"The Secret to a Flat Stomach"

I constantly have people asking me how to get rid of their belly. It’s the case of the dreadful muffin top. Now I’m no nutritionist, but I’m guessing because I have an amazing set of washboard abs that people assume I know. Okay, I’m kidding about the abs. Without telling people what to eat, I tell them to look at what they are currently eating. A flat stomach is all about how you eat. Easier said than done, otherwise everyone would look like me. Kidding again!

Rather then changing your diet completely--because we all know that usually ends in disaster--make a list of what you normally eat. Chances are you're eating pretty much the same thing all the time. It's normal for people to go to the same restaurants and buy the same food at the market because it’s familiar to them. Try this: write down all of your favorite foods. Once you have compiled that list, figure out which ones are the most fattening and remove only one thing, for a week. Again, it's not that easy. I remember when I did this a few years back. I removed Oreo cookies from my diet. I can honestly say I was having dreams of eating them by the seventh day. Notice how I said to choose one food item. I never recommend people removing more than they can handle. Dieting isn’t easy. After a week, look at the list again and remove a second item. Eventually you will slowly figure out what foods work for you and what foods don’t.

With that, here is one of my favorite abdominal exercises:

1. Lie face up on your mat and place your hands behind your head, lightly supporting it with your fingers.

2. Bring the knees in to the chest and lift the shoulder blades off the floor without pulling on the neck.

3. Rotate to the left, bringing the right elbow towards the left knee as you straighten the other leg.

4. Switch sides, bringing the left elbow towards the right knee.

Continue alternating sides in a 'pedaling' motion for 1-3 sets of 12-16 reps.

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