Hey all!

So I've been sitting at my computer a little bit more (3FC is addictive) and exercising more and eating better since Jan 2.

However, I've noticed that while I am sitting here (since I am being all "health conscious") that I am tightening my abs and relaxing over and over again. Last night while watching TLC's What NOT to wear in bed, I started to little crunches just by lifting my head and squeezing my stomach.

I guess since having my little ones my stomach is not what it used to be, and is a main problem area for me. I was 60 inches around in the waist when I delivered and needless to say, no matter how much I work out, that area will never be the same without surgery.

So, are my abs squeezing doing anything productive? Is it a waste of time to do these sorts of things? Does anyone else do this? Is it helpful? Am I just being a loser? LOL.....

Please enlighten me......

Ginger

Good question!

And yes, I do it too, sort of. What I do is a little bit like Kegel's, but for my abs. I tighten them as hard as I can, hold as long as I can and release. I learned it from a book I have called Low Fat Living, and when the author teaches you how to do it he explains that pushing all of your breath out as hard as you can helps you to isolate those ab muscles. Now I can do it without doing the breath part. I need to start doing those again!

Looking forward to what everybody else has to say!

No...but you reminded me that I need to sit up straighter. Lol.

i have to addmit..when im at work i pretty much do the same thing. i tighten my abs over and over. i dont know if it help either....as far as building muscle, but it burns calories!...how much? i have no idea! but somthing is better then nothing, has too burn more calories then chewing gum....

Good point! It might not build muscles, but ANY extra motion besides just sitting HAS to burn calories. Tap your foot, squeeze your buttcheeks (a fav of mine, personally) or tightening abs...

I went home from work yesterday and my butt HURT from squeezing... so that's GOTTA be working *something*, right?

I saw in a magazine awhile back that a study showed thin people fidgeted a lot more than overweight people...so since then I have been trying to fidget all I can. I tap my feet, drum my fingers, rock side to side, raise arms up and down over my head, etc. But i don't advise some of these things if you work in public, I look downright silly sometimes

I just find I am happier now, and I can move so much easier. i listen to music and dance while cleaning or cooking, run through the house like a kid instead of walking, etc. I like to run in my socks and slide down the hallway, that's fun.

I have no idea if it actually helps, but it can't hurt, right?

My mom has maintained for a year or so and she is always doing somehting. If we're in line she'll do standing ab twists, ab crunches, leg raises and various other things like that. I tryt to put that into my day but it's hard. Honestly on the fidgetting thing, it's kinda wrong. I fidget my legs alot especially during school.

I sit at a computer most of the day for work and have set up little "appointment" reminders that blink in (like one did just now). One says "Do deep breathing and ab twists now." Of course I adjust the time for how the day is going but I try to do at least two minutes.

I have different messages set for every hour and half hour.

I guess that might be called "structured fidgeting" right?

That's a good idea. I can sit at my PC for hours. Even if I walked the office even 1/2 hour, it would be better. Off to set a million reminders!!

If I find I'm relaxing at the computer a little bit too long I'll get up and walk for 5 minutes. I also kind of walk in place when I do the dishes. Yeah, I still wash dishes the old fashioned way. I don't fidget too much though. Makes sense, the more you move the more calories you burn.