The Best Ab Training Advice

Cardio exercise and a healthy diet are two things that will help you burn fat around your middle. However, if you want solid, toned abs you have to perform strength training exercises that work certain muscle groups in the abdominal area.

As I mention often on my site, I am not a personal trainer. Yet I still get numerous questions on weight lifting that I unfortunately cannot answer.

I was so happy to find Mike Geary's book, "The Truth About Six Pack Abs." Not only have I learned a lot, but it answers a lot of the questions on toning the abs that my site does not answer.

Geary is a personal trainer and his book offers great advice on proper diet and strength training exercises. Read my review of "The Truth About Six Pack Abs" here.

Can't Go To The Gym?

Email from Anonymous

I need your help. I work at home with 4 children and there's hardly time for me to get away to go to the gym or even take a walk for exercise. My stomach is bulging out of control and I know it's because I don't exercise. I only do crunches. How can I lose weight if I don't have the time to go to the gym?

Lisa's Response

You don't have to go to the gym to get your exercise time in. There are tons of things you can do around the house...

• Jumping jacks
  
• Aerobics/Exercise DVDs
  
• Jogging in place
  
• Walking/jogging up and down the stairs (Great exercise!)
  
• Trunk Twists
  

Pick a variety of exercises and set aside 30 minutes to do them. It doesn't matter where you are, what matters is that you're elevating that heart rate enough to burn fat.

Keep in mind if you're only doing ab crunches and not eating healthy or doing cardio, then they won't help you lose your stomach fat. You need a combination of both ab crunches, cardio AND healthy eating.

Why This Stomach Info Is Free

OK, this post is a little different from the rest here, but I receive so many emails from people asking why I provide so much good information for free, I felt it would be good to address it here.

To be quite honest, I originally created the site with the intention of testing out a Web host called Site Build It! (SBI!). If you've never heard of SBI! it's an all-in-one suite of tools that teach you how to build a Web business based on your own knowledge, passion, hobbies, etc. with NO product to sell. You earn money from affiliate programs (linking to Amazon.com books for example), sponsor ads, etc.

For years I kept reading all these case studies about people who had made money from their SBI! site, so I decided to see if it was really worth all the hype surrounding it. After all, you receive a full refund if you're not satisfied so I had nothing to lose.

When you buy SBI!, you are first instructed to brainstorm for a topic of interest and then use its automated brainstorming tool. There's honestly nothing like it on the Net. You enter the topics/keywords you're interested in for your site and through a series of formulas, it calculates a "Profitibility Index".

In other words, it tells you which of your topics will bring you the most free, targeted search engine traffic with the least amount of competition. This value is based on the number of search engine searches performed (Google, Yahoo, etc.) and how many sites currently exist on that topic.

So that's how I came up with the idea for flat-stomach-exercises.com. I knew I wanted to talk about fitness, but the brainstorming tool helped me narrow down my topic and find a good "profitibility index."

I began writing articles on my stomach flattening experiences as the SBI! Action Guide suggests and after a couple of months, I started receiving a few hundred visitors per day from MSN and Yahoo.

I just kept building new pages (SBI! makes that part easy because they have a block-by-block site builder if you are a beginner.) The more pages I created, the more the free traffic kept piling in.

I joined Google's free Adsense program where they pay you to advertise their sponsor ads. One year later this site earned enough to make a mortgage payment with some change left over. :-)

So while the information on this site is completely true, genuine and free it's nice to have the financial rewards from affiliate programs, sponsor ads, etc. SBI! showed me how to set all that up.

If you would like to try creating your own information Web business like I did, I would highly recommend Site Build It!. Now that I actually use it, I can confidently say IT WORKS!

If you buy SBI! from this link, I do earn a commission. I'm not ashamed to admit that because I'm proud to recommend the product. I use it. It works. And I've made money from my site.

Then you can do what I did and join their free affiliate program. Get your friends and family members to start their own info Web business and for each person you get to buy SBI!, you'll earn $75. AND when they renew their subscription each year, you earn that commission again.

I've found that it's much easier to get people to buy once you have a successful site yourself, many people prefer to wait until their site starts receiving traffic, etc. before recommending SBI! I actually recommend that approach. I'm not saying you cannot successfully make money promoting it if you don't own it, but when you KNOW the product and have proof of your own success, your credibility will help tremendously as you convince others to buy.

SBI! is not for everyone. So if you're looking for a get-rich-quick scheme that will make money overnight with no effort, please don't buy SBI!. You'd waste your time and money. There are no get-rich-quick products out here that work. If there was, we'd all own them and be rich now wouldn't we? ;-)

However, if you are serious about this and don't mind taking the time to learn and follow SBI!'s guide, I encourage you to give it a try. Don't worry if you've never created a Web site before - most SBI! customers haven't. The tools are so user-friendly that I promise your 95 year-old grandpa could use them. :-)

As I mentioned earlier there's a money back guarantee that I promise it will be honored.

