How To Deal With Loose Skin After an Extreme Weight Loss

Recently, a Women's Health reader tweeted at Amy Roberts, a certified personal trainer who writes for us regularly, asking if there were any exercises she could do to tighten the loose skin left after her weight loss. "I was stymied for the kind of helpful, supportive answer I wanted to give—especially one that would fit in 140 characters or fewer," says Roberts. We reached out to different experts to find the answer, and they all said the same thing: Once skin has been stretched, there aren't any workout moves that can tighten it.

This is an issue that Kelly Coffey, a personal trainer who lost 160 pounds, has personal experience with: She was shocked at both the appearance of her now-trim body and how she felt about it when she first lost the weight. “I didn’t look or feel anything like I was expecting to once I was thin,” she says. Her journey of accepting her body turned out to be more of a process than shedding the pounds was, a lesson she teaches in her e-course, "Pleasure Principles: a course to get you happily grounded in healthier habits." 

How loose your skin gets after losing weight depends on several factors: how much weight you've lost, how old you were when you lost the weight, how many times you've lost and gained the weight back, and how quickly you lost it (the faster you lose it, the less time your skin has to tighten naturally). If you really want to get rid of the excess skin, there are some surgical options, says Anthony Youn, M.D., a board-certified plastic surgeon based in Michigan. They range from getting a tummy tuck to a full-body lift—but there are big reasons not to undergo these procedures; apart from the cost, all of these options come with the risk of complications or even death, says Youn.

Coffey ended up getting a tummy tuck, but if you have loose skin, you may find that what you really need isn't surgery but a mental shift. After all, there's nothing wrong with having a few extra folds; it's feeling more comfortable in your skin that really matters, and there are plenty of ways to accomplish that that don't involve going under the knife.

Take Pride in What Your Body Can Do
For Coffey, lifting weights was key to accepting her body. It made her stronger and helped her appreciate the abilities of her body. "It’s hard to have a problem with a body that's capable of taking on the challenges you put it through," she says. Whether your body takes you on runs, helps you lift up your children, or twists itself into challenging yoga poses, appreciating what it does for you can help you become more accepting of it.

Stop the Comparisons
This is a crucial part of combating expectation hangovers. Comparing yourself to models, other women, or even what you pictured you'd look like before you lost the weight makes it impossible to appreciate the health gains you've made or how strong you've become. And at the end of the day, your body doesn't have to be the spitting image of a celeb's to be healthy—and look amazing.

Fight Damaging Self-Talk
When you have a negative thought about the way your post-weight loss body looks, Coffey recommends doing a "caring action" like talking with a loved one on the phone, going on a walk outside, or meditating. "When you answer those negative thoughts with caring actions, the care starts to beat out that negative mentality."

Buy Clothes that Fit Your New Body
Finding your own style by shopping for clothes that suit your body type helps you accept your new body and take pride in how you present yourself to the world, says Coffey. Even though trying on clothes can be stressful, it'll be worth it when you find pieces that work for you, she says.

Surround Yourself With People Who Know and Appreciate Your Accomplishments
Spending time with your significant other, family, and friends who recognize all the hard work you put into your weight-loss journey will help reinforce all of the amazing progress you've made, says Coffey. This is especially helpful when you aren't able to see for yourself how amazing your new body is.

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How to Maintain Fitness While Injured

If you have a sports injury, chances are you will need to take some time off to rest, recover and regroup. But if you don't want to stop all exercise, there are ways to maintain base fitness while recovering from many sports injuries. Athletes who are injuries often worry about losing fitness during time away from training. Detraining or deconditioning) is a fact of life when you stop exercise, but if you simply want to maintain a base of fitness, there are a few ways to modify your routine. But before you do any exercise after an injury, it's wise to get the approval and recommendations of your treating physician or therapist. Follow their recommendations for when you can resume exercise, how much, and what type of exercise is best. It's also helpful to know the guidelines for returning to sports after an injury.Studies have shown that you can maintain your fitness level even if you need to change or cut back on your exercise for several months.In order to do so, you need to exercise at about 70 percent of your VO2 max at least once per week.Even if one body part or joint is immobilized, there's usually no reason that you can't find other ways to stay fit while rehabilitating by using the principles of crosstraining. It may take some creativity and the flexibility to try new things, but most athletes find training through injury is possible and not terribly difficult. The key is to maintain the right attitude and protect the injured part until it heals. Here are some ways to continue working out while recovering from four common injuries:

