Okay, I need more advice (can you tell I'm on a self-improvement kick?)

[LeftyMom]

I have a kid. He's five now but I still have the squashy mom-belly thing going on. Needless to say, this displeases me greatly as my figure is otherwise okay- not fabulous but nothing embarassing outside of that issue. Unfortunately I can't afford to go get a gym membership someplace and since summertime in Sacramento is slightly hotter than the surface of the sun, I'm about as likely to get out and run/walk/ride my bike regularly as I am to win the lottery.

So is there anything I can do inside with a minimum of stuff to work on the squashiness around my midsection? I'm getting sick of feeling fat.

[Vincardog]

1. Every time you hear a commercial or are stopped in a car

SUCK IT UP. Do isometric exercises to tighten your abbes and obliges. Make your lower stomach hard and then roll that arround up and down and side to side.

Do this everytime and you will see great results in 2 weeks.

[PetraPooh]

2. I Know You Won't Believe this BUT. . .

Smack you stomach a lot. Not enough to hurt yourself and not a stinging slap. Just a good firm smack on the belly. You will notice over time you are able to smack more and more firmly as time goes on. It happens pretty quickly. This does two things. The involuntary response to a smack in the belly is for the belly muscles to temporarily tense which is exercise. Secondly, smacking the skin encourages improved blood circulation in that region of the skin, which re-enhances the elasticity it needs to recover so that it can shrink as the muscles firm up and the fat gets used up. Smack with a firm open hand, not flimsy and not a fist.

It is also an easy solution cuz you can do it anywhere depending on a moments privacy.

[IsIt1984Yet]

3. Pilates

Work your powerhouse. Seriously, get a video and do 20 minutes/day or at least 3x's/week.

[graywarrior]

4. Tighten your buttocks every chance you think of it.

Sounds crazy, but it changes your posture and firms up the belly.

[hfojvt]

5. you think cutting your hair

is self improvement? :wtf:

Improvement?

edit: If it ain't broke, don't fix it.

[LeftyMom]

6. It's going to be 108 today. It was 90 when I woke up

As a result, while I like how I look with long hair, having all that insulation on my head is not so fun.

I haven't decided what to do with my hair, but I think we can all agree that the spongy crap around my middle can go. :)

[xmas74]

8. I cut my hair off last year.

It was midway down my back. The change was nice-no sweat on the back of my neck in the summer! Just ask them to pull it in a pony first and dry cut the pony before they wash it or anything else so that it can be donated to Locks of Love or Wigs for Kids.

The squishy middle thing sucks, doesn't it? I've been doing pilates and yoga to work on it, along w/ some old fashioned crunches while watching television. I have noticed a difference the first month-a bit tighter.

[hfojvt]

21. I tried to do that before I had my long hair cut

but they said it needed to be 12 inches long. Mine was only about 9.5 inches. I used to cut my hair in the spring and let in grow in the fall, but when it was long I never really noticed it making me hotter in any sense.

[xmas74]

22. My stylist knows of one organization that will take donated

hair at seven inches. I'll ask her sometime which one it is.

My hair is so thick that even getting it thinned out makes it feel lighter and I don't feel as hot.

[miss_american_pie]

7. Is it just lack of muscle tone

or are you carrying extra weight there?

[LeftyMom]

9. There's some subcutaneous fat there

but it's mostly lack of muscle tone and very loose skin. I know there's not much that can be done about the skin shy of surgery.

[miss_american_pie]

10. Yeah, I have that trouble too

Pilates hasn't worked for me. Well, I can feel that there's muscle under there but the skin is way too stretched.

[LeftyMom]

11. I put on 45 lbs when I had LeftyKid

I was quite enormous, considering that my normal weight is about 120. I don't really expect that I'll ever have the firm stomach I had before, but I really want to not have my skin flop to the side when I lie down.

[miss_american_pie]

12. Oh I hear you

I gained 30ish each time, but they were each ten of that and it was all in my middle.

The only plastic surgery I'd consider is a tummy tuck.

[pitohui]

23. you need to see a plastic surgeon

loose skin doesn't just decide to tighten up because you did pilates

every star you see who has had a baby and now has a tiny tummy again, guess what, it is thanks to her surgeon not thanks to her trainer

people have v. unrealistic expectations of our bodies, we have the technology but somehow we try to convince ourselves that we are going to magically do what a thousand of generations of women could never do before us -- just work it off by torturing ourselves with silly exercises

a study was discussed on this site a few weeks ago, as far as pilates and yoga, conclusion was same as my experience -- they are a complete and total waste of time, they do NOTHING

at least aerobics would provide some cardio conditioning even if it wouldn't do anything about the loose skin and sloppy belly

[flvegan]

24. Actually, as a trainer, nothing you said is true.

Loose skin will tighten up again, except in extreme cases (800 lb person losing 600 lbs).

Also untrue, and baseless. Ask some of them before suggesting that.

I'd really like to see this "study" that was posted here. It seems like it could use a good debunking.

[Radio_Lady]

13. Lefty Mom, here's an interesting site. I don't know where they are

but the scary part is the "risks of surgery" stuff.

http://www.liposuction-tummy-tucks.com/tummy_tucks.htm

I think I'll just try to love my older body rather than take the chance something might/could go wrong.

[txwhitedove]

14. Sit-ups, work up to 50-per day and you'll start seeing a big difference.

Do along with other advice here about isometrics.
I had 3 kids and know it works.

:hi:

[flvegan]

15. I'll bet I could give you the e-mail/phone contact of a good trainer.

Bet he'd help you out for free, too.

Just sayin'...

[LeftyMom]

17. Would this be the gentleman who always tells me I look fine the way I am

;) Don't get me wrong, I'm glad you're biased, but I'm not happy with how I look.

[flvegan]

18. It might be.

But, he also wouldn't recommend any of the "spot reduction" types of solutions, either.

[LeftyMom]

19. Well, you know my email

You're too sweet to me. :hug:

[Floogeldy]

16. Leg raises (use weight bench).

Lay down on a weight bench with your legs hanging off of the end and do leg raises from the ground up. Better than sit ups, IMHO. :)

[tinfoil tiaras]

20. Get a fitness magazine or something

They'll probably have ideas for exersizes and such you can do. I know Seventeen does (not a fitness magazine but whatev)...they have really good exersizes....