on my system and end up piling on fat. The likes of rice, pasta and potatoes are some of the gentlest foods on my system so i'd eat those more with fish and chicken. When i got diagnosed with IBS and had to change my diet habits and started eating more of these foods (with lots of mushrooms and other vegges that were considered safe foods) the weight fell off me. I lost 18 pounds in a few months with little or no excercise and felt the best i've been in years. My issue with the weight this summer is due to stress upsetting my tummy, iritating my IBS and causing my food to not breakdown properly because my tummy wasnt really working which resulted in a weight gain. My tummy seems to be back in order now, but i'm stuck with all this excess weight, hence the need to kill it all! :D


Niamh, I have the same problem with the IBS and fighting the pounds now. I am really distressed over it, cause I think I gained at least 10 lbs this summer. I used to do my workouts like roller skating, biking, skiing, ice-skating..active stuff like that...but now I am older and don't do those anymore; I have a foot spur problems and legs ache so I can't deal with those type exercises. Anyway, the IBS foods I find don't upset my system the most are the rices, noodles, potatoes, et. as you said; I know full well those are the ones that put on weight, at least for me. As soon as I start eatting pastas I put on weight immediately. That might not be true of everyone. I find some veggies, I just can't eat anymore and salad makes me sick sometimes. I can only take a little at a time and so it's a bit of a problem following the Atkin's diet which I do believe in; also the South Beach is suppose to work. I eat a lot of fish and chicken also and never fried or greasy foods at all.

[Maximilianus]

Mental power: I stare at the fat rolls developed around my belly with the most scornful look I can come up with, and I tell them "You are doomed to vanish, for your only destiny shall be to subside under my will". How I'm gonna make it comes after, but the will of the fighter will win half the war for him.

[Maryd.]

Mental power: I stare at the fat rolls developed around my belly with the most scornful look I can come up with, and I tell them "You are doomed to vanish, for your only destiny shall be to subside under my will". How I'm gonna make it comes after, but the will of the fighter will win half the war for him.


That is very poetic Maxi, but by the sounds of the rolls around the tummy - line... i think you should excercise between posts... :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

[Maximilianus]

That is very poetic Maxi, but by the sounds of the rolls around the tummy - line... i think you should excercise between posts... :lol::lol::lol::lol::lol:

That sounds like a very logical recommendation to follow.... :lol:

[Maryd.]

That sounds like a very logical recommendation to follow.... :lol:

Well don't be to concerned, I will love you just as you are... Rolls and all. :brow:

[Nyu001]

In my case I am always trying to gain weigh, haha. I find it hard to gain weigh because I barely get the good food and I have a fast metabolism. And the travels I do always keep me burning calories. Something good would be to buy a nutrition book. And to see what food will benefit you and what won't. Sometimes you discover interesting things. I have a nutrition book and a training book. That help me to understand better what I should do and what areas of the body I should work.

[Niamh]

Niamh, I have the same problem with the IBS and fighting the pounds now. I am really distressed over it, cause I think I gained at least 10 lbs this summer. I used to do my workouts like roller skating, biking, skiing, ice-skating..active stuff like that...but now I am older and don't do those anymore; I have a foot spur problems and legs ache so I can't deal with those type exercises. Anyway, the IBS foods I find don't upset my system the most are the rices, noodles, potatoes, et. as you said; I know full well those are the ones that put on weight, at least for me. As soon as I start eatting pastas I put on weight immediately. That might not be true of everyone. I find some veggies, I just can't eat anymore and salad makes me sick sometimes. I can only take a little at a time and so it's a bit of a problem following the Atkin's diet which I do believe in; also the South Beach is suppose to work. I eat a lot of fish and chicken also and never fried or greasy foods at all.