Ankle & Foot Injuries
If your ankle or foot is injured, you still have many exercise options. If your doctor approves it and you are able to, using the rowing machine or a stationary bike with one leg, or swimming are possibilities. Work with your doctor or trainer to find other non-weight bearing cardio exercise you can do and spend 30-60 minutes about three times a week on that exercise to maintain endurance.
Circuit training is also a great choice for exercising through injuries. Here is one sample workout to try in your local gym:

• Perform the following circuit workout M-W-F.
• Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds. Allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
• Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
• Warm up thoroughly before exercise

1. Leg Extension Machine
2. Chest Press
3. Lat Pulldown
4. Overhead Press
5. Seated Cable Rows
6. Stability Ball Push-Up
7. Ab 'Bicycle' Crunches
8. Hanging Leg Raise

Leg and Knee Injuries
Leg and knee injuries can be fairly limiting for most athletes. Almost all endurance exercise require flexion and extension of the knee joint, so developing a new routine may be frustrating.

One-legged cycling, kayaking, using an upper body ergometer (hand cycle) are options. Swimming may be possible if you use a pull buoy so you don't kick or use your legs.

Here are two circuit training routines to try:
Circuit 1

• Perform this workout M-W-F.
• Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds. Allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
• Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
• Warm up thoroughly before exercise

1. Pull-Up or Assisted Pull-Up
2. Chest Press
3. Lat Pulldown
4. Overhead Press
5. Seated Cable Rows

Circuit 2

• Perform this workout Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday.
• Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds. Allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
• Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
• Warm up thoroughly before exercise

1. Seated Russian Twist
2. Plank Exercise: Start Position | Finish Position
3. Side Plank Exercise: Start Position | Finish Position
4. Ab Crunch
5. Decline Push-Ups

Elbow and Shoulder Injuries
Shoulder or other upper body injuries often allow the most possibility for continuing traditional cardio exercise because the lower body can be exercised fully. Walking, stair climbing, stationary (hands-free) cycling and the elliptical trainer are all possibilities. In addition, circuit training routines will maintain strength and power in the non-injured muscles and joints. Consider performing the following circuit routine 4-5 times per week.

• Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds, unless otherwise noted. Allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
• Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
• Warm up thoroughly before exercise

1. Stationary cycling - 2 minutes moderate pace and 2 minutes higher intensity.
2. Leg Press
3. Elliptical trainer - 2 minutes moderate pace and 2 minutes higher intensity.
4. Ab Crunch
5. Walking Lunge
6. Low Back Extensions
7. Treadmill walking - 2 minutes moderate pace and 2 minutes higher intensity (or incline)
8. Wall Sit

Low Back Injuries
Back injuries can be difficult to recover from, so talk with your doctor about the specific type of back injury you have and your exercise limitations before you begin any alternate activities. Walking, swimming or recumbent cycling are generally safe for those with low back pain and this will help you maintain cardiovascular fitness as you recover. Get your doctor or physical therapist's OK before trying the following circuit.

• Perform the following circuit workout M-W-F.
• Perform each exercise for 30-60 seconds. Allow 15 seconds of rest between stations.
• Complete the entire circuit three to four times.
• Warm up thoroughly before exercise
• Complete 30-60 minutes of non-weight bearing cardio on Tuesday, Thursday, and Saturday.

1. Chest Press
2. Lat Pulldown
3. Overhead Press
4. Seated Cable Rows
5. Leg Extension Machine
6. Wall Sit

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How Long Does It Take to Improve Buttocks With Squats?

The squat is the gold standard exercise when it comes to training the buttocks, according to the American Council on Exercise. Squats can be done with or without resistance, on balance trainers, side-to-side, with wide or narrow stances, off a platform, with jumps, on one leg or even with a partner. With all these variations, you can squat yourself to a fatigued tush, but may wonder when you’ll start to see results. The answer depends on your your fitness level, your size, your training regimen and your genetics.

