Thread: Aradia's Abs

My god woman, How did you get those????????

Ok so spill the beans on your fitness routine and how you got them babies..g.: ..g.: ..g.:

and were you ever over weight?

...

I might have to parade over to Fayetteville next month and see 'em in person.... Let's hope she comes to this thread and speaks to us!

Suzan

Im very very curious to know!!!!

generic ab advice, not Aradia specific...

You have to reduce your overall body fat percentage to get good visible ab definition. Most women can't go that low and still maintain good health.

It's really not even dependent on exercise, although it helps. I knew someone once who wouldn't know a crunch from a cap'n, but her abs were completely visible and defined due more to not eating enough to sustain weight and dancing.

other people I know have a very reduced body fat mass and still don't show ab definition.

If you want defined abs, reduce your body fat to about 17% and work out.

I am not Aradia, but I do have a decent set of abs, so I will tell you what I do. Three times a week, at the gym, I do three sets of 15, on each side, weight set to 40 pounds, on a torso rotation machine similar to the one here (this one gives you awesome obliques!!):

Fitness products and exercise equipment for commercial and home gyms

I also do three sets of 15 or 2 sets of 25 (depends on my mood), weight set to 55, on the ab machine demonstrated in this You Tube clip:
[ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ScSVCKdufSA]YouTube - Cybex Eagle Abdominal[/ame]

Whenever I also go to the gym to hop on the elliptical (on non-weight days), I always do the ab machine (the one in the You Tube clip) as well. Again, three sets of 15 or 2 of 25. I watch what I eat religiously, having gone from a size 10 a year ago to a size 6. I am not sure what my body fat percentage is, though.

Oh, and for reference, here are my abs. Excuse the silly expression on my face! You can see that I still have a bit of squishiness atop the muscle.

..l;, ..l;, ..l;,
Thank you!!!


This thread totally caught me by surprise!!! No I do not work out at all, I only dance!! 4-5 nights a week at Marrakech when I'm in town, I teach quiet a few privates, have a dance company, and of course my workshop tours!
I have gained some weight from the steroids they were injecting into my spine every 2 weeks, but I'm planning to get rid of it in the next month, before I go to Arkansas!!..g.:

I don't do other exercises because I don't want a 6 pack, to me that is for the boys, girls look better with long ab muscles not the 6 pack

No particular diet, just no fast food!!! Ever! I like everything, very much a carnivore, but, otherwise I would say it's more portion control, I don't binge eat on a regular basis, only occasionally when I order eggs Benedict with hash browns and toast and a side of pancakes, the waitress always looks at me like I'm crazy, but I only go nuts like that once every 3 months.

One of the local Vegas Magazines is doing an article on them, and my dance training! S Magazine which is for Summerlin here in the Vegas area!!!

so after all that waiting.....you are just blessed and darn lucky.......sigh......


sooooo damiena those are great abs too....have you had kids????

Originally Posted by annwyn

so after all that waiting.....you are just blessed and darn lucky.......sigh......


sooooo damiena those are great abs too....have you had kids????

Yes, Annwyn, I have 2 kids. ..g.:

ok so at some point you were over weight? I am just so discouraged by my stomach, my son is 2.5 and i just feel like the pooch isnt ever going ot go away. I regularly excercise and eat healthy....it is just so frustrating

Hi Annwyn, yes, about 5 years ago, I was 40 pounds overweight. I quit smoking and substituted cigarettes with food, a very bad idea. Let's see, other info that might help: my kids are significantly older than your son, I workout like crazy now, watch what I eat and use a body firming cream on my abdomen (I am not sure if it really does anything, but I use it anyway!). I really think everyone is different and everyone's skin is different.

Originally Posted by annwyn

ok so at some point you were over weight? I am just so discouraged by my stomach, my son is 2.5 and i just feel like the pooch isnt ever going ot go away. I regularly excercise and eat healthy....it is just so frustrating

just be patient, and keep doing the right things.............i went thru a plateau and was at the point of just accepting the fact i was gonna just never have a waistline..........then BAM! 2 inches melted off my waist and hips...........its the first time i've seen my abs, EVER............and as aradia did, all i did was dance (teaching weekly, practice at home, occasional gigs)........the cardio aspect FINALLY melted off the excess, and our dance gives us a strong core, so your rock star abs are already there.......

what started the 'meltaway' was making sure i ate more frequently (breakfast, small snack when hunger hits, lunch, small snack, dinner) to increase metabolism, and the kicker, was stopping eating when i BEGAN to feel full, not when i was actually full.........(u have another meal for later,too, so it's economical :p), i also cut down on sugar, wheat products, and almost eliminated salt (water retainer)........all of that is HARD......but i don't deprive myself..........i do occasionally do junk food, dessert, just not often, so it's a real treat...........still have a bit more to go, inch wise, but it's doable

just keep eating right, (and enough, some people starve themselves which i the worst thing u can do, that HOLD ON to fat), keep dancing, and maybe throw in another physical activity.......cross training is a good shock to the system............patience is the hardest part........c::

I can vouch for the fact that Ruta's abs are looking fab!