Good luck!

Too Old For a Flat Stomach?

Email from Anonymous

I love your site! Wow, it's about time someone stopped pushing all these dumb diet pills and fad diets that screw up your metabolism. I am 45 years old and have tried for years to get a flat stomach. Is it still possible at my age? I've had 3 children.

Lisa's Response

Yes, it is possible. I'm not saying it won't be challenging but it's definitely doable. Unfortunately the older you get, the weaker your muscles become. If you've had children this adds to the challenge because childbirth weakens your abdominal muscles even more.

You should start with Kegel exercises. These are internal muscles located in your lower abdominals that can be re-trained and strengthened, thus improving the look of your tummy. There's a great article on post pregnanacy and how to do kegel exercises here.

Don't forget that diet is equally (if not more) important as exercise. It's crucial you work on limiting your intake of bad carbs (white bread, potatoes, pasta, white rice), eat more veggies, protein, less sugar and cut out those late snacks. Drinking at least 8 glasses of water per day is also key.

Just remember it's a process and you have to remain consistent. You can't do this for 3 days and then go back to your old eating habits. Yes, it will be more difficult the older you get, but it's certainly not impossible to have a flat stomach just because you're in your 40's.

Weight Loss Tips for Teens

I received an email from a young girl yesterday who said she unsubscribed from my Tummy Tips because there wasn't enough tips for teens. It suddenly occurred to me that a lot of young people view this site.

I realized that much of the information on www.flat-stomach-exercises.com is geared toward adults, so I created a page for the younger generations that may be struggling with weight issues.

View my weight loss tips for teens page.

Weight Loss Pills - UGH!

Every now and then I'll get an email from someone asking me what I think of diet pills. The answer in short is, "I HATE them."

In my opinion, using weight loss pills is a lot like using medication to cure depression.

Yes, the pill may work in the short term, but it doesn't attack the root of the problem. If you are overweight (no matter if it's your whole body or just your stomach area) it's either due to lack of exercise, poor diet, gland issues, etc.

In order to achieve weight loss success for the LONG TERM, you'll have to address these issues because they are the ROOT of the problem.

There are more problems. Diet pills can be habit forming, some of them aren't FDA approved and those that are may still be recalled in the future after further research. It happens all the time.

I also know that people that use diet pills tend to gain the weight back twice as fast once they stop taking them. So what happens is they go back on them and risk addiction.

Please stay away from diet pills. Exercise, portion control, and changing your diet may be hard, but it's a much safer and will keep the weight off long term as long as you continue your good habits.

Can Jogging Flatten Your Stomach?

I receive many emails from people wanting to know if jogging or playing sports can help flatten your stomach. Yes and no.

Cardio exercises burn fat. So yes, they will help you burn the fat all over your body. Not just your stomach. On the other hand, cadio exercises don't tone. So yes, while playing sports, jogging or any kind of cardio exercises will burn fat and keep additional fat from forming, you still need to do crunches and strengthen your abdominal region if you want to tone your stomach.

Men Can Apply These Tips Too

I got an email today from a guy wanting to know if my flat stomach tips worked for men too. I guess I never really thought that people may believe my tips are only for women.

Sure, men and women have different builds, etc. but the tips you see on www.flat-stomach-exercises.com are for both sexes.

No matter your gender, we can all flatten our stomachs by changing our diets and exercising 3 to 4 times per week. Visit my site above for specific tips.

Here's a shout for all the men reading this: Consider yourself lucky since the pounds tend to shed faster for you than they do for women. :)

Weight Loss Tips for Teens

Email from Anonymous

I am 14 years old and I am teased about my weight in school. Most of my weight is in my stomach and thighs. I would love to lose weight but I can't afford to spend any money.

Lisa's Response

First of all, if you are a minor living with parents or a guardian, you need to conuslt with them or your family physician first. They can give you advice on how to begin. Sometimes children who are overweight may have problems that have nothing to do with their eating habits - perhaps it's a gland problem. That's why it's important you talk to your parents or doctor first.

In the meantime, there are things you can do to help your situation:

1) Get some exercise. Even if you jog in place or do jumping jacks in your home, that will help you burn calories. When you're watching TV, just stand up and start jogging in place for least 20 minutes. Do this 3 times per week.

Walking through the mall is also a fun, effective exercise. Grab a few of your friends and go to your favorite mall to walk around for about an hour. Not only can you check out the latest styles, but you can get some exercise and burn some calories in the process.

