Giving Up on the 'Ideal'

Now you know the truth: The goal to get flat abs may:

• Require more exercise than your schedule will allow and more than you can mentally handle
• Require more attention to your diet than you're willing/able to expend
• Require more strict adherence to diet/and exercise than you have the time or energy to spare
• Not be in your genetic cards

If that's the case, maybe it's time to get rid of that goal. It may seem foreign to imagine an exercise life without it, but it's possible and tossing that goal may actually be a relief, allowing you to focus on what you CAN change.

Now's the time to ask yourself:

• Do I really want flat abs?
• Am I willing to work as hard as I need to to get them?
• If I will work that hard, am I willing to accept that it still may not happen, even if I do everything right?
• If I did get six-pack abs, what will that change in my life? What will flat abs actually do for me?
• What would happen if I let go of this ideal and focused on other goals?

Accepting that your body works as a whole and not in pieces and parts is the first step towards releasing that ideal body that lurks in your mind and embracing the one you have now--belly flab and all. Maybe it's time to finally let that goal go and realize you aren't a failure for not reaching it.

What You Really Need for Flat Abs

Despite what you think, ab exercises are NOT the number one thing you need to do for flat abs. In fact, getting flat abs requires hard work, commitment and something else you have no control over: cooperative genes.

The only way to get flat abs is to lose body fat and you already know what that requires:

1.Regular cardio exercise
2. Strength training for entire body (treating the abs just like any other muscle in the body)
3. A healthy, low calorie diet

You must get all three of these (especially your diet) right on a consistent basis in order to even get close to flat abs. And, something else important: If you've lost body fat and you still don't have flat abs, don't be terribly surprised. Many of us will never see that six-pack because:

• The body fat level required to get flat abs is lower than you can sustain with your current lifestyle/schedule, or
• The body fat level required is lower than is healthy for your body to function.

So, even if you follow a perfect program and a perfect diet, flat abs still may elude you. Does that mean you should give up? You shouldn't give up on exercise but, maybe, giving up the ideal of six-pack abs is exactly what you need to make your life better.

The Myth That Wouldn't Die

If you've been doing crunches forever and are miffed that you still don't have flat abs, you're no doubt operating under what I consider the biggest myth of weight loss in existence (a.k.a. The Myth That Wouldn't Die): That you can do an exercise for a certain area of your body and get rid of the fat there.

Why else would you spend so much time doing crunches if you didn't believe they would burn the fat off your belly? And it's no wonder we still think this...pick up any popular fitness magazine and you'll find plenty of headlines to feed that belief. For example, in the February issue of Fitness Magazine, the giant title on the front cover? "Banish Belly Fat - Tone, tighten , trim in just 7 moves." 7 moves to flat abs? Who wouldn't want that? But it's these kinds of headlines that keep us stuck in the same place for months and years, trying the same thing over and over and thinking we'll finally get it right.

The truth is, six-pack abs are difficult to get. I've been exercising for 14 years and consider myself in excellent shape. I don't have a six-pack and never have (and not for lack of trying). It took me years to understand that goal wasn't right for me and, when I finally did, my life changed for the better. What about you? Is it time to let go of old goals and set new ones? Maybe it'll help to get a clear idea of what it takes to get flat abs.

Get flat abs

You want flat abs. I know this because of the constant emails, the forum posts and from the fact that the number one search term on my site each and every week is 'Abs.' One post that made me stop and think was this one: "I've been working on my lower belly pooch for about 2.5 years and it still won't go away even though I have a good diet." That's a long time, but I'll bet many of you have been working at it even longer. If that's the case, have you ever wondered why you persist? Is there anything in life you'd stay with for that long when you've failed at it?

Despite the facts, many people still think they can get flat abs if they just keep doing enough ab exercises. In other words, we think we can't reach this goal because we're doing doing something wrong. The truth is, getting six-pack abs is hard and, if you haven't seen yours yet, maybe it's not what you're doing that's the problem.

