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• If you're afraid that obtaining washboard abs is completely out of your reach, you are not alone. But the fact is, just like you already have biceps and quadriceps, everyone already has a six-pack of abdominal muscles hiding just under the flab, dying to get out! However, there's more to it than just doing a thousand crunches a day. Unless you modify your diet and burn belly fat in addition to those abdominal exercises, that six-pack will always just look like a keg.

• To get the body you want, you'll have to say goodbye to the sweets, alcohol and other guilty pleasures that have been accumulating across your midsection. Fortunately, eating properly isn't quite as hard as it seems and can lead to great health benefits over the long-term.

• Recent studies have shown that excess belly fat can lead to a myriad of health issues including: diabetes, high blood pressure, sleep apnea, abnormal lipids (High triglycerides and low HDL or "good" cholesterol), insulin resistance, metabolic syndrome and some types of cancers.^[1] So put down that Twinkie and pick up a carrot: it's not just for your abs anymore.

1. The Ins and Outs of Calories: In order to burn fat, you must burn more calories than you consume—it's that simple.
2. High Protein: Protein is essential in building muscle and reducing body fat. Lean meats such as turkey, chicken and fish plus eggs, milk and protein shakes/bars are recommended.
3. Nature Knows Best: Stay away from processed and fast foods. They lack the nutrients your body needs to stay healthy. "If you're eating natural and whole foods you can eat more than if you're eating processed foods," says exercise physiologist Kelli Calabrese.
4. Go Green: Fruits and vegetables are also great for trimming fat. Both are high in vitamins and fiber, so they can help satisfy your sweet tooth and keep you feeling full.
5. Graze: Instead of eating 2-3 huge meals per day, eat 5-6 smaller ones. Keep your metabolism burning and avoid feeling bloated.
6. Trans-form Your Fats: A recent study shows that trans fat may increase belly fat and increases the risk of heart disease.^[2] Read the labels on food packaging to find out whether or not your favorite snack is high in trans fat.
7. Water, Water, Water: Drinking water is not only good for your complexion, but it will hydrate you as well as fill you up, which can keep you from doing any extra snacking. It does not have to be bottled water, and could be a low calorie flavored water.

• Achieving any kind of muscle definition in your stomach relies on burning the body fat around your midsection. Otherwise you'll never be able to show off those rippling abs. So in addition to fueling your body with healthier foods, you must get out there and work up a sweat. Running, biking, swimming and any other type of physical activity where you breathe hard and get your heart rate up are the ways to do it.
• There are several different types of cardio workouts, but they all fall under two categories: Low Intensity and High Intensity.

• Low intensity workouts take exercises at a slower pace, so they are ideal for those who get winded just looking at a flight of stairs. If the last time you ran for more than 20 minutes was chasing the ice cream truck, then a lower intensity workout is the way to go.

• With low intensity workouts you will exercise at a moderate pace and maintain it for 30-60 minutes. Once your heart rate gets to its target zone (usually 5-10 minutes into the workout) your body starts burning fat. The longer you remain active after that initial warm-up, the more fat you burn.

1. Walking: If most active sports are too physically demanding, you can walk those pounds away. For an extra challenge, try walking uphill or increasing the walk to a light jog. Making a point of walking more in your day-to-day routine can also make a difference.
2. Running/Elliptical Trainer: Running is a fantastic way of jacking your heart rate up to fat-burning levels quickly. But for some, running over long periods of time can be very difficult. If running is too tough on your joints, you can use an elliptical machine. They allow you to maintain a steady heart rate without extra stress on your knees.
3. Bicycling: This can be done on a stationary bike or a regular one. Biking to work is a great way to get a cardio workout doing something you have to do every day anyway.
4. Swimming: Swimming is a great full body exercise that does not put any pressure on your joints.
5. Racquetball: Though played in a small room, gameplay involves many quick bursts of sprinting that can tire you out very quickly.

• Generally, high intensity workouts consist of exercising very hard for brief spurts with quick cool downs in between. Because your heart rate reaches a higher level, you will burn more fat than during a lower intensity workout. Here are a few high intensity workouts:

1. Jumping Rope: All you need is a jump rope and 15-20 minutes for a complete workout. It can also improve coordination, and when landing on both legs, jumping rope cuts down on the knee stress that running can cause.
2. Sprinting: Sprinting consists of running at high speeds for short bursts of time. If you combine the high intensity of sprinting with jogging/running, you can achieve amazing results.
3. Spinning: Because you simulate cycling through all types of terrain, you can get more of an intense workout than just biking over flat surfaces.

• For additional tips on how to slim down, check out Mahalo's guide to How to Lose Weight.