When i changed my diet i ate more rice than anything else. I also found that the more i ate it, the less i ate. it expands in your tummy. And IBS is mainly to do with fibre. Soluble good. Insolube bad, and rice is high soluble. the technicque i developed was when i was eating rice accompanying something, i ate the rice first and than the vege and meat. As i was eating the rice was expanding in my tummy making me feel full quicker. I lost 18lbs in about four months. felt great. :nod: i have a chart that i created regarding safe and unsafe food. Anything in green i can eat, red i cannot, and orange are things that are in the middle, but that i can eat if i fill up on soluble fibre first ie rice, potatoes etc.

[higley]

I recommend doing the crunches, they're more difficult than sit ups. Only go halfway up and don't rest on the floor when you come back down, just let your shoulder blades touch briefly and go back up. And keep your arms crossed and pressed against your chest, because it's easier to cheat when you stick them out straight. Do repetitions, like 12-15 in each set. Works for me :)

[MANICHAEAN]

Yesterday was the week-end in the Middle East. Three hours in the gym midday. No food. Four vodka & tonics to keep my morale up. Lost half a kilo! Weightwatchers beware!

[Maryd.]

Yesterday was the week-end in the Middle East. Three hours in the gym midday. No food. Four vodka & tonics to keep my morale up. Lost half a kilo! Weightwatchers beware!

I don't know wheather to laugh at that statement, or cry... Three hours in the gym, - You are keen. Vodka and tonic, I don't know about... I'm still getting of a hangover from all the wine last night. Never mind. Will take some pain killers and hop on the tredmil. (You're so funny):cool:

[*Classic*Charm*]

Now diet. STAY OFF CARBS. Fatty food doesn't make you fat, it's just bad for your arteries. It's carbs that make you fat. Carbs turn into sugar which turns into fat. So avoid eating starches. That means no bread, no pasta, no rice, and no meshed or baked potatoes. An occasional dish is fine, but don't eat that every meal.

Instead eat vegetables, fruits, and meat. Some might say meat is bad for cholesterol. It's not. Since I switched to this diet (basically Atkins) my cholesterol actually improved. The protein in meat makes you less hungry so you won't be eating as much later on. Carbs is basically sugar which burns fast so you get hungry faster and that makes you eat more and pack more pounds. Be sure to have your veggies, they are packed with antioxidants and will keep you healthy and trim :)

Sorry to contradict you, Haunted, but I'm going to disagree with your recommendation to stay off carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the best way to give your body energy. Currently, the average North American gets ~50% of their energy from Carbs, though Nutritional Biochemists are recommending that that number be increased to ~60%. That is, replace fat in the diet with Carbohydrates. Within that, most of the energy from Carbs comes from starches and fibre, which ARE NOT the same as plain sugar. Yes, your carbs are broken down into sugars, but those sugars are necessary for your body to function properly. Excessive Carbs will make you gain weight, but avoiding them altogether is not a healthy way to diet.

Fat can be bad for cholesterol because it is the major source of cholesterol in the human diet (cholesterol only comes from foods of animal origin). Again, this problem is often caused by excessive consumption of eggs and meat.

Fruits and vegetables are definitely a good idea, though fruits are a huge source of sugar. Vegetables (especially dark green ones) are a good source of vitamins, but don't provide you with any energy.

Basically, what I'm saying is that everything in excess will cause you problems. Your body needs fat, protein, and carbohydrates, as well as other things of course. Balanced meals are the best way to go. And exercise of course.

Sorry for the rant, since Niamh already said she eats well haha. :redface:

Oh, and Niamh, I was having the same problem you were before- no matter what exercises you do, it doesn't feel like you're working your lower abs? I asked a personal trainer about it once and she told me that no exercise will work on lower abs until you've strengthened your upper abs. She said that with abs, you have to work downwards. She recommended this exercise for the uppers:

http://www.sixpacknow.com/preview3.html
Stupid website, but scroll down to the Curl Up. That was it, though I was told to extend my arms forward. It was working until I got lazy :blush: After that, I was told to go on to some of the other exercises mentioned in other posts.

[Niamh]

great site Classic! its given me a few ideas!