Strategy

Your first squat workout should involve at least one set of eight to 12 repetitions of the basic bodyweight squat. Add another set or two when a single set is no longer challenging. Do the squats at least twice per week on non-consecutive days.

Results

Beginners will see results in four to eight weeks of strength training. These initial results will appear as a greater feeling of strength in the buttock region, making each set of squats easier to complete. If you are overweight, the visual benefits of squats may not appear until you have lost a significant amount of the fat across your glutes. Squats alone will not help you burn the calories necessary to lose fat – you’ll have to participate in 30 minutes or more of cardiovascular exercise on most days of the week and follow a portion-controlled, low-calorie diet. If you are after a rounded tush, the day-to-day changes in the size and shape of your muscles may not be readily visible to the naked eye. Use a tape measure to keep track of your measurements to observe changes in the region over the course of four to six months. You can also observe how you fit into your jeans -- if the seat no longer sags, you know you are making progress. The more fit you are, the slower your results because you have less room to improve. Remember, some body types are more inclined to put on muscle than others.

Progress and Variety

If you’ve been doing bodyweight squats for eight weeks or more, it is time to mix up your routine to yield better results. Bodyweight squats are good for beginners learning to hone proper form, but overtime your body becomes accustomed to the movement and needs greater stimuli.You can hold dumbbells in each hand as you squat to start adding resistance or place a weighted dumbbell across the back of your shoulders. Other ways to mix up the squat are to place a stability ball between your back and the wall as you squat down, add a jump as you rise from the squat or change the distance between your feet.

Additions

Squats are just one way to train your buttocks. To accelerate your progress add quadruped hip extensions, step-ups, lunges and deadlifts to your leg routine. When you add resistance to these exercises and the squat, choose weight that makes the last two or three repetitions in each set challenging to complete with good form. You must work to fatigue to make your buttocks stronger and shapelier.

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Why Am I Not Losing Weight? 10 Habits of Unsuccessful Dieters

What could be more frustrating than not seeing the scale drop despite days or weeks of doing everything right? After all that hard work—all the cookies you didn't eat, all the willpower you maintained, all the time you logged at the gym—how could you not have lost any weight? It's enough to make even the most determined person throw in the towel.

Before you swear off exercise and declare yourself as someone who "will never lose weight," stop, take a deep breath, and remember this:  Weight-loss may seem simple (eat fewer calories than you burn), but often, there's a lot more going on than a simple calorie equation. Our bodies aren't calculators after all!

What's more likely is that you've made some innocent mistakes in your quest to lose weight. Don't feel bad about it—it's extremely common. These bad habits may be preventing you from getting the results you want. Instead of giving up, make some of the smart changes outlined below, and you'll see that scale drop in no time!

  Bad Habit #1: Going "on a diet" in the first place.
Since when did the word "diet" refer to something good? The word itself implies restriction, limitation, and a short-lived effort to get some quick results and then return to a "normal" way of eating. SparkPeople's surveys have shown that people who consider themselves to be "dieting" lose less weight and encounter more problems (such as plateaus and a lack of motivation) than people who are trying to lose weight by creating a lasting healthy lifestyle. Plus diets usually mean giving things up: favorite foods, dining out, desserts—even your social life. You don't have to be a psychology expert to know that when you tell yourself you can't have something, you usually want it more. This way of thinking could directly be sabotaging your efforts.
 

Smart Fix: Ditch the diets for good and focus on creating a healthy lifestyle based on nutritious foods and small, realistic changes that you can live with for the long term.

Bad Habit #2: Overhauling your eating habits overnight.
How many times have you gone crazy eating all the "bad" foods you know you shouldn't, only to promise to swear them off starting next week or next month or next year? How often have you decided to suddenly clean out your kitchen, throw away all the "junk" and then shop for only healthy food?

How's that working for you? No one can expect to change a lifetime of eating habits overnight—and no one should have to! To lose weight successfully and keep it off, you have to adopt a way of eating that you can stick with for the rest of your life.
 

Smart Fix: Eating healthy isn't about taking food away; it's about eating MORE of the things that are good for you. To be successful, you have to implement small and realistic changes to your diet. Next week, swap that 2% milk for 1%, and switch out your usual bread for a healthy whole-grain variety. Once you get used to that, you can set a small goal like eating one serving of fresh fruits or vegetables each day. The point is to start small with changes that fit into your lifestyle. Here are more tips on how to start eating a healthier diet.

