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Flatter Stomach

Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
edited January 2023 in General Chat
Over the past few months my stomach has started to get fatter after being pretty flat all my life. I would like to know how to get it flatter as I want to make it slim for my gf.

I know it's exercise and the right food but what exercises should I do and what foods would be best to eat?

Any info welcome.
Post edited by JustV on

Comments

  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Sit ups are the best exercise for a flat stomach.
    Other types of exercise will reduce general body fat, but i'm guessing you want "flat" rather than "skinny".

    Along with sit-ups you need to do back - stretchs, otherwise you end up with a weak back and its very likly you'll hurt yourself doing every day tasks.

    Both sit-ups and the back stretch's can damage you if not done properly, so it's prolly best to go to a gym and ask a fitness adviser to demonstrate.
    My mother is a KFA trainer, so i got the info a lot easier.

    For referance i started doing these in sets of 20 every day. 1 set a day for the first week, 2 sets in the second 3 in the third etc etc. after sitting on 5 sets for a few weeks i moved upto sets of 40. for a while i was doing 5 sets of 40 a day!
    I think that lasted a month or so before my natural laziness took hold again
    I now exercise depending on how much free time i have. :rolleyes:
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Situps won't do a damn thing for a flat stomach unless you remove the fat on top of your abdominal muscles. You can do situps all day long and unless doing this causes you to burn more calories than you take in, you will have larger abdominals under a layer of flab. So your falb may have a little more definition, but I take it that this is not what you want.

    So you do want to do situps, crunches, etc, but in combination with enough aerobic exercise to cause you to go into "calorie debt", ie, burning more than you take in. This will cause you to lose fat all over your body, including the area you want.

    There is no magic way just to lose the fat around your waist, unfortunately.

    While crunches, situps and the like are great for working out your abdominals, I think that what you're looking for are better obliques, the abdominals on either of the six pack. Look for machines in your gym that let you work them, or ask Alistair or myself and we'll give you some that you can do at home.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Me and Alex have posted a number of exercises here: http://www.thesite.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19939&perpage=15&pagenumber=1

    It even includes the revolutionary Alistair's Absercize :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    im troubling on this problem as well, ive started doing alot of weights and eating alot more food...and i have noticed my stomach getting fatter :( i also like you had a flat stomach, but now im doing sit ups im starting to get a 6pack. but im also starting to get fat, and when i sit down ive even got small rolls :( i wanna lose these and tone up as well as putting on muscle...

    if i start doing running will it effect my programme on bulking myself up more? also i dont think i have a very strong back, sit-ups hurt my back at the bottom, any tips on back excursuses i can do at home?

    and Alistair thanks for your help on bulking up, if ur wondering on how im getting on, its great, because i have really skinny and small arms so i can see and improvement allready, i plan to keep it up. :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Kid_With Problems


    if i start doing running will it effect my programme on bulking myself up more? also i dont think i have a very strong back, sit-ups hurt my back at the bottom, any tips on back excursuses i can do at home?


    Running shouldn't hurt your goal of bulking up, if you continue to lift weights regularly. The problem is some people get too tired after their run to work out. So start off small, maybe two miles the first time, and gradually increase. And make sure to keep on eating lots of protein.

    Do you have access to a gym? Because the machines at the gym (Stairmaster, eliptical runner) will burn more calories than running in the same amount of time.

    As for lower back exercises, try back extentions. They work best with an exercise ball, which you can get at any shop that sells sporting goods. One of the best selling brands is called TheraBall or something like that. Basically you put your hips on this ball and extend your back.

    Like this

    Situps do work your back, although they do so less directly than this does.

    Hopefully Alistair can think of another one you can do without a gym or buying the ball.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I've been told a lot that I have a nice stomach so I'll share my routine with you. I do about 20 minutes of pure abs each day. Not that I want to, I have to for my training. I don't use any machines. I usually do 10 or 12 different exercises, 30 reps a piece. In most all of these, your head, neck and upper spine should be aligned.

