Im 26 yrs old and 5'2 106 lbs.....not over weight but I have a pop belly, fat around my middle and my legs are jiggly. How can I get toned and loose the fat around my middle w/out losing too much weight? I used to be under weight and now that Im gaining, its not looking good in some places. Also my eating habits are not the best.  I eat anything and everything bc before I could w/out gaining the weight, I need suggetions, and does pilates really work to help tone?
119508
Sounds like you need to tone up. You cant really lose that weight by eating differently. You need to turn what little fat you have, into muscle. But not bulky muscle.. you need to be tone. It will make you look trim, but it will add a little bit of weight. But don't worry about that. \n\nYou need to start doing some crunches, and some leg exercises, try walking, or doing some bicycle crunches. You know the ones, where you lie on your back, and move your elbows to your knees, lol\n\nSorry i really cant explain it. I'm a guy so its a bit different. I do crunches, sit ups, and i climb up and down ladders all day. So i lost my gut, and my legs are in good shape. The same basic principles work for women to. But i doubt you want to climb up and down ladders all day. I would suggest a Yahoo search on womens fitness.
322937
Not really, cardio is what helps you lose weight faster then building muscle through situps.   you need to use basic common sense for food.  No soda, no fast food, lots of chicken, fish, fruits, vegies, whole wheat stuff, yogurt. Not so many cakes and donuts and cookies. Basic common sense for eating, you just need to enforce it. Get all the bad stuff out of the house right away, just toss it or give it away while your still motivated. No alcohol if that applies. Some juice but make sure its all natural, because the ones that aren't are loaded with sugar and a leading cause in diabetes in children and adults. Lots of water, 3-4 liters a day, not all at once, but spread out. Its really easy to down a liter or two while your watching tv or on the computer. Also drink some after you eat the bigger meals of the day, it helps your body pick out the nutrients in food when your food is more spread apart. \nAs for exercise, lots of cardio. Find something you like. If you have never exercised much before, start with walking 30 minutes a day at a brisk pace. Move on to different terrains that include hills and increase the time spent. After a week or two, try jogging the route. No matter what find an activity you enjoy. Walking to jogging is just an example, try hiking, rollerblading, biking. Once you get into a regular routine, if your not happy with the level of difficulty, try signing up with a gym. Spinning, pilates or kickboxing classes are great. It will also introduce you to working with weights. Talk to a trainer for instruction before using any weights. A cheap investment is a balance ball, it works you stomach while your just sitting on it, like at your computer and its great for posture. There are hundreds of exercises you can use it for for your entire body. I can give you some ideas if you want, just email me. Also for more info on the benefits of water go to www.watercure.com Good Luck!
516589
I went from 235 pounds to 150 pounds and my skin did not sag at all.  I lost the weight slowly about a pound a week and moisturized my skin daily with Aveeno daily moisturizer with oatmeal in it.  I also did a weight lifting 3 times a week and swimming to tone my muscles, so maybe that helped.  I think the people whose skin does sag are the ones that do that stomach stapling and lose it super fast.  PS,  Stay out of the sauna.
574988
You need to hit the gym babe and you gotta go on daily jogs. Do 100 to 200 situps each night. You should see results. Oh, and it may sound prissy, but Pilates really work too! My stomach got flatter and I formed some abs in about a month of all that and eating right. You're doing great with the eating(make sure your portion size isn't too big). You're half way there!
475094
Well, I have some good news and some bad news. The good news is that you can lose your tummy flab and become more toned. The bad news is that, in order to do this, you must reduce the amount of fat you have all over your body, not just in your stomach. You see, spot reduction, or the ability to lose fat in one specific area, is a myth. However, you can help tone specific regions through exercise.
257897
With 2 children running around the house I imagine you don't have a whole lot of time for the gym. Yoga & Pilates really work to tone up the mid section. Also watch what you are eating. The easiest way that I have found to shed some pounds is to eat small healthy snacks every 2 hours and eat one meal per day. You don't starve yourself & it gives your metabolism a kick start! Remember great Abs start in the kitchen! Any work out will work if you commit yourself!!!
617022
Some people just don't have flat bellies. Don't fret over it too much. Do what you're doing. If you are still overweight, then exercise more. If you're not overweight, but still have a belly, chill out.
133514
Good for you!  \n\nI finally got serious about losing weight 18 months ago; and I'm relieved to report that I've lost 42 pounds, over 15 inches off waist & hips, and the weight is still coming off.  Lots of walking and some weight training; eating more veggies and less of the bad stuff; get enough sleep and try not to stress out too much; take some vitamins especially Omega 3 which does wonders for the skin.