Plank On Elbows And Toes

The plank exercise ranked number 10 in the ACE study and is a great way to build endurance in both the abs and back, as well as stabilizer muscles. To do it right:
1. Lie face down on mat resting on the forearms, palms flat on the floor.

2. Push off the floor, raising up onto toes and resting on the elbows.

3. Keep your back flat, in a straight line from head to heels.

4. Tilt your pelvis and contract your abdominals to prevent your rear end from sticking up in the air.

5. Hold for 20 to 60 seconds, lower and repeat for 3-5 reps.

Ab Rocker

The Ab Rocker (or roller) is number 9 for targeting the rectus abdominis. To do it right:

1. Sit on the Ab Rocker and grab the bars in each hand.

2. Contract the abs and rock forward, originating the movement from the abs rather than using momentum.

3. Release and repeat for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

4. Go slowly to reduce momentum. Try to focus on the abs rather than pushing with the arms.

Full Vertical Crunch

In a full verticul crunch, you really work the abs by involving both the upper and lower body. To do it right:

1. Lie on your back and extend the legs up towards the ceiling.

2. Place hands behind your head (lightly cupping it) and contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor.

3. At the same time, press the heels towards the ceiling, creating a 'u' shape with the torso.

4. Lower down and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Reverse Crunch

It may seem like the reverse crunch is for the lower abs but, remember, the rectus abdominis is one long muscle, so you can't separate upper from lower. To do this move right:

1. Lie on the floor and place hands on the floor or behind the head.

2. Bring the knees in towards the chest until they're bent to 90 degrees, with feet together or crossed.

3. Contract the abs to curl the hips off the floor, reaching the legs up towards the ceiling.

4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

5. It's a very small movement, so try to use your abs to lift your hips rather than swinging your legs and creating momentum.

Long Arm Crunch

This move, ranked 6th in the ACE study, emphasizes the upper part of the abs. To do it right:

1. Lie on a mat and extend the arms straight out behind the head with hands clasped, keeping the arms next to the ears.

2. Contract the abs and lift the shoulder blades off the floor.

3. Keep the arms straight and avoid straining the neck. If you feel neck pain, take one hand behind the head while keeping the other arm extended.

4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Torso Track

Our fifth exercise in this segment. The Torso Track is a tough exercise because it can hurt your back if you're not careful.

1. Grip the handles of the Torso Track and pull the abs in without holding your breath (as though bracing them).

2. Exhale and glide forward as far as you comfortably can. If you collapse in the middle and feel it in your back, you've gone too far.

3. Contract the abs to pull your body back.

4. Add tension by using more tension chords.

Vertical Leg Crunch

This is our fourth exercise in this segment 10 most effective Ab exercises. The vertical leg crunch is another effective move for the rectus abdominis and the obliques. To do it right:
1. Lie face up on the floor and extend the legs straight up with knees crossed.

2. Contract the abs to lift the shoulder blades off the floor, as though reaching your chest towards your feet.

3. Keep the legs in a fixed position and imagine bringing your belly button towards your spine at the top of the movement.

4. Lower and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Exercise Ball Crunch

This is our third exercise in this segment.The exercise ball is an excellent tool to strengthen the abs and comes out number three for working the rectus abdominis. To do it right:

1. Lie face-up with the ball resting under your mid/lower back.

2. Cross your arms over the chest or place them behind your head.

3. Contract your abs to lift your torso off the ball, pulling the bottom of your ribcage down toward your hips.

4. As you curl up, keep the ball stable (i.e., you shouldn't roll).

5. Lower back down, getting a stretch in the abs, and repeat for 12-16 reps.

Captain's Chair

The Captain's chair is the second most effective move for the rectus abdominis as well as the obliques and can be found in most health clubs and gyms.
To do it right:

1. Stand on chair and grip handholds to stabilize your upper body.
2. Press your back against the pad and contract the abs to raise the legs and lift knees towards your chest.
3. Don't arch the back and remember to breathe smoothly.
4. Slowly lower back down and repeat for 12-16 reps

Bicycle exercise for Flat Stomach

The Bicycle exercise is the best move to target the rectus abdominis (i.e., the 'six pack') and the obliques (the waist), according to a study done by the American Council on Exercise. To do this exercise correctly:

1. Lie face up on the floor and lace your fingers behind your head.
2. Bring the knees in towards the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the ground without pulling on the neck.
3. Straight the left leg out to about a 45-degree angle while simultaneously turning the upper body to the right, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.
4. Switch sides, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee.
5. Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 12-16 reps.