    1. Crunchers - on your back with thighs perpendicular to the ground and feet parallel to the ground (legs are suspended), hands behind head and use your abdominals to move upwards.
    2. Right over left & left over right - on your back, on leg bent with foot on ground, the other crossed over so that the ankle area rests on the knee, hands behind head and move your opposite elbow towards the knee of the foot on the ground. 30 reps on each side.
    3. Streamliners - lay completely flat on your back with your feet crossed and your arms extended straight over your head (ears tight between your shoulders)...kindof like a position to dive into water, but on your back. It can be hard but same motion as crunchers, keeping your arms tight against your ears and as straight as possible.
    4. ABC's - arms and legs in same position as crunchers. A: right elbow to left knee. B: left elbow to right knee. C: both elbows to both knees. Do 10 rounds. Better if you can do it balancing on your rear. I can't.
    5. Heeltouchers - balance yourself on your ass with your legs extended above the ground and your hands hanging around near your rear. bend your legs and bring your heels to your hands. it can be hard to balance, but practice makes it easier.
    6. Chinups - on your back with legs flat and arms behind head. Start in 'up' position. you don't really lift your back for this...just your head and neck, keep your face facing straight up at the ceiling. Hold for 1-2 seconds release and come right back up. your abdominals should feel tight in both phases, not just the up position.
    7. Cockroaches - on your back with legs in position for crunchers and arms in streamline, but pointing between the legs. dont try to keep your head between your shoulders for this. basically, just push your hands foward through your legs as far as you can 30 times.
    8. Sidesitups - upper back flat on ground and twist at the hips with knees bent so that bottom half of body is laying on its side. same movement as crunchers.
    9. Pikes - body flat and arms extended over head. move arms and legs simultaneously towards each other and try to touch your toes. kindof like folding your body in half. I'm awful at these.
    10. Kneeups - on your back with hands near the rear or behind head (harder to do, but more beneficial). curl your legs up until your knees are over your abdomen and your bum is off the ground. extend the knees out parallel to the ground until completely extended. dont let your feet touch the ground.
    11. Bicycles - lay on your back with arms behind head. move your feet in a bicycling motion, moving your opposite elbow to the knee that is closer to you. Do 25 slow and small radius, 25 medium speed and med radius and the last 25 full speed with full extension of your legs. with this one, the legs move in an elongated oval shape rather than circular.
    12. Twisters - balance yourself on your ass with your legs bent and ankles crossed suspended above the ground. keep your arms relaxed and hands together. twist from side to side, touching your hands to ground or coming close each time. Up the ante by using a medicine ball. 4kg is what I use.

    I guess that's more to develop muscle. I would highly suggest swimming to burn the fat. Try doing long aerobic types of swims that get your heartrate up, but you don't get tired too easily. Short and fast won't do anything but tone up muscle underneath fat, so what's the use. If your not that great a swimmer, running is good. Anything that you can keep in constant motion for long periods of time should help.

    Nothing is a sure solution. I swim 12-14km a day and I still have that lower section that could be a little flatter (my friends tell me I'm imagining it), but otherwise, I'm very proud of my stomach.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Lizzafins
    Nothing is a sure solution. I swim 12-14km a day and I still have that lower section that could be a little flatter (my friends tell me I'm imagining it), but otherwise, I'm very proud of my stomach.

    12-14k a day! I'm VERY impressed.
    (What's your #1 stroke?)

    Anyway . . .

    I agree, swimming can be a great way to generally 'tone up' but you have to be careful.

    I would say that the kind of swimming training needed to actually make a noticable difference is beyond many people. Just splashing about won't get you anywhere.

    Plus swimming hard will make you hungry and the mistake lots of people make is to then eat loads of crap.

    Diet (but not A diet) and proper, useful exericise are the key.