Bad Habit #3: Giving up certain foods altogether.
We've already touched on the idea that labeling certain foods as diet no-no's can make you crave them even more. Whether you feel out of control when you're around certain foods or you've read about a certain diet plan that promises results if you were to just cut out wheat, gluten, carbs, sugar, or dairy, a lot of people think that to lose weight they have to give up specific things—including foods that they love.

A truly healthy diet that you can stick with forever will include all the foods you love. Unless you plan to give up ice cream or bread forever, then don't cut anything out temporarily. Generally, people can give up foods like that for a while and see some weight loss success (usually because they're eating fewer calories, not because anything about that specific food causes weight problems). But as soon as that food is let back into your life, the weight tends to come back with it.
 

Smart Fix: All things in moderation. Instead of focusing on the foods you can't have, set goals to eat more of the foods that you know are good for you. This is a much more positive way to think about your goals and get results. Plus, allowing yourself portion-controlled servings of the food you're thinking about banning will keep you happy and content, but also prevent crazed binges that can occur when you're feeling weak. 

 

Bad Habit #4 Only caring about calories.
Calories are key to weight loss. In fact, balancing your calorie equation (what you eat and what you burn) is what results in successful weight management. However, there is more to weight loss and a healthy lifestyle than calories alone. Some foods that may be higher in calories per serving are actually healthier for you than foods that may be lower in calories (think a heart-healthy avocado vs. a processed 100-calorie pack of pretzels). So while calories count, nutrition matters, too.

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Smart Fix: While tracking your calories, don't forget to look at other key nutrients like protein and healthy fats (both of which can keep you full) and key vitamins and minerals that are important for your overall health. Luckily, SparkPeople's Nutrition Tracker allows you to track all of these nutrients. Ideally, you want to use a little trial and error to balance not only your calorie equation, but make the kinds of choices that meet your protein, fat, carbohydrate and micronutrient (vitamins and minerals) goals.

Bad Habit #5: Focusing on the scale.
You want to lose weight, so you weigh yourself, right? Yes…and no. Weight is an easy way to measure your progress, but it doesn't tell you the whole story. Even if the scale isn't budging, that does not mean that you're not making major progress toward losing weight and getting healthier. You can lose inches, get fitter, gain lean muscle mass, drop body fat, become better hydrated, look better and feel more energized without the pounds budging at all.
 

Smart Fix: Remember that the scale tells you only one thing: the total mass of all your body parts at a given moment. Don't put too much stock into it. Weigh yourself less frequently (about once every 1-2 weeks), and track all the other signs that amazing changes are happening in your body even if the scale doesn't move. This is the best way to stay motivated for the long haul.

Bad Habit #6: Only dieting and not exercising.
This may be one of the most common reasons your weight loss is stalling. Yes, you can lose weight through diet alone, but it will be a lot harder. You can only cut so many calories without feeling overly hungry, lethargic or miserable. Yet by exercising along with making dietary changes, you can eat more (and feel more satisfied) and still lose weight. Plus, you'll get all the amazing physical and mental benefits that come from exercising, including improved appearance, better muscle tone and a healthier body overall.
 

Smart Fix: Add exercise to your weight-loss plan. It doesn't have to be boring, strenuous, or time-consuming either. Even 10 minutes a day can make a huge difference in your results. For tons of fun, easy and effective workout ideas, check out our Fitness Resources. You're sure to find something that you enjoy!

   

Bad Habit #7: Trying to eat as little as possible.
If cutting calories is good for weight loss, then eating as little as possible is better, right? Wrong (especially if you're also trying to fuel your body for regular workouts). You need to eat a certain calorie level to function optimally and get all its essential nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. Eating much less than that can cause serious problems in the long term and damage your metabolism, making weight loss even harder.
 

Smart Fix: Don't just guess how many calories you need, and don't eat what someone else eats either.

