Is it okay to do situps with a gut?

Moderate exercise of any kind, done consistently should help reduce any prominent guts. Situps done incorrectly may make your gut area swell from the inflammation or from shifting your organs around. In this action every body is different and you may need a good friend to help you measure and assess whether the situps are working as desired. Situps and crunches done correctly will strengthen your muscles and actually help to create a slim appearance. If your exercise is coupled with gut-reducing dietary changes, you should see yourself slimming not getting bigger. You should feel yourself getting stronger too.

Most physical trainers will recommend a series of abdominal(gut) exercises to slim the gut area, not just focus on sit-ups.

The gut will make a proper sit-up something of a challenge, but I don’t foresee any actual problems with it.

@DaphneT Do you know which exercises are good? Or a place that lists them out? I’ve changed my diet pretty drastically (which means I’ve learned to cook more, side benefit!) and have been doing regular cardio. Its shrunk a lot but there is still enough that I was worried about this issue.

@DaphneT @Nullo You both mentioned doing a proper sit up. Just so I’m sure, is this good form?

I was thinking particularly about the bit where you sit all the way up.

It will tighten and shrink your gut.

@roundsquare: Nothing you heard is especially wrong – not sure I believe the part about looking bigger – but it depends on what your goals are. The important point is you won’t lose much fat from your gut from doing situps. You might build some muscle under your fat, but that’s probably not what you want right now.

To lose fat, you should do a good cardiovascular workout. My opinion is an exercise bike or similar workout is ideal for this. It gets boring, but you can see how many calories you burn to make sure you meet the goals of your daily exercise routine. (Maybe supplement it with some good outdoor recreation too.)

Kickboxing is a great cardio workout. It’s also fun. You can find some good exercise DVD’s with kickboxing routines that fit your energy level.

Here is a list of the best cardio exercises to help you lose belly fat from Livestrong

If you build up the muscles by working them, they will get bigger. But, it is pretty hard to build them up, especially if you are a girl, I don’t know your gender. It is very good to strengthen your stomach, also known as core muscles. It helps protect your back, plus other good things.

You cannot spot reduce. If you want to lose your gut that mostly has to do with what you eat and the calories you burn to get rid of the fat on your body. Another factor can be if your sugar tends to run high many believe this contributes to fat held in the stomach, you can get a simple sugar blood test while fasting and make sure your level is normal. If you tend to be constipated that can also blow up your tummy a little. And, genetics of course.

Swimming, dancing, running will strengthen your core just by doing those things, without necessarily specifically doing a sit up. Using your legs, epecially going forward with your inner thigh (so foot turned out like a ballerina) engages the somach muscles. Always stand tall, with your stomach held in to help strengthen your stomach and back muscles througout the day. The more you use those muscles the stronger they will become.

More muscle in your body will mean you burn calories faster.

If you start doing sit-ups, you’ll most likely lose your gut.

Thanks all. It looks like the consensus is that I shouldn’t worry about it and that it may help reduce the gut. I’ll integrate it into my workout.

On the cardio side: I’ve been running almost daily now for the past month. Summer in Hong Kong is hot so I think its been quite effective. On food: my diet has changed considerably so I think I’m on track there. (Lots of chicken/tofu and vegetables with a little bit of pasta).

@JLeslie I’ve been forgetting to suck my gut in. I’ll need to start doing that again. I’m a guy and I do want to build up my ab muscles eventually, but that’s not just my immediate goal. I’ll also get my blood level checked when I get back to the US and can see my doctor again.

Thanks again folks.

@roundsquare: it almost certainly won’t reduce it, but it could help tone it later, so it doesn’t hurt. I think it might be a good idea to do some kind of benchmarked cardio exercise for a while – a bike (my preference), treadmill, stair climber, or whatever. That way you can see your performance improve over time. (No reason to stop other exercise entirely, but do something a few days a week.)

@roundsquare I noticed you asked for some exercises. I want to point out that not only your abs, but really your whole core is good to work out. From what I’ve heard a strong core it helps stabilize your back and other issues around that area supposedly anyways.

A list of some exercises that I’ve done to work the abs/core

Planks
Side planks
Flutter kicks
Sit up
Crunch
30 sec – 1 min crunch and hold
Oblique crunch
Russian twist
Full body crunch
Frog kicks
Couple more here http://www.armyprt.com/special_conditioning_programs/4-for-the-core.shtml I like the Quadraplex personally its simple yet if you really focus and stretch your leg and arms out and balance for a good minute or however long you need . Also point your toes out gives a little more stretch I find it helps maximize it personally.

There is a ton of exercises out there I have couple more floating in my mind don’t remember all the names. Good to change it up from the regular sit up and crunch routine so not only do you not get bored, but work different muscles or target them in different ways.

Hope that will help you get started. Hell I should be doing these myself…More of them and more often! Haha.

@roundsquare here is a good list of ab exercise options. This site gives a good overview of the muscles involved. I’ve always found that picturing the muscles helps focus the exercises.

Good luck with your efforts.

@roundsquare Have you been losing weight? Getting thinner?

I’m goin to add an “it depends” based on a problem that some have that situps are particularly not good for. The medical term is diastasis recti, and it’s a condition where one’s abdominal muscle wall splits in half vertically (so the “six pack” splits into 3 on the left and 3 on the right). Someone with this condition who attempts to do situps will force their intestines forward (since nothing is holding them in) and they will protrude from the stomach area like an alien or football. In that case, situps exacerbate the protrusion, and it’s better to do other exercises. The split happens when there’s too much pressure (from increased abdominal mass) against a weak abdominal wall. It’s common among pregnant women, but can happen to obese people as well.

@CuriousLoner @DaphneT Thanks for the specifics. I like the idea of switching things up.

@JLeslie Yeah, slowly but surely. I don’t always have the self control I should on the food but it seems to be enough to be having a positive effect.

@serenade Interesting. I’m not obese, just a bit chubby in the center. I guess it might still happen… is there a way to know for sure?

@roundsquare The food is the big deal. It sucks I know. An hour of exercise can be blown with 2 cookies. Depends on the cookie and exercise of course, but it takes about a minute to consume the calories it takes an hour to burn. Doesn’t have to be a sweet treat, it can be just an extra piece of chicken, extra butter on bread, or one more serving spoon of mashed potatoes.

However, whatever weight you have lost, slow or fast counts! That’s great, just keep on keeping on. I’m dieting and it has been very slow this time. I’m having trouble sticking to my plan.

You can join my Q for fluther weight loss if you are interested. If you aren’t already on it.