I want a flat stomach and all round toning, HOW?!

Recently I've started working out again, my abs are no longer defined I miss that so much 🙁
I'm stretching again too, I'm not as flexible as I was about a year ago. Realised how unfit I've become.

My local gym used to cost me £44 a month (thats about $80 US!!) being a broke student I couldn't afford it anymore so I gave up.

Trying to work out at home now without the use of machinery. Its leg stretches, crunches for the abs, arms, shoulders, the kind of workout I did when I was training martial arts. I'm gona push myself for the running too.

What I'm doing probably isn't all that great, can you guys suggest a workout routine that doesn't involve going to the gym to get a nice defined stomach and to tone up all round?

Cheers!

Do stuff like push ups (start with 20 or however many you feel comfortable with and try to increase that number by one each day) . Sit ups are quite good for the chest area as well.
There are those muscle toner things, but they dont get rid of fat, they just tone muscle that is already there, and being a student, you might not want to spend the money on one anyway.

you know, you dont need all these high-tech gadget stuff that advertise on TV. Brisk walking and stretching is a good warm up (but dont do the 'bouncing exercises'😉. Sit-ups are a good idea, and curl ups, push-up, do some sports. Run further to increase endurance and your breath rate. I used to be a physical person but got lazy and now need to start over like you 🙁 I feel the pain

(start with 20 or however many you feel comfortable with and try to increase that number by one each day)

not really the best strategy.. do as many as u can do every time.. push yourself to your limit.. if you can add 5 then do it the next time try to add 100.. working out is all about taking urself to ur limit dont just say ill do this and stop stuff like crunches and pushups and stuff u just gotta burn yourself out

I feel bloated after food. Is this normal? (Might sound duh, but not sure if lotsa ppl get bloated!)

i feel full usualy... not really bloated too much.. eat less or maybe slower or maybe just better quality food

you can eat what you want (within reason) and lose weight/look better you just have to eat smaller portions and take ur time and try to mix in more healthier foods too.. dont eat right before sleeping that sort of thing. and then just exercise!

Prolly gas... I get that too...

And I like the thing about increasing your pushups by 1 each day... He's not training for a bodybuilding comp here, he just wants to be in reasonably good shape. It's worse to hurt yourself and not be able to work out for 2 months than it is to start slowly and gradually get stronger.

I like pushups, but pullups are even better if you have a bar and are strong enough to do 'em without killing yourself every time. Also, you might invest in some weights... Just the little dumbell thingies you hold in one hand. They're not too expensive, and well worth the money.

Sports of any kind are always good too, especially martial arts if you can afford to pay for classes...

you can just get good exercise without even paying a thing. Jog outside...push-ups...use items around the house as those dumbell thingies.
forumcrew> yeah, thats all true. Don't eat so fast, or skip meals. Skipping meals will have you eat more in one go, and bloat you up. Meals here and there, but dont lay down right after a meal; that can cause some heartburn.

^yep

It's better for your digestive system to eat a lot of small meals than a few big ones

Not that you have to be like Dale Gribble and eat nine small meals a day or anything just be sure to have at least 3 meals a day

doing pushups u wont hurt urself and not be able to do it for 2 montsh thats rediculous.. u build muscle by destroying it and letting it rebuild if u dont get to a point that challenges u at all.. its useless

learn that the "no pain no gain" theory doesn't work.

$5000 for a tummy tuck / liposuction combo

To get a slim toned stomache you need to run long distances. Sit Ups will give you strength and ripples, but if you got that light layer of fat over those abs (like most of us) then you need to run in order to knock down the belly. Jumping rope until you break a good sweat is excellent for this too. Then do all sorts of sit ups and push ups to help develop muscle definition.

If you're like me, i'd wait about 2 hours after i eat a meal before i start any ab work outs. If you're serious about working out, then you'll push yourself to the limit all the time...and that may cause you to lose your lunch.

And most important of all, remember that you'll probably be pretty weak at first, and that 6 packs don't happen over night. Strive to increase your repetitions so that each workout is better than the last one. The great thing about push ups and sit ups are that you can do them everyday...unlike weight training which requires a day of rest afterwards.

6 weeks ago when i started working out....i'd finish my lifting and go to the treadmill for 20 minutes and then go do 4 sets of 30 sit ups. Now 6 weeks later i finish my lifting and run for 35 minutes on the treadmill and do 4 sets of 90 situps....just remember to always push yourself to be better, but not so hard that you hurt yourself.

oh and regarding diets....your working out will help that bloated feeling. I used to eat like 3 meals a day and would get fat from it, but since i started working out hard, i eat almost 5 meals a day. My metabolism has sped up dramatically and even with those 5 meals, i'm losing my gut. Also, i don't recommend counting the number of pounds you add or lose...it's all in how you feel about your looks, not how much you weigh.

Hey Linkalicious, thanks for the tips!

I used to find it odd when I'd eat 5-6 times a day and not get fat, guess I was more active back then. Its funny, I used to eat more than my bf and he weighs 4stone more than I do!

Really pushed myself today, when I walked down the stairs I really felt it in my thighs, must mean I'm doing something right 😉

Originally posted by forumcrew
doing pushups u wont hurt urself and not be able to do it for 2 montsh thats rediculous.. u build muscle by destroying it and letting it rebuild if u dont get to a point that challenges u at all.. its useless

I know that's an exaggeration, but I hope what you posted originally was too. Adding 5 one day then a hundred the next?! That's just stupid!

Originally posted by Asami
I want a flat stomach and all round toning, HOW?! Cheers!

EDIT

I agree with everything said here. I have my own gym in my garage that has boxing equipment and weights and a rowing machine. I go running often too but the most consistent workout I get is cycling.I have no car and I'll be damned If I'm gonna wait for buses all day long. I cycle where ever I go including work so the least exercise I'll do on any given day, even a lazy day is 7 miles of cycling. It is great for legs and cardio vascular system. If you did martial arts, then you know~(asI do through boxing) that nothing makes you breathe harder than fight training(punchbag) or skipping. but if you get a bike and just cylcle everywhere, the fat will drop off

Cycling is great ✅

I love riding my bike when the weather permits ✅

i want a noticable six pack, mine isn't that noticable. and i dont feel like what ever i do makes it better or worst.