Exercises To Get A Flat Stomach

Toning your tummy gives you a more attractive appearance. More important, it reduces your risk of conditions such as back pain and diabetes, according to the Mayo Clinic. Toning your tummy is a two-step process: eliminating fat and strengthening abdominal muscles.

Aerobic Exercise

Cardiovascular, or aerobic, exercise burns calories, which is the only way to banish the fat that covers your abdominal muscles, notes Liz Vaccariello and Cynthia Sass, co-authors of "The Flat Belly Diet." But you don't need to run or cycle miles to accomplish this goal; with the right speed and distance, walking can also get the job done. If you're walking at a slower pace, you'll need to walk further to burn the same amount of calories that you would at a brisker pace. During a brisk walk, you can carry on a conversation but not sing. During fast walking, you won't be able to talk without becoming breathless after a few seconds. Aim to do at least 30 minutes of brisk walking five days a week.

Strength Training

It's essential that you strength-train to get a flatter stomach because it increases the amount of calories you burn and builds muscle, which takes up less room than fat. Your workout should include using dumbbells to perform exercises such as squats, lunges and side squats and exercises that target the abdominal muscles, such as the bicycle and sit-ups on an exercise ball. Vacciariello and Sass recommend doing 10 repetitions of each strengthening exercise in the first week, 15 reps in the second week, two sets of 10 reps in the third week and two sets of 15 reps in the fourth week.

Pilates

This form of exercise combines strength training with flexibility exercises to stretch, tone and balance the body, says MayoClinic.com. It targets the core muscles and makes them stronger and more flexible, and helps improve spinal alignment and pelvic positioning. During Pilates, you use a mat or equipment and your own body weight to go through a sequence of progressive, range-of-motion exercises. If you've never tried Pilates, join a class led by a certified instructor who has completed a 600-hour apprenticeship, the American Council on Exercise says.

Precautions

If you haven't been exercising for a while or you have a medical condition such as heart disease or chronic back pain, go for a medical checkup. Because some abdominal exercises can stress hip flexors and lower back muscles, work with a trainer to learn the proper technique for each exercise, or borrow core-strengthening DVDs from your library.