? about my ab routine

[Gettin_Fit]

I am a beginner in all this...so keep that in mind when looking at what I do for my abs.
Right now I am 5'6" 160lbs (female). My goal is 125-130 (I think) and to be really firm and fit.
The question I have is this ab workout that I am doing going to give me a "wide" waist. Naturally I have a small waist even when I am overweight, and I like that natural taper. I am just worried that some of the things I am doing is going to give me a thick waist instead.
I do all these without any add weight. Just my body weight for resistance.

Day 1:
10 basic crunches
10 sit-ups
10 roll-ups
10 jack-knives on each side
strech for 15-20 secs then repeat cycle 2 more times

Day 2:
10 cross-legged crunchs (kinda like sitting on the floor 'indian-style" then laying down)
10 elbow to opposite knee crunches
10 elbow to same side knee crunches
10 bicycle crunches (alternating legs-crossing elbow to opposite knee)
10 "clams"
strech for 15-20 secs then repeat cycle 2 more times

I do this everyday alternating routines. I read that its okay to work the abs daily since the have a quick recovery rate. Is this routine good or bad? I want to have a nice stomach - flat and hard with a narrow waist..will this eventually get me there?
Thanks for the help!

 

[gettinlarger]

For your goals, ab work is useless without proper diet.

 

[Gettin_Fit]

Right, I know. I am working on that now. I have been told that I am not eating enough right now, so I am currently working on adding more to my diet. right now my diet runs between 800-100 cals a day. trying to increase that to 1200-1500.
My question wasn't really about diet it was about the workout itself...Am I doing to much for my sides? Doing that workout am I going to get a "thick" waist or will it just tighten up?
Thanks again.

 

[Lastcall]

I really wouldn't wory about getting a wide waist with that ab work out. It looks fine.
Diet and cardio is also very important, instead of doing abs every day, do them every other day and use the extra time for more cardio.

 

[spatts]

Someone once told me I'd get a wide waist from all the core/ab work I do. It hasn't changed at all, and my ab work is in the hundreds of pounds range. I wouldn't worry about it.

If my waist gets thicker I'll just add a couple inches to my shoulders. Problem solved.

 

[SofaGeorge]

Ab work is ABsolutely unnecessary.

I dieted down to 6 pac abs... and I hadn't worked abs in years and years... but I had a perfect 6 pack.

Great abs are only a matter of diet. Nothing else.

I work abs now... but only for greater core support for heavy lifts.

 

[gettinlarger]

Ab work is ABsolutely unnecessary.

I dieted down to 6 pac abs... and I hadn't worked abs in years and years... but I had a perfect 6 pack.

Great abs are only a matter of diet. Nothing else.

I work abs now... but only for greater core support for heavy lifts.

My thoughts exactly.

 

[Gettin_Fit]

I can definately the change I have made in my diet in the past month have already given me results. I see a little bit of difference but my husband says he can really see a difference especially in my stomach. He says its smaller and flater now that it was...granted I have a long way to go. I have had 4 kids so I feel like doing some kind of ab work is the only way I am going to get what I want. Maybe I am wrong there, but I guess it can't hurt to do it.
Thanks for all the advice. This place is great!!

 

[spatts]

It won't hurt, you'll just waste time. You can get to your goal much faster doing no ab work at all, and concentrating on your diet and weight training.

 

[Gettin_Fit]

That is definately something to think about. My problem is getting to the gym to do a "real" weight training workout. Right now I work out at home using hand weights (5lbs). I have been working out daily for nearly a month now and I can see (mostly feel) a difference in my arms, shoulders, and chest already. When I do a triceps kick back I can actually feel and see the muscle now. I know that I have sooo far to go, I am proud of the difference it has made already. Kinda makes it a little easier to stick with it too, because unlike aerobics or something you get to see results a bit faster.
I do alot of differnt squats and lunges for my legs too. I have 2 routines that I alternate days on (full body things) plus I started walking (brisk pace) 3-4 miles a day.
Obviously I am very new to all of this and no one I know is into weight training so I am just trying to figure things out on my own. Any thoughts or suggestions are MORE than welcome. Thanks a bunch!