 

Bad Habit #8: Giving up too easily.  
No person who ever lost weight successfully reached that goal because they were perfect all the time. Setbacks happen to everyone, even the most successful people. We've all had days where we made a poor food decision during a meal—or even for an entire day. We've all missed workouts, forgot the lunch we packed, or been too busy to cook a diet-friendly meal at home. But those who continue dropping the pounds pick themselves up, forgive themselves from their mistakes, learn from their slipups, and just keep right on going.
 

Smart Fix: Remember that perfection has no place in a weight loss plan. When you do make a mistake or feel like you're not making enough progress, don't give up. Change requires time and old habits die hard. When you feel yourself ready to give up, reach out for some support, and don't wait until next week or next month to get back on the wagon.

Bad Habit #9: Confusing "healthy" with "low-calorie."
Research shows that when shoppers see "healthy" buzz words or claims on food packages (think: gluten-free, organic, all-natural, sugar-free, low-fat, etc.), they automatically assume the food is low in calories. This couldn't be further from the truth. Food manufacturers will plaster all sorts of enticing lingo onto their packages, knowing that you'll think exactly that. But none of these words really tell you much about the healthfulness of a product; and none of them actually have any affect on a food's calories.
 

Smart Fix: Read front-of-package labels with a discerning eye, and always turn over the package and look at the nutrition facts (and ingredients) to get a full picture of what a food is really like. This goes for restaurant menus, too. Don't let healthy-sounding words make you think a food is actually low in calories. Know your menu watch words or look up nutrition facts before you place your order.

Bad Habit #10: Unrealistic expectations.
These days with news stories, weight-loss advertisements and reality shows alike touting fast and extreme weight loss as the norm, it can be easy to think that you are capable of those kinds of results, too. But in truth, these are extreme and abnormal results that most people cannot expect to replicate. If you're expecting to drop a lot of weight fast—and to do so consistently—these unrealistic expectations could be setting you up for failure. There's nothing worse than expecting to lose 10 pounds in your first week, but to only lose one.
 

Smart Fix: Change your expectations and your mindset. If you expect to lose 10 pounds in one week, then losing 1 pound is a major letdown. But if you expect to lose 1 pound and you did, you feel successful and inspired to keep working toward your goals. Losing 1-2 pounds per week—even half a pound—is major progress that should be commended. This is a healthy and realistic rate of weight loss that you can expect if you're sticking to your nutrition and fitness goals.

 

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How to lose weight fast

"The trouble with dieting," I hear many women say, "is that it takes too long. If I want to look good for my anniversary next month, I should've started losing weight way back in February. Now that I'm finally focused, it's too late." Well, yes and no. Taking the long-term approach to weight loss is wise because it means you'll lose pounds slowly and steadily -- making it more likely that you'll keep them off. But there are ways to rev up your metabolism so you burn calories and lose weight more quickly. Check out my favorite no-fail jump starts.

Watch Your Fluids

1. Drink green tea. Get this: When a recent study compared the metabolic effect of green tea (in extract) with that of a placebo, researchers found that the green-tea drinkers burned about 70 additional calories in a 24-hour period. If you can believe it, those 70 calories a day add up to a total of 7.3 pounds of fat a year! It's not magic, it's science: Researchers believe the difference is caused by metabolism-enhancing antioxidants known as catechins, which are found in green tea.

2. Avoid calories in a glass. Scientists now know that the body does not register liquid calories in the same way it does solid calories. Drinking a grande caffe mocha, for instance, won't make you feel satiated the way eating a bowl of pasta will. Which means that although the caffe mocha actually has a greater number of calories than the pasta, you're still more likely to want a second cup from Starbucks than another plate of linguine. So monitor your intake of juice, soda, coffee drinks and wine. If you consume one of each of those beverages during the day, you'll have taken in at least 800 extra calories by nighttime — and you'll still be hungry. (Incidentally, alcohol may suppress the metabolism of fat, making it tougher for you to burn those calories.)

Start Lifting

3. Buy a set of five-pound weights. It's a onetime investment you'll never regret. Here's why: Strength training builds lean muscle tissue, which burns more calories — at work or at rest — 24 hours a day, seven days a week. The more lean muscle you have, the faster you'll slim down. How do you start strength training? Try some push-ups or a few squats or lunges. Use your free weights to perform simple biceps curls or triceps pulls right in your home or office. Do these exercises three to four times per week, and you'll soon see a rapid improvement in your physique.

