Achieving a flat stomach demands two things of you:
1. Reduce your calories.
2. Increase your physical activity.
If you want more than just a flat stomach— if you want washboard abs— then a few thousand things more are demanded: namely, crunches.
Ridding fat from your midriff is first priority. Under the fat are the abdominal muscles. Get the fat off, and the abdominal muscles are revealed. Your stomach will be flat.
You can train your abdominal muscles until you are blue in the face— literally—but, if you don’t rid the fat, nobody will see your abdominal muscles… Spot reduction doesn’t work.
Spot reduction is the idea that fat may be worked off a specific body part by targeting that body part. Most experts agree spot reduction is a myth. Doing sit ups, twists, ball exercises, or even crunches will not flatten your stomach. Only ridding fat will.
Ridding fat requires a reduction in calories or an increase in physical activity. Both together are best, but either alone is effective. The idea is to metabolize fat to make up for the calorie deficit. Creating the deficit is what’s important.
Your body will metabolize fat according to the rule: “First on, last off.” Which means, if the jelly donut goes to your thighs first, then the thighs will be last to shed the jelly donut. Perverse, isn’t it?
For men, fat usually goes first on the stomach. For women, fat usually goes first on the thighs, buttocks, or upper arms. In addition, women tend to have a higher percentage of body fat, making stomach flattening more challenging for them.
Finally, a word about crunches: They are the single best exercise for toning the abdominal muscles (once you rid the fat). They are better than classic sit ups. Best of all, they are easy to do.
To perform a crunch, lie on the floor, face up, with your knees bent. Place your hands behind your head. Lift your head and curl your shoulders upwards a few inches, toward your pelvis. Feel your abdominal muscles contract. Hold for a count of three seconds. Really feel the contraction. Ease back down. Repeat.
You can do it.
This article was written by Campbell Venn
