Hi,
No expert, but until a few years ago I was able to maintain a semblance of athleticism.
1. How should I go about flattening my stomach?
If the problem is muscle tone, then crunches work -- Google it. If the problem is excess fat, then no exercise alone will fix it, you've got to lose fat. Not weight. You can lose fat by losing weight, but it is even better to lose fat by replacing it with muscle.
2. Do sit-ups work at all?
For the stomach? No. They can do a pretty good job of hurting your back.
3. If so, what is the correct way of doing sit-ups?
If you do partial sit ups (not coming up beyond 45 degrees or so, they do some good with little back strain. But crunches are still better.
I've also heard that running regularly, eating less, and eating right will also help me shed some weight. Is this correct?
Well, yeah. The eating right part is pretty essential for overall good health. The quantity you need to eat depends on *your* metabolism. However, there are some pretty good general guides by age, weight, height and life style. From what you say, sounds like you're pretty sedate, so I'd guess somewhere around 1400 to 1600 calories (nutritional calories, i.e., kilo-calories) a day. But, again, Google it.
Exercise helps three ways. First, it burns calories directly. About 65 calories per km (and the amazing thing is that that number is relatively constant if you walk, jog, run, or even swim). Second, the muscle mass developed from exercise burns more calories. It raises your basal metabolic rate, so that you can actually "diet" and be eating more. Third, it is (after a while) both fun and addicting. Which is good, considering the other beneficial effects.
--Pete
No expert, but until a few years ago I was able to maintain a semblance of athleticism.
1. How should I go about flattening my stomach?
If the problem is muscle tone, then crunches work -- Google it. If the problem is excess fat, then no exercise alone will fix it, you've got to lose fat. Not weight. You can lose fat by losing weight, but it is even better to lose fat by replacing it with muscle.
2. Do sit-ups work at all?
For the stomach? No. They can do a pretty good job of hurting your back.
3. If so, what is the correct way of doing sit-ups?
If you do partial sit ups (not coming up beyond 45 degrees or so, they do some good with little back strain. But crunches are still better.
I've also heard that running regularly, eating less, and eating right will also help me shed some weight. Is this correct?
Well, yeah. The eating right part is pretty essential for overall good health. The quantity you need to eat depends on *your* metabolism. However, there are some pretty good general guides by age, weight, height and life style. From what you say, sounds like you're pretty sedate, so I'd guess somewhere around 1400 to 1600 calories (nutritional calories, i.e., kilo-calories) a day. But, again, Google it.
Exercise helps three ways. First, it burns calories directly. About 65 calories per km (and the amazing thing is that that number is relatively constant if you walk, jog, run, or even swim). Second, the muscle mass developed from exercise burns more calories. It raises your basal metabolic rate, so that you can actually "diet" and be eating more. Third, it is (after a while) both fun and addicting. Which is good, considering the other beneficial effects.
--Pete
How big was the aquarium in Noah's ark?