# Back in the gym **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 7, 2006, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766 "2006-09-07T09:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![tremorviolet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e47774/32.png) [@tremorviolet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tremorviolet)\ **Post date:** [September 10, 2006, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/21 "2006-09-10T23:32:35Z")
[QUOTE=GingerOfTheNorth] I do need some toning advice. Do you mind if I use this thread to ask for it? I have belly and under-arm fat (huge weight loss, pregnancy gain, more big weight loss) which I’d like to get rid of. Anyone know what I can do to help the abs and tone up my arms? [/QUOTE] First of all, read the **Ultrafilter’s** number 1 recommended site, [stumtptous](http://www.stumptuous.com/cms/index.php) for lots of good basic weight training advice. And [this page](http://exercise.about.com/cs/weightlifting/l/blsampletricep.htm) has a good listing of basic triceps exercises. I love tricep exercises 'cause they respond really quickly to weights. (gratuitous, and attention-whorish pimping of my [arms](http://www.bermanism.com/images/MN2006/DSC04544.jpg)😃 ) Here’s a [selection of ab execises](http://exercise.about.com/od/abs/ss/abexercises.htm) from the same site. I particularly like doing crunches on the balance ball 'cause I really feel the abs working. (unfortunately, I have no gratuitous pictures of a six pack. ☹ ) But, unfortunately, you can tighten the ab and tricep muscles but to really see good results, you’ll also need to lose the bodyfat over them. I have fairly low bodyfat for a woman but still don’t have visible abs (sigh). But keeping up the cardio will definitely help. ---
**Author:** ![the\_chicken\_of\_exeter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@the\_chicken\_of\_exeter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_chicken_of_exeter)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/22 "2006-09-11T00:11:04Z")
Ugh, exercise. My parents have agreed to pay for me to swim the Channel for my next few Christmas and birthdays, so I need to start training for that soon. The distance shouldn’t be a problem, or at least it wouldn’t have been when I was 13/14. But I haven’t swum properly since I was 15 and started concentrating on rowing. And the sea is Cold. I didn’t think this through. ---
**Author:** ![Dunderman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ecb155/32.png) [@Dunderman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dunderman)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/23 "2006-09-11T00:14:19Z")
[QUOTE=tremorviolet] But, unfortunately, you can tighten the ab and tricep muscles but to really see good results, you’ll also need to lose the bodyfat over them. I have fairly low bodyfat for a woman but still don’t have visible abs (sigh). But keeping up the cardio will definitely help. [/QUOTE] What she said. Cardio, cardio, cardio, low-fat diet. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 12:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/24 "2006-09-11T00:16:37Z")
I’ve just stepped up my cardio, and I’ve followed a low-fat diet for quite awhile. I am afraid that even when I’ve lost all of the fat, there’s still going to be skin that’ll have to be removed surgically. BLEAH. ---
**Author:** ![the\_chicken\_of\_exeter](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ac8455/32.png) [@the\_chicken\_of\_exeter](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/the_chicken_of_exeter)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/25 "2006-09-11T00:20:37Z")
how much spare skin are you planning on having? if its not too much then a skin-tightening potion every day you are losing weight should help. thats what my mum uses whenever she goes anorexic. ---
**Author:** ![GingerOfTheNorth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/cdc98d/32.png) [@GingerOfTheNorth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GingerOfTheNorth)\ **Post date:** [September 11, 2006, 1:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766/26 "2006-09-11T01:17:05Z")
I was 100 pounds overweight. I am now 30 pounds overweight, and had a pregnancy after I lost the initial 70 (then gained and lost 50). I don’t think that a skin firming lotion would do anything at all. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/back-in-the-gym/371766.md?page=1)