About John P. Expertise I can answer questions related to aging, body systems & senses, chronic conditions, conflict resolution, consumer health, death & dying, disease, family life, fitness, human sexuality, medicine, mental/emotional health, nutrition, psychology, public/world health, safety, sense of self, social skills, and substance abuse prevention.
Experience Successfully completed undergraduate courses in Health Problems and Intervention Strategies, Study of Health & Disease, Psychology Applied, Human Growth & Development, Foundations of Education, Medical Terminology, Fundamentals of Nutrition, General Chemistry, Anatomy & Physiology, Drug Use & Abuse, Preventive Public Health Care, Human Sexuality, Health Education Theory & Methods, Individuals with Exceptionalities in Society, Environmental Health Concerns, Psychology of Education, Technology for Teaching, Pathology of Infectious Diseases, Wellness During the Early Childhood Years, and more.
Bachelor of Science in Education (B.S. Ed.) degree with certification in School Health Education to be completed in May 2007.
National Professional Health Education Honorary (Eta Sigma Gamma), Honor Society of Phi Kappa Phi, and Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society
Porterfield, J. (2005). Risk and protective factors for sexual health and evidence-based intervention models in schools and the community. Youngstown, OH.
Expert: John P. Date: 12/17/2006 Subject: toning abs/thinning thighs
Question hey john, im 16 years old, i'm about 5'2", and i weigh about 101 pounds. i really want to be a bit skinnier. my friends say that my waist is super skinny, but the thing is, my thighs kinda arent, and i;d really like to tone them down... is there any exercises you could recommend taht i could do at home?? and also, my stomach's mostly flat, but i would relaly like to have better/noticable abs.. not super muscly or anything, but just a bit flatter and stuff.. besides situps/crunches, are there any other exercises i could do? also... i was wondering, are there any stretches/exercises i could do to maximize my chance of growing a bit more..maybe even half an inch or smthing..? i play tennis, but i dont feel thats enough exercise to target my abs/thighs...
please help!!!
Answer Ali,
Thank you for your question. To answer your question, you cannot "spot-reduce" fat. That is, to selectively loose fat in certain areas of your body but not in others. That means there are no exercises you can do that would only help your thighs.
Many people are on a quest to achieve a "flat stomach." Unfortunately for many people, it's not physiologically possible to achieve a flat stomach. Our stomach muscles aren't designed to be flat. Instead, the abdominal muscles form a rounded, not flat, shape. Crunches will help strengthen your abs. Lie on your back with your knees bent. Place your hands on the sides of your head, but don't pull on your head. Lift your shoulders off the floor, concentrating on moving your ribs towards your hips. Pretend a grapefruit is under your chin so you don't move your head. Go slow and keep breathing. Try 2 seconds up, hold for 2 seconds, and 2 seconds going down.
There's nothing you can do to increase your height. In fact, your genes determine how tall you'll be. Taking care of yourself - eating well, exercising regularly, and getting plenty of rest — is the best way to help your body reach its natural potential.
