Health & Fitness
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Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
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Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Our tech team has launched updates to The Nest today. As a result of these updates, members of the Nest Community will need to change their password in order to continue participating in the community. In addition, The Nest community member's avatars will be replaced with generic default avatars. If you wish to revert to your original avatar, you will need to re-upload it via The Nest.
If you have questions about this, please email help@theknot.com.
Thank you.
Note: This only affects The Nest's community members and will not affect members on The Bump or The Knot.
Ab exercises make stomach look bigger?
I have always been a runner and do some strengthening on a more infrequent basis. In the last month I have been trying to increase ab work and since then my belly looks like it is really sticking out! Ugg. I know that they say you can have a layer of fat there that may make your stomach appear bigger when you begin developing those muscles underneath.However, I really am not that big of a person...5'5 and between 111 and 115 lbs. I am vegetarian as well and eat a lot of fiber/drink water. Is it my imagination or has this happened to others as well?. I am ready to ditch these ab exercises and just continue with my cardio routine!
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Re: Ab exercises make stomach look bigger?
I really don't know anything scientific on this, however a lot of the DVD's that I have stress pulling your belly button in when working abs, like PP said. They don't actually say why though, so IDK. I have been working abs for about 2 years now, and I realized that they look better when I flex them and stand up straight than when I suck them in, like I had to do before. I think there must be something to the theory???
In my experience, yes, ab exercises can make your torso look thicker, usually because it IS thicker due to added muscle mass. I've always had a strong core due to various sports and core exercises, and sometimes my abs look fantastic and sometimes I just look thick. In general I think core strength is extremely important - to everyone, not just athletes - but doing targeted ab exercises doesn't cut it and can lead to lopsided core muscles (strong abs and weak back). You could try doing more all-around core exercises like planks, bridges, and turkish get-ups. Doing a bunch of crunches will mostly build mass I think, which isn't what you want.