[Virgil]

Now diet. STAY OFF CARBS. Fatty food doesn't make you fat, it's just bad for your arteries. It's carbs that make you fat. Carbs turn into sugar which turns into fat. So avoid eating starches. That means no bread, no pasta, no rice, and no meshed or baked potatoes. An occasional dish is fine, but don't eat that every meal.

Instead eat vegetables, fruits, and meat. Some might say meat is bad for cholesterol. It's not. Since I switched to this diet (basically Atkins) my cholesterol actually improved. The protein in meat makes you less hungry so you won't be eating as much later on. Carbs is basically sugar which burns fast so you get hungry faster and that makes you eat more and pack more pounds. Be sure to have your veggies, they are packed with antioxidants and will keep you healthy and trim :)


Sorry to contradict you, Haunted, but I'm going to disagree with your recommendation to stay off carbohydrates. Carbohydrates are the best way to give your body energy. Currently, the average North American gets ~50% of their energy from Carbs, though Nutritional Biochemists are recommending that that number be increased to ~60%. That is, replace fat in the diet with Carbohydrates. Within that, most of the energy from Carbs comes from starches and fibre, which ARE NOT the same as plain sugar. Yes, your carbs are broken down into sugars, but those sugars are necessary for your body to function properly. Excessive Carbs will make you gain weight, but avoiding them altogether is not a healthy way to diet.

Fat can be bad for cholesterol because it is the major source of cholesterol in the human diet (cholesterol only comes from foods of animal origin). Again, this problem is often caused by excessive consumption of eggs and meat.

Fruits and vegetables are definitely a good idea, though fruits are a huge source of sugar. Vegetables (especially dark green ones) are a good source of vitamins, but don't provide you with any energy.

Basically, what I'm saying is that everything in excess will cause you problems. Your body needs fat, protein, and carbohydrates, as well as other things of course. Balanced meals are the best way to go. And exercise of course.

Sorry for the rant, since Niamh already said she eats well haha. :redface:

Oh, and Niamh, I was having the same problem you were before- no matter what exercises you do, it doesn't feel like you're working your lower abs? I asked a personal trainer about it once and she told me that no exercise will work on lower abs until you've strengthened your upper abs. She said that with abs, you have to work downwards. She recommended this exercise for the uppers:

http://www.sixpacknow.com/preview3.html
Stupid website, but scroll down to the Curl Up. That was it, though I was told to extend my arms forward. It was working until I got lazy :blush: After that, I was told to go on to some of the other exercises mentioned in other posts.

Well, I don't mean to generate controversy, but I'm with Haunted on this. Carbs are what gives you excess calories. Classic, you say that "carbohydrates are the best way to give your body energy". While that might be true, the amount of carbs we eat are way, way more that necessary to carry on normal expenditure of calories, even of you are exercising regularly. Unless one is running a marathon, there is no need to load up on carbs. A slice of bread or two a day is more than enough for normal activity. Think of it this way. Primitive man did not make carbs or sugars. Those are relatively recent creations and in my opinion relative unnatural to human diet. (Of course i eat them, but that's because they taste so good. :D) Even the early carbs were from unrefined flour, which has a higher fiber content and not as digestible. There is no need to eat a lot of carbs. Sorry Classic, I have to disagree with you. ;)

As to colesterol, frankly this is way over rated. People with problem colesterol have problems not so much from diet but inherent to their body function. Sure if you eat a complete meat diet, your colesterol will be higher than not, but not a huge amount. Remember there is good colesterol and bad colesterol. But denying yourself meat you are also denying yourself good colesterol. It's the ratio of bad to good (or is it good to bad, I forget which is the numerator and which is the denominator) colesterol that is the important number.

As to that web site. Good one Classic. I've never seen those butterfly crunches. I'll have to give them a shot and see if they are different.