How to Diet for Six Pack Abs

• Eat small meals about six times per day rather than three large meals. Make your meals a combination of good carbs, protein and good fats. The small, frequent meals can raise your metabolism and help you build lean muscle mass.
• Take in lean protein, such as tuna; scrambled or boiled egg whites; and baked, broiled or boiled chicken. Don't use sauces or high-fat condiments.
• Limit your fat intake, but don't cut it out of your diet completely. Eat good fats in moderation, such as olive oil and salmon.
• Eat some carbohydrates, but make sure they are good carbs, such as brown rice, sweet potatoes, fruits and vegetables.
• Stay away from breads, pastas and high-sugar foods. Satisfy your sweet cravings by eating fruits.
• Drink lots of water, about half a gallon per day will ensure you won't get dehydrated. Dehydration will cause you to retain fluid.
• Combine this diet along with exercises, such as crunches, hanging leg raises and leg lifts, and you'll be on your way to having the chiseled abs you want without the expense of those pricey machines.

Fat Burning Foods

Fat burning foods, sometimes referred to as negative calorie foods, are foods that require more calories to digest then the nutritional value they contain.

Your body uses energy when digesting food and if the energy spent digesting the food is higher then the energy gained from the food it is called a fat burning food or a negative calorie food.

By eating these fat burning foods you actually lose more calories then you gain thus burning fat.

Negative Calorie Foods

Negative calorie foods can be added to a diet plan to relieve the feeling of hunger without increasing the total caloric intake. However, a diet consisting solely of negative calorie foods is considered unhealthy as you will be denying your body of essencial nutrients.

Some examples of fat burning foods are:

Fruit: Grapefruit, Mango, Papaya, Cranberry, Watermelon, Apples, Blueberries, Cantaloupe.

Vegetables: Green Beans, Spinach, Asparagus, Broccoli, Cabbage, Lettuce Carrot, Cucumber, Garlic, Onion, Radish, Turnip, Zucchini, Cauliflower, Celery, Hot Chili.

While not being true negative calorie foods, eggs, lean turkey/chicken, milk and cheese, tuna, salmon and other protein rich foods are great for burning fat and your body requires more calories to process protein than it does carbohydrates and fat.

Fiber rich foods like whole grains, cereals, beans/legumes, nuts and seeds help limit the number of calories you consume. Fiber rich foods take more time to digest and eating foods that are rich in fiber contributes to the "full" feeling that helps you eat less calories every meal.

Build Muscle And Lose Fat

Do Crunches: Lie on the floor (with or without a mat) and cross your arms in front of your chest. Bend your knees up as far as they go. (Do not place both hands behind your head. Placing both hands behind your head can cause lower back problems in the long run as it places unnecessary stress on that part of your body from pulling on your head and neck.) Another alternative is to cross your arms in front of your chest and lightly place your finger tips behind your ears, without pulling on your neck or ears to help raise you off the floor. Draw in your abdomen towards your spine while inhaling through your nose. Now raise your shoulders (upper torso) towards your knees, using strictly your abdominal muscles. It is very important not to lift your entire back off the floor, as this can cause back strain, and the extended movement does not help you develop six pack abs any faster. The most important part of the crunch is the initial flexing of your abs as you lift your shoulders off of the floor. As soon as you begin lifting off the floor exhale through your mouth, ending with a gasp once your shoulders are off the floor. Then pause for a second once you are at the top of the crunch and exhale the last bit of air from your diaphragm while flexing your abs. The proper breathing and flexing make all the difference. Now lower back down slowly and controlled while inhaling through your nose, just until your shoulder blades touch the ground. Do not let your head touch the ground and repeat.

