LOWER ABS

1DestinationBride

Hi all.
I'm wanting to lose a few inches and tone my lower abs ASAP...but I have back problems so sit-ups and crunches are not an option.

I go to night school and work full-time, so my workout time is just limited to the weekends when I go to the gym for 3 or so hours. My work out consist of running on treadmill, elliptical machine, and stairs.

sjnsjnsjn

What about pilates?  That involves lots of core work, planks, etc., that should actually help strengthen your back!

Hawaiianpunch512

Try Ab Ripper X of the PX09 series, maximize your time in the gym by doing interval workouts (search google or livestrong.com for routines), cut out bad carbs ("white foods" like white bread, pasta, refined sugar, potatoes). 

1DestinationBride

I've switched all my bread and pasta consumption to whole wheat. I have also cut rice out of my diet.

For the past 3 months, I've either had fruit or Green Machine (Naked Juice) for breakfast, then for lunch I have home-made salads (lettuce, tomatoes, cucumbers, black olives, and a hard boiled egg) with lite dressing or bring my own sandwich from home (whole wheat bread with 4 slices of turkey lunch meat and 1 piece of cheese). Throughout the day at work, I have cut out coffee and drink nothing but green tea and water. For dinner when I'm in class, I will have a handful of pretzels or some sort of nuts and another Naked Juice. When I get home I have more fruit.

I admit that during the weekends (when I am more likely to cheat, since I can actually eat my dinner at home) I'll have either whole wheat pasta with ground turkey, or just with pasta sauce...and then the next night, I'll either grill or steam a piece of fish. 

Hawaiianpunch512

It seems like you are on the right track.  Just make sure you are getting enough calories in.  livestrong.com has a great online calorie calculator.

damaless

It actually sounds like you are not getting enough calories.  As PP have said, I'd suggest using a calorie counter like the ones they recommended or caloriecount.about.com.