Originally Posted by bintbeled

I can vouch for the fact that Ruta's abs are looking fab!

not as nice as aradia's

you've succeeded in making me blush

thank you, latifa............you are SO sweet! mwah

i personally HATE sit-ups and crunches and they NEVER worked for ME.....however, doing drills REAAAAALLY slow seemed to kickstart the abs.......my students hate me, but they're seeing the results too, as your students are i'm sure ..g.: (i've heard how excellently tough your classes can be)

Originally Posted by ruta21030

what started the 'meltaway' was making sure i ate more frequently (breakfast, small snack when hunger hits, lunch, small snack, dinner) to increase metabolism, and the kicker, was stopping eating when i BEGAN to feel full, not when i was actually full

I agree with the eating smaller meals more frequently. I eat six smaller meals a day, about every 2-3 hours!

Originally Posted by ruta21030

but i don't deprive myself..........i do occasionally do junk food, dessert, just not often, so it's a real treat.....

Same here with the dessert and the occasional York Peppermint Patty!

Originally Posted by ruta21030

just keep eating right, (and enough, some people starve themselves which i the worst thing u can do, that HOLD ON to fat)

Agree! Whenever I reached a plateau during my weight loss, I kicked it by upping my daily caloric intake. Seems crazy to eat more to lose weight, but it worked!

now if only i could practice what i preach and exercise patience in the last bit o' fat hanging on to the spot just above my bum and my thighs..........ALWAYS the last to go and hangin' on like lamprey.................:p

Here is a weird fact:

When your calories come from carbs, you tend to look more poofy than if they come from protein or fat. Weird, I know. So if you are trying to look lean, cut down on the carbs.

*I heard that from a nutritionist. It has also been corroborated by fitness researchers.


{{{{HUGS}}}}

the interesting thing i heard from a nutritionist dancer friend was that you shouldn't COMBINE carbs and meat proteins, cuz of how they digest........carbs with veggies (cuz u STILL need carbs, just not so many), or meat protein with veggies, not both.............

really hard to do, and still not 100% sure it works, but worth at try, and i DO try to practice it, just to get in good habits...........

I thought veggies *were* carbs.

as far as I know, calories can only come in the form of fat, protein, or carbohydrate.

Originally Posted by lotus

I thought veggies *were* carbs.

as far as I know, calories can only come in the form of fat, protein, or carbohydrate.

You are right. Veggies are mostly carbs and fiber. But it's not nearly as dense in carbs as pasta, bread, or sweets. So you can eat some veggies on a fairly low-carb diet (if that is your thing).

I believe it's the Suzanne Sommers diet that is the proponent of not mixing fats, carbs, and protein.

Clarification: Complexed carb: bread, rice, pasta, potatoes.

Here is a pretty good list of veggie which are low carb:

Low-Carb Vegetables: List of Vegetables to Eat When Cutting Carbs


Here is what Wiki has to say about food Combining. I know people who have used this system with great results, I know others who have had no or poor results.

Food combining - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

{{{HUGS}}}

SOME veggies such as potatoes, some meally beans, corn, tubers, etc, that have starches as part of their make-up are lumped into carbs, because they take longer to break down and are more complex..........green veggies, fruits, leafy greens are less complex and digest quicker............or at least that's my understanding of it......

Originally Posted by Samira_dncr

You are right. Veggies are mostly carbs and fiber. But it's not nearly as dense in carbs as pasta, bread, or sweets. So you can eat some veggies on a fairly low-carb diet (if that is your thing).

I believe it's the Suzanne Sommers diet that is the proponent of not mixing fats, carbs, and protein.

suzanne sommers made it more public, i heard this from my dancer friend back in '87...........didn't do it much then cuz my self discipline was in the can, i'm better with that now..........g.: or try to be

Originally Posted by ruta21030

SOME veggies such as potatoes, some meally beans, corn, tubers, etc, that have starches as part of their make-up are lumped into carbs, because they take longer to break down and are more complex..........green veggies, fruits, leafy greens are less complex and digest quicker............or at least that's my understanding of it......

thanks for clarifying; I always found that bit confusing.

[quote]

Originally Posted by ruta21030

the interesting thing i heard from a nutritionist dancer friend was that you shouldn't COMBINE carbs and meat proteins, cuz of how they digest........carbs with veggies (cuz u STILL need carbs, just not so many), or meat protein with veggies, not both............

This is NOT true. I am not sure why a "nutritionist" would say this. I am a registered dietitian and I can tell you for sure that this is not the case. Your body does not digest something differently like bread just because you ate it with a slice of ham versus a stalk of celery. Your body will always break down carbohydrates, protein and fat the same, no matter what food they come from.

well, again, this was in the late 80's, and i wasn't 100% sure it would work, but, its NOT the only time i heard it either, ..........it was described as meats, taking longer to digest, sit and rot in the stomach while other, less complex items digest quicker.....is it true? no clue.......i defer to others with more expertise.....the other issue is this same friend was also trying to convince me to become a vegan, so part of my reticence came from assuming she had an agenda.........

that being said, i DO know people who've tried it, with excellent results, and like tahiradancer, those who hadnt...........

i mention it cuz it's a healthier way to TRY to eat than many other diets out there(too many people have abused southbeach & adkins, at the expense of their health)............, and if it works, great........

ok, ruta told me to post this here:


every once in a while they decide to look really good

Originally Posted by latriamou

ok, ruta told me to post this here:


every once in a while they decide to look really good

why yes, yes i did

sometimes ya gots ta give props when they're due.........