[Asvi]

Originally Posted by thejellymill

Bicycle crunches (doesn't involve bikes ). You start with your feet like this and arms behind your head. Extend one leg out like this and bring the elbow from the same side to touch the opposite knee (which is the bent one). Repeat with the other side and remember to breathe! Your head stays off the ground and so do your legs, it's not like regular crunches. These HURT like crazy after you do a few sets but it's a good hurt cuz you can feeeel the flab being burned off

Also, planks hurt like a batch. My sister has difficulty toning her stomach and after she did like 7 planks a day for a week she saw a major difference. Hold as long as you can, take a 2 second break and go back into another plank...repeat until you feel like dying. The ideal amount of time to hold the plank for beginners is 30 - 60 seconds for each plank. And you have to keep your back straight..prevent your hips from sagging or your butt from pointing in the air.

Plank #1 (for weak wrists). Plank #2.

EDIT: like dreamdeferred said, exercise is important too. If I did 100 crunches twice a day starting right now I would get nowhere because I need to lose about 7 or 8 pounds for the toned muscles to show. Which reminds me, I'm all dressed for the gym so I better get going. :lazy:

thanks

I need to meet a certain weight target, which means i need to gain more pounds. How can i loose the flabby tummy and still gain weight?

[sally]

Originally Posted by Asvi

thanks

I need to meet a certain weight target, which means i need to gain more pounds. How can i loose the flabby tummy and still gain weight?

protein shakes & light weight lifting on a consistent basis

also more complex carbs.

[shsh]

i think i need to get in shape...mostly get rid of the love handles <.< how do i do that? walk?

[sally]

yeah @ whoever said that spot toning/reduction is a myth...

Originally Posted by shsh

i think i need to get in shape...mostly get rid of the love handles <.< how do i do that? walk?

walking is good but high intensity cardio is better..start slow and work your way up to running or something..mix stuff up if you have access to a gym..theres a lot of diff machines..and light weights would totally help

[Asvi]

Originally Posted by sally

protein shakes & light weight lifting on a consistent basis

also more complex carbs.

what do you mean my light weight lifting?

[shsh]

Originally Posted by sally

yeah @ whoever said that spot toning/reduction is a myth...



walking is good but high intensity cardio is better..start slow and work your way up to running or something..mix stuff up if you have access to a gym..theres a lot of diff machines..and light weights would totally help

can i do stuff at home..with out heavy equipment. will running on a treadmill work?

[sally]

Originally Posted by Asvi

what do you mean my light weight lifting?

well first of all, is joining a gym and becoming a regular attendee an option for you?

cuz a lot of gyms have trainers which can design you a program every month for no extra fee that you can follow to meet your goals, whatever they may be

and yeah there are lots of people who need to gain healthy weight.

by light weight lifting i mean like 2-5 lb weights for various exercises such as bicep/tricep work, shoulders, chest, abs, legs etc..youll be working your muscles in each of those areas and making them stronger...and in that way they will start to weigh more (but still continue to take up less space, dont worry..i know youre pretty small, you wont get big like a man at ALL)

so their mass will increase but for women its extra hard and a slow process thats why i said consistency is key.

Originally Posted by shsh

can i do stuff at home..with out heavy equipment. will running on a treadmill work?

sure you can mix up running/walking so youre going slow then really fast then slow again..itll give you a pretty good work out

and if you can buy like a set of resistance bands which arent that expensive at all you can do a lot of beneficial stuff with it as well

[sally]

this is a great website for women that disspells all the myths associated with women and weight lifting etc. and has a lot of other advice/tips/example routines/ etc. Women's Weight Training

[Asvi]

Originally Posted by sally

well first of all, is joining a gym and becoming a regular attendee an option for you?

cuz a lot of gyms have trainers which can design you a program every month for no extra fee that you can follow to meet your goals, whatever they may be

and yeah there are lots of people who need to gain healthy weight.

by light weight lifting i mean like 2-5 lb weights for various exercises such as bicep/tricep work, shoulders, chest, abs, legs etc..youll be working your muscles in each of those areas and making them stronger...and in that way they will start to weigh more (but still continue to take up less space, dont worry..i know youre pretty small, you wont get big like a man at ALL)

so their mass will increase but for women its extra hard and a slow process thats why i said consistency is key.

Thanks Sally for the explaination and the website link.

[thejellymill]

yea that link's really helpful, thanks

[jaani]

Where can I find good quality mats for cheap?

I saw some at $30 and that just freaked me out a little

~j

[thejellymill]

OMG it feels so good to work out! I spent 5 minutes warming up on the treadmill, 20 minutes on the elliptical, then stretched and did light weights for my arms and some leg stuff, then back on the elliptical for 15, then cooldown on the treadmill for like 10. Then I got myself a nice healthy 3-cheese avocado and veggie sandwich and watched Turkey vs. Germany on the big screen at the student union.

I wish I'd known earlier that they were showing the matches there everyday...tomorrow's the last one

Originally Posted by jaani

Where can I find good quality mats for cheap?

I saw some at $30 and that just freaked me out a little

~j

$30?!? For like yoga mats? pssshhttt I got mine at Target for $10 and it's hot pink

[wheelworks]

I'd do heavyweights but it would weigh me down and slow me on my bike

[DramaRani]

I went to the gym today - reluctantly. I'm still sore from Monday. I think Friday, iA, I'm going to introduce the arc trainer into my workout. I've only used the machine once and it was a beast. I'm probably going to start off slowly - 30 minutes of the elliptical then 20 minutes of the arc trainer for about 5 days. Then I'm going to solely do the arc trainer, iA.

[wheelworks]

Originally Posted by DramaRani

I went to the gym today - reluctantly. I'm still sore from Monday. I think Friday, iA, I'm going to introduce the arc trainer into my workout. I've only used the machine once and it was a beast. I'm probably going to start off slowly - 30 minutes of the elliptical then 20 minutes of the arc trainer for about 5 days. Then I'm going to solely do the arc trainer, iA.