FAQ About Stomach Exercises

Should I do lots of situps to reduce fat around my middle?

No. Exercising the area from which you want to lose fat is called "spot toning" or "spot reduction". Spot toning is a myth. Research shows that fat is lost all over your body, not just in the area that you work. Situps are also bad for your lower back.

So how DO I reduce the fat covering my middle?

To lose fat in your stomach area you need to do aerobic exercises and eat healthy

Why sit ups are NOT recommended?

Sit ups are bad for your back. The action of sitting up, puts unnessesary stress on your spine and grinds the vertebrae in your lower back. Also sit ups are inefficientt at exercising your ab muscles.

How do I exercise the abs correctly?

The function of the ab muscles is to shorten the distance between your sternum (breast bone) and your pelvis by bending you body forward. Any exercise which makes you move your sternum toward your pelvis or your pelvis toward your sternum is good. There are many abdominal exercises that work your abs.

Should I buy the [Insert name] exercise machine/contraption?

There is a lot of exercise equipment on the market today. You have seen the comercials, they are all promising great results. The truth is, most exercise machines are not much better than doing the basic exercises and many of them are significantly worse.

What are the best stomach exercises?

For this info read our before published posts related to best stomach exercises.

How much water should I be drinking each day?

This depends on your personal bodyweight and how frequently you are working out as well as the climate you are living in. Generally 6-8 cups a day should help you stay hydrated and also help you eat less. Dehydration has been known to make you feel hungry, when in reality you just want some extra water.

How many pounds is healthy to lose in a week?

A healthy everage is between 1-2.5 pounds a week.

How should I plan my meals?

One way is to start a meal journal and record the foods you eat for a couple of weeks. From here, by introducing small changes to your diet, you can create a diet plan includes diverse foods from all the major food groups, while still keeping the total calories in the wanted range.

How about my lower back?

When doing abs exercises you should also work on your lower back muscles for a better looking balanced posture and to prevent lower back pains and injury.

Common Myths about Stomach Exercises!

There are many myths about stomach exercises and exercising in general. Here are the most common ones.

Stomach Exercise Myth I - The Spot toning myth

One very common myth about exercises and weight loss is the spot toning myth. Spot toning means doing exercises that work a single part of your body in an attempt to lose fat in that particular part.

You can not lose fat in a particular part of your body by training that part alone. It doesnt work that way.

If you would like to lose fat in a single section of your body you will need to burn all over your body. You can do crunches all day long and they will make your stomach muscles bigger and more toned but they will do very little to get rid of the fat layer thats covering them.

It takes a combination of cardio exercises and healthy eating habits to increase your metobolism and burn more calories then you consume to get rid of that fat layer.

Stomach Exercise Myth II - Eat all you want and exercise it of myth

Some poeple think they can eat all they want and later do some crunches to burn all the calories they ate through the day. It doesnt work that way. You will train your muscles but your fat will not go away. For example in the stomach area you can have beutiful abs by no one, including you, will be able to see them if you will not lower your overall calorie intake.

You will need to change your diet, eat healthier variants of the food you are used to eating and eat more often. Then you will be able to see the results of your exercises.

Stomach Exercise Myth III - The correct way to exercise your abs

For many people the idea of a stomach workout is doing 200 super fast crunches in a row and getting over with it. This is not the best way to train your abs.

Slower controled crunches are much more effective. And 3 sets of 25 quality crunches will give you alot more benefit then 200 or 300 crunches done the wrong way.

Stomach Exercise Myth IV - If you don't lose weight there's no point in exercising

Some people start exercising to get rid of fat in one area or to lose some weight in general. The problem comes if they dont see results right away. They stop exercising thinking there is no point. They ignore the fact that it can take some time before you start seeing results, but more importantly they ignore all the benefits of regular exercises besides weight loss.

