The other day in the gym I watched as a woman across the room hammered out hundreds of crunches. She was a regular at the gym, and I saw her working out on the mats on a daily basis- performing an endless series of abdominal exercises. She looked to be in her late 20’s, with a body type that just passed the line from “curvy” into the overweight category.

One evening, as I sweated my way through my standard routine, the woman approached me. In a heartfelt moment, she poured out her anxieties and explained that no matter what she did she couldn’t seem to attain the body she sought for. Exasperated, she asked me what I did to keep my stomach lean, and I jumped on the chance to share my knowledge.

1) Abs aren’t made in the gym, they’re made in the kitchen.

The perfect formula for attaining flat abs is a combination of smart eating choices and adequate exercise. Most people who want flat abs don’t realize that you may already have them- they’re just hidden under a layer of fat. Losing weight (aka fat) is 80% diet, and 20% exercise. Without changing your diet there is little chance that you will see the results you’re looking for.

Watch your calories and stay within a healthy range while loading up on essential nutrients that you can get from fruits, veggies and lean protein.

The average woman needs only 2,000 calories per day to maintain their weight, while men need only about 2,500. Aim to reduce your caloric intake by only 500 calories per day to lose up to 1 pound per week.

2) Doing crunches will change nothing if you don’t do cardio to help burn off the fat.

As important as your diet is to losing the fat that covers your abs, cardio can not only help speed the process of uncovering them along, activities like running and swimming activate the abdominals and tone. The best kind of cardio for fast fat-shedding results is high intensity interval training, which increases your heart-rate and burns fat faster than almost any other form of training.

Stay away from crunches until you’ve shed a significant portion of your fat through diet and cardio. You’ll be surprised to see the difference in your core without hitting the mat at all!

3) Crunches are not the best abdominal exercise.

Not only are crunches not the most effective exercise for getting flat abs, they also have been proven to lead to neck and back strain. If you really want to tighten and tone, you would be much better off performing moves like Planks, Russian Twists, and Scissor Kicks! These moves activate more regions of your core than regular crunches do, which results in a flatter, more even tone. 

4) Fiber, Fiber, Fiber.

Eating enough fiber in your diet will help you to slim down your abs in more ways than one. Many of us think we are doing our bodies a favor by simply reducing the number of calories we consume- but what we are eating is just as important. Even skinny people wonder why some days their pooch is sticking out a bit further than normal. Quite simply, some foods cause bloating while others (rich in fiber) tend to help you eliminate the bloat.

Swap your typical breakfast of cereal or white bread for high fiber oatmeal and blueberries, and be sure to eat enough vegetables throughout the day.

Refer to our article about fiber to learn more about it’s amazing benefits: http://danielkanufitnessandlifestyle.com/?page=197&get=Fiber_The_Forgotten_Miracle_Worker#sthash.JLYuIxiz.dpbs

5) Posture is everything.

Posture can completely transform your appearance. We all have days when we feel bloated or like our stomachs are flabby, but by simply straightening up you can effectively transform the way that people perceive you. Having good posture makes you look slimmer instantly!

An additional bonus stems from doing posture-building exercises: to maintain good posture you are actually activating and toning your abdominal muscles.

When all else fails, stand up straight, be confident, and chances are that no one will notice a little belly at all!

By Destiny Kanu