10 Steps To A FLATTER STOMACH

Ebony, Feb, 2000

YOU'VE got the two-piece swimsuit, the midriff-baring tank top and the slinky, sexy evening dress. Now, the only thing that s standing between you and looking fabulous on that Caribbean vacation or cruise to the Bahamas is one too many slices of pound cake at the holiday office party.

But don't worry, there are "10 steps to a flatter stomach" that can help you tone your tummy and sculpt your abs into a six-pack any personal trainer would covet. Fitness experts say that most people who begin working out want tighter abs because it's a place where extra weight is easy to notice--the love handles, the "no-pack" or the jelly-belly. But they also stress that bodyshaping is a great way to begin and maintain an overall health, nutrition and fitness program.

Stronger abdominal muscles not only look good, but also lead to better body alignment, which can relieve nagging lower-back pain, neck strain and hip problems.

"Do it for your health," says Becky Singleton, a Boston-based exercise physiologist who's been in the fitness industry for 17 years. "The benefit is that you'll look and feel better."

1 Consult your doctor before you begin any fitness or exercise program, especially if you have a history of back, neck or knee problems that could be aggravated by exercise.

2 Understand the muscles of the abdominal region before beginning to work to change them, says Denise Cavassa, a certified movement analyst from New York. There are three main sections in the stomach region--the upper abdominals, lower abdominals and the obliques, or side muscles. Different abdominal exercises develop and define the three main sections.

3 Eat a balanced diet that is low in fat. To actually see stronger abs, you'll need to burn away the excess fat around the targeted muscle area, says Singleton, who does hip-hop dance, as well as high- and low-impact aerobics. Closely examine your eating habits and change them, if necessary. Drink more than eight glasses of water a day if possible, and it's especially important to start the day off right.

"If you're not eating breakfast, it's like driving a car for four hours without gas," Singleton says. "Expect it [your body] to not work for you properly. Food is fuel."

4 Move your body every day. Cardio or aerobic activity helps burn fat and makes it easier for muscles to do the proper work. For at least 20 minutes a day, three times a week, do your favorite aerobic exercise. For beginners, a brisk walk through the neighborhood or local mall can get the heart pumping faster. Advanced fitness buffs can try cycling or spinning, running or swimming to burn excess fat.

"If you're trying to get a leaner stomach or more development around muscles, you have to burn fat--shrink those fat cells--and the only way you can do that is to do some kind of cardioactivity," says Singleton. "You can do all the crunches in the world and all the different activities around abdominals, but if you don't do some cardio, you're not going to see the full development."

5 Do abdominal exercises four to five times a week. Because these activities don't require a gym or a trainer, you can do them more often and see better results, experts say.

For basic abdominal crunches, or "curls" as Cavassa calls them, lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor in front of you and placed hip-width apart.

Next, place your hands behind your head so that your thumbs are tucked behind your ears to support the neck. Hold your elbows slightly out to the sides and keep your chin pointing up toward the ceiling.

Then, curl up and forward so that your head, neck and shoulder blades lift cleanly off the floor. Make sure you're not pulling your head forward with your hands because you could strain your neck. If your chin is touching your chest, you're doing the exercise incorrectly.

Pause for a moment, with your head and tailbone gently reaching toward each other as you exhale, says Cavassa, who conducts corporate fitness and occupational stress relief programs. Slowly lower your head, neck and shoulder blades to the starting position.

To work the lower half of the abdominals, alternately bring in each leg and do the same exercise.

For an easier exercise, fold your arms across your chest with each hand resting palms-down on the opposite shoulder. Pay special attention to the neck, because the hands are not there to support it during the exercise.

To work the obliques, or side muscles, curl up one elbow or side slightly above the other elbow and use your torso to do the turning. Look to the side and move your torso.

You can even do abdominal exercises while seated behind a desk: Sit with your back firmly against the chair and put your hands on each thigh. Lift one leg and then the other for two or three sets of eight, pulling in your abdominal muscles.

If your job requires a lot of standing, hold on to the wall and pull the knee up toward your chest for two or three sets of eight.

Do as many of the abdominal exercises as you can. Singleton recommends that for each exercise, try to make it through one of your favorite songs, remembering to do the exercises slowly and correctly.