My stomach, which is one of the most hideous and biggest problem areas for me in this battle of the bulge, has gone down considerably ( with NO excess skin -- looking better and better/tighter and tighter each day)--major inches lost/4+pants sizes decreased since starting this new lifestyle change. I really believe one of the main reasons it has gone down a lot is I give myself a "FREE" tummy tuck.

Everyday I purposely pull my tummy in ( ya know, conscientiously sucking in your stomach) all though out the day, not just during exercise time. This is much harder than it sounds (and is still not "natural/automatic" for me to do), because it's so easy and natural to "let it all hang out" so to speak. So, if you want a free tummy tuck too, just practice holding your tummy in/sucking it in all through-out the day, until it becomes natural. Again, this is HARDER than you think to do--but not impossible. Also, doing this everyday is also helping with my posture. i find that i walk/stand much taller automatically when i do this too. What makes me post this is I have on a pair of jogging pants I've had/worn for a long time and today, they are literally swimming on me. That inspired me to post this--also as a reminder to myself to tuck my tummy in thru-out the day as well

Has anyone else seen dramatic results/success stories in decreasing your stomach size by doing this?

bumping for replies

I love the tummy tuck technique! Most all of the weight that I have left to lose is in my tummy, so I'm definitely going to keep this in mind :)

I'm definitely gonna try this. Thanks!

thanks for sharing, will definitely try!!

I am sooo trying this! I love everything about the new me! Except the pouch I still carry around!

You are so right! Before I had my oldest, I would do that. Once I got pregnant with him, I, of course, no longer could. I didn't go back to it after he was born, but I have been trying to get back into it now. But as you said, it is not as easy as it sounds. It takes a lor of practice.

That's an awesome tip!! I'm glad it worked so well for you :P

Growing up my mother said that a woman is supposed to always have her stomach sucked in no matter what! So I have done this my whole life. I feel very weird if I let it out.

If you do it for long enough it becomes natural and you stop thinking about it. It's actually more comfortable in my opinion.

I do this too. It is a great way to keep your core muscles engaged through out the day

This works because it strengthens and tightens your tranverse abdominals, the deepest layer of abdominal muscle.

You are so right! Prior to having weight issues I think I held my tum in without ever thinking twice about it. But, since gaining weight it has become way more of an effort to hold it in. I have not been doing this and I definitley need to start. Thanks for the reminder, and grats to you!

I have a grandmother that always told me to do that! It definately does help! Work those CORE muscles!!!!

I need this! Thanks.

I also used to do it before I had kids... now when I do it I end up with a headache:( I try to do it for shorter times and I can feel it working my abs :)

I've done this for as long as I can remember because I've NEVER been able to just 'let it all hang out" and wish I could!! lol Hopefully in another 30+ pounds I won't have to hold it in as much anymore and all that holding will have helped me with a free tummy tuck!

You can train your muscles to hold in tighter by doing that but it does absolutely nothing for stretched-out skin. I do it constantly and I still have a 'hang' leftover from how ridiculously far my pregnancies stretched out my skin. I even did it DURING pregnancy b/c it was damn near painful to just let my huge belly hang. Always did it before and after the pregnancy b/c letting the stomach just hang out was embarrassingly unattractive.

When I'm done having kids I may consider getting a 'real' tummy tuck, but I intend to be in amazing shape so that I will only get the skin done and possibly a muscle separation repair, no lipo b/c I can lose the fat myself. ;-) I'm already starting to see my abs on the outer sides of my abdomen, but no amount of holding my stomach in or other abdominal training exercises is going to fix what pregnancy did to my skin.

Sure. Once you learn how to properly engage your core via some situps or planks, you should be able to leave them moderately engaged all day. It improves your sitting and standing posture.

A real abdominoplasty will not only will remove excess skin, but also stitch back together muscles that have become stretched, torn, and separated. If you get one, you will want to consider lipo while the doctor is in there. There usually is some degree that is necessary to keep the proper shape and proportion.

I do this while walking. My abs are waaaay more defined

Agree agree. I have always done this without even thinking about it. It just comes natural to me! :)

My mother said the exact same thing to me!

These are terrific replies and I thought of this thread as I was working out, doing my Power 90 Sculpt and holding my tummy in while breathing and thinking of this thread made it easier for me.

Thanks for all of your responses

Same here. When I had my first child, that's when my stomach started to get flabby and gross, even though I wasn't overweight nor obese, but slim and trim--still, even though i was skinny i started getting a fat stomach. One of my friends, who was older and super fit advised me to hold my stomach in ('free tummy tuck)" thru out the day, and I did back then and it did work super well in helping flatten my stomach. Over the years though, as I gained much more weight from a sedentary lifestyle and eating whatsoever my heart desired...but gut grew and grew and GREW fatter and yuckier. practicing a "free tummy tuck' throughout the day (and breathing more purposefully as I'm holding my tummy in, is definitely working. It's hard though and kinda like exercising thru-out the day for me.

Thank you for the tip.After 5 kids my abs are so stretched out.