hello can anyone help me here im needing exercise tips for the midriff ie: hips bum and tummy i dont want to have to spend money if i can help it either any help at all will be very much aprreciated

For a minute there I thought you were referring to the pelvic floor exercises........don't forget those....very very important!!

my last baby was 2 yrs ago so if the pelvic floor isnt where it should be doing as it should im in BIG trouble

Flumper - just shows you great minds think alike.

I really need all the help I can get for this area too. Posted all my thoughts in the 'Hello from one fat chick in England #6' thread earlier - so I won't bore you all to tears again.

Please Stef can you help us out. How can I get my stomach looking like a normal stomach again, it's all flabby & just hangs around at the moment - sorry for all the distrubing mental images you must now be having.

Carol

Hi!

I have started to reply about abs exercise on another 3fc forum. Check out Ledoms 'Ab Support Group' on the 'Exercise' forum. If you read that and then get back to me either there or here, I will reply. In fact I shall probably repeat each post in each forum from now on.

Ask me anything and I'll either know it or know where to find out, so really! Ask anything!

And yes, pelvic floor exercises are important and can be improved at anyage, no matter how long ago you had your kids!

Stef

Skipping and hypertension? Well.........

Without looking it up specifically I can think of a couple of reasons why someone with hypertension probably should avoid skipping.

1) When we skip, especially quickly, we tend to hold our breath. This is like when lifting weights, we don't do it on purpose it just happens. Holding your breath and exercising hard is a good way of raising the blood pressure very high very quick - not recommended for hypertensives!

2) Skipping is a very high intensity aerobic exercise. As such it is not recommended for hypertensives. Low to moderate exercise levels are much more appropriate, and when done properly give similar results to hard workouts but without the dangers of doing too much.

But before you or anyone with hypertension panics 'oh no I've been skipping for years', these recommendations are broad and normally intended for those with more severe hypertension. Those with mild hypertension may not experience any problems. Don't worry about what you have done in the past, just assess what you are doing now and do it in the most safe and effective way possible.

EEEeeeeeuuuuuuuuww! That got lectury there didn't it? Get back to me if you want more info. I could go search out more specific info if you want. Stef

Nooooooo ------- You didn't scare me!!!!!!

I just tend to forget that there are things I shouldn't do. I have never been given a list of activities that aren't adviseable for someone with high BP and so I always feel a bit sort of 'put out' (with myself) when I find yet something else that I would like to do, which I can't.

Stef, if you read this, how about things like swimming - I hold my breath when I swim and I am exercising.... I was thinking about taking it up again now my Baywatch Red cozzie fits.

Apart from walking, what other sorts of exercise ought I be thinking about doing? How about dancing??? For instance a friend is trying to persuade me to go line dancing???? (Yuck!!! - go on - please say it would be bad for me - it would be the perfect escape route - I REALLY don't want to go!!!!!)

Thanks Stef I'll check it out later on & post any questions I have.

Well done Sarah on fitting into the Bay Watch swimming cossie. Keep wishing my wasn't as snug.

Carol

Went & read Stefs exercises & this morning I did them. Struggled a bit with the situps but I will get better with practice. I have done the back one before on one of my exercise vids.

I am concious of aching muscles in my tummy area, just little twinges, think the muscles are just letting me know they are there & that they were very happy sleeping & vegging out under all my fat. Well have I got news for them

Carol

Having high BP doesn't mean you can't line dance - sorry. I'd say it's a pretty good exercise for anyone cos you don't have to jump around or run etc. It is a good low to moderate form of social exercise. Having said that the thought of it doesn't get me either.

Swimming: If your BP isn't too high and your GP hasn't said don't, then you should be OK. I know we all hold our breath when swimming but the exertion isn't sudden and hard, so you should be OK. If you join an aqua class you will still be OK just don't raise your hands over your head to wave them or whatever as this will place extra strain on your heart increasing your BP further. This is just about the only thing you shouldn't do in water with high BP!!

As for other exercises, well anything at all exept weight lifting. If you want to do this then you need to work with an experienced trainer. Someone who knows all about BP and exercise. You will normally find that a gym that does coronary rehab classes will have such a person. If you can't find someone with the right certificate don't do it until lyour BP is lowered.

It's sad and a bit confusing but when your BP is raised one of the best ways of lowering it is to exercise (as well as the drugs that is). But there eren't enough trained people out there who know what kind of exercise. Even your GP isn't going to know, it's not his job to!

But ask me about anything specific and I'll try to explain!

For anyone who tried the abs exercises, well done. I would imagine you can feel it now! Keep it up! Stef.

Thanks for the answer, Stef. Shame that line dancing is good for me...

I wasn't going to do aqua aerobics (sp??) I was going to take up just lane swimming again. Before I met DH and got bone idle I used to swim a mile each morning (breast stroke - can't do any other). I didn't realise until afterwards just how much it tones you up even though I actually put on weight because of it.

Well... they do say 'use it or lose it' - and I certainly lost it!

A mile Sarah - I'm just back from the pool & am over the moon because I swim a kilometre. How many lengths of a 25 metre pool make up a mile.

The weight gain would only be temporary until those toned muscles start working for you & burning up some of that useless fat that just hangs around us.

Carol

I haven't got a clue, Carol! I was going out with a Fitness Instructor at the time and he used to count my lengths - in one pool we went to I think it was 48 lengths to the mile and in the other pool it was 60 something. Both pools had a poster up telling you how many lengths equalled a kilometer and a mile.

I can vaguely remember that the 7am swimmers (a lovely bunch) had started up a 'Challenge' which I joined. The idea was to swim the equivalent of lengths to swimming from Dover to Calais - and you specified how far you could swim in a week and tried to keep to it - I think I got a little certificate at the end of it. I gave up when they started the next 'Challenge' which was from Southampton to New York (in lengths)....