Okay so id really like to start seeing changes in my waistline but im SOOO bored of crunches

Im doing leg raises whilst laid on my side to target my hips, crunches to target my tummy, sit-ups on my exercise ball and dancing to try reduce the waistband but it gets dull.

Does anyone have any other exercises ( for at home ) that i can do the target my mid-section, or any websites that show some good ones.

Id just like some more variation

You can NOT spot reduce. There is no exercise in the world that will rid yourself of "love handles" specifically.
Basically, you can not do a specific exercise to remove specific fat. Genetics can really be a bummer in this situation...

but there are exercises that "target" specific exercises.... yes?

Like i remmeber when i was in shape at uni, and my trainer was doing some crazy workouts with me and all my 'problem' areas seemed to miraculously get better. I just dont remember what he told me.

Im naturally a curvy girl (pear shaped, bigGER boobs, hips ) but when i was my perfect weight i never had rolls or love handles :P I guess im just wondering if any kind of "twist"ing movement would help burn off some inches faster? In addition to my cardio

No.

Trevor is correct. You can't target fat with exercise. Exercises call on MUSCLES for execution. Fat doesn't come into play. So how do you suppose the fat will simply 'fall off' since you are targeting the muscles under the fat?

okay so i dont know specific terms, i dont know the technical side of it, but i do know when i used to trampoline and sometimes let it go my trainer could get my problem areas worked on super fast.

Im not saying he wasnt correct. I was just looking for advice on something i once did. I KNOW theres no miracle fat burn cure. So let me try re-phrase....

I would like some advice on exercises that use my stomach muscles and the lower muscles around the hip area (i dont know names ). The kinds of exercises and movs that make me feel 'the burn' in my tummy.

Right. I understood what you were saying the first time. And what you are saying here again, is the exact same thing.

Listen, why don't you tell me what 'feeling' the burn in your abs and thighs is going to do for your fat stores?

You are thinking backwards.

Losing fat is a function of being in an energy (calorie) deficit. When we are expending more energy than we are consuming, our body has no choice but to 'pull' energy from its existing stores (eg. fat).

Here's the big point you are missing: Fat comes off our bodies in a genetic pattern unique to individual. For some we'll lose fat from our face first and butts last. For others, vice versa. And you can't alter this pattern.

"Trouble spots" such as your belly and thighs are usually the first places to accumulate fat. Unfortunately, they are usually the last place the fat comes off when dieting.

Exercising with resistance training shouldn't be used to 'target' your problem areas.

1. It's physiologically impossible to do so.

2. You'd be better served doing a balanced resistance training program using heavy (relative to your strength) weights while performing compound exercises. You'll get way more bang for you buck compared to isolation abdominal exercises.

I'm not sure how else to stress this to you.

Plain and simply, stop looking for an exercise to burn the fat off. It simply doesn't work like that. If your trainer led you to believe that, he/she was wrong. Most are.

If you 'got results' when your trainer was helping you... the exercises you were doing to 'target' the fat were simply coincidence. The real reason the fat came off was due to your energy balances.

Thanks steve that clearifies a question for me.

Welcome.

ok well thankyou for the facts.

I guess also im not taking in the fact that im referring back to when i was approx 130lbs, and more in shape, so it was probably easier to see results faster from what my trainer was telling me to do.

It just seems that everywhere i look, the net, tv, gym people.... all say there are exercises that 'target' certain areas to see inch loss faster. I guess when i get into the 180's ish it may be easier to see results.

Is it true that at first you lose weight from all over? then you see drops in certain areas?

I guess ive been big time mis-construed (i know itsprob spelt wrong), i just really thought in addition to my cardio i could do some things at home to see results faster

Welcome, although I'm guessing it's not what you wanted to hear.

Absolutely not.

The more 'work' you have to do in terms of physique-enhancement, the quicker you'll see results.

The closer you are to your genetic potential, the harder it is to come by results.

For instance, I can spend a year busting my rump and make very slight changes in muscular development at the stage of the game I'm at.

