Help, Suggestions and Advice please :-)

[dpshaw]

Hey everyone.....

I exercise 4-5 days a week in the gym that we are fortunate to have in our workplace. I do 35-40 mins of cardio-vascular exercise on those days - on the treadmill and on the cross-trainer. It's sooo very hard but I know I need to do it.

Anyway, the reason for my post is to ask for some help. I am a little embarrassed and not sure who I could ask (I certainly don't feel I can approach the Gym Instructors), so I thought to myself, where is the best place to get some advice from some understanding friends...yep the good old ADBB.

I have a large pocket of fat just below my stomach (just above the groin)- I call it my Fat Pad - and it is the bain of my life and it doesn't seem to get any smaller , no matter how hard I exercise. :-(

What is the best exercise I could do to reduce this fat pad?

For example, would stomach sit-ups do the trick or is the fat pad too 'low' on my body for that to work?

PLEASE HELP ME IF YOU CAN

Cheers

[2big4mysize]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

there really isn't any exercise you can so to spot reduce. you can firm up the muscles in your ab as you are losing weight, Does your gym have any weight training equipmwnt? if so you could start a resistance program along with your cardio and exercise and build some muscle tissue while you burn off even more body fat.

[ttdriver]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

I agree; combining weight training with cardio is an excellent way to reduce ALL body fat while raising your metabolic rate so you burn more calories, even at rest.

Unfortunately, spot reducing is wishful thinking; but a commitment to consistent cardio and resistance training yields great results!

You're doing fantastic! KEEP UP THE GREAT WORK!

Oh, and one more thing .. take your measurements OFTEN so you can watch that pad SHRINK!



Betty

[dpshaw]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

Many thanks ladies...makes perfect sense what you are saying about the weight training - so I guess that's my next goal

I think I may pluck up the courage to book a new 'programme' to get a mix of cardio and weights added into a routine.

Cheers again - oh, and by the way TT, you look FANTASTIC !!!!!

[Analog6]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

I have signed up with a personal trainer at the gym and here are some of the stuff he has me doing to strengthen abdoinals ( and they are really complaining, I can tell you!).

1. Ball crucnches. You will need a fitball, I use a 75cm one. He has me sit on the ball and then walk forward until when I lean back my lower back is totally supported by the ball. I brace my feet against a wall, not free standing like the lady in the link. You do NOT come right up to 90 degrees, you lay back at about 45 and lower gently ntil back is on ball. Then SLOWLY come back up to 45 degreees. 20 crunches x 2

Here is a link. http://www.shapefit.com/abs-exercise...-crunches.html

2. Adominal Bicycle Kicks. (20 x 2) Lie on back. Place both hands under small of back. Raise knees and bend legs until lower legs are parallel with the floor. Extend one leg parallel to floor, bring back, do same with other leg. Repeat 10 times for each leg (20 in all). I can still only manage about 15, I started with 10 x 4!).

There are lots of others on that website, but start with the gentlest or you'll hurt yourself and that's worse than doing nothing. You are very lucky to have a gym at work, mine is $41 per fornight and the PT is extra ($45 weekly - I'm only having him for 12 weeks, can't afford ongoing!)

Good luck

[ttdriver]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

I agree; BALL CRUNCHES ROCK! I try to do 100 a day and man, what a burn!

Betty

[dpshaw]

Re: Help, Suggestions and Advice please

Many thanks Analog6 for the detailed advice. I really appreciate the time you have taken to do that and it is exactly the kind of help I knew I'd get from my friends here. I'm gonna look on ebay right now for a ball

You are very lucky to have a gym at work

yeah I know I'm lucky - costs me £20 (approx $13) a month and it is a full gym with everything you can want, except no pool). I go before I start work, so I'm down there at 6.30am for an hour - sets me up good for the day Thanks again :->