4. Lose the salt. Sodium contributes to water retention, making you look and feel bloated. Do you eat too much salt? Probably — the daily value suggests no more than 2,400 milligrams of sodium each day (or about one teaspoon), but most of us are getting more than twice that amount. So keep an eye on your sodium intake, and that doesn't just mean ditching the saltshaker. Hidden sources include soups, canned foods and drinks (did you know a serving of regular V8 juice has 800 mg of sodium?), salty snacks such as chips and pretzels and many prepackaged foods.

Heat Things Up

5. Spice it up. Angelo Tremblay, Ph.D., director of the division of kinesiology at Laval University, in Canada, found that eating hot peppers can boost a person's basal metabolism (the total calories the body burns at rest). The reason? Capsaicin, a compound found in jalapeno and cayenne peppers, may increase your body's release of stress hormones such as adrenaline, which can speed up your metabolism and your ability to burn calories. What's more, eating hot peppers may reduce your appetite, Tremblay says, helping to curb your cravings. So spice up your stir-fried veggies, eat low-calorie chili or salsa (try them on salads and baked potatoes), and watch the pounds come off faster.

6. Get some sleep. As funny as it sounds, sleep deprivation may make you fat — and not just because you're susceptible to cases of the late-night munchies (although there's that too). Women who get less than four hours of sleep per night have a slower metabolism than those who snooze for a full eight hours, according to researchers at the University of Chicago. So don't skimp on your zzz's, and you'll be rewarded with an extra edge when it comes to shedding pounds quickly.

Move Around

7. Go for an evening walk. Don't get me wrong — exercising at any time is good for you. But evening activity may be particularly beneficial because many people's metabolism slows down toward the end of the day. Thirty minutes of aerobic activity before dinner increases your metabolic rate and may keep it elevated for another two or three hours, even after you've stopped moving. What that means for you: Those dinner calories have less of a chance to take up permanent residence on your hips.

8. Eat every meal. Listen up: Skipping meals will not make you lose weight faster. That strategy backfires because your body thinks food is in short supply, so it slows your metabolism in order to conserve energy. Over time, the result is that when you do eat — even if you consume the same foods as always — your body will be slower to use the calories as fuel, thus creating a backlog of unwanted pounds. If a hectic day makes a sit-down meal impossible, stash an energy bar or a piece of fruit in your purse or briefcase -- anything that will keep you from going hungry.

9. Add 20 minutes of exercise per day. If you're on a diet, you're probably already working out a couple of times a week. (No? Well, you should start!) But whether you exercise or not, you can get a leg up on all those other weight-loss wannabes by doing a little something extra each day. Take the stairs instead of the elevator; walk to the bus, train, or all the way to the office; window-shop with your best friend rather than sit over coffee. Taking the dog out, gardening and even housecleaning all increase the number of calories you expend. You don't have to go for a jog (although that would help!) to speed up weight loss. Twenty minutes of moderate exercise a day means you'll burn approximately 700 calories.

Drink Up!

10. H20, H20, H20. You've heard it before, and you'll hear it again. That's because drinking 64 ounces of water daily is one of the easiest ways to speed up weight loss. Your body needs water in order to efficiently metabolize stored fat. When you shortchange your supply, you're likely to slow down that process, meaning it's more difficult for you to burn calories. An easy eight glasses a day (at least!) will keep your system running smoothly.

11. Don't go for the gimmicks. At any given time, there are dozens of weight-loss hypes in the marketplace that claim to have the ability to take off 10 pounds in 10 days, or whatever. Desperation can tempt us to try anything, but you and I both know these schemes don't work. Save your money, but more importantly, save yourself from the emotional pain when these gimmicks fail. Be realistic. Jump-start your weight-loss program in ways that make sense, and not only will you be thinner, you'll be happier too.

