[Fat Melanie]

I need some simple exercises to tone my butt, abs, lower abs, (where it's droopy from giving birth!), legs, inner thighs, outer thighs...

I already do bicep curls with weights.

I'm specifically asking this question of those who have had success with such exercises and have toned bodies, because then I'll know the exercises really work. How many times a week, how many reps, etc?

[nelie]

Have you googled 'body weight exercises'? There are lots of body weight exercises (and those that swear by them). Lunges, squats, etc for the legs -- Planks, crunches, etc for the abs. I don't have a toned body because I have too much fat (having visible muscle tone relies not only on built muscles but on low body fat) but really I do use a mix of body weight exercises as well as others in my routine.

[Fat Melanie]

I didn't think of that, though I was currently googling for healthy weight calculators. After your suggestion, I found a lot of cool sites detailing toning exercises. Thanks! (I think google is like, my favorite site.. you can find anything!)

[PhotoChick]

Just a comment: there's really no such thing as "toning" or having a "toned body". Toning is sort of a myth developed by "trainers" catering to women who are paranoid about bulking up (which can't happen unless you are specfically trying (eating, taking drugs, and working) to bulk because women don't have the hormones to build that kind of muscle naturally).

The only thing that will get you the shapely, trim, "toned" hips/butt/thighs that you want is to build muscle and strength. The best way to do that is to do things that work groups of muscles, rather than individual muscles. Nelie is spot on with suggestions for things like squats, lunges, planks, etc.

I'm still overweight and you can't *see* all my muscles all the time, but I am strong and have definite muscle development from doing these types of exercises. My butt has become less flat, my thighs and calves are more shaped, and although I still have tummy fat, I can feel the muscle beneath where I couldn't many months ago.

It really does work.

PS - here's a really well writing article on why "toning" ... isn't!
http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightloss/a/toning.htm

.

[Betsi]

If you want to build muscle without special equipment, try Jorge Cruise's 8 Minutes in the Morning for Extra Easy Weightloss (co. 2004) which focuses on gaining muscle to lose weight and exercises that don't require anything, not even dumbbells.