• In a study at the Biomechanics Lab at San Diego State University, Peter Francis, Ph.D. ranked 13 of the most popular abdominal exercises from most effective to least effective for the rectus abdominus and oblique muscles. In both studies, the top three e
  
• The final piece of the puzzle is to start defining those abs! You probably already know about sit-ups, but there are several other abdominal exercises that will not only work out different areas of your abdominals, but will keep the routine fresh and inv
  
• Purchasing a [[Yoga Mats|yoga mat]] or Swiss ball is advisable before starting these exercises. However, it's not necessary to purchase ab-specific equipment. When the American Council on Exercise tested three such devices, they found that none provided b
  

• A more efficient exercise than the sit-up, the crunch works out your abdominals while putting minimal stress on your back. To complete a successful crunch, do the following:

1. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the ground. Touch your fingertips to the side of your head.
   • Your spine should remain neutral throughout the exercise, which means that there should be no space between your lower back and the floor. You may need to tip your pelvis up slightly to remain completely flat.
2. Contract your abs and exhale. Allow the contraction to pull your chest and shoulders one inch off of the ground.
   • Do not jerk yourself up or strain your neck. Your abs are doing all the work. Look at the ceiling (not your stomach or knees) through the entire exercise.
3. Make sure that your abdominals are doing the work and your back, hips and other muscle groups remain relatively inactive.
4. Hold the contracted position briefly and then inhale as you return to the starting position. You will feel your abs shake as you lower your upper torso to the floor.
5. Repeat.
6. If your back or neck begins to strain, stop immediately.

• Doing crunches on a Swiss ball means your abs have to work extra hard to cope with the instability of the ball.

1. Sit on your exercise ball.
2. Make sure that your knees are bent at a 90-degree angle.
3. Lie back onto the ball so that you are facing the ceiling.
4. Place your fingertips on your head, or fold your arms across your chest with your hands toward your chin.
5. Contract your abs and exhale. Allow the contraction to pull your chest and shoulders one inch off of the ball.
6. Make sure that your abdominals are doing the work and your back, hips and other muscle groups remain relatively inactive.
7. Hold the contracted position briefly and then inhale as you return to the starting position. You will feel your abs shake as you lower your upper torso to the ball.
8. Repeat.

• The bicycle maneuver is one of the most effective ab/core workouts because it activates and engages your obliques and rectus abdominus.

1. Lie on your back and place your fingertips to the back of your head.
2. Contract your abs and lift your shoulders and chest off of the floor (similar to doing a crunch).
3. Twist your torso and point your right elbow toward your left knee, which is bent at a 45-degree angle. Your right leg should be elevated off of the floor and as straight as possible.
4. Slowly twist your torso and point your left elbow toward your right knee, which should also be bent at a 45-degree angle.
5. As you twisted your left elbow toward your right knee, your left leg should have straightened out from the 45-degree angle.
6. Repeat.

• The captain's or Roman chair is a workout device that emphasizes controlled lower torso movement.

1. Step up to the captain's chair and place your elbows and forearms on the two arm pads with your back pressed firmly against the back pad.
2. Grab onto the handles.
3. Prop yourself up so that your legs hang down and all of your weight is on your elbows and forearms.
4. Contract your abs and raise your legs toward your chest so that your knees become parallel to the armrests.
5. Hold for a second and then release your legs.
6. Make sure that when you release your legs they don't fall straight down. Keep your abs contracted and your legs slightly elevated.
7. Repeat.

1. Vertical Leg Crunch
2. Reverse Crunch
3. Plank/Hover
4. Torso Track
5. Crunch with Heel Push

• Diet Blog: Abs diet power food - turkey and other lean meats (November 6, 2006)
• WebMD: Striving for Six-Pack Abs
• WebMD: Eat Trans Fat, Get Big Belly
• eMedicineHealth: Walking for Fitness
• AOL Body: Trans Fat Culprits
• AOL Body: Trans Fat, Sleep Deprivation and Belly Fat
• AOL Body: Surprising Fiber-Filled Foods
• HealthAtoZ: The Best and Worst Abdominal Exercises
• Mayo Clinic: Belly fat in men: What you need to know
• Health Resources: Abdominal Exercises
• Better Health Channel: Abdominal muscles
• Mayo Clinic: How to measure your exercise intensity
• Mayo Clinic: Elliptical machines: What are the fitness benefits?
• AmericanHeart.org: Target Heart Rates
• WebMD: Which Exercises Burn the Most Fat?
• 24 Hour Fitness: Best and worst abdominal exercises
• 24 Hour Fitness: Workout series: the abominable abdominal
• Wikipedia: Human Abdomen
• Wikipedia: Swiss ball
• WebMD: Getting Noticeable Abs
• Life Time Fitness: Fitness Fixes: Core Values
• About.com: Top 5 Ab Exercises WARNING: Pop-ups
• Super Future Fitness: "Effective Abdominal Exercises..."
• Swiss Ball Exercises: Crunch
• YouTube Video: Health and Exercise Tips - Ab Crunches (Time: 2:23)
• YouTube Video: The Crunch (Time: 2:58)
• VideoJug: Pilates: The Bicycle (Time: 1:29)
• YouTube Video: Roman Ab Crunch Workout (Time: 1:13)
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