[*Classic*Charm*]

Well, I don't mean to generate controversy, but I'm with Haunted on this. Carbs are what gives you excess calories. Classic, you say that "carbohydrates are the best way to give your body energy". While that might be true, the amount of carbs we eat are way, way more that necessary to carry on normal expenditure of calories, even of you are exercising regularly. Unless one is running a marathon, there is no need to load up on carbs. A slice of bread or two a day is more than enough for normal activity. Think of it this way. Primitive man did not make carbs or sugars. Those are relatively recent creations and in my opinion relative unnatural to human diet. (Of course i eat them, but that's because they taste so good. :D) Even the early carbs were from unrefined flour, which has a higher fiber content and not as digestible. There is no need to eat a lot of carbs. Sorry Classic, I have to disagree with you. ;)

As to that web site. Good one Classic. I've never seen those butterfly crunches. I'll have to give them a shot and see if they are different.

I'm not saying load up on carbs at all! Just not avoid them altogether. As I said, a proper diet is about moderation in everything.

What do you mean primitive man did not make sugar? Humans are omnivores, and therefore have been consuming carbohydrates in the form of whatever plant-based foods they consumed. Our bodies NEED glucose to function. They don't need as much as we typically ingest, but it is necessary nonetheless.

As for the website, it was a complete random I found trying to find the exercise :lol: Glad it was useful ;)

[Mathor]

Think of it this way. Primitive man did not make carbs or sugars. Those are relatively recent creations and in my opinion relative unnatural to human diet.

All vegetables contain carbohydrates
All fruits contain sugar which means all fruits ALSO contain carbohydrates.

[Virgil]

I'm not saying load up on carbs at all! Just not avoid them altogether. As I said, a proper diet is about moderation in everything.

What do you mean primitive man did not make sugar? Humans are omnivores, and therefore have been consuming carbohydrates in the form of whatever plant-based foods they consumed. Our bodies NEED glucose to function. They don't need as much as we typically ingest, but it is necessary nonetheless.

As for the website, it was a complete random I found trying to find the exercise :lol: Glad it was useful ;)


All vegetables contain carbohydrates
All fruits contain sugar which means all fruits ALSO contain carbohydrates.

Yeah I know. But I'm talking about complex sugars from breads and pastas. The glucose from processed sugars and the carbs from refined flour were not part of the primitive diet. Proteins provide 4 calories per gram and that is the same as carbohydrates. Yes both carbs and proteins provide the same energy. And carbs have fairly little nutrition, raise your blood sugar levels, so that they make you want to eat more frequently.

I'm still with Haunted on this. If you want to lose weight trade carbs for proteins. Don't eliminate carbs, but don't think they're doing you much to lose weight.

[Mathor]

I'm still with Haunted on this. If you want to lose weight trade carbs for proteins. Don't eliminate carbs, but don't think they're doing you much to lose weight.

But that's not really right either. It's about the AMOUNT. A healthy mix of protein and carbohydrates is what your body needs to be healthy. One isn't better than another in any way, you need both.

[Niamh]

protein diets like atkins are very very bad for you. They actually put a lot of strain on the heart. in order to be healthy and to loose weight properly is to maintain a "balanced" diet, not but filling up on one thing more than another.

[TheFifthElement]

Basically, what I'm saying is that everything in excess will cause you problems. Your body needs fat, protein, and carbohydrates, as well as other things of course. Balanced meals are the best way to go. And exercise of course.
That seems like very sound advice particularly as it seems that food, and how food interacts with the body, is both a complex and poorly understood subject. How often does food advice change? Every 5 minutes, or so it seems. For example:


Fat can be bad for cholesterol because it is the major source of cholesterol in the human diet (cholesterol only comes from foods of animal origin). Again, this problem is often caused by excessive consumption of eggs and meat.

A recent study indicated that the correlation between eggs and cholesterol has been misunderstood. In UK now the advice is that there is no limit on the amount of eggs you can eat, see here for more info: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7882850.stm

It's likely that the same is true of meat in that provided you eat lean meat it doesn't badly affect your blood cholesterol.

Of course that's what they're saying now, who knows what they'll be saying tomorrow!


Currently, the average North American gets ~50% of their energy from Carbs, though Nutritional Biochemists are recommending that that number be increased to ~60%. That is, replace fat in the diet with Carbohydrates. Within that, most of the energy from Carbs comes from starches and fibre, which ARE NOT the same as plain sugar. Yes, your carbs are broken down into sugars, but those sugars are necessary for your body to function properly. Excessive Carbs will make you gain weight, but avoiding them altogether is not a healthy way to diet.



