I've been on a serious health kick for 5 months. Have lost 25 pounds by following a serious exercise and modified diet program. Exercise includes serious weight training. However, after starting weighted crunches, and anything that crunches my stomach, I was sick for a few months with increased reflux and increased coughing. I finally stopped doing all upper ab work and am very very careful to avoid anything that crunches the stomach area and for the last 30 days have felt much better.

Anyone else experience the same problem?

Yes, I had same thing. I was taking cardio kick boxing with a cool down yoga type session afterwards. Each night I would get home I thought I was dying - severe chest pains. My GI dr. said no jumping (causes acid to come up out of stomach), no bending at the waist (crunches, yoga moves, etc.). Pretty much walking and swimming are good, although sometimes brisk walking affects me. I've pretty much written off excercising, but now have high cholesterol. :bouncing:

I had trouble with sit-ups as well causing gerd and the famous lump-in-throat sensation that follows. I then installed a chin-up bar in the garage and do my upward crunches while hanging on the bar. No gerd this way for me, and a better workout as well!

I'm glad to know that I'm not the only one with this problem. I've managed to shed about 30 pounds in the last 5 months though, through exercise and diet. I mostly do weights and the stairmaster, but I love kickboxing/cardioboxing. I'm just really careful in class not to crunch my stomach, especially when they tell you to bring your knee to your stomach, I just kick it out to the side. I've been too heavy to try jogging, though in another 10 pounds I'll try it again. I hope that won't be a problem. At 160 I'm doing pretty well, but I won't fee like myself again until I hit 150.