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How Can I Get A Six Pack? 5 BIG Reasons Why Your Abs Aren’t Growing

After 1000’s of crunches and seven brutally intense ab workouts per week, you’d think that it would all add up to that one coveted, magic number — 6.
It’s sad and discouraging when someone puts in a TON of effort to sculpt a rock-solid, well-defined set of six pack abs, yet the results are nowhere to be found. It can be unbelievably deflating. What’s an innocent, ab-happy person supposed to do?
One of the most redeeming things about fitness in general is that there’s typically a direct correlation between time, effort, and results. It’s a simple equation — if you do cardio 45 minutes per day, 6 days per week, you will lose a lot of weight. Given that you do the right exercises, if you follow a comprehensive chest routine and increase the amount that you’re pressing over successive workouts, your chest will grow. It’s just the way exercise and training works.Looking at fitness holistically, ab development tends to be MUCH more challenging; bordering on excruciating. I suppose that’s why you don’t see six packs endlessly populating the earth. And the truth is — it’s because most people approach ab training completely wrong and spend their time focusing on things that aren’t effective.
Getting a phenomenal set of abs requires smart training, a LEAN, clean diet, and minimal equipment…not ab workouts 7 days per week, ridiculous ab machines, or crunch, after crunch, after crunch.If you’re used to asking “how can I get an amazing set of six pack abs!?” we’ve got answers. Below are the top 5 reasons why your abs AREN’T growing.

1. You Can’t See Them.

This might seem brutally obvious, but at the core (no pun intended) the most important — and fundamental — piece of ab development is being able to see them.
Bombshell.I don’t care if you can do the ‘Plunging, Deep V, Lower Abs Workout‘ 18 times over. If your body fat % isn’t low enough no one will be able to see what you’re packing underneath. For men, body fat should be sub-10%; for women it should be sub-18% for the ab muscles to really pop.
If you want to get your body fat down to 6-pack levels, make sure to incorporate a solid dose of high intensity cardio and emphasize a healthy, LEAN diet.

2. You Try to Crunch Away the Fat.

Drill it into your cranium. There’s NO such thing as spot reduction.
You can’t crunch off the fat covering the lower section of your abs — nothing about our physiology supports this misconception.The only way to strip the fat from your abs is by gradually burning it off from your entire body through cardio, diet, and weight-training. Unfortunately, the fat covering the abs is usually the last to go and the first to come back, which makes getting/keeping abs all the more difficult.Stay persistent with a clean diet, resistance training, and cardio regimen and you’ll be able to maintain low body fat permanently. Abs require a lifestyle shift and a TON of discipline — not a quick fix.

3. You Workout Your Abs Every Day.

Give your core a rest. STOP training your abs every day, or even every other day.
Like the biceps, chest, shoulders, legs, etc., the ab muscles need time to rest, recover, and rebuild in order to grow. Would you do biceps curls, bench press, or squat 7x per week to build bulging biceps, a hulking chest, or massive thighs? Never.
I recommend doing abs once every 3 days. That’s 2-3x per week. Not only will this allow your abs to actually recover and grow, but it’ll free up significant time to funnel into more intense, more transformative training (e.g. compound weight-lifting and cardio).
Most of your bandwidth in the gym should be spent divided across the major muscle groups (legs, chest, shoulders, back) and cardio; and then accessorized with targeted abs work. Don’t sacrifice that in pursuit of a six pack — not only do compound lifts like squats, deadlifts, bent-over barbell rows, clean & presses, and dumbbell swings shred major calories/body fat and stimulate muscle growth, they also work the core as hard — if not harder — than direct ab exercises.
Big lifts are the sledgehammer; isolated ab exercises are the scalpel. Leverage both and reap the rewards
 

4. You Only Do Crunches and Sit-Ups.

Crunches and sit-ups primarily work the top of the rectus abdominus, aka the 6 pack muscles. Even though building up the top is an incredibly important part of a stellar midsection, relying ONLY on sit-ups and crunches will cause the obliques, transverse abdominus, and lower abs to lag behind.
Think of the transverse abdominus as a belt that runs around the waist and sucks everything in tight. Exercises like the plank can help build up the transverse and make the entire torso more compact. The obliques run diagonally along the side of the torso into the pelvis, which forms the V-cut that everyone craves so much.