2) Limit your fast food intake. For kids, it's sometimes harder to resist fast food since you and your friends tend to hang out there often. Plus, the food is pretty cheap.

Fast food is loaded with saturated fat and sodium and really shouldn't be eaten at all. However, it's OK to treat yourself once and a while.

If your friends insist on going to a fast food place, order one of their grilled chicken salads with light dressing instead of a burger and fries.

3) Pack a lunch for school. The food in school cafeterias is very unhealthy and not much better than fast food. If you can, take your lunch so you can eat healthier foods like a turkey sandwich, fruit and vegetables.

4) Another thing you need to remember is that kids are cruel. Those bullies that are teasing you about your weight are only teasing you because they are unhappy about something in their life. They look for weak people with lower self esteem to make them feel better about themselves. Bullies are very sad people on the inside but they try to cover their hurt by teasing you. Don't let them get to you!

It's great you want to lose weight to feel better about yourself, but just understand that you are not any less of a person because you aren't thin like some of your classmates. You are still a beautiful person and don't let anyone else tell you otherwise!

Toning Specific Problem Areas

I feel like I'm being redundant sometimes but I keep getting emails from people wanting to lose weight in certain areas. Last week a lady wanted to know how to lose her double chin. Yesterday someone emailed me about losing their arm flab.

I cannot stress enough that there isn't a way to spot tone one area. If you want to lose flab ANYWHERE on your body -- whether it's your face, arms, neck, stomach, you name it...you MUST lose weight all over.

When you start exercising regularly and eating properly, you will lose weight in those problem areas.

Now of course once the weight starts coming down you can tone certain areas with weight lifting - particularly your arms, legs, etc. But weight lifting without eating right and exercising will just make you bulky. You'll just be adding muscle on top of your existing fat. That is not an ideal solution.

My eDiets Review

I've never been on a "diet" per say. There are times when I watch what I eat, but I've never restricted myself from anything for long periods of time like most people do when they want to lose weight

I think it's important that we learn it's not about temporary dieting and depriving yourself of certain foods altogether. It's about developing good eating habits for the rest of your life and continuously rewarding yourself with desserts from time to time.

A lot of people ask me about weight loss programs such as "Weight Watchers", etc. Well I've never joined any sort of program like that but if you are one who would like a more structured weight loss plan, you may want to look into eDiets.

Here's my review of it here.

The Miracle Flat Stomach Food

I hope you didn't click on this post expecting to read about some miracle food that will instantly flatten your stomach or help you lose weight. Shame on you if you did. :) There are such foods that instantly melt the fat from your body.

I am creating this post because I get a lot of emails from people who want to know if a certain magical food exists.

Of course there are those foods that are good for you and are low if fat/calories and high in protein and/or fiber. When you consistently eat these kinds of foods instead of the high-in-fat varieties you will lose weight because simply because you're lowering your fat/calorie intake and increasing your protein and fiber consumption.

Let's take soybeans for example. They are an excellent health food. They are high in protein, fiber and low in fat and calories. If eaten in addition to a healthy diet, the sum of your entire diet will help you in the long run. Notice I said "the sum". It's not just the soybeans alone that are "melting the fat away" - nor is it any other single food item.

Also, don't think you can eat a cheesburger and fries and then follow that up with a healthy food to get rid of the fat from the burger and fries. It doesn't work that way. Healthy foods do not cancel out the negative effects of the unhealthy ones.

If you want to lose weight, you need to eat a combination of healthy foods and incorporate exercise regularly.

So instead of looking for the miracle food, evaluate your entire diet. Be sure you're eating protein, fiber, minimal fat and carbs. Drink at least 6 glasses of water per day and exercise at least 3 times per week.

There are no miracles in weight loss - only hard work, determination and realistic goals.

Best Time for Stomach Exercises?

Email from Anonymous

Hi, great site! Do you know if it matters when you exercise, in particular ab crunches? Is it better to do them in the morning, night, or does it make a difference? What about regular cardio exercise?

Lisa's Response

I get that question a lot so I decided to post it on my blog. Yes, some believe there is actually an opportune time to exercise and it is determined by what they call your personal "circadium rhythm". Read this article to learn more.

Weight Loss Baby Steps

Email from Anonymous

I need to lose weight badly but I'm so overwhelmed. I don't know where to start. My middle is big and so is the rest of my body. It's so hard to get started and stay focused.

Lisa's Response

First of all, I want you to realize that weight loss happens a little at a time. Don't try to take on too much at one time or you'll get discouraged and quit.

Start small. Cut out a few bad foods. For example, try eliminating fast food, white bread and pasta. Those are three foods that will surely put weight on you when you eat too much of it. Instead eat grilled chicken, fish, tuna, and salads.

