An abundance of belly fat obscures the natural tone of the underlying muscles, even though you may be strong and fit beneath the extra layers of fat. However, flattening and toning the muscles are possible through specific workouts. As your diet shapes your overall weight distribution, your stomach workout can flatten the abdominal muscles and have you smooth and toned when you've lost the extra pounds.
Cardio
The "washboard" look you are seeking is actually a function of the connective tissue running over the rectus abdominis muscles, not the muscles themselves. The only way to reveal it is to reduce the body's overall fat percentage, and the best way to do that is with diet and a rigid cardio program. At-home exercises like cycling around the neighborhood or even doing jumping jacks in the living room can get the blood pumping. If you've got a gym membership, don't forget to do some time on the bike before you start working the abs.
Bicycle Maneuver
Proving you don't need expensive equipment to get a good workout, the bicycle maneuver is the single best exercise for both the abdominals and obliques, according to a study conducted by the non-profit American Council on Exercise. Yielding a 148 percent boost in abdominal activity over the traditional crunch as well as a 190 percent jump in oblique activity, the bicycle maneuver can be done at home by yourself without any special gear.
Lie flat on your back and put your hands behind your head as in a regular crunch. Pull the knees up directly above the hips and pump them in a bicycle pedaling motion. Reach with the right elbow and touch the left knee, then switch over to touch the left elbow to the right knee. Each time you "pedal," repeat the elbow-knee touch.
Crunch on an Exercise Ball
Another at-home exercise for a flatter stomach is the crunch performed on an exercise ball. Yielding a 39 percent increase in abdominal activity over a traditional crunch, according to the ACE study, the exercise-ball crunch adds balance to the crunching motion.
Sit atop the ball with your feet flat on the floor. Slightly roll forward on the ball until your hips and back are supported. You may need to scoot your feet forward as you do this. Once you're in position, cross your arms over your body and roll your chin to your chest. Roll upward only about 45 degrees, then release and repeat.
Full-Body Strengthening
Yoga is exercise for the mind and body, but the importance placed on stretching and breathing may mislead you into thinking it's not meant for strength training. Several poses put as much focus on the abdominal area as any traditional ab workout, including the four-limbed staff pose and the plank pose. Together, these two poses look like a push-up, but with the elbows tucked in toward the body and the head extended upward, face looking forward.
Pilates is another whole-body exercise regimen that includes some maneuvers specifically targeting the abs. Pilates movements mimic many traditional ab exercises, like leg-lifts, but with a twist. One such move is the leg circle, during which you lie on your back and raise just one leg to a 90-degree angle, then make small circles with your toes pointed toward the ceiling.
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