My friend and I did pilates tonight. Wow, now that kicks butt! Really showed me that I have a lot to work on. My arms have become so weak and I really have lost a whole lot of flexibility. We both also have Billy Blanks Tae Bo Workout DVDs that we are going to work with. What else is everyone else working on right now? Does anyone know anything that will really work on your abs and mid-section? I want to lose this baby flab and I'm not sure what kind of exercises work for that. Good luck everyone!

I know that when I worked out in the gym using the big exercise balls and doing crunches on those really helped.

Those exercise balls are killers when done right! If someone tells you that they can do a hundred - don't believe them....they're not doing them right. They have to be done slow...a hundred could be done.....but it should take a long time. Sharon Portland/Milwaukie OR

You would not know by my condition, but I do have a co-worker who says it's a problem area for her (she is tiny and petite but does have a large bust and the little bit of weight she does have is carried in the midriff/tummy area). She says you still have to do anything aerobic to burn calories/fat off that area (of course the rest of the body gets worked too) but that her combination of working out at the gym plus any ab tape by Tamilee Webb or Cathe Freidich is the best - the key she says is when you're fat (like us) you can only do like 3-5 minutes but if you keep doing that everyday you eventually get up to that whole 15 minute tape. And then you only do that much 2-3 times a week, but try to do at least 3 minutes of the exercises each day and mix them up to continually target different areas. She says it's a long road but worth it (and she looks just fine).

Billy worked for me years ago!! I still intend to go back to using his tapes ...I think they really work but you have to do them at least 4 times weekly.

I have worked with a number of different trainers before I had my daughter, and each one told me that to get rid of the midsection, you should do some type of ab work everyday. I have found pilates and yoga really help my midsection, as well as good old fashion calesthetic type exercises. Here is my ab routine: 50 crunches, 50 pelvic tilts in hands and knees position, I use a 6lb. exercise ball to work on my inner and outer obliques ( stand w/ feet shoulder width apart and slightly bent, hold hips in a stable position, hold ball in front of you and mid-stomach level, and twist from side to side while contracting ab muscles. Do large twists for outer obliques and small twists for inner obliques) 50 reps, I use a dumbell to work on love handle area (stand w/ feet shoulder width apart and put one arm behind your head. The other holds the dumbell at your side and bend straight down to the side until the weight is about level w/ your knee- or as far as you can go- and return to center) 50 on each side. I do this everyday, and it is really helping. I hope this helps you guys too!
-Sunny

Hi there! Okay, here's what I know about abs: After 15-30 minutes of cardiovascular exercise an ab workout will not only strengthen muscle, but will actually burn more fat. And I'm pretty sure I know that the Abs are one of two muscle groups that have a quick recovery to a workout so you can focus on that part of your body everyday. The other muscle is your calves, I believe. HOpe this helps--it's something I learned while training to be a gym teacher--about 7 years ago. Things change so much when it comes to exercise. Keep up the good work!!!