Help with my stomach...

Vergeer2012

Hello all, 

 I notice I have been gaining wait only in my midsection. My arms and legs are as lanky and bony as ever but I have a good size pudge going on in my stomach. Im not pregnant and it's starting to look weird. I was wondering if anyone knows of some good core exercises. I have heard just straight cardio is best and I have heard certain crunches (like bicycle crunches) and planks will do it. I have extremely bad knees and am unable to do lunges or anything that puts stress directly on my knee joints. Any suggestions? Thank you!

Maggie0829

Women gain weight in different places and in different amounts.  Only doing core exercises will not decrease the size of your midsection.  You should really focus on overall health (eating right and exercising regularly to include core, strength training and cardio).  Spot training is a myth.  Just begin working out regularly and take a look at your diet and I am sure the weight will come back off again.  Good luck!

Vergeer2012

Thank you for the advice. I have always been weary about spot training but my friend swears by it. Seems it would be better all around to focus on overall health. I think I'll do that.

MerAndTrick

Maggie is right... spot training won't work.  You can spot train to put ON muscle, but you can't spot train to take OFF fat... ain't life a B%^&%?

Unfortunately you are probably pre-dispositioned genetically to put any extra weight in your mid-section.  For me it's my butt... yaaay genetics (sarcasm here :-)  )

Anyway... cardio is good, but mix cardio with some targeted strengthing exercises.  Like a strength training circuit. And then VERY short rest periods.  This allows you to go 100% during the work portion of the workout... I mean like, feel like you want to die 100%. 

A good workout is called the Tabata format.. basically it's 20 seconds of work followed by 10 seconds of rest.  You repreat that 7 more time for a total of 8 rounds or 4 minutes total.  You can "stack" each 4 minute Tabata across multiple exercises, like mountain climbers, burpees, air squats, etc.  I would do 2-3 Tabatas to start:

• Do a cardio related one first like mountain climbers (which are good because it also strengths the underlying muscles in your core so when you do shed the extra body fat you'll have beaufitul stong abs underneath).  
• Then do something more strength related like jumping squats or wall sits (something legs related will build muscle there and make your mid section look more proportional, also our legs and butts are our biggest muscle groups so by building muscle here, you can increase your resting metabolic rate).  
• Finally, if youre doing a 3rd tabata, pick another whole body exercise like burpees or pushups which work arms and core...

Tuh duh... whole body workout in 12 minutes.  But remember... you need to push hard for each of the 20 seconds of work.  The first time I did a Tabata workout I threw up... and that's about right.  If you really want it, you need to make yourself a little uncomfortable to get it.  :-)

BTW - you can google Tabata and tons of workout ideas come up...

Vergeer2012

It would be nice if genetics could have helped me out in the chest area instead of a bit lower. I will look into the Tabata today. Thank you for the tips :-)

bbuckner984

Educate me Mer- what is a burpee?

mercy4

Maybe it's just your diet? Are you eating a lot of salt or bloating foods? Sometimes my belly feels large and it's just the day or time of month.

MerAndTrick

In Response to <a href="http://forums.theknot.com/Sites/theknot/Pages/Main.aspx/wedding-boards_getting-shape_stomach?plckFindPostKey=Cat:Wedding%20BoardsForum:238Discussion:495f4a3b-b6ae-4ac0-a51a-74661791ef32Post:71a7a5b6-ab1a-4ec3-be88-5e4b27c79c8a">Re: Help with my stomach...</a>:
[QUOTE]Educate me Mer- what is a burpee?
Posted by bbuckner984[/QUOTE]

<div>Burpee is a pain in my A$$... LOL  Seriously though, it's a jump, to a plank to a push up.  Here's a good vedieo that explains it:</div><div><a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfNA_lmkHM" rel="nofollow">http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PYfNA_lmkHM</a> </div><div>
</div><div>They are a pain, but they are one of the best total body movements you can do.  If you have trouble with push ups (like I did when I first started) do what I can "boy down, girl up".  Basically stay on your toes for the downward movement (the negative) to the floor.  When you are on the floor then use your knees to go back up (standard girl push up on your knees).  Doing the "boy" part on the negative will build your strength more quickly and get you better results than just doing all girl push ups in the bottom.</div><div>
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MerAndTrick

BTW - I apologize for my general lack of spelling and typing ability.  :-)