Help with Stomach Area

Hello everyone.  Please see my before and now pictures on my personal page.  I am big in the middle section.  Can anyone help me with toning the stomach?  I walk daily almost four miles or more.  I bought some hand held weights to work my arms also.  Is there anything that will pull my stomach up where it does not hang so bad? Still too big for sit-ups.  I started doing push ups on the wall and boy it is felt in the arms.   Any help is appreciated.

Most of all of us carry our weight in the middle and panni's (bottom belly). Unfortunately depending on how big we are or were due to hanging skin. There are garments that are sold to hold up some of those problem areas and that should help even if you're working out - however i can only assume that it will be uncomfortable...

Anway you can do mini situps where you're concentrating on feeling your abdominal muscles and not necessarily going all the way up to a full situp. The other thing you can do to work your abs is to raise your legs and do reach ups. If you can hold your legs up - prop them up on the wall to hold them up and then reach up high as much as you can - you should feel ab muscle hurtin.  Also to get ideas..google: abdominal works and you should get many types of workout you can do.  Best of luck to you!

Thanks for the suggestions.  I think I would like the raise ups better.  I never thought about that.  I will google some things ...........

I am a huge believer in Pilates, it has really toned my abs!  Also incorporating the stability ball or medicin ball is a big help. You can modify to fit your body, I started withthe modified versions of everything and worked my way up.   I use Winsor Pilates, I first ordered it from an infommircial and I really love it. Becki 1/18/05 297/126 5"8"

Becky: I have never done pilates before.  I will have to try them.  Do you have any good recommendations for beginners? Thanks, Elizabeth

It may sound crazy but this is how they have elderly people in the nursing home workout and I must say my abs are toning, I'm pre-surgery but working on my body now. Drop coins on the floor, no less than 20 and pick them up at least twice a day. Lay on your side on the bed and curl your knees to your chest like a baby. Both will tone your mid section and they're easier than trying to raise your full body. Another one is while your sitting draw in your stomach and hold it while you continue to talk, this one can hurt so be careful. Let me know if you need more.

Thanks, I will try this.  I already do the one with my stomach sucked in.  I do this when I walk and sometimes it feels like it goes numb.  Not sure why.