Exercises lower risk of disease

Exercising regularly improves the ability of insulin to enter cells, so it lowers the risk of diabetes. It also lowers the risk of heart disease by improving blood clotting mechanisms, lowering triglycerides, and raising HDL (good) cholesterol.

Exercises improve quality of life

Exercising helps you feel better throughout the day, exercise improves sleep in people with modest sleep dysfunction. Exercising helps relieve both depression and anxiety.

Stomach Exercise Myth V - Strength training will make women too muscular

Many women are afraid that strength training will make them bulky. They think strength training is only for men. This is not true. For women it is harder to build muscle mass because of lower testosterone levels. And to look like a body builder a woman will need to take special suplements and steroids.

It is benefitial for women to do strenth training exercises because women naturally have less bone and muscle than men, so they need to take care of what they've got. That's why women are at greater risk of osteoporosis than men. And lost muscle puts women at greater risk of disability as they age.

Stomach Exercise Myth VI - Weight gain is inevitable as you age

Most people get fatter as they get older. It doesnt have to be this way.

The reasons for gaining weight with age are reduced physical activity levels and lower metabolic rate caused by a loss of lean body mass (muscle).

You can reverse this process with simple exercises. When we get older our metobolism slows and our body burns less calories during normal activity. Exercising makes you burn more calories.

The loss of muscle is also reversable by exercising as little as 30 minutes a day three times a week.

Cardio Exercises for a Flat Stomach

If you would like to have a flat stomach you should do cardio exercises. There is no way around it. Cardio exercises raise your heart rate and boost your metabolism, for up to 24 hours after a good workout.

When you do cardio exercises your body burns calories all over and that is exactly what you need to get rid of the belly fat layer, that covers your stomach.

Burning fat with cardio exercises, eating healthy, and doing a few abdominal exercises to tone your stomach muscles is the best way to get a beautiful flat stomach.

What is the best cardio exercise?

Well there is no "best" cardio exercise. You can do anything that gets your heart rate up.

If you like to go outdoors, consider fast-paced walks, running, cycling etc. For those who like the gym treadmills, elliptical trainers and stationary bikes could be the choice. If you prefer to stay at home you can jump rope, dance or start kick boxing.

You get the picture. Do something you enjoy, something you would not mind doing at least three times a week. Most importantly choose an exercise that fits your fitness level. Sure, running burns more calories than walking, but if running wipes you out after a half mile or bothers your knees, you're better off walking.

Switch from exercise to exercise if you need to keep yourself from getting bored and your body from getting used to one activity.

Start doing cardio exercises for at least 40 minutes to an hour a day 3-6 times a week. If you are a beginner, start a slower pace and slowly increase your workout time.

The benefits of cardio exercises

• You burn calories and lose weight
• Cardio exercises make your heart stronger so that it doesn't have to work as hard to pump blood
• Doing cardio helps reduce risk of heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and diabetes
• Cardio increases your lung capacity
• Cardio Exercises help you sleep better
• It makes you feel good
• It helps reduce stress

Sample cardio exercise that you can try right now

Try this exercise to really get your heart rate up.

1. Start by jogging 5 minutes to warm up.
2. Sprint for 2 minutes
3. Slow down to a comfortable jogging pace for 5 minutes
4. Sprint for 2 minutes
5. Go back to jogging for 5 minutes

Repeat as many times as you can and don't forget to cool down in the end.

This is whats called an interval workout and it is designed to burn more calories then the regular workout and it is a great way to mix things up. The basic principle is to do a high intensity exercise for a set period of time to really work your body and then doing a lower intensity exercise to let your body recover.

Get Six Pack Abs

For most people getting a six pack is a hard task. But it's not an impossible one, all it takes is decision, commitment and some guidelines.

If you are tired of not seeing your six pack beneath all that fat and if you are truly committed to do what it takes to get a six pack the following guide will help you get started on your way to great looking abs.

Eat healthy

This is the most important point so I would like to start with it. You already have a six pack, only it is hidden beneath that fat layer. To get rid of that fat you will need to look at your diet and see what changes are necessary.