289232
Whatever you do, don't loose weight by not eating (completly) or by squeezing the weight in your belly out. Tips: Exercize daily (not too strenuous exercise) and eat healthy foods (vegetables and such). Doing a couple sit-ups (10-40 or 50 if you can) every day might help.
279222
I have found that if you cut out your sugar in-take and eat more fruits to curb the sweet tooth while doing crunches and Pilate's. The Pilate's really, really works your glutes. It teaches you to breath while exercising. As for your behind, get down with the squats and lunges. I use to hate to these but, I look at my legs and I feel blessed by doing them. Even while your doing all of these every other day, walk every day. Walking is the very best exercise to do. I walk about three miles a day and I do the squats and lunges on Mon, Wed, Fri and try to do the Pilate's every day. Alternate mornings and evenings so that you won't get burnt out. Also this isn't so much about getting into a bikini for the summer but think of it as an alternative to a healthier, better you! I have lost so far over 37 lbs. I want to keep going with this because I feel really good in the morning when I come to work.  God bless and good luck.
318880
omg i have the same problem....i do a work out called cosmopolitan tonetics it works really well one thing i remember for the stomache is go to do a sit up and slowly roll down 1 virtabra at a time slowly and easily then rotate to the sides and do it....trust me u can totally feel it after just 3 times but i do that about 5 times a night and when i wake up i do them 7 so yup yup\nbest of luck:D
193897
I saw benefits from it the first time I did it.  But that could be because I used to be a weightlifter.  I already had the muscle there, it just went flat.  So when I did it, I immediately noticed results.  Also with pilates, you really have to concentrate and pull the muscles in, in order for it to work.  If you don't feel tension in your core when you are doing pilates, then you're probably not doing them right.  It's hard to do them from a video if you are an exercise beginner.  Also, pilates is for toning muscle, it really won't help with weight loss like walking or jogging, simply because it's not raising your heartrate enough to burn the fat.
236235
doing the sit ups may actually be causing the muscles to build up behind your stomach and cause it to look fat\n\ntry walking, bike riding, swimming, aerobics, pilates or the rowing machine previously mentioned (a combination of all of these would be great!) \n\nhave fun with it- and even if your body isn't perfect- who cares!?!? you are who you are on the inside- not the outside!\n\nsusan
295615
Sit ups and crunches will help build and tone muscle in this area, but you cannot reduce fat in specific areas with targeted exercise...  You'll just build more and more muscle underneath the fat, which makes you look even worse.  The only way to reduce fat is by lowering calorie intake and doing more exercise in general, where you break the "carb wall."  Jogging is great (but bad on the knees!)\n\nBut there's no real reason you can't do both, weight loss and muscle toning at once.  The crunches do burn calories, you just can't control where the fat cells are burned from.
441621
Sophie, that is a really difficult question for people to answer. You are obviously fit as you ride and walk a lot. Muscle weighs more than fat, so you may weigh more that some people and still not be fat. I am the same height as you and when i was your age i was fairly slender and about 8 and a half stone. I am now 49 and i weigh about 11stone and although i've got a bigger tummy than i'd like and probably need toning up i am still not fat.\n\nThe most important thing is to stay active, eat sensibly but allow yourself some treats, and don't worry about what you actually weigh. If you truly think you are under or overweight, then see a doctor for proper advice. However, i'm sure you are fine.\n\nKeep happy and healthy. Life is not about what you weigh, but about being a nice person!\n\nLove,\n\nFaith x
77869
the best way to tone in that area is to do 30 mins of cardio at least 3 times a week.  as far as exercises go for abs, do crunches with your legs extended straight up lying flat on the floor.  extend your arms above your head towards the ceiling.  raise your shoulders slowly upward, reaching your arms toward your toes.  do 4 sets of 12 crunches, during each set don't let your shoulders touch the ground.  for thighs lie on the ground with your feet flat on the floor.  raise your hips up and down, tightening your glutes (this will also work your butt).  alternate lifting one leg off the ground, holding it straight out.  also do 4 sets of 12.  if you have any other questions you can e-mail me at emmalee_1633@yahoo.com.  i am a certified personal trainer but i've taken a higher position at the fitness company i work for so i'd be happy to help you :)
409038
You're not going to build muscles on top of the fat.  What you will be doing is replacing the fat with muscle, which will flatten your stomach.  And if you add a low-cal diet to all that excercise, you are bound to lose weight in the process.  Start easy though.  Zero sit-ups to suddenly 200 sit-ups in a day can make you pretty sore, and might also make you give up on your new resolution because you are in too much pain!  Start at 15 sit-ups and work your way up.  Hope this helps.