Stomach Exercises

[lucedios]

Just kinda curious as to what tummy toning exercises others use for the times when their stomach just doesn't agree or you are in a flare-up... I am starting to put on a little weight in the midsection but my stomach does not allow for sit-ups or crunches... a little too much for it.

thanks!!

[DanSJVDavis]

Dunno, but when you find out, lemme know. I've got a bad case of Dunlop Syndrome. My stomach dunlopped over my belt.

[lucedios]

Yeah mine's starting to show the start of a "Goodyear" with few flare-ups...

[imisspopcorn]

I've got the Prednisone pouch....unfortunately I don't think toning will help me.

[lucedios]

hmmm... so I can blame my prednisone for this? I think I can live with that... thinking I should get one of those belly vibrators off of late night infomercials

[imisspopcorn]

Maybe we can get a group discount for liposuction???

[lucedios]

haha... could only imagine that phone call... referral bonus perhaps lol

[Jettalady]

Originally Posted by DanSJVDavis

Dunno, but when you find out, lemme know. I've got a bad case of Dunlop Syndrome. My stomach dunlopped over my belt.

Now that is funny and I can relate too.

Apparently my first Gi said keeping your stomach muscles toned for digestion and less pains...too late for that, but I am working on it!

[GI Joe]

I see two issues here. One is the "Dunlap disease" and the other is abdominal toning. They are not the same. If you want to lose the bulge, then diet and cardio are the way to go. Doing sit-up or other abdominal exercises are not going to help lose that mid-section bulge. There is no such thing as losing fat in only one area rather fat will be lost from throughout the body with cardio and diet. Doing sit-ups or other ab exercises may even make your mid section get larger as muscles develop under the layer of fat. I am not trying to discourage ab training but it should be part of a balanced exercise and diet program.

[BWS1982]

GI Joe is correct; and I would (should) add that you can even include weight/resistance training (and should, because nothing burns fat like an amped up metabolism and new muscle, and LADIES, you will NOT get bulky, you don't have the hormones or "design" for such an outcome )...

Obliterate that word, "toning," from your vocabulary, it is obsolete in its current usage, as you either build muscle, or oxidize (lose/burn) fat on top of it, there is no "toning" the muscle. You can't change the shape of a muscle, only change the size, increasing the size of the muscles' fibers, or allowing them to shrink through inefficient dietary choices (very low calories/low protein) and omitting sufficient workload (not using your muscles, you don't use it, you lose it). Another scientifically known concept is that simple carbohydrates, like crackers and white flour products, candy etc...are a common cause of abdominal/visceral fat growth and composition (technically the "beer belly" term comes from the empty calories in beer creating this image). But with this disease (and this still floors me, my mouth dropped in 2006 when the nurse gave me the literature on Crohn's) simple carbs are often recommended, hence our need to be extra vigilant and cautious.

A major problem within the obesity epidemic (other than food overindulgence) is the lack of muscle to combat it. A "normal" looking person can add 15 pounds of muscle (would take perhaps 15 solid weeks for a male, or a year or so for a female, biologically and statistically) and you'd never think they looked "too muscular" or "ripped" (you might not even notice with their clothes on) but those 15 lbs of muscle would comprise an advantageous weapon against fat gain and towards fat loss, and allow you to eat more food while burning it off. Since each pound of muscle is about 35-40 calories a day in expenditure to just exist (doing nothing at all), then you're looking at that person, 15 lbs. of muscle later, burning about 525-600 calories a day more than before, even when sitting around all day if they so choose. They have more they can eat, thus they have more "indiscretions" to take part in, or, they can do little to no cardio and just keep lifting weights moderately while modulating diet alone to lose more fat.

Working your abdominal muscles would prove to increase core stability and performance (I don't remember where this was discuss here recently, I'm blanking, but it was with Shantel a couple months ago?), but will do very little to burn fat or shape your midsection.

[lucedios]

What do you recommend to burn fat or shape the midsection?

[DanSJVDavis]

I think I'm gonna start riding the stationary again. My diet hasn't changed from back when I was more active and physically fit, my activity level has.

[BWS1982]

Originally Posted by lucedios

What do you recommend to burn fat or shape the midsection?

Well, it depends on your current diet or activity level, but basically, fat goes off in the opposite order it went on. If when you first started to gain fat (weeks/months/years ago) if it went first on your stomach (very common) it will be the last place to come off. If just recently your thighs and butt got some, it will be the first to come off. This is genetically designed, and the only way to cheat this "order" is surgery. You can create an illusion if you make your upper torso slightly bigger, the illusion will be that the lower portion got smaller. This works well for guys obviously, but can only go so far for women due to hormones, bone structure, and of course, body image stigmas (some women are okay with sizable shoulders and lats, others want nothing to do with it, but either way it would take a lot to get "really big" up there for females).

Basically, a concise answer is then, dietary alterations, like cutting excess calories (so you're in a deficit) and carb reductions (so you stop storing so much glycogen and start burning fat sooner when you are active) and in addition, you should do cardio and/or resistance training. The two together (diet/exercise) will hit it from both angles, you'll have less coming in and more going out (less calories in/more burned), either of which would ordinarily put you on a path to "weight loss" but the addition of cardio and/or weights will help make sure it is a higher proportion of fat being lost, which is what is on the midsection. If you just cut calories alone, you will lose weight, but it probably won't be what you want, it will be what your body wants (which is typically a good proportion of muscle because like I said it's costly to maintain, so it's the first to go). High protein is also a way to really up your metabolism and hold onto precious muscle mass. Find an activity you find fun so you'll stick to it, and find healthy foods you like, so you'll eat them instead. Start small, but starting somewhere is the first step.

[Jeff D.]

Originally Posted by BWS1982

Obliterate that word, "toning," from your vocabulary, it is obsolete in its current usage, as you either build muscle, or oxidize (lose/burn) fat on top of it, there is no "toning" the muscle.

I love this quote Benson, although I think I will have to say toning somehow in every post I make to you.

Back on topic:

I think Benson is 100% correct. You need to do cardio in order to get the fat off the midsection. There is really not much better a way then through cardio. If you do an ab workout you will add mass to your abs and you will get bigger.

I think for you the best thing to do would be to do resistence training. Since you said you have stomach pain you can use bands even while you are lying in bed to do curls and tricep extensions. Have you been cleared to workout by your doctor? Is your stomach getting bigger with fat or is there another underlying issue that your doctor can help you with.

If you are in a flare don't worry about your weight or appearance. If you start working out it will draw thet blood to your muscles and away from your intestines so it will take longer for your intestines to heal. You need to keep as much flowing blood in your intestines as possible while in a flare.

Jeff