You might need to reduce the number of junk food you eating or eat 5-6 smaller meals a day.

Let me emphasize this point once more, this is the single most important change you should make if you want to get a six pack.

Cardio exercise

Start running, swimming, biking, playing basket ball, even walking will help you feel great and burn calories as you go. Anything that gets you moving and gets your heart rate up is great for burn those calories and getting you one step closer to those six pack abs, so choose an activity you enjoy and do it regularly.

If running is hard for you, you can start by walking at a fast pace for 40 minutes 4-5 times a week this is great for your overall health and will do wonders for your abs.

Abdominal Exercises

This point is last for a simple reason, no matter how many stomach exercises you will do, on their own, they will not give you a six pack. Abs exercises are great for your stomach muscles, but they do very little to burn fat. And you need to get rid of the fat layer that is covering your stomach or you will get great ab muscles but you won't see them. No one will.

So once again, you cannot crunch your way to a six pack without adjusting your diet and adding cardio exercises to your daily routine, to burn calories and eventually the fat from your stomach.

To summarize to get a six pack you will need :

• Decision and commitment.
• Examine your eating habits.
• Burn that fat with cardio exercises.
• Sculpt and tone your ab muscles with abdominal exercises.

One more note about commitment, this is the point where most fail. You need to really want to get a six pack, decide you are not going to quit until you get there and you will.

Don't get disappointed if you don't see results over night. Give it a try for three month, don't quit no matter what. The results you will see after those three month will prove to you this works, they will motivate you and you will see that you can get a six pack too. So make that decision now.

Abdominal Exercise Equipment: Stomach Exercise Machines for Abdominal Training

It is possible to get a flat stomach and toned abs without the use of any exercise machines.

Most exercise machines promise you amazing results in an unrealistically short amount of time, and write a little text at the bottom that says something like "Your individual results may vary". They do that to sell their exercise equipment.

Whatever the reason may be, such promises only contribute to the myth that you need a piece of abdominal training equipment to get great abs.

The truth is, most exercise machines (there are a few exceptions) aren't any better then regular ab exercises using your body weight alone. Some abdominal machines are much less effective than regular crunches.

I am always amazed when I see a piece of exercise equipment like this. Why bother designing a machine that is worse then the most basic exercise? They want to take your money. Not to help you get a flat stomach.

There are very few abdominal training machines that actually work. This may come as a surprise to you but the best piece of abdominal equipment is a large exercise ball. Not the ABCRUCH2000 or whatever they try to sell you right now on TV.

Don't pay a lot of money for expensive exercise equipment, it won't make a difference. If you are determined to get a flat stomach you should do three simple abdominal exercises, do some cardio and adjust your diet.

If you don't plan to do this there is no magical piece of abdominal equipment that will help you.

They will promise you great results, cover them self from lawsuits with fine print at the bottom of the ad. And you will pay for something you don't need.

The basic abdominal workout, that can be found on this site or elsewhere is enough for most people.

When you start to get strong abs, you may want to use a piece of ab equipment to give you a higher challenge, but even then you need to choose carefully.

Abdominal Exercise Equipment - How do I determine what works?

To evaluate whether a machine is worth using should be reasonably simple. If it encourages an ab contraction under a load it is good, if not don't bother. An ab contraction is when the sternum is pulled toward the pubic bone or vice versa as the main action.

The exercise Ball

Like I said before, this is the best piece of equipment for your abs.

You can do various abdominal exercises with an exercise ball. Choose an exercise ball that allows your knees to be at a right angle when you sit on the ball with your feet on the floor. The firmer the fitness ball, the more difficult the exercise will be.

Sample Exercise ball exercise: Sit on the exercise ball with your feet resting on the floor, about hip-width apart. Keep your back straight. Cross your arms on your chest. Tighten your abdominal muscles, and lean back until your abdominal muscles kick in. Hold for three deep breaths. Return to the start position and repeat. Start with five repetitions. As you get stronger, gradually increase to 10 to 15 repetitions. Remember to breathe freely and deeply during the exercise.