I am a 34 year old woman who needs to lose 30 pounds and can't seem to end her cravings for sugar/candy I have been exercising 45 minutes 4 days of cardio for two weeks and want to know best way to lose the weight in thighs, butt and abs

Try some power walks, jogging work up to a mile 3-4 times a week, gread for the legs, abd butt. One of the best compound exercise for abs is the bicycle ab exercise, lie on back pulling knees to elbows in alternating, pumping legs, alternate knee crunches. Full range exercise will make your ab muscles work better, To affect both areas of muscles you need to use compound movements like the Incline knee up or decline leg raise or the hip curl. Round lower back to get full control of abs, While performing the incline leg raise or knee up to round and curl your hips toward tour torso at top of movement. And a good crunch is; lie on a couch or bench that allows your upper back to hang off freely. Place your calves on top of the couch with your knees at a 90 angle. Place your hands behind your head, raise your head and shoulder toward knees, Keep rounded back, 2-4 inch travel, raise plevis and round yoour back as you curl your torso up toward your knees, hold 2-3 seconds, 15-25 reps. You need the cardio, but also work in some resistance/weight training, or dancing, swimming. You need to work the whole body 30-60 minutes 4-5 times a week. No way around the sugar problem, but I would switch to raisins for candy, or a "couple" of pieces of dried fruit. Sugar has no nutritional value and lots of calories ans is the # 1 reason you keep weight on. Drink lots of water and a handful of nuts or seeds when you have these munchies, it will fill you till you have a normal meal.

Try some power walks, jogging work up to a mile 3-4 times a week, gread for the legs, abd butt. One of the best compound exercise for abs is the bicycle ab exercise, lie on back pulling knees to elbows in alternating, pumping legs, alternate knee crunches. Full range exercise will make your ab muscles work better, To affect both areas of muscles you need to use compound movements like the Incline knee up or decline leg raise or the hip curl. Round lower back to get full control of abs, While performing the incline leg raise or knee up to round and curl your hips toward tour torso at top of movement. And a good crunch is; lie on a couch or bench that allows your upper back to hang off freely. Place your calves on top of the couch with your knees at a 90 angle. Place your hands behind your head, raise your head and shoulder toward knees, Keep rounded back, 2-4 inch travel, raise plevis and round yoour back as you curl your torso up toward your knees, hold 2-3 seconds, 15-25 reps. You need the cardio, but also work in some resistance/weight training, or dancing, swimming. You need to work the whole body 30-60 minutes 4-5 times a week. No way around the sugar problem, but I would switch to raisins for candy, or a "couple" of pieces of dried fruit. Sugar has no nutritional value and lots of calories ans is the # 1 reason you keep weight on. Drink lots of water and a handful of nuts or seeds when you have these munchies, it will fill you till you have a normal meal.
Very nice answer. If I was a betting man this is what I would lay my money on. You covered every angle. Nice post.

Great advice from lovelesspa as usual.

To change your routine, try a pilates dvd. Oh wait... I meant, "to make you cry and wonder what sado-masochistic b@stards get paid to make torture vids", try a pilates dvd.

Not going to burn a lot of fat, since its not cardio, but it'll get deep into some muscles you just didn't know were there until they are "broken" the next day. Its impressive stuff.

Left to my own devices I hit elliptical, treadmill, and weights. Our gym has a nasty elliptical that lets you change to strait up stairs mid stride... another s&m machine thatll get your rear midsection screaming... but its low impact so that's the silver lining in the butt-n-back breaking device that it is.

And, as stated, pilates allows me to see what a sissy I really am, underneath a seemingly fit exterior. You can do it at home... you can checkout dvds from your local library to try out different things. Whatever your routine is, remember to change it up after several weeks to "shock" your body into changing its form... doing the same thing over and over, the same way, the same length of time, will eventually show diminishing returns.

Also, try working out in the early morning if you can... on my side this means ugly, ugly early (5am)... but it kicks up my metabolism early in the day, which will help knock off calories I take in during the morning hours.

If you need a sugar fix, make deals. Limit your intake, drink some water to make sure its not just your needing hydration, make yourself do some work before you get the treat, and make sure the treat is really what you want. I've stated before that when my wife wants a chocolate champagne truffle, a hersheys bar just won't cut it... shell eat some and then still be looking for the treat she really wants... so sometimes you can give in a little bit to avoid a lot of unsatisfying junk.

lovelesspa agrees: very good idea, I need to look into the pilate angle, heard it was difficult to teach yourself though?
Mixed feelings here. My wife had private instruction which helps her with form and breathing. That said, I know its helped me a lot, even when I'm not in "right" form and I struggle to breathe right... some of the breathing seems contradictory to what is natural... just like how some want to hold their breath when lifting, when you should be exhaling.

Pilates is about holding a controlled position and focusing on muscle contraction, often core muscles like stomach... its good stuff.

The dvds we have are from the following link:
STOTT PILATES | At Home Video Series (http://www.stottpilates.com/videos/at-home.html)

Scroll down to the four part series:

secret to flat abs, firm and fit, core challenge, strong and streamlined

I've only been through the first two, and honestly, I know I'm crappy on form.

Wife says her trainer really emphasizes form and breathing a lot more than on the tapes, but I still get an impressive workout from it.

I don't do I a lot, probably once a week. Sometimes longer, but she does it 2-3 times... and I think its impressive.

kp2171--went straight to it, very cool, Now I'm going to have to try this! Sounds very interesting, always like to try different programs, you get sick of the regular stuff after awhile, even when you change things around, you start losing interest... (I have a short attention span sometimes, ha or is it lazy... ) Don't have any weight issues just want to keep old age stuff at bay! Thanks for the info!!

Don't have any weight issues just want to keep old age stuff at bay! Thanks for the info!!!!!
Isn't that the truth? I lost count after 26-ish... at that point I'm "legal" by several years... what's my next age landmark? Retirement??

The metabolism slowdown that happened at, oh... 28, and then 32... sucked arse! I was a good boy! Why do I need extra homework?

Sorry... ranting out loud.

Steel piercing hard ons and 8% body fat is wasted on the young... not that I'm bitter. ;)

Have a good weekend.