To lose weight in a healthy manner, you need to exercise regularly and control your calorie intake. One lb. is equivalent to 3,500 calories. To lose 1 lb. a week, you would need to burn 500 calories a day and/or eat 500 fewer calories daily. While sit-ups, also known as crunches, will burn calories, it can take a long time to burn a significant number of them. That's why it's best to incorporate sit-ups into a healthy diet and exercise regimen.
Calories Burned
It takes an hour of doing sit-ups for a 130-lb. person to burn 207 calories. At 155 lbs., you can burn 246 calories after doing sit-ups for 60 minutes. You can burn 286 calories after doing sit-ups for an hour if you weigh 180 lbs. At 205 lbs., it will take 60 minutes to burn 326 calories. You can improve your cardio fitness and increase the number of calories burned if you do sit-ups in intervals. A 2010 study published by researchers from McMaster University in Canada found that short bursts of high-intensity interval training provide a safe alternative to moderate, long term exercise.
Weight Loss vs. Toning
People often confuse weight loss and toning. Weight loss refers to dropping pounds. You can lose weight by burning calories and consuming fewer calories. Toning refers to strengthening muscles, which can reduce inches on your waist, thighs and other areas. While sit-ups can tone muscles, crunches alone can't tone belly flab. Sit-ups can target your superficial abdominal muscles -- the muscles responsible for a "6-pack" physique. Doing too many sit-ups, however, can cause your belly to bulge with muscle, which will increase your waist size. Further, because muscle has more mass than fat, the more you tone, the more weight you could put on. In order to lose weight and lose inches, you should do sit-ups as well as cardio exercises that burn a lot of calories in a short amount of time and control your calorie intake.
How to Do Sit-Ups
You will afford few benefits from sit-ups if you do them incorrectly. Gabe Mirkin, M.D., reports that doing crunches the wrong way can also cause back pain. To do a proper sit-up, lie on your back with your knees bent and the soles of your feet flat on the floor. Cross your arms over your chest. While you tighten your abdominal muscles, lift your upper back, neck and shoulders about 12 inches off the floor. Do not lead with your neck or head and especially do not pull your neck with your hands. Lower your body back down to the starting position slowly while keeping your abs tight. Try to work up to doing two sets of 10 sit-ups. As it becomes easier, you can hold a weight -- start with 2 to 5 lbs. -- to increase the resistance.
Warning
Doing any exercise vigorously or aggressively carries health risks. Studies by researchers at the Irvine and Miller Children's Hospital at the University of California found that vigorous exercise can cause wheezing and decreased lung function in healthy adults, even in people with no history of asthma. Bronchoconstriction is a condition triggered by heavy exercise. If doing sit-ups has this effect on you, it's best to avoid this specific exercise altogether.
References
- NutriStrategy: List of Calories Burned During Exercise
- ScienceDaily: High-Intensity Interval Training is Time-Efficient and Effective
- MayoClinic.com: Interval Training: Can it Boost Your Calorie-Burning Power?
- Mail Online: Sit-Ups Myth! They Won't Give You a 6-Pack and Could Leave You a Pot Belly
- ScienceDaily: Heavy Exercise may Produce Asthma-Like Symptoms Even in Healthy Children
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