Toning Up

The Lovely Muffin

Hi,

I'm looking to tone up my stomach and hips. I am not looking to lose weight.

I do have some flab on my stomach and hips, suppose you could say I have a pot belly.

I am going to take up running/jogging within the next 4-6 weeks, just need to get some money together to get the proper gear (runners, proper running clothes etc).

In the meantime I am looking for some exercises that I can do at home, sit ups, etc. I don't have access to gym's or any gym equipment etc. The only thing I have is a skipping rope

I'll be honest, I do have a sweet tooth, biscuits, buns, ice cream etc. I don't drink fizzy drinks often, I normally stick to strong tea (full-fat milk, no sugar) and water.

I'll have no problem cutting out bad things, I know I need to cut them out, not just for toning up, but for my overall health.

I've started cooking things from scratch, so if there's any website with healthy recipes I'd be happy to try them out

Currently the only exercise I do is walking, I don't drive so have to walk anyway, I don't mind as I love walking.

I was looking at doing some skipping and abdominal crunches and some other exercises, can anyone recommend other exercises?

I'm 5'5 and a size 10-12, I'd like to stay at my current size or go to a size 10, but no thinner than that.

Any and all help appreciated.

Thanks.

Mellor

The Lovely Muffin wrote: »

I'm looking to tone up my stomach and hips. I am not looking to lose weight.

I do have some flab on my stomach and hips, suppose you could say I have a pot belly.

Toning up is another way of saying lose weight.
If you are looking to shift a bit of fat from the stomach area then you are looking to lose weight. Which will be completely down to diet.
You may be happy with the number on the scales at the minute so weightlose might not be the motivating factor, but it's still a by product of losing a little belly fat.

Hanley

Mellor wrote: »

Toning up is another way of saying lose weight.
If you are looking to shift a bit of fat from the stomach area then you are looking to lose weight. Which will be completely down to diet.
You may be happy with the number on the scales at the minute so weightlose might not be the motivating factor, but it's still a by product of losing a little belly fat.

This is the correct answer.

Tom Cruise

You can buy a ab machine that tones your tummy with electric currants.
Or do sit ups.Maybe buy a ab rocker to make sit ups easy.

Hanley

Tom Cruise wrote: »

You can buy a ab machine that tones your tummy with electric currants.
Or do sit ups.Maybe buy a ab rocker to make sit ups easy.

Neither of those actually work.

Tom Cruise

You get a 6 pack from sit ups.I used to have them till kebabs and cider was discovered.
I think pot bellys are nice.The thing is some people diet and lose weight off everywhere else apart from the tummy area so dieting will make other areas look too skinny and makes the tummy look even bigger.There is always liposculpture at a cosmetic clinic.They have lazer fat removal that gets rid of the area.

xgtdec

Tom Cruise wrote: »

There is always liposculpture at a cosmetic clinic.They have lazer fat removal that gets rid of the area.

I'd rather give the money to my trainer!

Stench Blossoms

Tom Cruise wrote: »

You get a 6 pack from sit ups.I used to have them till kebabs and cider was discovered.

You don't get a six pack from sit ups. You get a six pack from lowering your body fat percentage through diet and exercise.

The exercise can include sit ups but this notion of getting a 6 pack through sit ups alone needs to be drilled out of peoples heads.

Muffin, if you want to lose the pot belly try cutting out bread for 2 weeks and see how you get on. Then look at other aspects of your diet and try clean it up.

Have you heard of the 30 day shred? It's a fitness dvd thats quite good for anyone starting out. It incorporates small weights.

The Lovely Muffin

Thanks for all the help.

I definitely won't be going for cosmetic surgery. As for ab machines etc, I'd rather do some exercise than having a machine do it for me.

I'm also not looking for a six pack. If I end up with a six pack, great, if I don't, still great. I'm simply looking to tone up and lose the pot belly.

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

You don't get a six pack from sit ups. You get a six pack from lowering your body fat percentage through diet and exercise.

The exercise can include sit ups but this notion of getting a 6 pack through sit ups alone needs to be drilled out of peoples heads.

Muffin, if you want to lose the pot belly try cutting out bread for 2 weeks and see how you get on. Then look at other aspects of your diet and try clean it up.

Have you heard of the 30 day shred? It's a fitness dvd thats quite good for anyone starting out. It incorporates small weights.

Thanks Stench, I'll cut out the bread along with the bad stuff.

Is this the 30 Day Shred? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Jillian-Michaels-30-Day-Shred/dp/B00127RAJY

When you say small weights, I presume you mean like this? http://fitnessmyths.net/images/small-weights.jpg

Where would I get them? Bearing in mind I don't have access to a gym and haven't got much money so can't go buying expensive equipment.

Stench Blossoms

Yeh thats it.

Small weights as in dumbells that are 2-5kg. Obviously you can use heavier if you want though

You can pick them up in argos or any sports shop.

sammye333

I agree with Hanley and mellor. I'm a long time lurker on this forum and they seem to know what they are talking about.:o The first question that is usually asked on these forums to any posters is, "to post up an average days food intake"

You can try every exercise in the world,but if you are not eating right then you will not meet your goal.

sammy

The Lovely Muffin

sammye333 wrote: »

I agree with Hanley and mellor. I'm a long time lurker on this forum and they seem to know what they are talking about.:o The first question that is usually asked on these forums to any posters is, "to post up an average days food intake"

You can try every exercise in the world,but if you are not eating right then you will not meet your goal.

sammy

I'll post my daily food intake, I'm aware it's not healthy and I do need to change it.

Breakfast - rarely have breakfast. If I have breakfast, it could be cereal, toast, or a fry (potato waffles, rashers and eggs, rarely a full-English fry up with all the works).

Lunch - Usually pasta or soup or a sandwich. Although I am going to cut out the sandwiches/breads for a few weeks and maybe slowly reintroduce them.

Dinner - Normally pasta or soup or meat with vegetables and spuds.

Sometimes for dinner I might have home made pizza, wouldn't be very often though, maybe once every two months.

Night-snack - Sometimes I could have a sandwich maybe an hour before bed or even close to bed time. I'm cutting this out though, for food.

During the day I might snack on biscuits or ice cream or something, but like a lot of other stuff, I am going to cut this out and if I want a snack I'll have fresh fruit or something.

Stench Blossoms

Your making my eyes bleed !!!

Too much pizza and pasta there.

Try having eggs for breakfast. Salad for lunch and the chicken/fish/steak with veg for dinner.

The Lovely Muffin

Stench Blossoms wrote: »

Your making my eyes bleed !!!

Too much pizza and pasta there.

Try having eggs for breakfast. Salad for lunch and the chicken/fish/steak with veg for dinner.

Lol

Will try the eggs for sure.

Is there anything you could recommend instead of salad? I honestly cannot stomach it.

Stench Blossoms

Homemade soup? The options are endless. Have a read of some of the stickies in the nutrition forum.

Sangre

Tom Cruise wrote: »

You get a 6 pack from sit ups.I used to have them till kebabs and cider was discovered.

What? You manged to contradict yourself in two sentences.

In the first, you claim that situps gets you a 6 pack (not a diet). Then you go on to say you lost your 6 pack thanks to a poor diet.

Even your own experience shows that diet is crucial for a 6 pack.

Diet = 6 pack

Diet + Resistance training = better 6 pack