[TXMary2]

Does anyone hold their stomach in? As I sit here I am tightening that lower stomach muscle. I try to sit like that for as long as possible. I do it while I am driving, laying on the couch and sometimes while walking. It's becoming a habit. I know because I have a stomach apron and all this fat that hasn't melted yet that realistically I am not sucking my stomach in, I am just focusing on that muscle for some reason. Just curious if anyone else does that.

BTW, back when I was in shape and exercising regularly - I had a FLAT stomach and I did this all the time. I don't know how close I can get to that because it was 14-15 years ago, but I am doing my best!

[MyChoice2bfit]

I don't..but I think I will start...it couldn't hurt...it will engage the core, and when you hold your stomach in you stand and sit straighter which is good posture and makes you look thinner...so I think it's a win-win all the way around!

Thanks for the idea!

[JustBeckyV]

I do lol but that's cuz I still have too much extra there and I hate the way it looks!

[ALEKS]

I've done this my WHOLE life at every weight..and I have no clue why! It's almost like my stomach is engaged at ALL times... it's so second nature now, that I don't realize I'm doing it...if I just let it all hang loose..it feels SOOO weird and wrong! lol

[ubergirl]

Ha! That would be a full-time job for me. So, no.

[rakel]

No, but I probably should.

[InControl2Day]

Originally Posted by ALEKS

I've done this my WHOLE life at every weight..and I have no clue why! It's almost like my stomach is engaged at ALL times... it's so second nature now, that I don't realize I'm doing it...if I just let it all hang loose..it feels SOOO weird and wrong! lol

Sounds exactly like me. My aunt and mother actually told me to do this starting at the age of 13-14... telling me I would look slimmer so now it's normal and involuntary. Letting my stomach out feels super weird.

[TaraLee]

I used to. I dont anymore. In fact I tried it a few times after reading your post and I find it uncomfortable and I can't hold it for long... so maybe I'll start trying again.

[happyveggie]

i do it all the time! especially when i'm walking, i find that it helps in my posture, which by default good posture means looking slimmer i have found out from years of playing tennis (i was the captain of my varsity high school team back when i was in shape), that sucking in my stomach actually works out my abs, like it feels like when i have it sucked in while playing or jogging/running, it feels like the equivalent of some crunches. it really does work out my abs!

[Jokan]

Yep, my daddy told me when I was way younger to "Suck that gut in". Oh, it hurt my feelings sooo bad but at this age I could thank him for it because it is one good habit I have!!

[birdtostone]

I used to do it all the time. It became habit because I was self conscious and all that jazz. I stopped doing it eventually, but every now and then I'll do it again and I can still hold it and almost forget about it.

[findingfawn]

I think I heard one time that holding in your stomach muscles as tight as you can for 10 seconds, and then releasing them for 3 and repeating was the same as doing a crunch.

I do hold my stomach in a lot, I sure don't think anyone else notices because I still have my lovely apron and jelly rolls, but hey maybe someday they will all pay off

[mmiller2829]

Yep ALWAYS when I am walking. When I sit I seem to relax and plooop ploooop plooop out it comes. LOL

[TXMary2]

LOL- glad to hear I am not the only one! I too feel like it works my abs.

[Justwant2Bhealthy]

YES, I do this all the time while on my PC and I am getting better at it; when I was slimmer I could do mega situps ... maybe again some day. I do chair crunches while waiting for things to come up too; I think every bit helps ...