Stomache issues

[Chicker]

hey, I'm new, my name's Heather. I've been working out a lot and noticing huge differences everywhere - except my stomache. I feel like I've tried everything...crunches, crunches with my legs in the air...crunches with my legs moving up and down...sitting on the edge of a chair and lifting my knees to my chest, and loads more...What else can I be doing? I don't feel anything at all after my stomache work outs, whereas legs and arms and such I definitely "feel the burn"...heh...Any tips?
Heather

[bombflower]

Abs are made in the kitchen.

[Elle]

Unfortunately spot reduction is a myth...you've got to continue losing body fat and eventually you will see a difference. The muscles under your belly fat...sorry for the term, but that's what it is...will be nice and firm, just not visible to the world!

How much cardio do you do?
How's your diet?
Do you lift heavy? How often? Your training split?
How long have you been training for?

[LAM]

do HIIT cardio...

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp

[biggmac]

if your diet is sound, and the way it should be, try weight resisted ab workouts, its worked for me when simple crunches dont work... please post your workout schedule and diet so we have a better idea of what might help

[soccerchick]

how's your diet?

unfortunately all your efforts in the gym will be for nothing if your diet is off. my guess would be that you need to clean up your diet a little and lose some bodyfat and those abs will start to show through.

[Chicker]

I don't have the greatest work out and diet right now because I've been really busy, but even when I was at the gym a bunch I wasn't seeing improvements - but I plan to start going more often again a.s.a.p.

My diet probably isn't too great either...Here it is...roughly...I don't know measurements or anything. Sorry.

Meal 1
Shreddies with milk (very full bowl)
calcium fortified orange juice

Meal 2
whole wheat bagel (nothing on it)
juice box
apple
yogurt container
granola bar
about 10 crackers (i don't know what kind :S)

Meal 3
Whatever my mom's making...but they're usually pretty large meals...(ie, vast amounts of pasta with tomato sauce, orange juice, salad, bread, cut up veggies)

Meal 4
toasted whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.

At the moment I do as much working out as I can in my own room...but all I have is 10 pound hand weights so I'm limited to that at for now. Any ideas or criticism about the diet/work out is appreciated. thanks guys..

-Heather

[bombflower]

[ QUOTE ]
Chicker said:

I don't have the greatest work out and diet right now because I've been really busy, but even when I was at the gym a bunch I wasn't seeing improvements - but I plan to start going more often again a.s.a.p.

My diet probably isn't too great either...Here it is...roughly...I don't know measurements or anything. Sorry.

Meal 1
Shreddies with milk (very full bowl)
calcium fortified orange juice

<font color="red">Go for eggs and oatmeal instead</font>

Meal 2
whole wheat bagel (nothing on it)
juice box
apple
yogurt container
granola bar
about 10 crackers (i don't know what kind :S)
<font color="red">Lose the juice box, switch to water
forget the apple and granola bar and crackers
maybe have some turkey on whole wheat instead
</font>
Meal 3
Whatever my mom's making...but they're usually pretty large meals...(ie, vast amounts of pasta with tomato sauce, orange juice, salad, bread, cut up veggies)
<font color="red">try and go for more of the greens and slow down with the pasta. if you can have input on meals, suggest maybe having cooked chicken or something (someone else may be more helpful with this)</font>
Meal 4
toasted whole wheat bagel with peanut butter.
<font color="red">toss the bagel. maybe have cottage cheese instead </font>
At the moment I do as much working out as I can in my own room...but all I have is 10 pound hand weights so I'm limited to that at for now. Any ideas or criticism about the diet/work out is appreciated. thanks guys..

-Heather

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Also, you need to add more well-balanced meals in there. You should be eating AT LEAST 6 small meals a day.

I know my advice might not be complete as far as meal ideas and such, so maybe ask one of the experts here!

[soccerchick]

i'm going to quote a post from krypto that should help overall.

[ QUOTE ]
*********** said:
<font color="green">GENERAL CUTTING GUIDELINES:

1. Eat every 2-3 hours, balanced meals of protein, carbs, fat. Exception: you don't necesarily have to eat carbs for your last meal or two of the day, you CAN just eat protein and fat. Unless it's post workout, then you NEED to eat some carbs.

2. Try to keep the protein intake in each of your meals consistent. Eat a minimum of your bodyweight in protein, divided up equally in each of your meals.