Carbs are what gives you excess calories. Classic, you say that "carbohydrates are the best way to give your body energy". While that might be true, the amount of carbs we eat are way, way more that necessary to carry on normal expenditure of calories, even of you are exercising regularly. Unless one is running a marathon, there is no need to load up on carbs. A slice of bread or two a day is more than enough for normal activity. Think of it this way. Primitive man did not make carbs or sugars. Those are relatively recent creations and in my opinion relative unnatural to human diet. (Of course i eat them, but that's because they taste so good. ) Even the early carbs were from unrefined flour, which has a higher fiber content and not as digestible.

I think the problem here is storage. Carbohydrates are a form of sugar, so in the sugar chain you have the simple sugars like sucrose, fructose, glucose, then you have more complex sugars (carbohydrates) then even more complex sugars (fats). The more complex the sugar the more work the body has to do to break it down, and in the reverse situation the more complex the sugar the easier it is for the body to store as no conversion is involved. So the body will store fat first, complex carbs next, less complex carbs or sugars last. Carbohydrates are certainly present in natural diet - potatoes and rice are both strong sources of carbohydrates as are cereals (refined or unrefined), bread and pasta - but carbohydrates are also present in fruit, vegetables, beans, pulses, yoghurts and milk. See here for more info on complex carbohydrate carrying foods: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts/lifestylemanagement/carbohydrates.htm

The body deals with all these things in the same way, an excess of sugars (of whichever type) will result in storage of fat. So if you eat too much carbs, sugars or fat then your body will store it for later use. According to some scientific opinion you have a certain number of fat storage cells and once these are all full your body will produce more. Once you have a fat cell you can't get rid of it and it's purpose is to store fat so that's what it tries to do. This is why when you put on an excess of weight (especially as a child) it is more difficult to lose it, because you're fighting your body's desire to fill its fat cells to the limit. More info here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7378349.stm

Protein, on the other hand, can't be stored by the body so if you eat too much protein you simply urinate it out. Generally this doesn't cause any problems but if you do have any issues with kidney function, or if you have high blood pressure which can also be damaging to kidney function, it's not recommended to put them under any extra stress.

[MANICHAEAN]

Am I a voice crying in the wilderness?
All this analysis of: carbs, body mass index, lifestyle changes, abs, pecs, glutes, cellulite, muscle resistence, sets, warm-ups, warm-downs, cardio. muscle definition, high protein drinks & detox diets is so much tosh.
Try the Manichaean method. Lunch only , exercise, & four vodka & tonics (slim line) per night. A sylph like figure is guaranteed, plus your morale will remain high!

[Mathor]

Of course that's what they're saying now, who knows what they'll be saying tomorrow!



It doesn't really matter what they are saying. However, if you do not have enough protein or carbohydrates in your diet, you will NOT have enough energy to get through the day. All of these crazy diet tips are unhealthy for the human body. Eat an abundant amount of healthy carbs, proteins, fats, and more important DO THE EXERCISE to make use of all this energy being put into the body.

[TheFifthElement]

It doesn't really matter what they are saying. However, if you do not have enough protein or carbohydrates in your diet, you will NOT have enough energy to get through the day. All of these crazy diet tips are unhealthy for the human body. Eat an abundant amount of healthy carbs, proteins, fats, and more important DO THE EXERCISE to make use of all this energy being put into the body.

Oh I agree. All I was saying is that there's such a lot of conflicting/confusing advice out there that it's often difficult to know what's the right thing to do. It seems especially so in relation to food (eggs are bad, then eggs are good; wine is bad, then wine is good, then it's bad again, and so on). But as *Classic Charm* mentioned, they key is balance - balanced diet and balanced exercise too. There's no magic, quick fix solution.

[Hurricane]

Lunch only....vodka and tonics

!!!!!
Bad News Bears!

