Feeling good about yourself is all in your hands. The first step to a brighter tomorrow is acknowledging the work that needs to be done today. If you’re like me, that means getting into shape before the start of summer. Sadly, gone are the days of my fast-acting metabolism. I have to rely on hard work to push off pounds that I’ve accumulated these past few years. In my case, pounds have piled onto my lower abdomen and working them off has been pretty challenging.

I’ve done a bit of research on the most effective ab exercises, specifically ones that can tone and flatten your belly. Here the the top 5 ways to effectively flatten and tone your stomach.

1. Cardio

Difficulty Level: 3/5

There’s absolutely no way to escape it. If you’ve got a bit of belly fat or a beer gut, cardio is the only way to burn off the excess fat in a healthy and efficient fashion. Jogging or biking are the most effective ways to burn off fat, and if you consistently jog or bike for half an hour, two to three times a week, you’ll be sure to see a difference. I personally hate jogging. I can’t stand it and in the beginning, I couldn’t run longer than a minute without being embarrassingly winded in public. They key, I’ve found, is to jog at a slow pace at first–even if it’s as fast as walking, so long as you’re bouncing along continuously for half an hour, you’ll still be doing yourself loads of good. The pace will be slow at first, but if you stick with it, you’ll start to jog at a faster pace and you’ll notice the pounds slip away. There really isn’t an easy answer to lower abdominal fat and anyone who says that you can get a flat belly without cardio is lying to you.

Biking is a high intensity, low impact activity that’ll also have you shedding pounds away in no time. Because biking is a bit easier, you’ll want to bike longer, about half an hour to an hour is an adequate amount of time. Hybrid bikes–bikes that are designed for versatility and use on the street as well as on trails–are a new evolution in bicycle technology and if you’re planning on biking for exercise, consider a 2010 hybrid bike as they’ll offer the comfort and challenge that you’ll need for a successful workout. The following ab exercises are intended to tone your muscle as you burn the fat with cardio.

2. Leg Lifts

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Start: Lay on your back with your hands beneath your buttocks. Keep your legs straight, toes pointed up and lift them 4-6 inches off of the ground. Keep them lifted of the floor for 15 seconds.

Motion: After 15 seconds, lift them straight up so that your heels face up. Lower them to the original position for another 15 seconds and repeat.

Time: 15 repetitions

3. Leg Scissors

Difficulty Level: 3/5

Start: Get in the same position as you did with leg lifts. The general idea of leg scissors is similar, except you’ll be lifting one leg at a time while holding the other stationary in the original position (4-6 inches above the ground).

Motion: After 15 seconds in the original leg lift position,  lift your right leg only and keep your left leg straight and in the same position. Lift your right leg straight up with your heels facing up. Lower your right leg and simultaneously lift your left leg and do the same. Unlike leg lifts, leg scissors can be done at a rapid pace, without 15 second intervals.

Time: The key is to do as many as you possibly can in 25 seconds.

4. Side Turns

Difficulty Level: 4/5

Start: Lay flat on your back, legs together, with your arms outstretched on either side of your body. Your arms are going to be your support, so keep your palms down on the floor. Next, lift your legs straight up in the air, heels facing up. Throughout this exercise, be sure to keep your lower back flat against the floor as possible.

Motion: Move only your hips, keep your legs straight and together and move them down towards your right side so that they lie parallel with your right arm. But DON’T TOUCH THE FLOOR WITH YOUR FEET. When you come within 3 inches of the floor, lift your legs straight back up and move them down towards your left side so that it’s parallel with your left arm and repeat.

Time: 15 repititions

5. Basic Sit Ups on an decline bench or with Weights

Difficulty Level: 5/5

Equipment: You’ll need either a decline Olympic bench or 5 pound weights. You can substitute the weights with a heavy book or anything else that can be held close to your chest and weighs a considerable amount.

Start:  If you’re on a decline Olympic bench, which is the preferred method, simply hang your legs off the top of the decline bench, bent at the knee, so that your head is closest to the floor, while your legs are up at the top of the bench. If you’re doing this on the floor, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat against the floor. Hold the weight close to your chest with both hands.

Motion: Start doing standard sit ups. The addition of weights or gravity if you’re using a decline bench is enough to make this workout extraordinarily effective.

Did you know?

Fat on your hips and thighs is subcutaneous and is insightful, but harmless. Fat on your abdomen, however, is called visceral fat and is linked to heart disease, stroke, diabetes, hypertension, and bad cholesterol. Do what you can to get rid of your abdominal fat and you’ll not only be looking and feeling great–you could be adding another 10 years to your life.

-Miljean

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