    Trust me - I have a stomach of solid granite.
    (Don't worry, I am speaking metaphorically)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Speedo
    Trust me - I have a stomach of solid granite.
    (Don't worry, I am speaking metaphorically)

    Oh good, you had me worrying :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I'm mainly a freestyler. Over the past few years, I've become an IMer as well. I think the hunger thing is only temporary. After morning workout, milk and a breakfast sandwich are all I need. I usually have something like McDonalds for lunch, and cook a small dinner after evening practice. I had been doing only evening practices up until May and started doing both workouts. (no schoolwork to worry about). For the first couple of weeks, I was eating lots of food between workouts and then would get home at night and binge. Gradually I found myself to be eating much healthier and not having to really think about it.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    i have the same problem with my stomach. Everyone says i'm not fat but i feel i am. my mum said to me and i quote
    you're going to get anorexic if you keep on dieting!
    even though i am overweight (currently 8 stone 2 lbs, 15 y/o, 5 ft 4inch) which annoyed me quite a bit. I have trouble losing my stomach even though i diet and try to exercise (which is a problem seeing as i have no equipment and no money, plus i'm too younf for the gym).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Lizzafins

    Nothing is a sure solution. I swim 12-14km a day and I still have that lower section that could be a little flatter (my friends tell me I'm imagining it), but otherwise, I'm very proud of my stomach.

    Jeez.

    Are you a national level swimmer? The only people that I ever knew that did that kind of yardage were here at uni, and they are Olympic medalists!

    And I think that they usually don't do more than 10-11000 day, although they lift weight too.

    When I used to swim I was an IM/freestyler/butterfyer. The IM, I must say is the worst out of all of them. I would rather fo a 200 fly than a 200 IM.

    And I miss the perfect stomach I used to have. And the big shoulders, and the excellent cardiovasular fitness.

    What are your times?
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I actually don't have any national cuts, but I do train under a former olympic coach. It's almost always at least 12k. It's usually 6600m or 6800m. A few weeks ago it was 7800m for an evening practice. We lift weights also. I love the IM. My fly/back portion gets me out ahead of my heat. Good thing, because I usually lose a lot of my lead in breast and then pour on everything I've got left in me for the free. I just about die in the last 25 of a 100fly. I've only done the 200 a few times. Torture. My arms really don't have a lot to them, but they have gotten noticably stronger over the past year(used to think my triceps were a myth). I actually choose to do fly sometimes when we're given a choice. Broad shoulders are fine for men but it's hard to feel feminine with the body that swimming produces on me.
    My times suck balls. (meters)
    free: 30, 1:02, 2:21
    fly: 1:09
    back: 1:13
    breast: haha
    IM: 2:36

    these are all from well over a year ago. had a medical issue and couldnt swim for a while. ive got a meet next weekend that i dont feel ready for. coach says im in shape and ill surprise myself. we'll see.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    You shouldn't have to get slim for your girlfriend because she should love you the way you are and not for what u look like! but as for how to get ur stomach flat press ups and sit ups.. ;)
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Are you people machines.... :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by LacyMay2k
    Are you people machines.... :p

    In a word: YES :p
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Lizzafins
    I actually don't have any national cuts, but I do train under a former olympic coach. It's almost always at least 12k. It's usually 6600m or 6800m. A few weeks ago it was 7800m for an evening practice. We lift weights also. I love the IM. My fly/back portion gets me out ahead of my heat. Good thing, because I usually lose a lot of my lead in breast and then pour on everything I've got left in me for the free. I just about die in the last 25 of a 100fly. I've only done the 200 a few times. Torture. My arms really don't have a lot to them, but they have gotten noticably stronger over the past year(used to think my triceps were a myth). I actually choose to do fly sometimes when we're given a choice. Broad shoulders are fine for men but it's hard to feel feminine with the body that swimming produces on me.
    My times suck balls. (meters)
    free: 30, 1:02, 2:21
    fly: 1:09
    back: 1:13
    breast: haha
    IM: 2:36

    these are all from well over a year ago. had a medical issue and couldnt swim for a while. ive got a meet next weekend that i dont feel ready for. coach says im in shape and ill surprise myself. we'll see.

    For a girl those are excellent times! They don't suck.