This slows down your metabolism to adjust to getting significantly less calories and there's no way to get the correct nutrients and right amounts of fats, etc.

The "healthiest" way to eat, though it's hard, is to try to spread out 5-6 small meals throughout the day. This just isn't feasible for a lot of people, but it's really the best.
To lose weight, calories in have to be fewer than calories out, but there are healthier ways to do this than barely eating.

And do NOT just abandon carbs. Your body needs a balance of foods: carbs, proteins, and some fats and sugars. Carbs are energy. As long as you don't eat just bread and bread alone or something, there's no reason to stop eating them.
I'll post with specific numbers when I find them, but at a nutrition brief I went to, for an active person you want about ~60%+ of your nutritional intake being carbs and around 20% proteins.
It's all about the proper balance of foods. Eliminating a food group totally from your diet is almost always a bad idea.

[Niamh]

guys seriously! I'm only looking for excercises. Thats the whole point of the thread. :)
So can we go back to the OP and excercises to help me with my lower ab issue? :D

[pussnboots]

guys seriously! I'm only looking for excercises. Thats the whole point of the thread. :)
so can we go back to the op and excercises to help me with my lower ab issue? :d


hehe!!!

[Virgil]

But that's not really right either. It's about the AMOUNT. A healthy mix of protein and carbohydrates is what your body needs to be healthy. One isn't better than another in any way, you need both.
I guess I'm arguing from an exgtreme position to make a point. I'm not saying to stop carbs completely. My point is if your diet right now keeps your weight stable at 2000 calories with a balance of fats, proteins, and carbs. If you really want to lose weight, drop the calorie down by 10% and do it by reducing the carbs while keeping the fats and proteins at the same level.


protein diets like atkins are very very bad for you. They actually put a lot of strain on the heart. in order to be healthy and to loose weight properly is to maintain a "balanced" diet, not but filling up on one thing more than another.
There's a difference between high protein and Adkins:


High protein diet
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Jump to: navigation, search

Examples of high-protein foods are tofu, dairy products, fish, and meat.A high protein diet is often recommended by bodybuilders and nutritionists to help efforts to build muscle and lose fat. It should not be confused with low-carb diets such as the Atkins Diet, which are not calorie-controlled and which often contain large amounts of fat.

While adequate protein is required for building skeletal muscle and other tissues, there is ongoing debate regarding the use and necessity of high protein diets in weight training and bodybuilding. Various sources advise people to consume anywhere from 0.6 to 1.5g of protein per pound of bodyweight per day (1.4–3.3g per kg).[1][2]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/High_protein_diet
It's not heart issues but renal issues that you should be focusing on. Again, I'm not advocating a pure protein diet. What I'm saying is that modern contemporary diets have way too much carbs and sugars. The percentage breakdoawn between proteins and carbs should be reallocated, wiith less carbs.


I think the problem here is storage. Carbohydrates are a form of sugar, so in the sugar chain you have the simple sugars like sucrose, fructose, glucose, then you have more complex sugars (carbohydrates) then even more complex sugars (fats). The more complex the sugar the more work the body has to do to break it down, and in the reverse situation the more complex the sugar the easier it is for the body to store as no conversion is involved. So the body will store fat first, complex carbs next, less complex carbs or sugars last. Carbohydrates are certainly present in natural diet - potatoes and rice are both strong sources of carbohydrates as are cereals (refined or unrefined), bread and pasta - but carbohydrates are also present in fruit, vegetables, beans, pulses, yoghurts and milk. See here for more info on complex carbohydrate carrying foods: http://www.netdoctor.co.uk/focus/nutrition/facts/lifestylemanagement/carbohydrates.htm

The body deals with all these things in the same way, an excess of sugars (of whichever type) will result in storage of fat. So if you eat too much carbs, sugars or fat then your body will store it for later use. According to some scientific opinion you have a certain number of fat storage cells and once these are all full your body will produce more. Once you have a fat cell you can't get rid of it and it's purpose is to store fat so that's what it tries to do. This is why when you put on an excess of weight (especially as a child) it is more difficult to lose it, because you're fighting your body's desire to fill its fat cells to the limit. More info here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/7378349.stm

Protein, on the other hand, can't be stored by the body so if you eat too much protein you simply urinate it out. Generally this doesn't cause any problems but if you do have any issues with kidney function, or if you have high blood pressure which can also be damaging to kidney function, it's not recommended to put them under any extra stress.
Very good Fifth. I agree with everything you say there.

