Just say no to muffin top

October 24, 2008 By

My first Fit Friday post.

And now a Works for Me Wednesday post, too. Because it did… and it will again!

Not too long ago a friend of mine launched Fit Friday in an effort to shed a few pounds and encourage others to do the same.

At about the same time I trudged my lifetime member self back to Weight Watchers and vowed to get back on track. I also started writing about that adventure (again) here and launched Weight Watching Wednesdays.

Today when I saw her Fit Friday, I knew I just had to jump in there, too. Two posts a week means twice the motivation, right?

Well, I’m not sure if I’ll always be able to keep up the 2 posts a week trend (and fit in all that exercising I’m hoping to add, too) but here’s a start:

I am in need of banishing that evil muffin top. Ugh.

Last January, when I began training for the MS 150, a brilliant trainer at the YMCA gave me some exercises to strengthen my abs.

My goal at the time was to beat back pain, but I really loved the side-effect: flatter abs and no muffin top!! Cha-Ching!

(My husband liked the side-effect, too.)

I kept it up for quite awhile, but, unfortunately, I got out of the habit after the MS 150 (and before summer— what was I thinking?!)

But now, I’m bringing it back and not letting it go. And I’m sharing the secret with you.

So clear out about 10 minutes of your day (yes, that’s it) and let’s banish muffin top forever!!

(PS I am in no way a trained expert. Please bear with me as I do my best to explain this. And if you do it wrong as a result of any confusion, don’t sue me. You’re following this at your own risk.) Okay, here we go:

Plank

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Hold (and keep) your body flat/ straight, pulling in your abs and rest (haha) on your elbows and bent toes.

Hold for 20 seconds and repeat for three sessions. Add hold time as the days progress, working up to 2 minutes per hold.

Super Man Lifts

Rest on your stomach with your arms straight ahead.

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Pull your arms and legs straight up and out then drop back down. (see photo) 20 times. Pause and repeat for three sets total.

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I typically pull my body into child’s pose for a quick rest between the three sets.

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V sit

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Lie down, tighten your abs and pull yourself up, bending your knees, keeping your feet together and your back straight. Hold your arms straight in front of you. Hold for 20 seconds and repeat for three sessions. Add hold time as the days progress, working up to 1 minute per hold.

Do these exercises every single day and you WILL see a difference.

I don’t know why I ever stopped, but I am back on track, starting tonight.

PS For a really, really before photo, check this out.

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Amy

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Filed Under: Health & Beauty, Weight Watching Wednesdays 23 Comments

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  • Tracy

    I find it so hard to motivate myself, but the moves you pictured seem like they can be done quickly and *discreetly* (no jumping around allowed in my 3rd floor apartment).
    Thanks for the motivation. I found you through the blog party.

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  • http://fivejs.com Joy @ Five J’s

    I just did the minimun of your exercises, and I am soooooooo woooooooorrrrn ooooouuuuuuuttt!I guess that means I’m WAY out of shape. I could almost call these an aerobic exercise for me since my heart rate went up so much while I was doing them. And I think I sweated a ton. Pretty pathetic, huh!

    But I can really tell how these can help. If I can just do them on a regular basis!

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  • http://mudpiestodragonflies.blogspot.com Totallyscrappy

    Thanks. I’m off to give them a try!

  • http://www.ourfamilybookmarks.blogspot.com Jennifer

    This looks great. I am going to bookmark this and come back and snoop around when I have a free moment or two. Oh, and by the looks of your pictures, you dont have a muffin top to me!

  • http://www.audrakrell.com Audra Krell

    This is such a great post! You look fantastic. What was best though, was to see a real person in the pictures, not an airbrushed stick thin model. Very inspiring, thanks!

  • http://www.backporchreflections.blogspot.com jodi @ bpr

    great exercises – not sure they would work with a pregnant belly right now, though :)

    another thing that I’ve found that has helped motivate me to exercise (sad, but true) is I post my weekly exercise days for this week & last in my blog sidebar – I’ve committed to exercising 4x each week, and I think this is my 4th week of posting and it’s definitely helped! The last 2 weeks, I’ve gotten my final day in on Saturday, and had I not been posting for that accountability, it most certainly would have gotten skipped!

    keep up the great work! :)

  • http://countitpurejoy.blogspot.com/ Renee

    Those are so good – the first time I tried to do a plank I only managed about 2 seconds! I was so proud as the length of time I could do it continued to increase.

    One I add is a side plank – just like the regular plank, but you’re on one side and then the other. So hard!

  • Meredith

    OK old friend from HS. I just did your core moves and I thought I was in half way decent shape. I guess not– those were torture. But I am in and I have a plan for the week including some spin classes! Bring it on!!!!!!!!

    Love your blog girlfriend-

    Meredith (Francis) Bleasdell : )

    I had to laugh (with you) when it came to your comment. As I was doing the exercises Friday night, for the first time in WAY too long, they seemed a lot more challenging than I remembered. And then even my thighs were a little sore the next day! Ouch. But I must need it there, too.

    Glad you are joining in!!

    -Amy

  • http://www.afuturepastorswife.blogspot.com Rachel

    I do these on the Wii Fit. The plank is especially hard (and I only do 30 seconds) but the difference I feel the next day is amazing.

  • Somebody’s Mimi

    Oh I thought this was going to be about baking a new type of muffin! You are going to do this… I just know it! It seems so easy, but I kinda think it’s not. I guess we’ll need patience.

  • http://rjsmomentsandmemories.blogspot.com Jackie @ Our Moments Our Memories

    Wow! And these help back pain too? I will for sure give these a try. Thanks so much for posting these!

  • http://www.livinginhismercy.blogspot.com Shayna

    Definitely! going to give those a try, my abs are jelly after 3 kids and need help! I am holding you to your every day see a difference promise too…

    hee hee hee

  • http://www.justusgibsons.blogspot.com Kerry @ Colored With Memories

    wow…very informative. i’m going to try this real quick…something tells me that i’m not going to be able to do 3 sets of any of these though…baby steps, right?

  • http://www.meetmeintheclubhouse.blogspot.com Merry Lynn

    Now that is something I can try to do. No equipment needed. I could do that while watching tv at night or at nap time. Thanks so much for sharing!!!! I’ll be posting my beautiful six pack when I achieve it. I will give you/your site a big shout out! Grin.

  • http://www.saraweighingin.blogspot.com Sara

    thanks for the tips! isn’t it amazing what very little time and some effort on a consistent basis will do?!!! good luck! you’re doing great!:)