    I never did long course that much (not many high school pools in the US are long course) but in short course I went:
    100 free 52.4
    100 fly 52.8 (I was actually faster in the 50 fly than 50 free, go figure)
    200 IM 2:10 ( The backstroke killed me! If it was under 40 secs I would be happy)

    Then I came to USC and realized that I wouldn't even be able to make the practice squad. :( Very humbling.

    I think they claim they've had forty Olympic medalists go here, so I didn't feel that bad, though.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    are we machines? my life revolves around swimming. i have to schedule everything around workouts. when i eat, sleep, go on dates, get drunk. sometimes i think im burned out and not meant to be an athlete, but swimming also keeps me sane and adds structure to my life. id probably end up a drunk, cracked-out prostitute on the streets if it weren't for my commitment to my sport. ok, maybe not. but it keeps me from partying as much. nobody wants to party early so that i can be in bed by 10.
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Lizzafins
    are we machines? my life revolves around swimming. i have to schedule everything around workouts. when i eat, sleep, go on dates, get drunk. sometimes i think im burned out and not meant to be an athlete, but swimming also keeps me sane and adds structure to my life. id probably end up a drunk, cracked-out prostitute on the streets if it weren't for my commitment to my sport. ok, maybe not. but it keeps me from partying as much. nobody wants to party early so that i can be in bed by 10.

    Are we machines?

    Yep - I agree with most of that. (Apart from the bit about turning into a prostitute).

    As with most sports, it's only when you take a step back that you realise how much your life is geared towards training, PBs, anaerobic thresholds, T20s etc.

    And as you were asking (?!) my times are:
    50 back - 28.92 (SC) 30.07 (LC)
    50 free - 24.7 (SC)

    I never swim more than 50s - too much like hard work!
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    Originally posted by Alistair
    Me and Alex have posted a number of exercises here: http://www.thesite.org/vbulletin/showthread.php?s=&threadid=19939&perpage=15&pagenumber=1
    It even includes the revolutionary Alistair's Absercize :p

    Alex and I :mad: god, your grammar. And you'll have to demonstrate Alistair's absercize to me when yuo get back from cornwall... you'll be horrified about how unfit i am and i'm not saying i'll actually DO them... you just need to demonstrate :D
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    I use to be more active in college with walking and sports. I noticed about a year and a half after graduating that the combination of age, sitting at a desk all day, eating huge but healthy dinners, and lack of cardio was having its effect. I was lifting weights and doing pleaty of abs, but I wasn't running so my belly wasn't flabby but kinda poked out like a firm little babies belly. Trust me, it still wasn't attractive. It probably poked out even more because my abs were strong. So I decided to do something about it and a yr and a half later its where I want it to be(give or take A pound). Don't get me wrong, I started noticing results after a few months, but unless you plan on going all out, don't expect results over night. I started by taking baby steps. I ran 15 minutes before lifting and got on a schedule during the work week. I packed little healthy bits to eat throughout the day, and drank nothing but water all day. I switched to light beer and after a month was running 20 minutes. One thing I never could do but would recommend is to get up and run 15 minutes as soon as you wake up even before you've had breakfast. I also toned down my huge but healthy dinners, cut out all junk food, and ate a little earlier. Eventually I was able to run 25 30 minutes. Remember all it takes is keeping your ears open for tips and making baby steps. Now that mine is off I'm in the habit of keeping it off and its much easier. I still eat big meals every now and then or have a little dessert and drink beer at least twice heavily a week. I think a big key is to realize how good healthy food can be. Once you do, the thought of mcdonalds, and junk food and cokes and all that shit starts to loose its lure and is replaced by fruits and vegetables and fish Yummmmmmmmmm. Its important to get in the habit now cause its never going to get easier. You can always come over here to the states thought where 60% of us are over weight(not me).
  • Former MemberFormer Member Posts: 1,876,323 The Mix Honorary Guru
    She's not forcing me to do it. It's something I want to do. I want to get fitter. I want to look fitter for her.
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