3. Don't be afraid of fat, you NEED fat in order to BURN fat. You need to turn your body into a fat burning machine. In order to do this, you keep your carbs fairly low and your fat intake moderate. As in, the lower your carbs, the more fat you should be consuming.

4. Avoid sugars like the plague. Read your labels, avoid food with sugar listed in the ingredients.

5. Avoid processed foods, like those in boxes/packages and also anything made with white flour. White flour is overprocessed. Also anything that says, "enriched" avoid it as well.

6. Eat as close to nature as you can. In other words, the closer the food to how it occurs in nature, the better for you it is, and ESPECIALLY for fat burning.

7. Avoid starchy carbs like corn, bread, pasta.

8. For your last meal or two of the day, have only green veggies for your carbohydrates.

9. Last but not least, do NOT cut your calories too low. For starters I wouldn't even drop ANY calories. I would eat maintenance calories and just focus on cleaning up your diet and getting consistent with a good macronutrient ratio (protein, carbs, fat). Examples of good cutting ratios are: 40P/30C/30F, 40P/25C/35F, or 40P/20C/40F (of course there ARE others, those are just MY personal preferences).

10. A good website (free) to help you keep track of your calories, protein, carbs, and fat is: www.fitday.com

Here are some good choices for foods to eat, conducive to burning fat and/or staying lean. If the food you are eating is not on this list, I would question it.

PROTEINS

Boneless, Skinless Chicken Breast
Tuna (water packed)
Fish (salmon, seabass, halibut)
Shrimp
Extra Lean Ground Beef or Ground Round (92-96%)
Venison
Buffalo
Ostrich
Protein Powder
Egg Whites or Eggs
Ribeye Steaks or Roast
Top Round Steaks or Roast (aka Stew Meat, London Broil, Stir Fry)
Top Sirloin (aka Sirloin Top Butt)
Beef Tenderloin (aka Filet, Filet Mignon)
Top Loin (NY Strip Steak)
Flank Steak (Sir Fry, Fajita)
Eye of Round (Cube Meat, Stew Meat, Bottom Round , 96% LeandGround Round)
Ground turkey, Turkey Breast Slices or cutlets (fresh meat, not deli cuts)

COMPLEX CARBS

Oatmeal (Old Fashioned or Quick Oats)
Sweet Potatoes (Yams)
Beans (pinto, black, kidney)
Oat Bran Cereal
Rye Cereal
Brown Rice
Farina (Cream of Wheat)
Multigrain Hot Cereal
Whole wheat or Spinach Pasta
100% Stoneground Whole Wheat Bread

FIBROUS CARBS

Green Leafy Lettuce (Green Leaf, Red, Leaf, Romaine)
Broccoli
Asparagus
String Beans
Okra
Spinach
Bell Peppers
Brussels Sprouts
Cauliflower
Cabbage
Celery
Cucumber
Eggplant
Green or Red Pepper
Onions
Pumpkin
Garlic
Tomatoes
Zucchini

FRUIT

apples, grapefruit, peaches, strawberries, blueberries, raspberries
Lemons or Limes

HEALTHY FATS

Natural Style Peanut Butter
Olive Oil or Safflower Oil
Nuts (peanuts, almonds
Flaxseed Oil

DAIRY AND EGGS

Low-fat cottage cheese
Eggs
Bottled Water
Diet Soda
Crystal Light

CONDIMENTS &amp; SPICES

Mayonnaise
Reduced Sodium Soy Sauce
Reduced Sodium Teriyaki Sauce
Balsamic Vinegar
Salsa
Hot Peppers and Hot Sauce
Chili powder
Mrs. Dash
Steak Sauce
Sugar Free Maple Syrup
Chili Paste
Mustard
Extracts (vanilla, almond, etc )
Low Sodium beef or chicken broth
Plain or reduced sodium tomatoes sauce, puree, paste)
Stevia (natural sweetener)



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[ QUOTE ]
LAM said:
do HIIT cardio...

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/hiit.asp


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Great article!

[ QUOTE ]
The important thing to remember is sprinting is a very intense exercise. If you haven't tried to sprint for 30 seconds since you were a kid, you're in for a shock.

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Heh, no kidding! Reminds me of speed skating practice. That's about all I'm doing for 3 hrs during my speed skating practices, LOTS and LOTS of sprinting! And then of course there's the KILLER, feel like PUKING and PASSING OUT sprint drill coach has us do! Pace for 10 laps, then sprint for 10, pace for 9, sprint for 9, all the way down to 1 lap!!!