Let me make myself perfectly clear not that i've gotten people's attention and their ire up. :D Modern contemporary diets have way too much carbs and sugars. The percentage breakdoawn between proteins and carbs should be reallocated, wiith less carbs.

[Virgil]

A page or two back there was an argument over carbohydrates and protein. This article i came across today made me think of this discussion.


'High GI' carbohydrates increase women's heart risk

Women who eat diets heavy in certain carbohydrates may be at greater risk of coronary heart disease, according to researchers.

A study of over 47,000 Italian adults found that women alone whose diets contained a lot of bread, pizza and rice doubled their heart disease risk.

These foods have a high glycaemic index (GI), meaning they release energy and raise blood sugar quickly.

The findings are published in Archives of Internal Medicine.

The experts say much more research is needed to understand why these high GI foods, rather than carbohydrates per se, appear to pose a risk - and why the risk applies to women and not men.

Low GI carbohydrates, such as pasta, which release energy and raise blood sugar far slower, showed no such link with heart disease.

Glycaemic index

The doctors who produced the report studied 15,171 men and 32,578 women who completed dietary questionnaires over many years.
...
After seven years, 463 participants had developed coronary heart disease.

The researchers found that the women whose diet had the highest glycaemic load had more than double the risk of heart disease compared with those women with the lowest glycaemic load.

The authors concluded: "Thus, a high consumption of carbohydrates from high-glycaemic index foods, rather than the overall quantity of carbohydrates consumed, appears to influence the risk of developing coronary heart disease."
[Snip]
Read the rest here: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/8615537.stm

I still maintain we eat too much carbs and trading carb calories for protein calories is a good thing. I'm not saying eliminate carbs completely; I'm saying reduce them for protein.

[applepie]

guys seriously! I'm only looking for excercises. Thats the whole point of the thread. :)
So can we go back to the OP and excercises to help me with my lower ab issue? :D

:lol:

Lower ab... I've been doing planks each evening. It isn't taking a lot, just 4 or 5 reps and I'm really starting to see a difference. I've been carrying around fat in the same spot since I had my kids, and this has really been helping to smooth things out. They're not a super quick result, but I think they'll be a long lasting one. I have found that the slower the results appear from ab exercises, the more long term they are. It is really just strengthening all of your stomach muscles which then burn the fat on top of them off. As a fair warning, don't be surprised to see you waist get a bit thicker before it suddenly slims down over the course of a month or so.

Here's a picture
http://www.yourhealthsense.com/images/blogimages/plank_hover.JPG

[Scheherazade]

guys seriously! I'm only looking for excercises. Thats the whole point of the thread. :)
So can we go back to the OP and excercises to help me with my lower ab issue? :DWell, nobody can blame us of doing things by halves here on the Forum.

:p

[Virgil]

:lol:

Lower ab... I've been doing planks each evening. It isn't taking a lot, just 4 or 5 reps and I'm really starting to see a difference. I've been carrying around fat in the same spot since I had my kids, and this has really been helping to smooth things out. They're not a super quick result, but I think they'll be a long lasting one. I have found that the slower the results appear from ab exercises, the more long term they are. It is really just strengthening all of your stomach muscles which then burn the fat on top of them off. As a fair warning, don't be surprised to see you waist get a bit thicker before it suddenly slims down over the course of a month or so.

Here's a picture
http://www.yourhealthsense.com/images/blogimages/plank_hover.JPG

Out of curiosity Meg, how long do you hold the plank? Planks are excellent by the way. I don't do reps of planks, usually when i do one it's at the end of several other abdomin exercises, and I do one for as long as I can hold it. And I try to hold it for a minute straight.

