Ask Denise!

Think Beyond Crunches

Q: I've been doing crunches religiously, but I'm not getting flatter abs! What do I have to do to lose belly fat?

A: Contrary to popular belief, toned abdominals don't come from doing a million crunches alone. In fact, you may already have abs of steel — they may simply be covered by a layer of insulation. A three-pronged attack is needed to really flatten the tummy! The first thing that's necessary is a fat-burning cardio workout, like running, biking, or using a treadmill, a stair climber, or an elliptical machine three times a week for at least 20 minutes.

The next thing that'll help shrink your middle is exercises that target each of the different abdominal muscle groups as well as your lower back; try adding reverse sit-ups, for example. Focus on using good form and really tightening those muscles.

Finally, you need to eat healthy foods and watch your portion sizes and calorie intake. If you do all three of these things, you should see a difference in about two weeks. So go for it — it's worth it!

Go to : www.deniseaustin.com for more information!