Hello!

I am struggling to tone my stomach muscles and wanted some advice if anyone has tried and tested a good exercise. what is the best one? and how quick are the results?


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  • I’ve never had a toned tum as I love food too much lol.
    I guess following someone like kayla Itsines would help as she has had a child and exercises and eats well and has a very toned all over.


  • If you are doing ab exercises post baby be careful with situps and planks. And talk to a professional if you have split abdominal’s -the wrong exercises will make this worse.
    Also – toning your tummy and being able to see the results is not just about the exercises you are doing, its what you eat as well. You need to be focusing on both.


  • I’d like to know the answer to that one too.


  • haha. don’t have kids! :) Yoga helps I believe. Not working for me yet.


  • Sit ups are great but after four bubs my tummy will never be as toned as before . Although it’s flat now the slight excess skin is something that won’t ever leave me.


  • I have started using a weighted hula hoop. When I first got it, I managed 5 mins at a time and it hurt. Now I’m up to 20 mins at a time and no pain whatsoever. Not sure if my muscles have improved, but my flabby tum is still here


  • Finding an exercise that works for you is also important otherwise it is unlikely to get done.


  • I’m going to have to try some of these suggestions as well.


  • I think I am going to try the planking suggestion.


  • My tummy will never be as toned pre children! I walk and stretch and swim and all of these do help.


  • I find planking really good. Just remember to not start to early. My physio said a minimum of 6 weeks but preferably 3 months to allow the muscles to heal and join after birth.


  • Constantly doing a few sit-ups every day seems to make a difference!


  • Be a 17 year old girl who lives in a town without a single fast food restaurant, 2 kms from any public transport and a mother who refused to drive you anywhere. My stomach was beautiful. I miss it so much. Its so much harder to keep flat when you have an income and maccas do all day sausage and egg mcmuffins in the drive thru.


  • I’ve wondered this too. I haven’t achieved anything yet but have noticed adding pelvic floor exercises (after going to a physio and getting it checked out i was doing them right and getting some good tips) I have increased my abdominal strength. I do notice that my lots of cake eating is seen around that area unfortunately :(
    I went to a bodybalance gym class recently and there were heaps more exercises I hadn’t really known before that were good for strengething ALL the abdominal muscles not just a particular few. Maybe try that too?
    If you find any extra tips please share! because it’s not really generally knowledge


  • I have two pieces of advice. The things that have worked for me and the professional advice I’ve been given. First the professional advice. This has focused on first activating and toning those “inner” muscles like transverse abdominus and pelvic floor (you can google exercises). If you’re really bad after a pregnancy (eg diastasis recti) they may recommend a support belt to help retrain muscles by first just holding them in the right position. It makes sense but I’ve always found it hard to feel any progress, although over time (2 years) there must have been improvement since I can now feel the transverse muscle and activate it (I think). Second, the things I feel have worked for me i) general weight loss .. at least I can see where the muscles should be now; ii) swimming front crawl for endless lengths (sometimes I think I can see a difference in tone after just 3 weeks going once a week but doing a few Km in the pool that day); and iii) those ‘safe’ abdominals where you lie on your back and crunch opposite arm to opposite leg (called a bicycle crunch maybe?)…. I certainly feel achy after doing them and stronger a few days after when I come to try again…. and I think they have introduced some side tone.. although I still feel the front bulges too much! Good luck. Hope to hear some other tips from others too!


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