Weight Loss

I've been on a diet for about 5 months now and have been able to lose a nice 40 lbs. I still have about 20 lbs to go in order to reach my goal weight of 120 :D. Anyways I have been eating pretty healthy for the last few months but I really haven't been exercising. I would like to know what are some good exercises that I can do in order to tone up my stomach. I know that there aren't any exercises that really target one place ( or so I have read :D). Anyways if any of you have tried something that has given you results and would like to share it with me I will be extremely EXTREMLY grateful!

I have the 8 minute ABs DVDs and I think I might start doing them again but I really do not want to spend my lovely time on something that is not going to work. All inputs are welcomed

putting OTHER people's thoughts on the amount of definition you should do for yourself aside, I've actually been doing eight minute abs and a bunch of other eight minute vids and I've lost ten pounds in two months, in addition to dieting and i LIKE my mini four pack forming in my tummy and my miniature biceps showing up. i'm a lot stronger now too. I work in a college textbook store, so lifting lots of heavy books is tough, but it's a lot easier now. i mean, i'm no he-man or xena wanna be, i'm the furthest thing from an american gladiator, but there's not denying that some men are intimidated or put off by a girl that can hold her own physically. they feel its their territory. which is understandable I suppose. It's kind of the feeling some girls (i've had this) get when you see a dude in make-up... and you have a moment of ...."WTF THEY'RE  ACTUALLY PRETTY".

in any case, yeah, i think eight minute abs works, i started doing one eight minute work out every other day, now i do three a day (arms, abs and i alternate between thighs and buns) and it's worked a LOT.

just keep up with it and have fun!

I used to work at a gym and the instructers would tell me that the best way to lose weight and get a flat stomach is to run for 30mins 3-5times a week. You can do as many sit-ups or ab work outs but if you still have a layer of fat on top of your stomach muscles you won't be able to see them! And running does tone abs as well because they're constantly tensed!

Original Post by avengingadrienne:

.... but there's not denying that some men are intimidated or put off by a girl that can hold her own physically. they feel its their territory. which is understandable I suppose. It's kind of the feeling some girls (i've had this) get when you see a dude in make-up... and you have a moment of ...."WTF THEY'RE ACTUALLY PRETTY".

I never had that experience either in college or in the real world. The men I know—all of them—think muscle on a woman (within reason) is hot.

But that being said? I don't doubt such men exist. I imagine they keep their distance, which is why I've never met them.

http://www.abs-exercise-advice.com/best-ab-ex ercises.html

I've personally found the bicycle crunches, vertical leg crunches (for lower abs), long arm crunches, and planking to be very effective in tightening up my abs.  I don't do them all in every workout, but I almost always do the vertical leg crunches because they make my lower abs sore which tells me that I'm making them work!

edit:  oops, don't know why this double posted.

lovelybecca
How did you get down 40 in 5 months.  that is great.  I have a lot of weight to get down and it is very slow moving.  Any tips would be great.  I have 5 little ones and a couple health issues but nothing to prevent weightloss.  I exercise a couple of times a week more when I can.  I dont eat too bad.  I try to follow my calories as is the purpose of the website.  Anyways I am open for any info you may have.

Thank you

You guys are great!!! Thank you all for your replies and really helpful hits!!! Dieting and exercising is a big pain in the as... ehh I mean neck :D But having this kind of support makes it a whole lot easier.

hjsmith75, I was able to go down 40 lbs in 5 months by really decreasing my calories. Before calorie-count I was probably eating about 1000 calories a day which is not healthy at all. However after reading a couple of post here on not eating less than 1200 calories a day (for women) I re-adjusted my diet so that i get the necessary calories. Anyways I really try to control what I eat. I make my own food which is mostly always something that is low in fat and calories. I do not eat any type of fried foods or foods high in sugar. Having said that, I do have to admit that I eat lot of carbs. I love bread so I eat a lot of that but I do make sure that is whole wheat bread and that its low in calories. If I have a craving for ice cream I try to go with the healthy alternatives. Something that has worked well for me has been to plan my meals ahead of time that way I know the amount of calories I'm consuming. I should also mention that I try to eat something at least every 3-4 hours which has helped me not be so hungry all the time.

I guess I have a cool diet, it's strict but at the same time I make sure I eat the things I enjoy (like ice cream) but I make sure I choose the healthiest alternatives! :D All I need to do now is start exercising

I'm no expert in exercise and weight loss, but one thing I have learned. . .if I'm not having fun I'm probably not doing it. I love having some muscle and I'm bummed at being overweight after being underweight for most of my life (not intentionally). However, many exercises have come and gone. Then I hit upon martial arts and I grooved! I never thought about exercise or weight, I just loved doing it and the muscles appeared and the fat left. Then injuries put an end to that (related to degenerative disc disease). Now I'm walking while I listen to books on tape. Again, I hardly notice the work because I'm so anxious to hear some more of my book.

mobucky, you have just reminded that I have always wanted to take some type of karate class. Now that I'm out of school I'm going to definitely look into it!!! It will be a great way to get in shape and learn how to kick some serious butt!!!