Also try exercising 3 times per week for 20 minutes. This could be anything from jogging in place to jumping jacks or skipping rope. It doesn't matter what you do as long as you are moving.

Then after 2-3 weeks, try exercising 3 times per week for 30 minutes instead of 20 and upping the intensity.

Replace soda with sugar free drinks like Crystal Light and lightly sweetened fruit drinks. Remember, sugar can be fattening if you don't burn it off. Also, drink 8 glasses of water per day.

It's important to take baby steps and you'll slowly but surely see the weight come off. Don't try or expect to lose 10 pounds in a week. It's just not realistic or healthy. You may only lose a pound or two a week. It doesn't sound like a lot, but as long as you're making progress those numbers will add up.

Don't give up and always remember to have one day where you can eat whatever you want. Just try not to overdo it.

Remember, it's all about baby steps.

Liposuction Surgery - The Revelation

Email from Anonymous

Hello. Yes, I love your tips, they have helped me tremendously. Before I linked on to your website, I was miserable and fed up with my stomach. I have always worked out and ate right, for the most part, but my stomach has never really changed. All of the women in my family have a big stomach and it was unfortunately in my blood to have one too.

I have worked out for years and years and it seemed like nothing I have done worked. When I started reading you tips, I made a life decision. I have so far lost 1 1/2 inches around my stomach and have gone down a pants size. I now have realized that it was my eating habits that was the problem. I have always known that you need to change your diet in order to lose the fat but when you stressed how important it was about diet to lose it, I realized my problem.

I now eat 6 small meals a day, healthy ones. Don't get me wrong, I cheat once a week, but it was so reassuring for you to say, hey, it is not the end of the world to award yourself for a job well done. I now know the proper ways of exercise of the abs as well. I am not quite where I want to be for the summer, but I am on the right track.

I want to let you know that one week before finding your website, I made an appointment for liposuction on my abdomen. The day after reading your words, I canceled the appointment and took the money I have saved and I am now using it for healthy food buying and a good gym membership. Thank you so much for your tips, it has been a life changing experience for me. I am so thankful!

---

This email brought tears to my eyes. I never dreamed that my website, Flat-Stomach-Exercises.com would impact someone's life like that. I certainly hope many more people have the same revelation that Jessica had.

What's The Best Ab Machine?

Email from Anonymous

I'm about 30 pounds heavier than I used to be, but I'm actually OK with the rest of my body. I just want to flatten and tone my stomach. What's the best kind of ab machine I can buy to get a six pack?

Lisa's Response

Before you buy any equipment and start working those abs, you are going to have to lose that extra weight. It is impossible to spot tone your stomach and keep the rest of your weight the same. Our bodies do not know how to lose weight in one area and keep it in another.

Before you see any ab muscles you have to burn the fat around the middle. Do this by performing medium to high impact cardio exercises (treadmill, eliptical machine, aerobics DVDs, etc.) and cutting out saturated fats, bad carbs and working in protein and fiber to your daily diet.

You'll never see your six pack until you burn off the layers of fat on top of your ab muscles.

There are tons of ab machines out there and I would recommend going to your local fitness store or speak with a professional trainer about which kind of equipment is best for you.

Also, check out my homepage Flat-Stomach-Exercises.com to learn more about flattening and toning your stomach.

Excess Skin - Can I Get Rid of It?

Email from Anonymous

The problem I have is that while your exercises are helping me a lot, I seem to have a lot of excess skin around my chest and stomach which appears imposible to move. Tell me, will this skin in time slowly shrink and disappear? I await your reply and thanks once again for all of your good advice.

Lisa's Response

I'm no doctor but if you have a lot of excess skin I think the only way to
have that removed is surgically. I've never heard of any exercises that rid the body of extra skin nor have I heard of it shrinking. I guess it also depends on how much skin you have.

I would really recommend consulting your physician.

Can Fiber Cause Stomach Bloating?

Email from Anonymous

What is the deal with fiber and stomach bloating? I know fiber can help you lose weight but it seems to give me gas.

Lisa's Response

Certain foods contain soluble and insoluble fiber. Soluble fiber dissolves easily and turns into a gel-like texture when it reaches the intestines. It can be found in beans, oat bran, peas and the flesh of many fruits. Soluble does not break down until it reaches the large intestine. The digestion process causes gas.

Insoluble fiber, passes essentially unchanged through the intestines and produces little gas (if any). Seeds, nuts, berries, the skin of some fruits, whole grain cereals and pasta contain this kind of fiber.

It has also been found that once your body gets used to consuming fiber on a regular basis, the "gas effects" may decrease.