[JuniperWoolf]

Situps, pushups and running is all I do.

[applepie]

Out of curiosity Meg, how long do you hold the plank? Planks are excellent by the way. I don't do reps of planks, usually when i do one it's at the end of several other abdomin exercises, and I do one for as long as I can hold it. And I try to hold it for a minute straight.

I started out with only 20 seconds or so. I've worked up to being able to hold each for about 40 or so. Since I don't want bulk only tone, they work out well :)

[Virgil]

I started out with only 20 seconds or so. I've worked up to being able to hold each for about 40 or so. Since I don't want bulk only tone, they work out well :)

Thanks. Good for you. :)

[Niamh]

I recently invested in a skipping rope (that also comes with weights to attach) and a board thing you stand on, bend your knees while you back is straight and move from side to side. Still have to try them.

[Maximilianus]

Last night I managed to hold a plank for over 1 minute, that is 4 reps of a bit more than 1 minute each, and I really felt it. It's the first time I do a plank, and I didn't know about planks until mkhockenberry mentioned them, so I guess I am in debt. It seems a neat exercise. I recently tried the skipping rope, but somehow it was bad for my lower back, so I put it away for now.

By the way, I found a site that gives instructions on what they call Top 10 Most Effective Ab Exercises (http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm). The plank is on page 10.

[Aravona]

No jokes but have you ever tried the Wii Fit? .... if you do do not do what I did... my youngest cousin decided to feed me on tango and cookies then made me jog for 10 minutes!

Its actually really good fun but costly. I tend (well I used to and should again office snacking...) use DVDs with short 10 minute fat burners. The ones I have are Rosemary Conleys. They're very good but you really need a pretty space to do them in. Its kinda just you're average aerobics and stretches. On another note, a friend of mine runs kickboxing lessons, and some friends have been going. Apparently its really good fun and very good exercise.

[Niamh]

I really want the wii fit! Its supposed to be amazing. Also the dance along game is supposed to be very good for exercising too.

[Scheherazade]

I really want the wii fit! Its supposed to be amazing. Also the dance along game is supposed to be very good for exercising too.I cannot say it is "amazing". Yes, it shows you what to do and how but it is no different from any other exercise videos you can get. Most of those are very good (like Davina's). Unless you have already got the Wii console, it is a lot of investment.

All said and done, there are no miracle cures. If you can motivate yourself to do some exercise for half an hour and spare the time regularly, even doing things on your own will give excellent results.

[Nightshade]

I have some brilliant exersise dvds I got here niamh... but the exercise is bloody painful. Mind I have found belly dancing works wonders. as does dancing while cleaning...:nod: as you can constatly be exersising/dancing one part or another. For instance I can do my back and sholders and chest while washing the floor and can do the hips and tummy while washing dished, or wiping down counters or sweeping the floor or vacuming... and hey it seems to be working! :D

[Aravona]

I cannot say it is "amazing". Yes, it shows you what to do and how but it is no different from any other exercise videos you can get. Most of those are very good (like Davina's). Unless you have already got the Wii console, it is a lot of investment.


Thats what I said, it is costly. But its also fun, I played on it for a while with my cousin and we raced against eachother. My wii fit age was my actual age which I was happy with lol! The other energising games do make it more fun.... I played tennis on it as well, that can get brutal but you wear yourself out, which is the point ^_^

The most fun way to exercise with a Wii some guy hooked up his game from a pc and worked it into exercise wii gaming made healthy (http://news.mmosite.com/content/2009-09-22/20090922234848639.shtml)

I agree theres no miracle cure, its 90% motivation and 90% having the time, and 120% having the right exercises so you don't jsut do damage. No way for exercise to total 100% because to many variables are too highly dependant. This is why I stopped, though last summer I did a whole load of jogging through local forests / fields and I ended up improving how far I could jog really quickly and with quite some extra distances. But I lost motivation. Niamh I hope you find some and keep it :D