Losing weight comes with many advantages to your physical and mental health. Not only do you reduce your disease risk, but you also can feel better about yourself. The only problem that you may end up with is excess skin on your tummy. This is not as serious as the tummy fat that was once there, but it can still cause you to be self-conscious. To tighten this loose skin, you need to do abdominal exercises that target your entire stomach area. Using resistance for these exercises can help increase the muscle fiber recruitment.
Step 1
Fasten ankle weights to your lower legs to do leg lifts. Lie on your back with your legs 6 inches off the floor and straight, and your arms at your sides. Raise your legs up until the soles of your feet are parallel to the ceiling. Slowly lower them to the starting point and repeat. Place your hands under your rear if you feel discomfort in your lower back.
Step 2
Sit lengthwise on a workout bench to do leg pull-ins. Lean backward, grab the edges of the bench by your rear and extend your legs out straight above the bench. Pull your knees into your chest as you lean forward and hold for a second. Reverse the motion to get your body back in the starting position, and repeat.
Step 3
Grab a dumbbell to do side bends. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and hold a dumbbell in your right hand. Place your left hand on your hip or the side of your head and bend laterally to your right, lowering the weight toward the floor. Bend back to upright and repeat. Do a set of reps and switch sides. Keep your shoulders and hips in line with each other throughout.
Step 4
Hold a medicine ball straight in front of your chest to do Russian twists. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and slowly rotate your upper body to your right side. Hold for a second and rotate to your left side. Keep going back and forth in a steady, controlled motion. Make sure your back stays straight throughout and your head is in line with the ball at all times.
Step 5
Lie face-up on a decline bench to do push crunches. Hook your lower shins under the padded support and hold a set of dumbbells straight above your chest with your palms facing your knees. Lift your shoulders off the bench and push the weights straight toward the ceiling. Lower yourself down and repeat.
Step 6
Execute a set of medicine ball crunches. Lie on your back with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Hold the ball at arm's reach above your stomach and lift your shoulders off the floor. Push the ball forward so it is above your knees and hold for a second. Lower yourself down and repeat.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform 15 to 20 reps of each exercise and do three to four sets. Work your abs three times a week on nonconsecutive days. If you want to get fast results, you can look into a an abdominoplasty (tummy tuck). This is a procedure where a doctor cuts your stomach, repairs the muscles and tightens up your skin. If you want to go this route, be aware that there can be risks involved with the surgery.
Things You'll Need
- Ankle weights
- Bench
- Decline bench
- Dumbbells
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