Exercise for the lower ab? or any exercises!

[Chickerdoodle13]

I've been trying to exercise every day, along with eating pretty healthy meals. I am very proud that I have been able to lose 6 pounds since the last time I weighed myself (In about three weeks). It has now been 5 weeks total since I started eating healthier and I will be going home next weekend where I will get to weigh myself. I'm hoping to have lost 10 pounds.

Anyways, I usually exercise for about a half hour every night. I do 15 + minutes of cardio (I have one of those steppers from QVC) and then some simple crunches, some leg lifts, and a few push ups (I still can't do many yet). I can actually feel some muscle in my mid abdomen, but I still have weight around my lower abdomen. Are there any exercises I can do to help with this weight?

Also, do you have any other exercise suggestions for me? I like to switch things up so I am not doing the same thing over and over. However, I live in an apartment here at school and I usually like to exercise inside (until the weather gets nicer anyways). What are some simple things I can do without gym equipment? I want to try and work all parts of my body!

 

[Wifezilla]

What you eat can have more influence on your belly fat than exercise.
http://nymag.com/news/sports/38001/

 

[JennsPeeps]

Go check out www.sparkpeople.com - great diet aid website with lots of exercise regimens to help you.

 

[shortcake1806]

I second the sparkpeople suggestion. If weightloss is your goal you need more cardio. Usually aim for a minimum of 30 minutes. The last 10-15 minutes are when your body kicks into fat burning mode. You can't spot train away fat. You have to clean up the diet and aim for overall excercise.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

Thanks everyone.

I am also a type one (Juvenile Diabetic) and I've started taking Symlin. Losing weight has always been difficult for me, simply because I'm always taking insulin. Insulin seems to be my main problem.

The other problem is that I have to eat some carbs, otherwise I can't take my symlin. I have to have at least 30 carbs per meal. I try to eat no more than 60 carbs per meal, but it is usually less. An english muffin and juice for breakfast, soup with a fruit for lunch, and dinner usually consists of some chicken, maybe some pasta (about a cup or less) and veggies. I really don't eat very much bread, and I try to limit the sweets. I rarely eat rice, but I do sometimes eat pasta (mostly because I am not a big meat eater!). Plus, I am at a loss as to what else I could eat to fill in those 30 carbs.

It is really, really difficult...and I'd be interested in hearing if there are any other diabetics who have experience in losing weight. I would love to eat just a salad for lunch, but if I can't take my symlin, I remain hungry for most of the day...even if I am so full I could throw up! My brain just doesn't know when to tell me to stop!

So advice is definitely welcome. I am seeing progress, but its slow going and I do get frustrated quite easily. Right now I am determined to lose the weight though.

 

[Wifezilla]

Insulin seems to be my main problem.

Well yeah...insulin is a fat storage hormone. It takes the glucose out of your blood stream and shoves it in to your fat cells.

Here is the website of a doctor who is, himself, a diabetic.
http://www.diabetes-normalsugars.com/

Here is another great website by a diabetic... I yack with her on another forum
http://www.phlaunt.com/diabetes/​

 

[shortcake1806]

Sounds like you're doing really well to me. 1 -2 pounds per week is right on target. I know we all want the weight gone overnight but the truth is we didn't gain it overnight and we won't loose it that way either.

Carbs aren't bad. Just remember to eat as many complex carbs as possible.

 

[Wifezilla]

No difference in the body between whole wheat bread and white bread on blood sugar. Well, actually, in some cases, whole wheat bread can be worse. We aren't talking about someone who is just a little over weight. This is someone who is ALSO a diabetic. Blood sugar and insulin are going to be very big factors.

 

[shortcake1806]

I think I worded my last post wrong. What was trying to say was that from a weightloss stand point the complex carbs are going to fill her up longer. I didn't mean to eat as many as she possibly can just when she eats her 30-60 grams try to have as many complex carbs as possible.

I completly understand that insulin and bs play a huge role. As someone who isn't diabetic I can't possibly undertand how difficult it must be for someone trying to loose weight and struggle with diabetes.

 

[Chickerdoodle13]

I started on an insulin pump over the summer. I'm still ironing out some of the wrinkles, but for the most part, my blood sugars have been sooo much better. Right now I have a 30 day average of 159...still higher than we want it to be, but we are working on getting it down to the target range. I did have to decrease my bedtime insulin though as I was getting low almost every morning. Even though it was NOT good to be low in the morning, I was happy because it is an indication that I am actually losing some weight. I do notice I have been having more lows and I am working to correct those also. My doctor told me this is to be expected, and we'll just have to work to get my basal rates on target as I lose weight.

I would love if I could continue to lose two pounds a week, but I often find I am just at the end of my rope having to worry about blood sugars and weight and a thousand other things. LOL, I hate to be whiny about it, but every once in awhile it all just gets to me. The other night I saw a friend of mine eat some toast before bed and the fact that she did that without having to take insulin killed me inside. I don't even remember a day when I could eat without worrying about a thousand things. Some nights are just rough, but I find that its usually worse when I'm trying to lose weight.

ETA: I should explain that Symlin works like gastric bypass in some ways. It decreases my appetite BIG time. For example, without symlin I would often eat an entire 12 inch sub and still be hungry. With my dose of symlin, I have trouble eating just a six inch portion. Also, with a dosage of symlin, I can decrease the amount of insulin I have to take by 50%, which is pretty awesome. Its an additional three time a day injection, but to me it's been worth it.