When I first started I could gain muscle at a ridiculous pace relative to now.

Yup, there are a lot of wrong people out there. Don't ever turn to the tv or gym people for your info. I'd also add the net too, but few places on the net are actually good.

Myths drown out the sound information in this industry.

Maybe once you get things on a roll, results will come quicker. But again, the closer you get to your genetic potential, the harder results will be to come by.

There's no rhyme or reason.

For some it will come off pretty evenly. For others, not so much.

It's genetically unique for each of us.

I never said you couldn't see faster/better results.

I said you can't spot reduce fat.

hehe ok.

i guess im just totally confused . Where do i turn to for accurate information then? I would of said books but these days there are so many out there all saying different things.

Maybe my body works weirdly, i dunno =p

Well i think im getting into the swing of things, ive lost 9 lbs so far and am going for a smooth 2-3lbs a week i think.

I take in approx 1450- 1900 cals a day, normally being around 1700. I do cardio for 1 hour 3-5 times a week, and everyday aim for 30 mins on my exercise ball, and 30 mins doing my crazy heels dancing. Do you think this is suffient to maintain a weekly weight loss?

Unless you feel like burying your nose in research, studies, texts, etc.... I'd simply suggest finding someone of obvious competence to listen to. Pretty much any forum will have enough educated members to provide sound information.

This forum is certainly no different.

Haha, wouldn't that be cool.

Unfortunately, we are all bound by the same physiological laws.

Congrats! That's great.

What are your current stats? My apologies if you've already provided them.

I'd suggest throwing some resistance training into the mix. Actually, it's more important than cardio, IMO.

What do you do on the exercise ball?

well im 5'4 inches tall. I weight 211 pounds. I dont know my current body fat % but i think im about 32% , that is what i was at 2 months ago but it may of changed as of late. Do you mean body inch stats?

At the end of my cardio i try do some weights. Im not very clued in on the resistance training i need. I use 12lb weights and so some lunges, something were i lift them above my head (dont know names), and some other random stuff. My boyfriend has given me some to do but for the life of me i forget names.

The thing i like about cardio is all the sweating i do, and i feel so good after running and keeping my heart rate up. You think i should do more weights/resistance stuff?

On the ball i do.... (sorry for bad explainations)...
to warm up : marching on ball and hip twists
exercise : crunches
hold ball between my feet, lay on back and pull ball towards me
push ups, at end i pull ball towards my chest with feet and push out
lay on ball with tummy, pull feet up alternately behind me upwards
put feet on ball, lay on back, raise hips up


Hope that kind of explains :P For most of them i do 10 of each, and 3 sets .

If you are averaging 1700 calories per day, the weight should be coming off. That's a pretty aggressive deficit considering your stats.... but I don't have a real problem with it, assuming the foods you are eating make sense too.

Are you doing this at home?

I'm sure you feel great afterwards.

The thing is, 'how you feel' shouldn't be your only metric for success and progress. Resistance training doesn't impose the same stress as cardiovascular exercise, so they are going to feel extremely different. Sweating and being out of breath does not equate to success.

Controlling your energy intake, doing *enough* cardio, AND following a properly constructed resistance training program are critical to success.

Success = looking good. Not simply losing weight.

Enough cardio = enough for cardiovascular health which is not much, plus some additional thrown in there so you don't have to starve yourself to create a caloric deficit.

Properly constructed resistance training program = a routine focusing on the use of compound exercises where progressively overloading the muscles is practiced.

I do the cardio and the weights resistance training at the gym. Because i dont drive in the states i cant get to the gym on my own, so can only go when my boyfriend goes.
Im looking to buy a bike soon so i can ride myself there, i was thinking of going twice a day 5 days a week. Morning for cardio. Afternoon for resistance.

Think that would be a good idea?

I think my food are ok. Im going to try construct myself a food planner for the week. If i posted it would you mind taking a look at it and letting me know your thoughts? My boyfriend tries to help but he bases most of his advice on his own eating habits where mainly try to build muscle mass.