Exercises to tone your tummy

My tummy's always been my problem area, and every year I say I'm going to work on it, but never really make a difference. What are the best exercise to lose stomach fat and tone it up?

Core training like pilates will strengthen the core muscles and provide a general all-over muscle workout that will tone and strengthen your body, targeting your stomach and back in particular.

You won't be able to lose stomach fat without going on a general fat loss intended diet, you cannot spot reduce your weight loss so will have to stick it out over the areas you don't necessarily want to lose weight on until it begins to go from the areas you want it to.

Thanks GoneFishin. How long do you think it usually takes before you'd take before you see results from Pilates?

You'll feel a difference within a couple of weeks as far as your strength goes, as with any exercise regime give it a chance for at least 6 weeks.

As a general guide, If your muscles aren't feeling strong and toned by the 3 month mark, you haven't been progressing your workouts effectively. Pilates works by stretching, strengthening and streamlining the body, so you tend to notice a difference in balance, strength and elegance more than sheer bulk of muscle.

Hi,

Pilates is good for strengthening the core and HELPING towards toning but you need to do a lot more than that if you want to lose stomach fat. Peolple go on about losing stomach fat, toning up, or having a six pack but there's a much bigger picture I'm afraid.

Along with a sensible, balanced diet, I would recommend a Cardiovascular (CV) programme as well as the Pilates. This is to lose any excess weight you want to get rid of. Pilates or core strengthening exercises won't lose you the stomach fat you want to drop off. It will strengthen your stomach, but you won't notice any visible results I'm afraid. You have to remember to tone you whole body as well and avoid working on just 1 area, so I would recommend a whole body gym circuit, or even circuit training classes if there's 1 near you. Along with your CV work and your pilates, this will have much more of an effect....not to mention the excellent health and fitness benefits it brings.

I would recommend joining a local gym and have a qualified instructor/trainer write you a training programme and guide you in the right direction. They may also give you progress reports to keep you on track.

Good luck,

Deek

'Tone' comes from the muscles, the muscles can be perfectly toned and sculpted even if they are hidden behind a layer of fat. Being able to SEE the muscle is another matter and does require enough fat loss that the muscles become visibly defined. It doesn't mean that you won't see results just because the muscles aren't totally visible. Relatively few people have well defined abs, it's bloody hard work.

NO workout will specifially allow you to reduce stomach fat and pilates can help with fat-loss (sensible diet, yada yada), it helps strengthen and develop the muscles and can help increase base metabolism rate which will increase fat burning rate. Weight lifting and muscle strength/endurance exercises can actually be just as effective as cardio for targeting fat loss, you generally combine the 2 to get a combination of muscle strength and lung/heart condition, not because 'the cardio makes you lose weight'.

Also to add, a pilates session does pay a lot of attention to core strength, but is actually a combined all-over body workout if done properly. It won't 'just' strengthen your stomach.

If you want to go down the gym route, seek out a level 3 instructor or personal trainer to write your programme. A level 2 instructor could do it at a basic level, but you will get depth of advice and specific exercises from someone who's been trained in more detail.

Rubyloo asked how " How long will it be before I see results doing pilates?"

I can assure you Rubyloo will see much better results in a much quicker period going down the road as I have mentioned above.

I agree with what you said about the level 3 personal trainer as I have been a fully qualified personal trainer for quite some time now. I also have 11 years health & fitness experience from my time in the British Army. At present, I have my own clientele and I also run my own military style circuit training classes in gyms/health & fitness suites around my area.

If Rubyloo wants to do just pilates then just pilates it shall be but to get faster results and a healthier option with excellent health benefits, then I can pretty much safely say that my previously mentioned post would be a much better choice.

Good luck,

Deek

I disagree with some of your advice, or rather the way in which you phrase some of your advice.

Tell me what you disagree with. What I say may or may not be right but it's what I firmly believe in and it has pretty much worked for me and many others over the years. I'm not that arrogant as to think I'm always right and that it's my way or no way. Everybody can offer advice or give recommendations....doesn't mean to say they're right though.

Deek

Am I right in thinking basic exercises done regularly and properly, such as the plank and crunches, will have great effects quite soon?

Yes,  it depends on whether you need to lose fat from the stomach fast though. If you are slim and want to tone, then regular stomach focused exercise should take effect quite soon. A really good exercise is to use a medicine ball and throw it to someone from a sit up position. Then when you catch it you hold the ball directly level with the back of your head, do a sit up and as you return to the 2up" position, throw the ball back to your partner. Hope that makes sense!

Perhaps the major benefit of Pilates in terms of a toned appearance is the improvement it can bring about in your posture.

I fully agree though that the quickest route to trimmimg fat from the waistline is an exercise programme that includes both cardio-respiratory exercise and muscular strength and endurance work combined with a balanced, healthy, nutritionally sound diet. 

However, the results of being able to maintain a strong posture protecting the natural curves of the spine and keeping the ears, shoulders, hips, knees and ankles in alignment can be surprisingly dramatic.

Thanks for all the tips I'd quite like to get involved in another fitness class so will try and give Pilates a go. I'll go out for a few more jogging sessions too!

If you your household work yourself, it will work. Give it a try

I want to give Pilates a go but all the classes I've seen in local gyms are in the daytime when I'm at work! Will have to keep looking...

I learnt a good new stomach toning exercise you can do with an exercise ball. Pop your toes on the swiss ball and hold yourself up with your arms with your hands facing down on the foor. It looks like you are in a wheelbarrow position. Then pull your knees into your chest, bringing the ball with you. I do 3 x 8 sets. Hope that makes sense. It's really good.

Them "Ball Tucks" are a great exercise - try pairing them up with "Arm Roll Outs" to fully challenge your Rectus Abdominis.

Arm Roll Out - Kneel infront of the stability ball and rest your forearms on the part of the ball that is facing you. Brace your abs, then hinge forrward from your knees, allow your arms to roll up onto the top of the moving ball. In this extended position, you'll feel your abs really challenged to hold up your weight, and may also experience a stretching sensation around the bottom of your rib cage.

Don't forget, to keep your posture good and your core strong, for every abdominal exercise you do, you should balance it out with an exercise for your lower back.

Thanks for the tips! Will have to try this, I have an exercise ball under my bed that has never been used (or even inflated)!

I've tried this exercise before and really felt it working. but I was aware of gravity taking control of my baggy gym tshirt, so I would wear something more fitting next time!

I have the same issue but i try doing my household activities myself. This really helps flatten my tummy. And drinking plenty of water also helps

Treadmill