The key — diversify, diversify, diversify! Incorporating bicycle crunches, hanging leg raises, and a variety of other ab exercises into your routine can help chisel out all parts of the core region, beyond just the rectus

 

5. You Don’t Increase the Difficulty.

This is huge. Your abs won’t grow past beginner levels unless you force them to.
Muscles grow based on the principle of progressive resistance, meaning that you need to increase the weight lifted, the amount of resistance, or the difficulty of the exercise if you want to see any additional growth (or progress).
If you want massive legs, you need to gradually increase the amount of weight squatted — ab development works the same way. When it comes to developing core musculature, crunches and sit-ups are extremely basic and provide minimal stimulation. Instead of simply doing higher reps of something basic (ab exercises should stay between 12-20 reps per set), upgrade it by adding a heavier dumbbell/weight plate/medicine ball, or permanently shift to more advanced exercises.
For example, try crunches with a dumbbell on your chest, cable crunches, sit-ups on a decline bench, or the Lower Abs Trifecta. Adding a weight or more difficult angle can help make basic exercises significantly more difficult and kickstart brand new abdominal growth.

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9 Best Bodyweight Exercises for Size and Strength

Bodyweight exercises are not just for beginners. They're great for building size and strength. If they're incorporated efficiently and properly into a workout, you don't need weights. In addition, they are natural movements that minimize strain on the joints and tendons.

1. Push-Ups

Push-Ups are the ultimate upper-body pressing exercise, developing the chest, triceps and shoulders. Variations include the Close-Grip Push-Up, One-Arm Push-Up and Spiderman Push-Up.

To gradually increase the level of difficulty, raise your feet by resting them on a bench (Decline Push-Ups).

2. Chin-Ups/Pull-Ups

Just like the Push-Up, the Chin-Up/Pull-Up is one of the most effective upper-body exercises. It works your back and biceps more than any machine or free weight exercise.

Beginners should start with a standard Chin-Up (palms facing you) since the biceps come into play a little more and will support your weight. As you get stronger, advance to Pull-Ups (palms facing away from you) and aim for 10 reps of your body weight. When that becomes too easy, perform the exercise with added weight.

3. Dips

Dips are one of the best exercises for chest, triceps and shoulders.

For a chest focus, lean forward slightly with your upper body. For a triceps focus, keep your upper body upright. When performing dips, keep tension on your muscles by staying in control on the lowering part of the exercise. A good number of reps to shoot for is 15-20 with your body weight.

4. Muscle-Ups

Muscle-Ups work almost every single upper-body muscle. They require a significant amount of upper-body pulling and pushing strength, as well as core stabilization.

Because they're a little more challenging than other bodyweight exercises, Muscle-Ups take a lot of determination and strength to master. Practice until you can do at least 5 reps.

5. Inverted Rows

Inverted Rows develop the mid- and upper-back muscles. They're harder to perform than they look. They can be performed on a bar, suspension strap, rings, or even ropes. Just like with Push-Ups, you can increase the level of difficulty by adjusting the height of your feet.

Another way to challenge yourself is by adjusting your grip. An overhand grip will increase the difficulty of the exercise compared to an underhand grip.

6. Pistol Squats

No barbell or dumbbell available? No problem.

Pistol Squats work every muscle in the lower body while also improving balance. When you do these with a full range of motion, you work your quads, hamstrings and glutes.

This is a difficult exercise and might cause some pain if not done properly; Practice with a TRX suspension cable first. Twelve to 15 reps on each side is a good goal.

7. Hip Thrusts

Hip thrusts work the hamstrings and glutes intensely, which is essential for any athlete who requires tremendous power work.

Start by setting up your shoulders and upper back on a bench, and place your feet on the ground or an elevated surface. Let your hips drop as low as you can, then drive your heels off the ground while squeezing your glutes as hard as you can. Hold the top of the movement for about two seconds, then lower your hips back down to perform another rep.

8. Pike Roll Outs

If you could only pick one core exercise to do for the rest of your life, this is the one. It combines a stability ball pike with a rollout to activate both the upper and lower abs, as well as the obliques. Unlike regular Crunches, this exercise completely leaves out the hip flexors and lower back. In other words, your abs are isolated much more effectively compared to other exercises.

9. L-Sits

Great for developing core strength, these also add a little upper-body work. L-Sits also develop your strength for exercises such as Dips. Use dumbbells or parallel bars. Hold the position for 10 seconds.

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